Home sellers many times have questions on weather to stage their home. The term staging refers to decorating a home to have it more appealing to buyers. There are many opinions on when and how it should be done. Webster Dictionary defines staging as “the act of journeying in stagecoaches.” Which proves that staging means many things to many people. After nearly 20 years of successfully selling homes in Phoenix, Scottsdale and Paradise Valley Arizona here are few thoughts to on staging when selling a home.
One, staging does not increase the value of the home. I did a quick video on this using a silver dollar as an example. You can see it here. Staging should help increase interest and allow the buyer to mentally move in.
Two, staging to sell is not decorating. I had the opportunity to sell a prominent Paradise Valley and Scottsdale interior designer’s home. After, viewing the home we went through my ideas on getting the home ready for sale. The more suggestions I gave the more upset she got. Explaining we were highlighting the home’s features and allowing the buyer to place some of their favorite pieces in the home helped a little but she was still skeptical. I left and returned a few days later and she did 90% of what I suggested. She admitted that for showing off the home, I was right and I agreed that the way she had it before was much better decoration. The home sold in less than 2 weeks.
Three, staging in many cases is inexpensive. There is so much a homeowner can do with a storage unit, paint and a few adjustments. Decluttering, changing furniture positions and painting key areas can do wonders for how a buyer feels about a home. It does take a trained eye that has observed hundreds of buyers walking through a houses to know what the majority of people react to.
Fourth is “Less is More.” Sellers seeing their home staged and ready for sale often comment the house feels empty. That is a good thing. With clear counters, shelves sparsely decorated and closets with the bare minimum allows buyers to feel “There is room for me.” Krogh Enterprises, a premier builder remodeler in Arcadia, Scottsdale and Paradise Valley does a wonderful job of this. Check out their portfolio.
As you start to get ready to sell your home consider consulting a professional to guide you through the staging process. It will help you get top dollar for your property and make the sale process easier. If you would like a no obligation personal consultation contact me, text or email, John Schloz at 602-570-5905 jschloz@gmail.com.
