Home Staging Made Simple
The last time I posted a blog was when my family and I were moving into our new home. I’m happy to report we are still in the home and doing well! The process of getting there however was not easy and I learned a lot along the way. While getting my own home ready to be placed on the market I struggled more than I thought I would. When you place your home on the market you turn it into a marketable house. This means decluttering, clearing off surfaces, depersonalization and lots of cleaning! I struggled mostly with the depersonalization part because I worked so hard to make the house into a cozy home, it was hard to strip all that away. I looked back at the photos, and I felt like I could have done an even better job of clearing surfaces and having less in each room. After getting feedback from a potential buyer that the house seemed cramped in areas, I cleared even more of my stuff to make the house feel as roomy as possible. After all this I thought to myself, this would be a great service for people who are putting their house on the market. To have an unbiased and fresh pair of eyes on a house and look at it through a buyer’s point of view to make their house as marketable as possible. So that is how occupied home staging became part of my services as a home organizer. All my strengths like decluttering, organizing, special planning, styling, décor would all play into a great service that would benefit everyone. Also, it goes without saying, placing your home for sale is stressful! Having someone else come in and get your home photo ready would take a lot of stress off the homeowners’ shoulders.
The first house I staged was for a widow who had raised her family in the home, and it was a very emotional time for her to move. I was able to clear off surfaces, remove a bulky recliner to open her living room area more and added some neutral décor. She explained to me that she tried to sell the house on her own however it did not work out so she hired a realtor. The realtor is who hired me and had me take a look at her beautiful home, it just needed to be adjusted and cleared out in a few key places to make it more marketable. After the realtor placed the home on the market with my changes, the house sold within days with a full offer. I have now staged many houses in the Quad City area, and they have all sold the day they have been put on the market. A big reason why homes sell so fast as well is because buyers know if they like a house or not before they even walk into the physical home. Why? Because they are looking at the online listing on their phones and looking at the photos. Photos sell homes! It is so important to make a good first impression to buyers through photos.
I have also started soft staging homes where I strategically place accessories and art in a vacant house or condo making it more appealing to potential buyers by focusing on the positive aspects of the space and taking away the "hard edge". The art and accessories create a homey feel and help a potential buyer envision living there. Buying a home is an emotional process, so with soft staging I focus on creating a welcoming and warm environment, leaning into those emotions. A welcome mat on the front step, mirror on a mantel, soft fluffy towels in the bathroom, butcher block with a nice candle on the kitchen counter all go a long way.
The last type of home staging I have done is consulting where I come into a home before they place is on the market and give them all my advice on staging their home for sale. I do an hour walk through the home with the homeowner and make a list of recommendations. Then I put those recommendations into a list and send them via email or print out.
April is the best month to list your home for sale, it is the when the highest number of homes hit the market and buyers are ready to move! March, April and May are by far my busiest months with home staging. If you are listing your home for sale here are 4 Do’s and 4 Don’ts that I highly recommend.
4 Do’s
Declutter and neutralize the home
Make sure there are clear pathways in the home
Have a clean and welcoming front door
Hire a professional to help!
4 Don’ts
Leave personalized family photos in the home
Have broken/dirty items in the home
Don’t have overpowering smells in the home of any kind
Leave windows covered up by curtains/ blinds- natural light is your friend!
Staging encompasses so many things that I am passionate about and love. I enjoy decluttering and seeing clear surfaces transform a space into open and peaceful. I enjoy décor and styling homes to highlight their potential and best qualities. It is also very rewarding seeing people reach their goals of selling their homes for the highest amount. All in all, staging is such a win for everyone involved. It is even beneficial for the buyer because they may have passed up a house, they could not see the potential in. I greatly enjoy this new branch of my business and how it has helped my clients.
Let’s work together to sell YOUR home!
