Twelve Months of Staging in 2021
Behind the Scenes: Farmhouse Project
When many think of the Washington DC area, rural areas do not come to mind. Surprisingly, country life is closer than you think. Just thirty minutes from the heart of DC lies many rural farms, most of which are rich with history. Recently, we had the privilege of staging a partially furnished home that happened to be a beautiful old farmhouse. The current homeowners had reached out to us to help them get the property ready for sale. These homeowners had lived here for 20 years and spent many of those years, refurbishing the history of the home and its outbuildings. She herself had renovated and sold many properties over the years, but found it impossible to make the decisions about everything from lighting to furnishings when it came to her OWN home. We were more than happy to help! This collaborative effort between our team and the owner proved to be one of the most interesting and fun projects to date. You can see all the pictures from our staging of the property on our portfolio page!
One of the key elements to this staging that made it unlike any other, was maintaining the integrity of the house with the furnishings. You can’t simply put modern traditional furniture and decor in a house of this nature. The space needed current elements to appeal to today’s buyers but still remain true to it’s past. We did this by using some of the owner’s fantastic antique pieces and blending them with carefully selected pieces of our inventory.
Living Room
Dining Room
Bedroom
We were also very careful in our selection of decorative accents. We used things you probably wouldn’t find in your typical Northern VA homes. All of our accents had to fit the style of this house. Details do truly matter. Notice below how we used vintage suitcases for a special touch in the hallway and old book sand metal keys as coffee table decor.
This property was beautiful and unique! We knew it would sell fast. We are happy to report it went under contract a little over a week after it hit the market with multiple competing offers. We love to see results like this for clients who have put in the hard work to make the necessary updates and changes to market their home to stand out among their competition. We would love to help you shine a light on your home too. Go online now to book your home staging consultation with us and get results!
Best Curb Appeal Ideas for Any Budget
First impressions never get a second chance! According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), 93% of home buyers use online websites to search for their ideal new home. This means photography play a huge role in whether or not a buyer likes the home. And what is the first photo in a listing? Generally, it’s the exterior of the home. We have created a list of the best curb appeal ideas for any budget to ensure your home is picture perfect and generates a profitable first impression!
CLEAN, CLEAN, CLEAN
One of the first steps to a great first impression is cleaning the outside of the house. This can be done very simply with a good pressure wash. If you don’t own a pressure washer, you can easily rent one or hire a professional. Not only does the siding need to be cleaned all the way around the home but also the front porch area, deck and any walkways around the home. And don’t forget to clean those windows. And while you are at it, remove those screens altogether!
PLANT SOME COLOR
Plant some nice colorful flowers in your flower beds, front porch containers and/or window boxes. If it isn’t springtime, there are some great options that can last through tougher conditions like pansies and fresh greenery. To show off those new beautiful flowers and to present a clean landscape, we would also suggest a nice new layer of mulch in your beds around the front of the home.
PAINT
As we have mentioned before, paint is money in a can! Consider sprucing up the front of the home by painting your front door, trim and/or shutters. This presents a clean finished look to the house and tells the buyer you take pride in the appearance of our home.
SHOW OFF YOUR ADDRESS
Make sure your house numbers are clearly visible and easy to read. This may seem silly but when a buyer is looking for your home you don’t want them to accidentally pass you buy because they simply can’t see your house numbers. If your numbers are in good condition, consider cleaning and/or giving them a spray paint to make them stand out. Otherwise, consider purchasing a new set of numbers to install.
LIGHT IT UP
If your porch lighting is outdated or rusted, replace it. Below are some very affordable options on Amazon. Before purchasing anything, make sure to pay attention to the size and shape of the base plate of your existing light fixture and buy accordingly. Another source of light that should be addressed are any lamp posts that may be in your front yard. Make sure the glass is clean, the bulb is bright and the paint is refreshed. Before addressing these lighting concerns, check with your HOA to make sure they do not have any stipulations as to what kind of light can be used on the exterior of the home or if they can repair lamp post if needed.
MAKE IT WELCOMING
Adding a new doormat is an easy way to make your home inviting. Buyers spend quite a few minutes standing on the front porch waiting for the realtor to get the lockbox to open for the key. For these few minutes the only thing the buyer has to do is study your front door. Seeing a clean entry with a clean welcoming door mat is appealing to any buyer. You may also want to consider another rug just inside the home for buyers to step onto when entering the home and a place to take off their shoes.
ADDRESS YOUR MAILBOX
If your mailbox has seen better days, consider giving it a fresh coat of paint. If it’s beyond the paint cover-up, just replace it with a new one. Once again, you will need to check with your HOA if there are restrictions to what kind of mailbox can be used.
These quick updates can do wonders for your curb appeal. The goal is to draw buyers inside your home. Showing them you care enough about the outside tells them you care enough about the inside too. Remember, first impressions never get a second chance. Take that first step and book a home consultation online with us - we would love to shine the spotlight on your home and get it market ready!
*Disclaimer: This page contains Amazon affiliate links which means Staged by Design® may earn commission if you use links provided
Can’t Beat the Real Thing – Virtual Staging vs. Professional Home Staging
Technology is in every area of our lives. Real estate is no exception. Buyers can “shop” for homes anywhere they have WiFi. And based off what they see online, they develop a list of potential homes they want to visit. Home staging has benefited sellers by creating beautiful spaces for beautiful online photographs. Buyers are not only looking for a new house but they are visualizing a home when they shop. According to the National Realtor Association, 44% of agents feel staging increases the dollar value offered for a home and 53% say staging decreases the amount of time a home is on the market. So if staging is so beneficial – which is better – virtual or professional home staging?
First let’s address - what is virtual staging? Virtual staging is the process of using software to enhance photos of an empty home.
BUT in reality – the house is still an empty box.
Professional home staging makes a connection between the home and the buyer. From start to finish, professional staging caters to the demographics of the buyer and furnishes the home with that in mind. Professional home stagers also use design principles to space plan accordingly to the design of the house. When buyers walk into a home they need to visualize the space for their needs. Seeing a home is also an emotional experience for a buyer. The feeling a buyer gets when walking into a home is a clear directive as to whether they love the home or not.
Professional home staging may be a little more expensive upfront but it’s proven track record of selling homes faster can’t be beat. Virtual staging is a risk. We have encountered countless clients who have started with virtual staging, then a price reduction and finally end up coming to us for professional home staging. Once our work is done, the house sells quickly but it cost the seller more time and money in the long run. All of this could have been avoided if a little more money up front were given to professional staging and the home could have sold for top dollar. You can’t beat the real thing. Professional home staging works.
If you are wanting to sell your home fast, give us a call for a home staging consultation. Or simply click here for our online scheduling form. We want to give you the real deal for real results!