Home Staging Consultations - Friend or Foe?

Why is it that most of us feel the need to apologize for the condition of our home? Our homes are meant to be lived in - it's ok. However, living in your home is MUCH different than selling your home. Are home staging consultations meant to scare you or help you? They are most definitely there to help you maximize your home's return on investment.

Home staging consultations are a two hour visit that allows you to see your home through the eyes of the buyer. The goal of our consultation visit is to provide you with recommendations that are allgeared towards maximizing your return on investment for selling your home. It is also target marketing. We want your house to visually look good online so that it will attract buyers to come visit. The National Association of Realtors (NAR) reports that 44% of buyers start their home search online and 98% of buyers frequently use the web to search for homes. In this internet age, real estate agents are suggesting home staging as a strategy to “wow” virtual viewers from the very first picture.

Our consultations provide you with an exhaustive list that covers each room of the home. No matter how overwhelming it may seem, we break it down into bits and pieces to provide you with a priority list. Ultimately, it's your money and your budget and you may not be able to do all of our suggestions. Having a priority list will let you know where you will get the most return if updates are made. Our two hour consultations come with a detailed report before our departure and cover areas such as:

• curb appeal

• specific de-cluttering advice

• furniture placement

• accessorizing using existing furnishings

• recommendations and/or options for furniture, artwork or accessories needed, but not present in the home

• deferred maintenance issues

• specific paint color recommendations as needed

• updating and/or upgrading suggestions such as countertops, cabinets, lighting, carpet, etc.

• specific lighting suggestions complete with links to local shopping venues

So the next question is, what do you need to do before we come for a consultation? Absolutely nothing! Take a look at Leigh's video to hear her explain.

https://youtu.be/5BPntENjyIM

Are you a real estate agent or homeowner selling a home that needs a little TLC? You don’t need to spend a lot of money to achieve an upscale look. Let us help you select on-trend, cost effective options, geared towards maximizing your return on investment. Take a look at some of our work and give us a call or schedule an appointment online for a home consultation. We would be happy to partner with you and shine a spotlight on your home.

Selling During the Holidays

Selling your Northern Virginia home during the holidays is not ideal but sometimes can't be avoided.  The decision to decorate for the holidays when selling a house is always difficult.  Should you put a tree up?  Should you put outside lights on the house?  Should you just skip Christmas, Kwanzaa, or Hanukkah all together?  It can be more stress on top of what is already a stressful time of the year for most. 

The good thing about selling your home during the holidays is that most buyers are serious. Those that are house shopping NEED to purchase, which is good. Historically, there are fewer homes on the market as well, which also works in your favor. However, the need for proper presentation is still key, no matter what time of year you are listing.

Just as personal belongings tend to distract buyers, your seasonal decorating can serve to be a distraction, however you don't have to ditch ALL your holiday decorating traditions.  Here are 10 tips on how to navigate staging your home to sell during the holidays.

#1: Clean and declutter.

This is your first step to selling your home any time of the year.  Decluttering your home before bringing out any holiday decorations is a must, or you risk your seasonal decor simply adding to the clutter that already exists.

#2: WAIT to decorate until AFTER your professional photos have been taken.

Your photos are the first thing a buyer sees and you don’t want them to see a Christmas tree in your photos in February if your house didn’t sell quickly.

#3: KISS – Keep it simple silly! 

Whatever you use to decorate – keep everything simple.  Display a few classic pieces instead of every heirloom family favorite. Your tree should be simple and able to fit the space.  Larger trees for large rooms and slim trees for smaller spaces.  If you use a real tree – make sure to daily pick up fallen needles.

#4: Use seasonal greenery.

Deck the halls with fresh garland and use a fresh evergreen wreath to adorn your front door.  Greenery is traditional and simple and adds a great smell to the home.

#5: Don’t display your Christmas cards

We all love those cards we receive from family and friends.  However, this can be like personal photos and create a distraction as well as provide visual disruption, no matter how you decide to display.

#6: Wrap up a few empty boxes under the tree.

This creates a finished look without causing stressing about someone stealing your actual gifts.  Place your gifts under the tree when your family celebrates.

#7: Put away religious symbols.

No nativity scenes, menorahs, nutcrackers, etc.  The goal is to allow anyone to envision themselves living in YOUR home, regardless of their personal beliefs. Best to keep those packed away for next year in your new house.

#8: Use white lights.

White lights are simple and elegant and do not distract or make a room crazy.  If you have to string extension cords all over the house to use lights, then just avoid them altogether.  You don’t want to allude to the fact there is not sufficient outlets in the home.

#9: Use simple ornaments.

Back to the "keep it simple" in tip #3.  Instead of trimming your tree with your family's homemade ornaments, use simple, streamlined ornaments in the same color.  This will make your tree less of a distraction and more of a part of the home for the holidays.

#10: Curb appeal

Use lights on the exterior of the home only to highlight a feature such as a great tree in the front yard or the architecture of the house.  If everyone in the neighborhood lights up their house, don’t be the neighborhood grinch and shy away from the flair of the neighborhood.  But in the same sense, don’t be the Griswolds of the neighborhood – remember to keep it simple and stay away from excessive lights and inflatable yard décor.  AND one last thing -  always make sure to clear away any snow or ice from the driveway and or sidewalks to make your house presentable and accessible.

You don’t have to skip the holidays just because your house is on the market.  Following our home staging tips can help you enjoy the holidays while minimizing the stress.  And who knows, you may just wake up Christmas morning with an offer!

Need additional help deciding how to prepare your Northern Virginia home for sale? We offer both interior redesign consultations for those staying in their home, and staging consultations to help get your home show ready.

Book an appointment today online!

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!

Why Stage in a Hot Market?

You may wonder why it would be beneficial to stage your home or listing in a HOT market. Statistics show us that the average Days on Market for Loudoun County was 22 as of May 2019. Reduced inventory has continued to increase demand over the past year, and sales prices along with it.

Many sellers may feel that their house will sell even if they are in need of cosmetic repairs and/or updates. While your home may still sell in a strong market, proper preparation and presentation increases demand by providing compelling online photos and can often create a bidding war.

Staging is truly targeted marketing. We utilize photo styling tacticts to create compelling online photos. Over 90% of buyers shop online before stepping foot inside the door of the house. With polished professional photos, a well-designed, de-cluttered home creates that online interest needed to urge buyers to see the home in person.

Staging also allows a buyer to visualize themselves and their family in the home. Most people have a hard time arranging and designing their homes. By having it staged, they can instantly see how spaces are used, gain ideas, and acquire a sense of home when they walk in the door. Appealing to the emotion of the buyer is one of the most important benefits of staging your home for sale.

Realtors have a fiduciary responsibility to help their clients sell their homes for the most amount of money. The National Association of Realtors cites that staged homes can increase sales prices by 5-10%. In any kind of market, consider sharing one tool they can use to get more money for their home - STAGING!

Staged by Design offers consultations for occupied homes, as well as full staging for vacant homes. Feel free to contact us for your staging needs!