Vision. Vision. Vision!! The biggest question is, "Can you visualize this space as your own?" Luckily for us, staging can take us there. In preparing a home for the market, working with stagers and dressing the home with furniture is just one part of the staging process. We also provide insights to our sellers on what updates can elevate the home to be most appealing to buyers' pockets and impression on the market.
Many buyers are looking for a home that is move-in-ready. This definitely means a full cleaning of the home and a fresh coat of white or grey paint on the walls and could mean updating appliances. An inviting stack of books or bowl of lemons on the table can bring to life what a space can do for a client. Silly as it may sound, even little touches go a long way. But let's talk about the big changes. Let's talk about how a space can almost feel unrecognizable with the right furniture, artwork, and a fresh coat of paint!
Here are a few of our favorite transformations:
At this two-level condo, previously owned by its seller for 20+ years, ripping out the old and bringing in new flooring gave this home a renewed first impression to give the next owner a new space to call home.
Here we can see why staging makes such a difference. Walking into this space, bulky furniture and old carpet would distract a potential buyer from the potential of this space. That's why before putting this home on the market, since the seller was already moving out, the carpet was replaced throughout the home.
Here's an example of what a fresh coat of paint can do for a space. This dark and dated kitchen was given a new lease on life with fresh white paint! A good cleaning and fresh coat of paint shows buyers a home that is truly move-in-ready!
Lastly, here is an example of how a small change and make a difference. Unlike the previous examples that have changed out flooring and painted walls, this next example shows the power of a simple furniture swap. We originally put this home on the market in June before taking it off the market to accommodate our sellers' needs until they were ready to re-market in July. In the meantime, we reviewed our June showing feedback and decided to update a few of the pieces we had staged. We swapped some fun floral dining chairs for muted grey chairs that are a little more universal. We also added some wall art and swapped out patterned bedding for plain white. While these changes are so small and aren't sold with the house, they really helped sell the home. We had an increase in showings, and our sellers had multiple offers to review. As crazy as it seems, we have to credit staging for this. Nothing was changed about the listings except a few photos that showed some updated staging. Amazing how a small change can make such a big difference!
Do you know someone who's looking to sell their home but isn't sure what can refresh it for the market? Send them this article, and let's connect! We love working with our clients to reach their home's best potential for the market. We really have seen it all! Special thanks to Britt Simon for the before and after shots! Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to stay up to date on new listings, open houses, community, and real estate news!