What is Home Staging?

 

Welcome The home staging concept is a proven strategy that was created over 35 years ago by a real estate agent named Barb Schwarz. Barb knew that "The way you live in your house and the way you sell your house are two different things" When you decorate your home, you are infusing the space with your personality. You are setting it up in such a way so that it functions for your family. When a home is staged to sell, the space gets de-personalized and is set up in such a way so that it can appeal to anyone's family. The buyers see a home that can easily be their own.

Home staging is simply turning a home into a product that can be marketed for sale. The house gets packaged and merchandised so that it appears to be well cared for, up-to-date, cozy, peaceful, spacious and easy to live in. Buyers will think "I can just move in here and feel right at home."

The process of home staging involves the following:

• De-personalizing and neutralizing - buyers want to feel like the house could be theirs. By removing your personal items and any bold color statements, they won't feel like they are intruding on someone else's space. They will feel more comfortable while touring the house and linger a little longer.

• Highlighting the positives - by strategically arranging furniture and accessories and working with color and balance, the best features of your house will shine through.

• Updating - buyers like to think they are getting the latest and greatest. By working with what you already have and possibly adding some things that are on trend and popular in today's style, your house will look new and up to date.

• Creating an emotional connection - by adding special touches that appeal to all of the senses and convey relaxation and fun times, a buyer will start to imagine themselves living there.

• Eliminating clutter - by removing distractions and packing things away early the house will feel more open, spacious and peaceful. Buyers aren't buying your stuff, they are buying your house, so it's important to remove clutter so that they can see what they are getting.

• Cleaning, removing odors, and making repairs - doing this upfront sends the message that the house has been meticulously maintained. This will eliminate the buyer's mental to-do list and the resulting low ball offer.