Why you MUST Stage Your Vacant House or Condo Before Listing

To a lot of people, Staging may seem frivolous. Many people think it is an unnecessary expense right before a potentially expensive move. But, Staging usually means a quicker sale for your home. And it might also mean that you avoid a price reduction – which could knock your list price down by $10k or more. But there are some other powerful reasons to hire a Home Stager, like….

1) No knick-knacks, no furniture, no style. Your buyers cannot emotionally connect with an empty property. Home Staging® can give an empty property enough of a soul to create a desire in buyers to make an offer.

2) Not all of us are gifted with the best sense of space. Rooms can look bigger, or SMALLER, without furniture. Some of your potential buyers won’t be able to properly imagine what the property will look like once it is furnished and decorated. Staging® sets the scene and gives the homebuyer an idea of whether that bedroom is capable of handling a queen or a king bed.

3) Realtors will tell you one little secret. At showings and open houses, buyers truly cannot see the full potential of an empty property. Vacant property generally does not sell for as high a price as an occupied and/or staged one. You can expect to recoup the cost of your Staging – and then some – in the offer price you receive on your home.

www.ballantynehomstaging.com | 980.322.5825 | carol@ballantynehomestaging.com

OUTSIDE! Don’t Forget Exterior Home Staging

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AFTER

While we all desperately try to not “Judge a book by its cover,” often times we are victims of habit. The outside of your home is going to get scrutinized, no matter what you think. It’s the first thing your potential buyers will see – so remember that and make sure the shell shines! The inside of a house can look like a grand museum, but if the outside looks to rough around the edges – your potential buyer may not even get out of the car! (It’s true, my Realtor friends have told many stories of this happening.) Too often, shoddy exteriors make buyers keep on driving – right down the road to someone else’s property.

Some things to think about when Staging your front yard:

Power washing – Give the old homestead a nice bath! Everyone likes a clean house, inside and OUT!

Paint – A fresh coat of paint can add several thousand dollars to your asking price? Is that incentive enough?

Landscaping & Yard Care – Trim the trees and shape the hedges, keep your lawn mowed and presentable, plant seasonal flowers to spruce up your yard. An inviting entrance to your home starts with flora, so make sure your lawn really pops. And if you need the help of a professional landscaper, call them!

How about your backyard?
If you’re selling a 4-bedroom, 2.5 bath home in a coveted school district, it’s safe to assume your likely buyer will be a family. Consider a covered sand box or a swing set (in good shape, of course) and a sitting area from where you can watch the children. Adding child friendly items to a home is a simple way of letting a potential buyer know that this place is perfect for their family.

www.ballantynehomstaging.com | 980.322.5825 | carol@ballantynehomestaging.com

Home Staging on Steroids

Trying to sell a luxury home or perhaps just a neglected home? The bigger the home and the more neglected it has been, the more depressing it can seem if it is empty of furniture and in need of basic updates and human touches. If you are trying to sell a million dollar-plus property, or a property that has not been maintained well, you not only need Home Staging® – you need some Home Staging® on steroids!

These type of Staging® projects will nearly always require you to employ a professional to help with the project. It isn’t something I recommend doing on your own. Why? Funny you should ask, here are the top reasons that Home Staging® “on steroids” requires a master’s touch…

Project Management
You will need someone who can pull it all together. Some Home Staging® projects for large properties can be incredibly taxing undertakings. Managing the project – especially a big project – is a time intensive and labor-intensive task. The best Home Stagers have compiled their own teams of quality vendors to make such projects go smoothly for the homeowner including painters, electricians, countertop specialists, flooring experts, handymen, house cleaners and more.

Painting
What needs to be done to show off your incredible home? Maybe removing the 1984 wallpaper is a good start. How about the exterior, does it need some work? A professional Home Stager® will be able to suggest appropriate color schemes for your home.

Countertops
Don’t forget the countertops! Never forget the countertops! High-end, luxury homebuyers expect to see some fabulous surfaces in these kitchens.

Appliances
New appliances can increase your resale value IMMENSELY. Making sure they are the right appliances is a task left up to the experts. A good Home Staging® professional can help you navigate through the mire and find what will appeal to your potential buyers. That being said, your budget should always be top of mind with your Stager and will play a determining role in any appliance selections.

Flooring
From vinyl to carpeting to hardwoods, flooring issues can be a major squabbling point when dealing with potential buyers. Don’t let this happen to you. Call a professional carpet and rug cleaning company. Update the flooring or refinish the hardwoods if necessary. Again, your Stager should be able to help you find these service providers.

Fixtures
The devil is indeed in the details, and fixtures are the kind of details people notice. If your home is in a high-end area of town and/or listed for a high dollar value, you simply cannot show a home full of cheap fixtures. Take a strong critical eye – take a buyer’s eye -- to what you have in your home, and make sure that they are up to par. A professional Home Stager® can make sure the fixtures sing – and give your house the perfect finish.

Basic Repairs
Everything from making sure the faucet doesn’t drip to ensuring your door stops do their jobs; a good home Stager® will make sure all the little repairs are done around the house. When we live in a home every day, we sometimes forget the little dings, scrapes and scratches that have popped up from wear-n-tear. Your home Stager® can make sure everything is running smoothly and looking great.

Furniture Arrangement & Accessories
This is what we expect a Home Stager® to take care of when we put our home up for sale. Furniture can show off a space, giving a sense of the home, and really sell the spirit of any place. Accessories shouldn’t be forgotten either. The right artwork, rugs and accent pieces will help show your home’s character and turn a massive empty house into something that every buyer can imagine as theirs.

www.ballantynehomstaging.com | 980.322.5825 | carol@ballantynehomestaging.com

Tight budget? Staging is still possible

Even when operating on a small budget, you can still Stage® your home. You and your professional Stager have several options available to make a thrifty transformation happen to your property. Here are a few creative ideas that can help keep costs down.

Your junk is another person’s treasure – so sell it! Use your move as an opportunity to get rid of the clutter in your life. Take stock of your possessions and have a yard/garage sale. You will get rid of some unwanted merchandise, and make a little income to help with your Staging!

Perhaps some of your current pieces can work in your Staging process. Consider repurposing some old furniture or existing pieces you have in your home to work with your Staging set-up. For instance, take that old buffet to the extra bedroom and use it as a dresser. It might even be possible to borrow some pieces from a friend or relative. Consider cleaning old upholstery or using slipcovers to hide worn and damaged pieces. You’d wash your car before you tried selling it, wouldn’t you?

BEFORE

AFTER

Inexpensive accessories can add the right accent to your home without blowing your budget. Trust us, tablecloths are a girl’s best friend! A tablecloth over that beat up old table you thought was such a good buy on an overly optimistic day of garage-sale-ing during your college years gives the piece an up-to-date look for next to no expense. Tablecloths can also be used to recover Aunt Nancy’s faded brown corduroy chair. A few stick pins in the right place and voila – you have yourself a beautiful chair! Simple sheers on your windows will complete a room’s look; no need to go into debt purchasing expensive draperies. In your bathroom, it can be as simple as hanging a fresh, new, mildew-free shower curtain.

www.ballantynehomstaging.com | 980.322.5825 | carol@ballantynehomestaging.com