What is Home Staging? A Brief Description.

While almost everyone is familiar with the basic ins and outs of real estate, not everyone knows what staging is so...I've added this brief description to give you the basics. I'll be adding more specific tips and techniques as time allows but this should give you a good idea of how staging fits into the big picture.

Home staging is, very simply, preparing a property to sell. The goal is to make the property look and feel as attractive as possible to the largest number of potential buyers as possible. This is done by cleaning, de-cluttering, neutralizing colors and decor, identifying a clear use for every room, and creating a pleasant flow to the space, inside and out. It is part science and part art, and, when done right, makes a huge difference in the buyers' response to the property.

Staging Elicits Emotion
In order to attract potential buyers, a home must "show" well. Showing goes well beyond "curb appeal". Once inside, the buyers must be able to easily picture themselves living in the property so that they can start visualizing their new life there. Human beings buy on emotion and then justify their decisions intellectually. So the home MUST appeal to them on an emotional level. It must feel like home to them. Staging a home eliminates clutter and visual distractions and, by moving, rearranging or removing furniture and adding (or subtracting) props, a home can be made to really shine.

Features & Benefits
The objective of staging is to showcase the best features and benefits of the house, not the contents or the taste of the current owners. Staging must also create emotional triggers for buyers in order to elicit that critical response that will drive offers. For example: dining room tables are set for dinner with linen and china (benefit: easy to entertain!), master baths are made to feel luxurious with thick, fluffy towels, soft lighting and upscale amenities (benefit: a welcoming and soothing adult retreat after a busy day), kitchens are sparkling clean and uncluttered (benefit: ready for the gourmet to create their magic). You get the idea. Vacant house especially need to be staged. An empty house is cold and hollow feeling, even with all the lights on. People need to "see" how furniture will look in place in order to get a sense of scale and proportion. Showing them how to use the space makes the decision making process that much easier! Most of us need to "see it to understand it". Staging does that. It eliminates doubt and confusion - the two major enemies of sales!

Staging is an Investment not an Expense
Staging is quickly becoming an integral part of listing and selling a home. In many parts of the country, the question is no longer "will you be using a stager" but "who is your stager?". Like detailing your car before trading it in, staging your home is a smart way to get the best return for your investment.

As always, I welcome your comments and questions.