There is an irony when it comes to staging a home for sale: all your grand visions for how your home should look will finally come to fruition…for someone else to enjoy! Thankfully, you don’t finally need to realize your master vision to stage your home. Wilson Associates provides staging services both virtually and on-site, including a consultation with a staging professional paid for by our agents. In this article, we will examine five important aspects of home staging that Wilson’s professional stagers will likely suggest.
Many sellers make a critical error when it comes to selling their homes, spending money on costly renovation projects that only return, on average, 56% of their cost. There are, however, some simple (and inexpensive) ways to command a higher asking price: adding a throw pillow here, or painting an accent wall there, makes a world of difference when it comes to enticing potential buyers.
Is staging your home worth the money? The short answer is: absolutely! 85% of staged homes sell for 5-23% above asking price, and remain on the market, on average, for only 23 days.
Tip #1: Accessorize Like a Pro
Any interior designer worth their salt follows a simple maxim: ABA, or “always be accessorizing.” Accessories are the “jewelry” of your home. Adding a few stylish staple pieces to your end table or mantle (think: vases, trinkets, and other bric-a-brac) makes a big impact. The great thing about accessories is that you don’t have to spend a ton to make a powerful impression: inexpensive home goods stores or resale shops are everywhere.
Tip #2: Be Careful with Color
Our realtors at Wilson Associates have stories aplenty about paint jobs gone wrong. Fuschia-colored walls next to green walls with blue trim. Unfortunately, we’re not kidding. If you ask us: how should I style my home? Our first answer would be: paint those walls a nice basic gray, beige, or white.
Tip #3: Mix It Up
Going back to the question of how much it will cost to stage your home, remember that small trinkets and decor can really brighten up a room. On this note, don’t stick to an aesthetic to your own detriment. Add some turquoise knick-knacks to your wood backdrop, and voila, you have now embraced farmhouse glam.
Tip #4: Find a Balance
Don’t go crazy on the knick-knacks and trinkets simply because we’ve been discussing knick-knacks and trinkets. Too spare and too cluttered are opposite sides of the same Janus-faced coin. Giving in to either impulse might discourage potential homebuyers.
Tip #5: Hire a professional
Wilson Associates will schedule a consultation with a staging pro as part of the suite of services we offer our clients. Our professional stagers know to entice buyers, so we recommend listening to their recommendations and relying on their expertise. Remember: professional stagers do this for a living. Just as we trust mechanics to fix our cars, we can depend on stagers and realtors to sell our homes quickly for the highest price. Get in touch with an agent today.
