Feb 12, 2007
Why Should a Home be Staged?
A good first impression is critical, and a house (like any individual) has only one chance to make that important first impression. It takes less than 60 seconds for a potential buyer to decide whether or not they like a home. Sometimes, they won’t even get out of the car. Curb appeal is the first step in the staging process. The façade and front entrance of a home must be presented in such a way that the potential buyer is drawn in and wants to see more.
Home buyers are busy people who typically work long hours and they now have little time for those “fix-it” projects. Today’s savvy buyer demands “move-in” condition and most buyers actually have little imagination. If the living room walls are pink and the kitchen is done in a country blue theme, they will have great difficulty envisioning it any other way. Potential buyers will start adding up the cost and time of having to make such changes and upgrades and suddenly the home becomes less appealing. A buyer should “feel at home” right away.
An experienced ReDesigner can effectively stage a home – using just the existing furnishings – to attract more buyers.
The main objectives when staging a home are to:
- neutralize the décor to appeal to more buyers;
- create a spacious and flowing interior; and
- highlight the architectural selling features so that buyers will remember them;
Direct the buyer’s eye away from a negative element (such as a small room) by highlighting something positive (a gas fireplace). This is achieved by correct furniture placement and careful use of artwork to play up the nicer features, without overpowering them. You want potential buyers to remember the feel of the entire room, not just the things in a room.
What really makes a room look smaller is contrast. Simple window treatments, like sheers or panels in a tone similar to the wall colour, will help to make the room feel larger.
If a home shows like a model suite with warm and inviting touches throughout, everyone will be impressed and it will stand out in the mind of a buyer who has been on the hunt all day.
But don’t try to achieve the PERFECT “model home” look, as most people will feel intimidated and think that they’d never get it to look that way when they move in. Instead, strive for a balance between an elegant, uncluttered look while creating a warm and inviting atmosphere.
