Home Staging Helpful Hint #2 - Depersonalization...It's Just Not About You Anymore!

Your home is your comfort zone and it is filled with all of your personal memorabilia, but to the buyers those personal touches represent a huge distraction. People are generally curious and when you want them to notice the beautiful entryway, they may be focused on all the family pictures on the piano or all the “stuff” stuck to the front of your refrigerator.  Your objective is to change the view of your home from “lived in” to “ready to move in.”

Admittedly, it may be difficult to think about packing away your most cherished photos and that paste encrusted noodle art creation your child proudly brought home from school. Even though it might sting a little when a Realtor suggests you remove the very things that make this “house” feel like your “home”, you must focus on your main goal…making this “house” irresistible to buyers!  

So, what are you waiting for?  Oh, that’s right…you’re waiting on a great offer!  Get a head start on the packing you’ll need to do anyway and those buyers will begin to envision your “house” as their next “home”.

What's the big deal with staging?

How we live in our homes is very different from how we prepare them for sale . In order for your home to appeal to the greatest number of potential buyers, it must be presented as clean, clutter-free, warm, inviting and free-flowing.  Sounds easy, but most Sellers don’t know where to begin or are under the assumption that home staging will cost a lot of money.  On the contrary, many times home staging isn't about ADDING things to your home, it's about REMOVING & REARRANGING items that you already own.  Take a look at the sample before and after pictures below:

In both settings, the "before" rooms are functional and are purposed to make the home work for the owners' comfort and convenience.  However, once the decision is made that you are ready to sell, your home's appearance needs to transition from what works for you to what would be most appealing to potential buyers.  Notice how in the "after" rooms, the removal and rearrangement of the contents not only make the rooms look more organized but also make the rooms appear LARGER.  A properly staged home showcases the space, instead of what's in it, so that buyers don't become distracted by the furnishings or clutter.

Studies show and experts agree that staged homes sell quicker than non-staged homes, sometimes 30-50% faster.  When in the competitive Real Estate market, that edge could not only make you more money for your sale but could go a long way to saving your sanity! ;0)


Tune into our next blog - Depersonalization...It's just not about you anymore!