In today’s news headlines we hear every day about a collapse in the real estate market, especially in certain areas of the country. There are more and more houses that are being repossessed because they were financed with loans that they can’t pay now. In some cities, builders didn’t stop building until there were too many houses on the market, which has resulted in too many houses on the market. That, in turn, has forced down the value of other homes. In short, the housing market is not the booming market it was a few years ago.
If you’re in the position now that you’re trying to sell your home, you may be a little concerned about whether you’ll be able to sell it quickly and for as much money as you hoped. When it comes to selling homes these days, the buzzword is “Home Staging.” Is home staging right for you?
Recent statistics show that homes that have been prepared for sale receive a 3-6% increase in equity than unprepared homes. Also, on average, a primed home sells 2-3 times faster than unprimed homes. This can mean a lot to you financially if you are trying to sell your home. No one wants to end up selling their house for thousands of dollars less than they expected to sell it, and surely no one wants to end up paying off two mortgages because the house stays on the market much longer than planned.
So what is Home Staging? Home staging is basically taking stock of what your home has to offer and doing things that bring out the best features of the home. Home stagers make your home attractive to the widest possible range of buyers. Your goal is to make it look as good as possible, hopefully without spending a lot of money that you won’t get back when you sell the house.
Home stagers typically charge, depending on their geographic area, $200 for their initial briefing of what they think should be done, and then $75 or more per hour to set up the area. This does not include the cost of materials or labor that may be required.
Depending on your situation, you may not be able to afford to hire a professional home stager, but there’s no reason you can’t learn to do some of the things a home stager would do. There are many things you can do yourself that will help your home sell for more money, much faster.
The first thing to do is take stock of what your home has to offer. If you have been living in the house for a long time, you should look at it with new eyes. Start with the outside. Is it necessary to refresh the bread on the edge? Do the bushes need to be trimmed so I can see the house?
Your home must be attractive on the outside or potential buyers will never stop to see what you have to offer on the inside. Cut the grass. Make sure trash bins are off site. Touch up the paint on the trim if necessary. Wash the siding with a hose and knock down the cobwebs.
Once you’ve improved the look of your home’s exterior, you need to take stock of what you have on the inside. Have you ever taken a photo of your children and when she looked at the photo she realized there was a mess behind them? We get so used to our surroundings that we get used to the clutter and excess stuff around us. That’s fine if you and your family live there, but if your house is for sale, you need to reevaluate things. You need to clean the counters, get rid of excess furniture and toys that are lying around.
It is also necessary to do a deep cleaning. First of all, if you smoke in your house, get it out. You will also have to do whatever it takes to get rid of the smell. The smell of cigarette smoke will turn a lot of people off. Pets are also a problem. Remember, you are trying to attract the largest number of buyers. It may still be your home, but if you want to sell it quickly and for a good price, you need to court the potential buyer.