Why it is important to stage your home before selling

The 101 question all sellers of real estate would ask is, how can we sell it at the highest possible price?

If you’ve ever fallen in love with a house from the moment you walked in the door, you know the power of a good first impression. Once a home buyer imagines cozying up to the fireplace or sipping coffee at the breakfast nook, the house is as good as sold.

According to a joint study from The National Association of Realtors and Google, a staged home sells 77% faster (less time on market) and average 30% higher in price. The way to create an impactful picture of your home that would draw all buyers’ attention and incentivize them to see it is to do a home staging.

Here are 4 reasons you should stage your home:

1. Home staging will neutralize a home so home buyers can see themselves living there

Imagine walking into a home and seeing the owner’s children smiling from within the frames on the walls and mementos from family vacations lining the fireplace mantel. While the home may be beautiful and appointed to the finest detail, the personal items make potential homeowners see it as someone else’s home, not their own.

Home staging typically begins by decluttering rooms and removing personal items to create an inviting, neutral scheme. Seventy-seven percent of buyers’ agents said staging a home made it easier for a buyer to visualize the property as a future home.

2. Decluttering prior to home staging will keep buyers focused on the positives

Cleaning, decluttering, and performing needed minor repairs are the first steps of successful home staging. When a home is clean and well-presented, home buyers will visualize their kids playing in the backyard, not eye cobwebs or untidy corners as they pass through the rooms. Instead of wondering how much time it will take to fix the broken outlet cover or leaky faucet, buyers will imagine making dinner in the kitchen. A clean, decluttered home is an instant draw and will keep potential homebuyers thinking about the house long after they walk out the door.

3. Home staging can help a home sell for a higher price

Chances are there’s another home for sale (or two or three) in your neighborhood. What’s to keep prospective buyers from walking down the street and falling in love with another house with a similar price point? Not only can home staging set your home apart, but buyers are more inclined to pay more for a beautifully staged home.

4. Home staging can jump-start the moving process

After decluttering, a home stager will remove some furniture and personal items to neutralize the feel of the space. As items are removed during the home staging process, there is no better time to start packing in advance of moving day. Often, the best way to pack personal items is to do it yourself. What’s more, a little bit of packing can help home sellers detach from the home and mitigate some of the emotions that go along with moving day.

If you are thinking of making a move to NYC, Jersey City and northern New Jersey, we would love to assist you. Contact Graham at gsteam2021@gmail.com or via his cell: 201.375.1723.