When we sell a home, part of what we’re doing is telling a story about what it might be like to live there. When you have your home styled, it can result in gorgeous photos that will appeal to buyers and can help your home stand out from all the rest.
It has become particularly important now that almost all of us start our property search online and are drawn to beautiful images. A badly presented home will turn some buyers off completely, and may also encourage low-ball offers, which we definitely don’t want.
Is it worth staging my home when selling?
In a word – absolutely. A beautifully presented, fairly neutral home is much more enticing than empty rooms or ones filled with personal belongings and mementoes. Remember that everyone’s tastes are different and the decor that you love may not appeal to others. It’s also hard to imagine yourself living somewhere if the owner’s presence can be felt in every room.
While the cost and the work involved may seem daunting, it is worth it. You can only hit the market once and if you’re selling your biggest asset, you want your home to look as good as it possibly can.
The first thing stylists will do is ask that you remove and pack up a portion of your personal belongings, mementoes and decorative items so that they can have a clean slate to work with.
Removing a lot of your personal belongings and replacing them with gorgeous textiles and decorative pieces will give potential buyers a great impression as soon as they walk in the door.
Professional stylists will primarily focus on creating a spacious feel to your home while adding smart furniture and decorative touches that make a house feel like a home. Colours are usually minimised and harmonised so that they fit together perfectly.
A stylist will also consider what type of buyer would be attracted to your property and style it in such a way that will appeal to this demographic, as well as any savvy investors looking for a suitable investment property.
Light, bright and beautiful
Stylists will also focus on making the home look bright and welcoming. This can be done with lighter colours, strategically placed mirrors, and by replacing heavier furniture with modern and streamlined pieces that will fill the space but not too much.
Lamps to brighten up dark corners, appealing artwork, mirrors and greenery, along with kitchen and bathroom accessories, will work together to create the impression of a lovely home that is ready for its new owner – which is exactly what you want as a seller.
And yes, professional styling will generally increase the sale price of your home, because most buyers are looking for something that is ready to move into right away.
How we can help you prepare your home for sale
We have excellent, trusted stylists on our books who we can put you in touch with. We’re also happy to walk through your home to advise you on what does and does not need to be done, so you can start to plan your sale.
We can also offer virtual styling for online images only, which is worth considering if you don’t want to go for full staging. For example, if you’ve already moved out and the home is empty, virtual styling allows us to fill the rooms with virtual furniture pieces that look realistic in online photos.
