Why Staging Your Home is More Important Now Than Ever
You probably know that staging a home when you put it up on the market can help you sell faster, and maybe even get a better price. Today staging is more important than ever, mainly because the housing market is not the same as it was at the beginning of the year.
The Federal Reserve continues to increase interest rates in an effort to tame inflation, and rising rates means higher mortgage payments for homebuyers. As of today, October 19, 2022, the average 30-year fixed rate mortgage is 6.98%, a 14 year high. Rising interest rates can mean fewer buyers, with sellers competing for a shrinking number of people looking for a new home.
People in the Finger Lakes region of New York are using every advantage to make their home more attractive compared to the competition, and that includes staging their home for sale. A professional can help stage your house correctly when you are ready to sell.
Staging vs Decorating
While some may believe that staging and decorating are the same, that is not the case. Decorating is all about your taste and your preferences. When you decorate your home, you are expressing who you are by incorporating your favorite colors, styles, items, patterns and textures.
On the other hand, staging makes every potential buyer feel comfortable in your home so they can see themselves living there. When you stage your home for sale, you declutter by removing personal items and decorative elements that make a strong statement of style.
A neutral color palette is likely to have broad appeal, so tone down that bright colored accent wall and other vibrant colors. Add finishing touches like increased lighting, both natural and artificial, and update finishes by repainting and replacing dated hardware. Show off your rooms by demonstrating how they can be used.
Advantages of Staging your Home for Sale
After you clear the clutter, give your home a good deep cleaning and pack away your personal items, it’s time to stage your home so buyers can imagine themselves living there.
- Make your Listing Stand Out
You can distinguish your home from the competition by making your home stand out above the rest. When you stage your home you can provide eye-catching photos for your listing, make your home seem more attractive and encourage buyers to consider it even before they come to visit in person.
- Give a Good First Impression
As the saying goes, you never have another chance to make a good first impression. Staging, beginning with an inviting exterior, will make your home start off right by giving buyers a positive first impression.
- Increase the Likelihood of Selling
When you put your home on the market, your goal is to sell it as fast as possible at the best possible price. Staging your home can present it in the best light so buyers will be more likely to make an offer.
- Provide an Emotional Connection
Depersonalizing your home and using neutral tones can appeal to a wide range of homeseekers. You want them to view your home as a good fit for themselves and their family members. When buyers see your personal items and unique décor all around, they may have a hard time making a personal emotional connection.
- Give the Impression of a Well-Maintained Home
Buyers who come to look at your home are typically on the lookout for red flags that indicate expensive problems. When you stage your home for sale, you make necessary repairs and cosmetic improvements that show that the home is in great shape to put the buyer’s mind at ease.
- Get a Better Price
Staging your home correctly can make it appear to be a better value than similar homes on the market. Rather than cut your selling price if your home has been up for sale for a while, try staging to get the price you want. Buyers are more willing to pay fair market value or above if your home appears move-in ready, rather than looking like it needs improvements.
- Make your Home Appear Larger
Oversized furniture, a ton of knickknacks and clutter everywhere can make your home seem smaller and cramped. Staging maximizes the space and opens up your home visually by making it appear larger than it is.
- Show How Rooms Can be Used
You might enjoy multipurpose rooms, but it is easier for buyers to visualize how they will live in your home if you limit each space to one purpose. Give each room a single purpose and make that purpose clear with well-placed furniture.
- Get a Jump Start on Packing
Why not start packing before you show your home, since you will be packing up for your next adventure anyway? When you stage your home for sale you are likely to pack away personal and decorative items for an open and airy feeling. Store the boxes offsite or in neat stacks in the basement or the garage.
Staging your Home for Sale with Kelli Ide
When you are ready to put your home on the market, count on Kelli Ide, a professional home stager in New York’s Finger Lakes region, to help you present your home in the best possible light. As an experienced real estate agent, she can assist you in making smart decisions about buying or selling real estate. You can count on Kelli to help you find the Finger Lakes residence or vacation home of your dreams.
Kelli Ide offers a unique, concierge-style approach to real estate, including staging, photo styling and market preparation services exclusively for clients to give them an edge over the competition. For further information about buying or selling a home in the Finger Lakes, visit kelliide.com.
