Home Staging WELCOME! So, what is home staging and why is it so important? Home staging is the preparation of a private residence for viewing prior to listing the home for sale on the market. It is the transformation of the home from a personal vision to an appealing dwelling that buyers want to live in. It’s said that homes are very difficult for buyers to visualize as their future homes and how their lifestyle will fit when they are filled with personal belongings and decor to fit another’s style. Your home may be beautiful, immaculate, and highly updated with the finest materials, but that does not mean it is staged. Our homes are filled with a story—our story. They reflect our lives, how we live on a day-to-day basis. Staging, oftentimes confused with decorating, is actually a science. The goal of home staging is to create a tasteful, neutral setting that exhibits the potential of the home, showing it in its best light. Key components to making this dream a reality include the following: Depersonalizing. Pack. Pack. Then pack some more! You would be amazed at how much this can transform the space. Depersonalizing means to eliminate as much of you from the home as possible. Your belongings are just that—yours. Family photos, knickknacks, heirlooms, photo albums, religious artifacts, excess furniture, and accessories should be removed to storage. Remember, you aren’t selling your personality and family; you are selling the house! CLEAN. Creating a fresh home is a must. A deep cleaning will ensure a fresh start and will eliminate any smells your home may be giving off that you have become nose blind to. After eliminating all excess furnishings and miscellaneous items, get to work! Scrub and shine showers, sinks, toilets, floors (consider carpet cleaning services), and even walls (if you aren’t applying a fresh coat of paint—which is HIGHLY recommended). A clean blank canvas is the starting point to transforming your space. Cabinets attached to the home, as well as closets, should be organized. Also consider pressure washing the exterior of the home as well as any built up mildew on patio areas. Consider little things such as re-caulking your kitchen and bathroom tile and counters. Bright white caulking gives the appearance of cleanliness. Details are so important. The buyer is looking and will wonder if small things have been neglected, what big issues does the home have? Create the ambience needed. This is KEY to creating an attachment to the home. With the use of color, texture, pattern, and light, you have to create just the right level of comfort, warmth, and flow to the home without making it feel as if someone else has a story there. This all depends on your home’s style and charm, as well as the target market for the area in which you are selling your home. Current trends and styles sell big when considering creating this ambience. You will want to put yourself in the buyer’s shoes. What would you be looking for as a buyer? What does your home have to offer? Keep in mind that ANY investments made to your home have the potential of being paid back with a 1-20 percent increase at the payout of your sale. Home staging is becoming essential to a fast and profitable sale. With online listing photos being one of the most popular ways buyers view homes, staging ensures more traffic to your listing. Because the impact on buyers is higher, the wow factor drives more traffic to your actual property. It is said that buyers are willing to spend 1-5 percent more of the dollar value on a staged home than a non-staged home.