Home Staging: does South African real estate agents do this?
While home staging is
a relatively new trend in the South African real estate market, it has become
increasingly popular over the last few years. But what is home staging exactly
and does it really help you sell a property faster?
In short, home
staging is when a home is decorated to be more appealing to potential buyers.
Many real estate professionals believe that this step helps to showcase a house
in its best possible light which in turn could mean that a home spends less
time on the market. But does it really work?
According to the
National Association of Realtors ® 2015 Survey regarding Home Staging, agents
reported that 49% of most buyers were affected by home staging. Adding that 81%
found it easier to visualise living in the listed property. And while 32% only
offered between 1-5% more for a staged property, it does seem to have an affect
on how quickly and for how much a property will sell.
The survey showed
that the rooms most often staged are the living room, kitchen, master bedroom,
dining room, bathroom, children’s bedroom and guest bedroom.
How do you stage a
property?
The internet has
ensured that buyers sees listings faster and this is a double-edged sword.
There are a myriad of factors that determines how long a property will be on the
market, but poorly taken photographs will only be a disadvantage in this
quick-paced generation. The better a property looks online, the more interest
it will generate to be viewed offline by potential buyers.
Set the stage for
success with these tips for styling and upgrading a property:
Boost curb appeal
First impressions
count and it is important that you take a step away from the property and view
a property from the street - how does it look?
Up the appeal by:
- Power wash drive ways and walkways
- Hang easy-to-read house numbers
- Plant blooming flowers and fresh greenery
- Mow lawn, and reseed or add fresh sod as needed
- Wash front windows
- In worst case scenarios you can request an owner to repaint if possible
Shake off the style
For most home owners,
this is the hardest aspect of home staging as it is a very personal preference.
They might have worked really hard to achieve a certain look and feel but their
perfect blend of vintage and chic might not appeal to most potential buyers.
Up the style appeal
by:
- Clearing out the clutter
- Removing an personal items such as photographs
- Don’t overdo it - place a few vases with fresh flowers on tables or coffee-table books are also a great way to add personal touches
- Rearrange the furniture to highlight the best features of the space
- Choose neutral colour
- Create a gender-neutral master bedroom
Play up the
lifestyle:
Use the lifestyle of
the suburb to your advantage when you stage a home. Is the property in a quiet,
leafy suburb? Why not use a hammock in the garden to emphasise the tranquility
of the home?
This goes for the
outdoors as well, use the best aspects of the outdoor surroundings to showcase
the home’s best side.
Up the lifestyle
appeal by:
Pulling out the weeds
in the garden
Mowing the lawn
Power washing the
patio
Cleaning the pool
Comments
Post a Comment