What are the benefits and is it really worth doing in a property market where demand outruns supply? Many real estate agents will tell you that there are many more buyers than there are properties for sale at current times and that most properties will quickly sell no matter how they are presented.
This is true to an extent. BUT
Consider this for a moment, are you selling just to get the sale done as quickly as possible, or do you also want to achieve the best price possible?
Your property is likely the biggest asset you own and to realise that investment and enable you to get the best return on your investment, a good selling price is essential. After all a higher selling price will enable you to buy bigger and better or to downsize and enjoy the proceeds.
And have a think about the reason a property is not selling on a red hot property market like London and the surrounding areas for example? It might be reasonably priced, well-located, near schools and transport links but still it doesn’t seem to attract potential buyers. If the property has not attracted buyers within the first few weeks of listing, it runs the risk of going stale on the market. If the property listing has been lingering for months the Estate Agent will advise a price reduction to give it a new push. But maybe it is not a price reduction that is needed, but rather a small investment to show off the property to its best?
Home staging is not a new concept to the British property market, over the past few years it has seen an upswing in popularity with both homeowners and real estate agents starting to recognise the advantages. But it still has a long way to go compared to other countries.
On some property markets it is a staple service and something most sellers are considering without hesitation. Sweden is a good example of this, have a browse through the main Swedish property portal ‘Hemnet’ https://www.hemnet.se/topplistor and compare it’s listings with the UK portals, and I am sure you will instantly see some differences even on the lower priced properties.
The aim for Property Staging is to sell (or let) for the best possible price within the shortest amount of time. To do this the property needs to appeal to the largest number of people as possible.
Staging should enable a potential buyer to picture themselves living in this home and how their life would be like there. They should be able to see themselves eating breakfast in the kitchen, being curled up on the sofa with a cup of tea whilst reading a book, having drinks on the balcony with friends, watching the kids play in the garden and so on. Most buyers can’t see the potential of the property, due to the current owner’s personal taste blurring their vision or the blank canvas of an empty room.
In an era where most buyers do their research on the internet, the first impression they get is from the way the property has been listed, described but most of all it is the photos that will do the talking. Therefore, bad photography angles and messy rooms should never be accepted by the seller. With or without professional staging.
It is important to point out that staging seldom include drastic, expensive changes, but is more often the act of transforming the space through small touches that makes the most impact and the most economic sense. A property stager will look at the curb appeal, layout, atmosphere, and style. They will depersonalise the property and then dress it to suit the target market.
"Buyers make up their mind in the first 30 seconds as they approach the front door."
Staging alone leads to listed properties selling as much as 73% faster, with sales typically reaching higher prices, according to Real Estate Staging Association.
So, with all of this in mind, maybe it is worth considering having your property staged before it goes on the market?
Or if you found yourself with a property that has been on the market for months without selling, maybe Home Staging could be a way forward?
In this instance I would suggest talking to your Estate Agent about taking it off the market, get it staged and then re-launch it.
If you have any questions about how Home Staging can benefit you, please do not hesitate to get in touch. I would love to hear from you.
Click here to see details on my Home Staging service.