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Part 1:  Staging Small (it does make sense cents!)

There are so many myths associated with home staging.  Perhaps you’ve heard a few?  Home staging is only for half million dollar homes and up.  Empty rooms look bigger than those with furniture in them.  Buyers can see past the “stuff” and see themselves living in a home.  Despite the rising popularity of home staging due to HGTV and a plethora of resources available to sellers, these myths still exist.  Let’s dispel the myths and share some of the truths about home staging…in homes both large and small.

So let’s start with small first.  We recently staged a rental home (so there’s another myth busted, staging’s great for rentals too!) in Sunbury, Ohio (a tiny town in Delaware County).  This home is a little gem, with emphasis on the word little – all of 1,000 square feet.  The home was completely renovated and was first “put on the market” to rent about 1 year ago.  At the time, the home was shown empty.  While prospective tenants appreciated the new, fresh surfaces, all remarked about the size.  Common feedback included “Can I even fit my bed in here?”  “Will my sofa fit?”.   It took about 8 weeks to get the home rented for a one year term – and in the rental world, that’s a lot of lost revenue and increased expense.

Fast forward to one year later.  The tenants decided to move on, so it was time to get the home ready to rent again, this time with staging.  Take a look at some of the before and after pictures below.

First up, the living room…remember those questions on a sofa?  Staging clearly shows there’s not only room for that sofa, but also a couple of chairs and some tables.  The living room also featured a really nice desk area…which looks great staged!

How about that kitchen?  Plenty of room to not only cook a great meal, but enjoy it with family!

And the bedrooms.  As far as the master, prospective tenants went from asking “Will a full bed even fit?”, to seeing a space staged with a queen bed with room to spare.  A second bedroom was staged for a little girl.

The result?  This time the home went into lease in less than 1 week – with a 7% increase in rent!  The agent representing the property commented on the volume of calls coming in on the property as well as the number of callers wanting to purchase the home outright.  So, with staging, instead of hearing questions about size, prospective tenants were able to clearly see how furniture could fit into the space and thus how they could live in the space.

Several years ago, my husband and I created a partnership to transform undervalued properties into fully renovated homes, leading us to visit literally hundreds of houses for sale in the Central Ohio area.  On our journey, I have developed an intimate understanding of the 4 Ls – location, layout, livability and lifestyle of Central Ohio real estate.  Location and to some extent, layout, are a given.  But what about livability and lifestyle?

Livability – ever been in a home that just seemed to be missing something?  In a vacant home, the lack of furnishings and décor makes it challenging for buyers to see what the space will become.  In an occupied home, spaces that are inconsistent with the needs of buyers often lead to them looking elsewhere. Small changes, like repurposing that room that everything seems to collect in into a warm guest bedroom or a cozy home office, can go a long way towards helping buyers feel more at home.

Lifestyle – ever been in a home that just didn’t seem to fit?  By their very nature, homes are intrinsically connected to the lifestyle of the current owner.  Often, the buyer’s inability to see past that lifestyle and envision themselves in the space can lead to them moving on.  Again, little changes, like packing photos or collections safely away can make a big difference.

The bottom line – I have visited so many amazing homes, with great locations and layouts. But those that hadn’t maximized the livability and/or lifestyle elements almost always sit on the market much longer and take several price reductions before selling.

Home staging can help.  According to a recent study by RESA (The Consumer’s Guide to Real Estate Staging), click here for more information:

• RESA studied 89 homes that were previously on the market, but not staged. These homes sat on the market for about 170 days before being staged. After staging, these homes received an offer, on average, 32 days later. That’s an average of nearly 200 days on market!
• RESA also studied 359 homes that were staged before being put on the market. The staged homes received offers at 26 days, on average. Twenty percent of them commanded multiple offers.
• If only the first group of owners would have staged up front, they would have saved themselves months of carrying costs and price reductions.  The difference is dramatic.  Upfront staging can reduce time on market by nearly 90%!!!

I can help you transform your property, your most important and coveted asset, into a home that any buyer can envision themselves living in, shortening your time on market and maximizing your price. I look forward to meeting you, and helping you achieve your goals!

Staging in Central Ohio Communities is more critical than ever! Homes that aren’t staged are not selling or worse…they are hammered on price to desperately find a buyer. There is no need to lower your price when staging is the option!

What is Staging?

Home Staging is the preparation of a home to sell by a trained professional who specializes in understanding the buyer demographic and preparing homes to sell. Many definitions you have seen no doubt stop after the word “sell” and that is part of the big misconception and devaluation of home staging.

Some Realtors and home sellers will say that they have already “staged” their homes only to find that they will be lowering their price within the month. There is a vast difference between a home that was simply de-cluttered and cleaned and one that was professionally staged! Creating the “model home” look is not easily achieved without the help of someone who has been professionally trained.  When looking to sell your more important asset, be sure to look for a stager that is certified.  It could mean the difference between sitting on the market and spending thousands in carrying costs and price reductions or selling quickly at, or above, ask.