Setting the Stage for Resale Text and photos: Sandra M. Biondo
Why is it important to “stage” a property before you sell it? This question gives rise to many answers but the number one reason is that your home will sell much faster if you do. Statistics have shown this to be true over and over. What is “staging a property for sale?” Simply put it is enhancing the physical look of the home. Taking the best from the existing space and making each room appealing to a larger audience. Currently my focus is on helping homeowners understand the importance of staging their homes prior to putting the home on the market. I believe it is vital to stage before the realtor lists the home and before the pictures of the home are shown on the Internet. Today’s buyers are demanding given the state of the real estate market. One needs to use every resource available. The following is a list of some important things that need to be done if a homeowner wants to reap the maximum profit from the sale of the home. Most important is to “depersonalize” the home. This is perhaps the most difficult part for homeowners. Stagers ask owners to take many of their personal items out of the home. This is often painful for the owner. Owners need to understand that although their items are reflective of the lives they live it is often distracting for a potential buyer to see how “their” lifestyle would fit into the home. So making the home more generic will often draw a more varied group of buyers.