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& Real Estate QueenAnne&Magnolia news Why Staging Is Essential For Selling Your Home QueenAnne
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Queenannenews.com
March 11, 2015
Vol. 96, No. 11
By Susan Gilbert, Broker Windemere Real Estate, Wall St. Inc. -- Queen Anne
Y
ou have a house to sell. To stage or not to stage? Definitely stage it. But be smart. I come to this conclusion as someone who has sold her own properties, worked for a high-end stager, and now as a broker helping clients sell their homes. An empty house or condo doesn’t convey a sense of home, or the possibilities that you want a buyer to see. The inside echoes. Potential buyers can obsess about small flaws. It is risky to leave the seller’s furnishings and contents in place. He or she might not have your tastes. The living space you treasure might appear cluttered to some potential buyers. A clean look will get better results. Like other experienced Realtors, I advise sellers to stage their properties, preferably hiring an experienced stager. Data shows that sellers who spend money on property improvements such as painting or landscaping and staging the home results in an increase in price. This is the result of faster sales, higher sales prices, fewer price reductions and lower carrying costs from the home sitting on the market. With staging, you are making an appeal to buyer’s emotions. Beautiful rugs, art and furniture will create an environment that will make buyers linger and dream of living in the home
Here are a few tips: 1. Buyers and their agents look online to decide which properties to visit in person. The right staging will show the attractive features of the home and assure multiple viewings.
Because many potential buyers look online first, I always recommend professional photography of the home as part of staging. Great photography is a key to selling your home. Editing the images is important. Tell your home’s story through photographs beginning with the exterior of the home, and take the viewer through a journey of your home. Consider using video, or 360 degree views of rooms to present your home in the best light. 2. The right furniture with correct proportions will make rooms appear larger; buyers will know that a sofa fits nicely in front of the fireplace or a queen bed fits in the bedroom. Even though you love your overstuffed chair, this might be the time to store it until your home is sold. 3. Imperfections in the paint, floor finishes, and windows will be less noticeable to buyers when they see a nicely decorated room. Instead they can focus on the flow of the rooms and inviting nature of the space. 4. The style of decorating can be aimed at a likely target market. Consider who your buyer’s might
be. For example, a midcentury home should have appropriate furniture that matches the style of home. If there are bedrooms together on the same floor, stage one as a master bedroom, one as a guest room/or study, and one as an inviting children’s room with toys. 5. Lighting is crucial. Don’t just turn on an overhead light. It’s important to have lamps with tungsten lighting. Avoid fluorescent lights with a green cast. A room with good light is inviting and creates a warm glow. Don’t forget trimming trees outside of windows to allow maximum daylight in the room. 6. De-clutter. You’ve heard this before but what does it mean? Clear your home of almost every knickknack, your favorite Aunt’s tea cups, personal items, family photos, etc. Most closets should contain about 50% less clothes and other items. Buyers will open all drawers, and closets. You are going to be moving soon, so this is a perfect time to start
Windermere Queen Anne Your Neighborhood Realtors® 214 W McGraw Street | Seattle, WA 98119 Office: 206-283-8080 Email: queenanne@windermere.com www.windermere-queenanne.com
packing. Rent a POD or storage unit, and don’t forget the garage, it should be neat and clean too! 7. Curb Appeal. Another word we’ve heard a dozen times. Trim all the bushes and trees. Lay down a new layer of top soil, or mulch. Skip the red bark. Plant some colorful flowers
in the garden beds, and include a planter by the front door entrance. A new or clean door mat is a great way to greet your guests. Paint the front rails, fence and steps if they have peeling paint. ➧ STAGING Page 6
Client Nominated & Awarded Seattle Magazine’s 5 Star Real Estate Broker Annually from 2007-2014. Christine Field, REALTOR™ ABR, CIPS, CRS
206.999.0290 | ChristineField@cbbain.com