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Real Estate Staging - creating a first impression that sells your home faster. Are you getting ready to sell your house? Do you want to sell it quickly and for the top price? Then staging is what you need. Staging is also referred to as home presentation. Staging your home, before you put it on the market ensures that potential buyers see the best your house has to offer. Staging highlights your home's positive features and minimizes confusing or problem areas. Every step of the process is designed to entice the potential buyer to stop, look, and linger long enough to imagine what their life would be like in your house…and then make an offer! We'll turn your camera-shy home into a stage-loving diva! Your home's debut on the market will be sensational! We will banish the bashfulness and of your home and the starlet within will shine for all to see! Below is an excerpt from an article, recently published by "Home Magazine" , which gives you a deeper insight into home staging. International television programmes such as House Doctors with Ann Maurice, and Selling Houses Abroad with Andrew Winter highlight the plight of desperate homeowners who call in the experts after struggling for months to get their houses sold. And when these ‘doctors’ do house calls, the reasons are quite clear: purple walls; souvenirs on every surface; pool tables where dining room suites should be; bedrooms that have become dumping grounds and unused, neglected outside spaces... the list goes on. Even though home staging is relatively new to South Africa, the past two years have seen quite a few local companies tackling homes before show day in a bid to get them sold for the highest possible price. How does it work?
A house must appeal to as many potential buyers as possible, explain Val Synnott, who trained under the watchful eye of Ann Maurice, British House Doctor in London. Sellers must realise that it is fundamental to manipulate a space so that all its positive charateristics are emphasised. Many people think: ‘I love my house and potential buyers will also fall in love with it.’ But this is usually not the case.
Remember, home staging has nothing to do with the physical state of the house – the point is not to repair cracked foundations, leaking roofs, damaged window frames or damp problems; these are issues the estate agent has to discuss with the buyer. What does it cost?
The cost of home staging varies according to the needs of the home and the various services available. Some companies charge between 0.5 and 1% of the purchase price; others charge a consultation fee of about R1 000 per house for a 220m2 property, and then work out a price for the work to be done. Ask a professional company for a quote. There are various packages that provide a report on the changes that need to take place, including a package where the team brings about changes for you. A home staging team does not normally purchase new furniture and will work with what the homeowner has, although at times a paint job will be needed.
Home staging is seen as a cost effective investment as the process costs less than the amount the owner would lose if the selling price of the house were to drop. How does it work?
The home stager will evaluate the interior and exterior of the property, and then determine what has to be removed, shifted, cleaned and repaired before the house is put on the market... Existing furniture will be placed correctly and all personal items will be used in a way that is not too overpowering. Décor accessories will be added to highlight the focal points of the home. In some instances, an entire room or the whole house must be done over so that it can be attractive to potential buyers.
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