The Importance of Home Staging in Today’s Real Estate Market
In today’s high-stakes market of real estate, homeowners need to pull out all the stops in preparing their homes for sale. Did you know that 86% of home buyers are looking on the internet to find their next home? Would you be surprised to learn that buyers prepare a shopping list of their favorite homes before ever contacting a real-estate professional? The internet images of your interior and exterior play an extremely important role in making a buyer’s “must see” list. That’s why preparing your home for the market involves more than just a little cleaning and tiding up.
Home staging is a marketing tool to help home sellers merchandise their properties. This is done to help buyers connect with—and envision their life in—your home. The way you live in your home and the way you package and present it to the buying public are two different things. You will need to take a different approach from living in your home if you want to sell your home. The very first step is to emotionally disconnect with your home and treat it as a product you want to sell.
The second step involves looking at your home through a buyer’s eyes. Start by asking yourself the following questions: What improvements need to be made for my home to be competitive in my market? How does my home look in comparison to other homes in my area and price range? What is it that buyers are really looking for in a home? A home-staging professional has the answers to these questions and can help you prepare your home it for its “close up.” Can you picture your home SOLD?