Why Pre-Sale Property Styling Is So Important

When selling a home, your hope is that the home commands the highest asking price and that it sells quickly. That can be difficult for homes in competitive markets, luxury homes and fixer-uppers.

What can homeowners do to help their home’s stand out in listings? Beyond fixing property faults, another option sellers have is pre-sale property styling.

This is a relatively new concept in Australia. But essentially, a property stylist will redecorate your home’s interiors, helping to accentuate the architecture and pique the interest of potential buyers. This can be accomplished by rearranging the furnishings in the home, but often, sellers will rent furniture for short terms to remake and revitalise the space.

 

What Does Statistics Say About Pre-Sale Home Styling?

Property styling – which is also commonly called home staging – offers sellers an opportunity to impress potential buyers. A staged property will instantly stand out against competition, and the statistics are compelling.

According to 2015 Profile of Home Staging, a survey conducted by the U.S.-based National Association of Realtors, the majority of realty professionals find value in home staging. The survey found:

  • Two-thirds of realtors surveyed said styled homes sold for more
  • Staged homes had values 1-20 percent higher, on average
  • Nearly 50 percent of buyers’ agents said pre-sale styling affected buyers positively
  • A majority of buyers’ agents said staging increases the value buyers are willing to pay

What’s more: The ROI on investment is clear. The National Association of Realtors also found that every $100 invested in pre-sale styling returned up to $400 in added value. But pricing isn’t the only benefit. Home staging also helps your home sell faster.

According to the International Association of Home Staging Professionals, 95 percent of homes that have been pre-styled spend just 11 days on the market. What about non-staged homes? They sell in three months, on average.

A common misconception is that staging is too costly for modestly priced homes. Yet, the NAR survey found, that, on average, staging didn’t require a costly investment. The median price was just $650. That’s a small price to pay to command a higher value for your home and sell it faster.

 

3 Reasons Pre-Sale Home Styling Works

For sellers, there’s a clear economic case to be made for pre-sale styling. Yet, beyond the numbers, home staging helps sell your home for a number of reasons. They include:

  • Improved Marketing: Pre-sale property staging accentuates the home’s interiors, and the result is a more finished look. A professional pre-sale stylish will make your home look like the interiors featured in magazines. As a result, the marketing photos will jump out in online listings and print advertising. This will make your home easier to market and attract more potential buyers. According to NAR, buyers’ agents say a home styling positively affects 95 percent of buyers.
  • Help Buyers Visualise the Property: The way you decorate your home and the furniture and colours you choose to say something about you and your family. Your home is a representation of your unique style, and it speaks to you. With staging, the goal is to ensure your home entices everyone else. Therefore, you might prefer contemporary style, while a more classic farmhouse look will jump out to more buyers and help your home attract more walkthroughs.
  • Declutter and Accentuate: One of the first steps of a pre-sale styling is to eliminate clutter. Clutter can turn off buyers, distracting them of the home’s potential. Plus, it also signals that the home does not have adequate storage. Decluttering and redecorating interior spaces also helps to accentuate and showcase the home’s unique interiors. A home staging will draw buyers into the home and help them envision it as a place to stay. In particular, most pre-sale stylings focus on the most important rooms, including the living room, kitchen, master bedroom, dining room and bathrooms. Buyers will see these spaces at the height of their potential, and as a result, they’re more likely to see themselves living there.

Pre-sale home styling seems like something that’s reserved for high-end properties. That’s a myth. Home staging benefits nearly all properties, helping them to command higher prices and sell faster. Therefore, a small investment in staging can pay off quickly, and it’s something all sellers should consider.

 

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