If you want to sell your home and earn an extra dollar, home staging can help you. Staging the property refers to preparing your home for potential buyers. It is if you wish, setting the stage for the future owners. It encompasses rearranging furniture, cleaning and other aesthetic strategies. The aim is to present the property in the best possible light. 

What is it for?

The aim is to focus buyers’ attention on the asset in order to sell it easily and quickly. Also, home staging must highlight the best aspects of the asset in order to justify its price. Here are the basic principles of this process.

Enhancing the spaces and volumes of a property, house or apartment. 
Optimization of the brightness to highlight each room.
Ensuring that buyers can imagine themselves living in that property.

The aim is not to camouflage the imperfection. It is actually intended to embellish the space, and it definitely doesn’t require undertaking significant work and spending too much money in the process.

It has been widely popularized by certain television programs specializing in the sale of apartments or houses. However, the profession of home stager is still not regulated for the moment and there is no specific diploma.

How to stage your home successfully

1 – Declutter the premises

It is important to free up space and make it as easy as possible to move around in each room and from one room to another. Allow around 70 to 80 cm of free space in passageways to make movement easier. Future buyers must be able to see how much space they have to set up their own things.

2 – Give each room a new function

You can imagine a new layout of existing furniture, remove some, change some or add some while you finalize the sale. The goal is to give each room its own functionality. In particular, make some efforts on the kitchen and bathroom: if they are old or outdated, they can put off buyers who consider their renovation too expensive.

3 – Focus on harmony in spaces

Bright colours can offend the visual sensibilities of future buyers and prevent them from making the place their own. Furthermore, over the years, depending on the various renovations you may have carried out, the harmony between one room and another may have been erased. You must try to restore it, and often, a simple coat of white paint is enough to adopt a neutrality conducive to the purchase decision.

4 – Depersonalize the space

The goal is to erase the imprint of the previous occupants of the premises by removing all furniture, objects and decorative accessories that are too personal or too marked. While waiting for a future move, start emptying and packing your boxes. It’s an excellent way to declutter while saving time!

5 – Carry out small repairs

Switches that don’t work, faulty sockets, holes in the walls, squeaky doors, a missing tile in the bathroom or kitchen, a leaky faucet—all convey a bad image of the property and can scare away potential buyers. At little cost, you can carry out these simple repairs that avoid giving buyers a negative impression of your property. A major cleaning also tends to make the place more inviting and healthier.

Useful Tips

If you have little space, you should play with the mirrors since they can visually enlarge the room.

In case the property is too dark for some reasons like lack of windows or poor exposition to light, reinforce artificial lightning. Add aesthetic light fixtures that are fairly light and also catch the eye.

Do not neglect the exterior of the property.  You should mow the lawn since it will definitely make a better impression than an unkempt garden.

The smell in the house or apartment is also very important. The subtle scent of a home fragrance or a bunch of fresh flowers can stimulate the senses of potential buyers and add an element of allure.

The main operators

There is a rise in the number of home staging companies in various areas. Many home stagers are independent professionals, such as interior decorators, who have transitioned to this kind of business. Some real estate agencies now offer home staging services.

What is the cost?

Rates are not regulated by any law. A service is billed either by the hour, by the day, or by a fixed price set in advance with the seller. The average price of service is relatively variable because it includes several parameters: surface area of ​​the property, number of rooms, and modifications to be made. But the principle is to remain economical. As a general rule, real estate professionals agree that you should expect to pay an average of 0.5 to 4% of the total sale price of the property, depending on the type of service provided.

Some home stagers have formed a national network of experts who attest to their effectiveness. They operate under the label “Home-Staging Experts”, which is the result of an independent survey conducted with a panel of consumers in the US.

There are two main levels of services:the audit and complete service phase.

The audit

During a preliminary visit, the home stager carries out an audit during which he takes stock of the situation, assessing the strengths but especially the weaknesses of the property for sale. On a written report, the homestager must then propose a redevelopment plan detailing the modifications to be made.

The advantage is that for a competitive price, you will have certain tips to implement to sell better and more quickly.

The drawback is that you still have to follow the home stager’s recommendations to the letter and reorganize your property as indicated!

The complete service

It includes the audit and the carrying out of the modifications by the home stager.

The advantage is a very effective “makeover” of the property. You put all the chances on your side to sell more quickly.

However it’s more expensive, but the price should not exceed 4 to 5% of the total sale price to be profitable.

It is the home stager who takes care of the redevelopment, but this may force you to anticipate the move by clearing out unnecessary items and furniture.

As a seller, the real estate agency or home staging agency you have chosen cannot impose a level of service on you. You are free to limit yourself to the audit and to take charge of the costs of restoring your property or to ask the agent to organize everything.

Real or virtual service?

Today, some companies offer a virtual service, allowing future buyers to visualize the potential of the property they are interested in in 3D, without any changes having actually been made to the accommodation. This tool allows the buyer to project themselves into any type of property, whether it is empty, overloaded or completely in need of renovation.

The service of a 3D includes the creation of a 3D plan of the property. This type of advanced service can also be offered by interior designers. Examples of different wall colors can also be attached to this presentation. The service can be supplemented by quotes costing the different proposed arrangements.

Whether virtual or real, it is advisable to call on professionals who, with an external view of your property, will be able to bring out its potential and mitigate the weak points.

Finally, there is no question of considering major works to create the crush of potential buyers or of completely emptying an apartment or a house because it is no easier to project oneself into an empty home than a place that is too cluttered. 

Although a particularly successful homestaging service allows you to sell a property better and more quickly, it is not advisable to overestimate your property. Trust real estate professionals who will then be able to revalue your property and guide you towards the right price.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is Home Staging UK?

It represents the preparation of your property for sale.  also It is an excellent way to sell easier and faster for a higher price. It can encompass anything from decoration and decluttering to fully furnishing.

What is soft home staging?

Soft staging is a type of service that focuses on decorating with artwork and accessories instead of furniture. This method helps create a cozy and welcoming atmosphere in your home for potential buyers.

Why Home Staging Is Important?

It can accentuate the positives while minimizing the negative sides of the property. The aim is to make the best impression and to justify its price but also earn some extra dollars.