Big Payoffs for Indianapolis Home Staging
A professional home stager can help provide decorations that are both neutral and complementary to the home’s design features.
By JOY ALCOCK
To stage or not to stage. That is the question on the minds of many Indianapolis area residents selling their homes and the real estate professionals advising them. Yes, everybody knows a house has to be cleaned up and organized so that it shows well to prospective buyers, but just how much does professional home staging affect the sale of a house?
According to National Association of Realtors® president Chris Polychron, home staging can make a big difference. “At a minimum, homeowners should conduct a thorough cleaning, haul out clutter, make sure the home is well-lit and fix any major aesthetic issues. Another option is staging a home, which realtors often suggest to sellers to help prospective buyers better visualize themselves in the home and could modestly increase the home’s value for both the buyer and seller.”
A survey of realtors also showed they believe home staging can have a major impact for both the buyer and the seller. Eighty-one percent of surveyed realtors believed that home staging allows buyers to visualize a property as a future home. Another 62 per cent of realtors who represent sellers said they offer home staging services to their clients.
The proof, it seems is in the pudding. According to a recent study from the Reals Estate Staging Association, houses that are staged sell 73 per cent faster than those that are unstaged. As any real estate professional will tell you, the longer a home stays on the market, the less money it will bring. With the average home staging investment being $675, it appears home staging is very likely to bring a greater return for the sellers.
So why is home staging so important these days? Certainly the popularity of TV shows like House Hunters has changed the expectation levels. The homes on display on HGTV demand that sellers do more than just pick up the dirty laundry lying around and vacuum the living room. Professional home staging, with its emphasis on neutral décor, proper lighting and space-saving furniture arrangement can have a very real impact on what the sellers see when they walk through the door.
“The proof, it seems is in the pudding. According to a recent study from the Reals Estate Staging Association, houses that are staged sell 73 % faster than those that are unstaged.”
Pay your home a complement
Even homes owned by professional decorators aren’t necessarily decked out in the most flattering ways. Every home is decorated in a fashion that reflects the owner. When selling,
however, those “personal touches” can be personal turn-offs to buyers. A professional home stager can help provide decorations that are both neutral and complementary to the home’s design features. Whereas the home owner (the seller) decorates according to taste and wants home décor to be noticed, the home stager decorates according to what will draw the buyer’s attention to the home itself, not just the décor.
Create some space
Professional home stagers also have an eye for maximizing the space within a home. The home owner might have the furniture arranged to maximize sight lines to where the TV is hanging. That might not be the best use of space in a room. By rearranging furniture and updating lighting, the home stager can emphasize the space in any room. Having a house that meets the space needs is a huge plus in satisfying potential buyers.
It’s going to be their home, not yours
This may be one of the more bitter pills for sellers to swallow. It’s tough to surrender the qualities that have made this house a home for many years. But items like personal family
pictures and the previously mentioned decorative choices don’t help prospective buyers visualize this space as their home. That’s the goal. When all is said and done, sellers need to realize that after closing, this space will now belong to the new owners. When selling, the best course of action is to help the buyers imagine that space as their very own.
With the Indianapolis home market being as competitive as it is, it’s important for sellers to gain every advantage that they can. That means investing in home staging advice. Your local real estate professional might be able to provide those services themselves, or they can recommend someone good in the Indianapolis area to help you. It’s important for sellers to know that they don’t have to do everything the home stager advises, but they can implement whatever changes and improvements that fit into their budget.
If you’re contemplating selling your home, your first step is to contact an Indianapolis area real estate professional. He or she can answer all your questions about home staging as well as guide you in all the other important decisions you’ll make about selling your home.
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