Over the last few weeks, we've been discussing some of the ways to improve the likelihood that your home will sell at its highest possible price, given market economic conditions. Last week we considered the importance of reasonable updates and repairs to help your home better compete against new construction and communities, in addition to the obvious and not so obvious reasons for sell your home so quickly . Are the right updates and pricing enough to make your home stand out in the crowd? Probably not.
There are more than 2,500 homes listed on the MLS in Rutherford County - including new and "experienced" ( more often referred to as ex-listing homes) single family home and condos that span a wide array of price ranges, What can you do to separate yourself from the pack? The answer may be as simple as staging your home.
Staging refers to a process that neutralizes your home with the intent of appealing to as many prospective buyers possible. In other words, you're trying to eliminate as many objections as possible so that no one will be turned away when they first open the door. You might need to temporarily put away some of prized possessions, if there is any chance that someone would find them less than desirable.
Most homeowners will need to engage the assistance of a professional to guide them through the process. Our unique Staging Magic SM service begins with a "market ready" list of action steps designed to help your home sell faster at the best possible price. National surveys have shown that stages homes sell for up to 7 percent more than homes that have not been staged .. and more than twice as fast! For the most part, we discussed the general principles behind updating your home. One of the most important considerations during the freshing of the home is paint, flooring and / or counter upgrades, It is critical that selected improvements are neutral and in style with current trends ( including any accent colors and finishes)
Once all of the updating is complete, the staging team merchandises your home by carefully positioning small furniture and other home accents to present a look and feel that will generate stronger buyers interest - even in a tough market. The objective is to create an atmosphere that appeals to the senses of as many prospective buyers as possible. The desire is to create an emotive connection that enables then to visualize themselves living in your house. It helps when the staging coordinates and ties everything together.
While staging may look easy, be careful not to confuse the concept with decoration. It is very important that you select qualified professionals to stage your home and guide you through the entire preparation process. To round out our series on preparing your home to sell, next week we'll explore ways to identify the right people to help maximize your value.