Home Staging for a Fall buyer

What could be better than a cable knit throw, a good book and a comfortable chair on a lazy Sunday afternoon. Sounds good doesn’t it, chances are your home buyers would love it too. Selling a property nowadays requires careful marketing. You aren’t just selling four walls, you are selling a lifestyle, a feeling, a place where memories will be made and you are asking buyers to invest in your property with their hard earned $$$$$$’s.

As a home stager and photo stylist my job is to market a product in the most attractive way possible to drive sales for my clients. Setting the stage, to woo home buyers, apartment seekers and retail consumers to choose to purchase your product over the competition’s. Sounds pretty straightforward right, but a lot of thought, time and effort goes into each and every project I do. Every home is different, every product comes with unique attributes and challenges. How you present a property (your product) changes with the seasons. Colour, texture and pattern all evoke a feeling, a lifestyle, whether a buyer is aware or not. Emotions are a large part of the buying process. Evoke the right emotions from a buyer and your home will stand out, be seen and attract attention.

Two words. Details matter. Even the smallest ones. When the business of living takes over your home, many things go unnoticed that a buyer will pick up on in 2 seconds flat. Those flat as a pancake pillows on the old sofa mean many happy nights of kicking back and watching your show on Netflix, but to buyers it looks shabby. Not quite the look they envisioned for the living room they will entertain friends and family in. Yes you say, they are only pillows but all these little things add up and to get the buyers with the offer you are looking for it takes putting your best foot forward, every time you show your home.

So have a good look at your surroundings, scrutinize every room, every closet, every nook and cranny. Your online images can make or break a sale and with all the resources available nowadays it is easier than ever to get your home in tip top selling condition. A great real estate agent, realistic pricing, professional looking presentation and images will get you well on your way to hanging that SOLD sign.

All images by Farm Gate Imaging

One of the things a homestager usually recommends when prepping a home for the market is to de clutter and pack up collectibles. Especially if there is a theme. Not everyone shares the same love of monster trucks and cartoon characters and selling a home is all about the buyer and not your tastes.

Too many items make a home look cluttered (not enough storage in a buyer’s mind) smaller than it actually is (clutter eats square footage and equity) and claustraphobic. Having said that, you do need some focal points to add interest and colour.There are a few tricks we stagers use to get the right look. Presentation is everything. In stores items are arranged in an artful way. Your rooms can come to life with that same type of attention to detail. Small details can have a huge impact. Something as simple as repeating the same size or style of baskets or boxes can create a clean and uniform look. Repetition is pleasing to the eye. So if you repeat basic shapes or use one color it will create a unified look which can bring a serene and calming feeling to the room.

Group

Simple is best.

Group in odd Numbers.

Choose interesting shapes and items.

Nature

Use Natural Elements

Metals, basketware, shells, rocks

Group with books for interest

Green

Green always looks fresh

Brightens a neutral palette

Use what you have

Baskets

Use as artwork for texture

To hide and contain clutter

To add subtle colour

Colour Block

Use a variety of objects and shapes

Larger items have more impact

Use spraypaint to get the look

Books

Adds height to smaller objects

Larger items anchor a display

Inexpensive props

Flowers

Keep it simple & seasonal

Use one style & colour of flower

Group 3 in different height vases

Less is more when staging to sell

Tag: accessories

Home Staging in Fall