First impressions are an important element of a smart home selling strategy. This is why expert-quality home staging is often the secret weapon of sellers who want both a quick and profitable sale.
Staged homes “pop” among other listings. They can sell up to 88% faster than a property marketed as-is. Not only that, staging can also lead you to bigger offers. Staged homes sell up to 20% more than unstaged ones.
Home staging is not a cookie-cutter service though. Different kinds of staging services are available to address every home selling situation, whether you’ve already moved out or are still occupying the property. Read this overview so you can find the right type that best suits your needs.
Did you know that staging your home can help you sell it up to 88% faster and for 20% more? In a coveted yet highly competitive market like Los Angeles, professional home staging certainly gives you the upper hand in attracting the interest of serious buyers.
Keep reading to learn more about the different types of home staging services that you can use to boost your home selling strategies.
Vacant home staging
This option works when you’ve already cleared out all your belongings and have moved to your new home. The house is completely empty, leaving your stager with a blank canvas in which to work his magic.
In these situations, the stager chooses the assortment of furniture pieces and other decorative elements to liven up the empty spaces. Stagers either use pieces from their own inventory or rent from their partner businesses. They might also purchase fresh flowers and fruits to display.
Count on your stager’s expertise in interior design trends and knowledge of local buyer preferences to identify the pieces and accessories that fit best inside and around your home. You don’t have to worry about any awkward mismatches.
When staging a vacant home, the stager may offer two options: work on the entire house, or focus only on key rooms and areas such as the living room, kitchen and dining area, master bedrooms, and bathroom.
Of course, staging the entire house will cost more. In addition to the stager’s services, you will likely have to cover rental fees for the furniture and decor used. On the plus side though, choosing this gives you more opportunities to impress interested buyers during open houses or home viewings.
Occupied staging
If you want to create eye-catching marketing material for your home while you’re still living in it, this type of staging is what you need.
In this arrangement, your stager works with you to rearrange and design your living spaces so that they appear stunning in promotional photos and videos, as well as in personal visits.
Despite the changes, you will still be able to comfortably go about your day-to-day activities and sleep soundly in your own bed at the end of the day.
Stagers can opt to use the homeowner’s existing furniture if they are in good, presentable condition. Otherwise, they can turn again to their partner rental furniture providers to add pieces that will enhance the look and feel of the home’s living spaces.
In some instances, stagers can recommend a list of furniture and decorations that the homeowner can purchase for the staging effort. The owner can then choose to either take these items when they move to their new home or include them in the complete sale package, potentially justifying a higher asking price for the sale.
What is virtual staging?
Virtual staging is an innovation that is emerging from the advancements rooted in today’s digital age. Simply put, it involves having digital imaging experts “place” furniture and decorations in your home’s main living areas and featured spaces.
This is a cost-effective alternative to renting out furniture and accessories, especially if you’ve already moved out. It can also work with furnished homes, with digital imaging tweaks helping to “clean” and “fix” items in a property photo.
Just remember that any changes made on a digital image cannot be reflected in the real world. Buyers might notice the difference when they visit your home for a viewing. It’s even more obvious if you just virtually staged a vacant house.
Does DIY home staging work?
It’s quite common for home sellers to consider do-it-yourself home staging. This is often because they are reluctant to spend money before they get a guaranteed buyer.
This is a reasonable idea, especially if you want to take a hands-on approach to preparing your house to sell. (Perhaps it’s your personal send-off for the place you’ve called home for years.)
Just remember that this project will require a significant amount of your time and energy. In many ways, the convenience of having others do the heavy lifting – both physically and mentally – makes professional staging a worthwhile investment.
How about meeting halfway by tapping a stager’s services as a professional consultant? You can have the stager do a walkthrough of your home to give you practical advice for your DIY plans. This way, you cut down on professional fees while still having an expert’s insights on how to best stage your home.
Planning to sell your home? Work with me, Arman Grigoryan, as your agent and professional home stager. As a specialist in both fields, I’ll help you get top dollar for your San Fernando Valley property.
Plus, if your home is worth $2 million or more, my staging services come free of charge.
Contact me today to start a home staging consultation. You can also reach me at 818.444.7700 and arman(at)armangrigoryan(dotted)com.