1 mistake that costs THOUSANDS when selling a home

1 mistake that costs THOUSANDS when selling a home

It’s critical when selling a home that you prepare it for the market.   In today’s real estate market when buyers/investors have so many options, a property must be priced right and look better than the competition, in order to gain a competitive edge. One of the best, proven  methods to faster sales is a process known as “staging.” It’s in no way a new concept but vastly underutilized in Utah. The term originated in California about 15 years ago by Barbara Schwarz. She realized by prepping a home for sale, it sold faster and frequently for more than the asking price.  

 Staging uses design and conceptualization techniques. The objective is to have  potential buyers walk in and envision the property as their home. You want to have them feel at home immediately, they must see themselves living and entertaining there. It’s all about creating a space that makes buyers connect emotionally to it. Nothing motivates buyers to spend more or act faster than emotions. They should feel as if they were the owner, not a guest. As a seller, In order to do this effectively, you need to make your house as impersonal and attractive as possible to stimulate the buyers to feel that way.  

 An initial discussion to review the property’s weak and strong points, what changes need to be made, how much time it will take, and what else is needed to stage it, is of the utmost importance. Besides the basic cleaning and repairing, Staging has five basic elements: De-clutter, Pare down, Position furniture, Color, Lighting.  

 Home staging is effective because it emphasizes a property’s strengths and minimizes its weak points. It allows your home to be shown at its maximum potential. Presenting a well-cared for home and creating a property that gives a positive first impression. It attracts the attention and desires of potential buyers. It encourages them to consider how your property fits their requirements, instead of seeing how it may not.   

 It ends up not costing you anything!- In a Home Gain Survey of over 2000 Realtors, it was discovered that the aspects of Home Staging typically provides a 399% return on investment. Not only do you get a higher dollar amount for your home but it also has been proven to help the home sell faster. A 2007 survey of Accredited Staging Professionals by the training company  Staged Homes found that 94 percent of staged homes sold on average in one month or less and spent 80 percent less time on the market than those that were not staged.  

One way to quickly derail your home sale is to neglect to prepare your home for the market. Not preparing a home for the real estate market is a common home selling mistake that should be avoided at all costs.  There is only one opportunity to make a first impression with potential buyers. The question isn’t can you afford to stage your home, it’s can you afford not to. In need of help staging? We here at Gold Key offer premium staging to all homeowners. We believe in this so strongly that we offer our staging services free of charge to all of our clients. Let us know how we can help you.