According to statistics from staging101.com, a staged home sells 32% faster and for 3 to 10% more than one that is not staged. But what is “staging” anyway? Think of it this way, staging is the art of creating an environment that other people can easily imagine themselves immersing themselves in.Â

A home is personal, and we naturally tend to surround ourselves with personal things in this very personal space. Things like family pictures, mementos, and stylistic artwork, all make a house seem more like a home—to you anyway. But when you’re trying to sell your home, the goal is to make the home feel inviting to everyone who walks in.Â

Just like you are doing when looking for your new home, you want buyers to envision where they might place your couch, the beautiful portrait of their children, or that antique vase passed down through 5 generations. Staging is a process of making your home day-dream friendly.Â

Some simple staging techniques:

• Declutter – a lot.Â
• Take down personal pictures
• Remove refrigerator magnets and to-do lists
• Clean your corners and baseboards – you now overlook the dust there, but other people won’t
• Purchase electric air fresheners for each room – you want the smell of your home to be inviting, but don’t rely on candles that can’t be left burning while you’re away from home. Â

In short, staging is about selling a feeling of hope and excitement—the same kind of feeling you probably get when you walk into a builder’s model home. You want buyers to imagine themselves enjoying a bath in your bathtub, not imagine you taking a bath in your bathtub. When buyers can imagine themselves relaxing and enjoying their life in your home, you’re well on your way to making a sale!

Tags: Triangle Real Estate //