Staging can take can involve different tasks from remodeling to organizing. Madeline Schaider Real Estate can facilitate sellers in identifying which level of service is needed:
- Extensive remodel. This may include minor reconfiguration, remodeling the kitchen and bathrooms, painting, carpeting, wood flooring, new appliances, and landscaping.
- Cosmetic remodel. Painting and flooring are important and of relatively low cost. Painting may be required inside and out. These two improvements are the two most inexpensive items that a seller can do with the highest visual impact and return on investment.
- Landscaping. Street appeal is important for selling a house as this provides the buyers’ first impression of a house. Attractive outdoor areas for convenient outdoor living are also important. We may recommend and oversee yard cleanup, lawn renovation or replacement, planting flowers and shrubs, repairing and refinishing decks, and more.
- Repairing water and pest damage. We always recommend a pre-sale inspection for pests (termites, etc.) and rotted wood. As buyers often require repair or compensation for “section 1” damage, getting this done up front can reassure buyers that the house has been well cared for. This inspection, which costs a few hundred dollars, saves the seller money—sometimes a large amount—by the end of sale.
- Furnishing a house. We engage a professional stager to bring furniture, artwork, and accessories into a home. You may have furnishings worthy of display at a museum, but not in the style that attracts young buyers. When it is time to stage your home, Madeline can introduce you to the appropriate stagers and supervise the process.
- Re-organizing a very presentable house. Buyers respond best to a simple and uncluttered house. We often help sellers simplify their home by packing up or reorganizing their possession. Even valuable artwork or collections of fine artifacts can overwhelm buyers and prevent them form seeing the possibilities of living in a house. A “neutral” house is more appealing to buyers.
Is it worth staging your Marin County, California home before you sell it? Many sellers at every price point object to having their homes staged. Their reasons include: it is not worth the expense, the house looks good now, buyers are still going to negotiate the price, so staging doesn’t matter, I can’t live in the house if it is staged. The reality is that buyers are paying millions for Marin homes and they want to see homes that appeal to their needs and tastes. Neglecting can result in significant financial losses for sellers.
Staging your Marin home IS important
We know first hand that staging your Marin home is more important than ever. Here are some of the reasons:
- WOW Factor. You know the expression, “You only have one chance to make that first impression.” So true in real estate. When a buyer opens that front door, you want to WOW them immediately. It’s a subliminal factor that affects a buyer’s ‘feeling’ about a house. Buyers can tell you all the features that they want in a house, but often times, it comes down to a very primal, emotional response.
- Most buyers search the Internet for properties. Online viewers have a very limited attention span. If a property is vacant or unattractive, buyers are inclined to skip over it quickly. Staged and attractive rooms will make a much better impression, and more often buyers place house on a their “lets see it soon” list.
- A staged home will attract more buyers.
- Staging often defines spaces in a house and shows buyers how they might use these spaces.
- Staging neutralizes a home so buyers can see themselves in the home.
- Buyers will stay longer in a staged home. They can sit down and relax, look around the room, chat with their families, and see themselves living there.
- Staged homes can focus the buyer’s attention on the positive aspects of the home and take attention away from possible flaws.
- Buyers perceive that the seller has carefully attended to the overall care and maintenance of the home, since it is staged and well presented.
- Staged homes will net the seller a higher sales price, with fewer days on the market. The longer homes are on the market, the lower the sale price.
What happens if you pass up staging?
A house that is not staged will very likely attract fewer buyers, few or no offers, and sell for a significantly lower price. And, the longer it is on the market unsold, the lower the final sale price. Typically, sale prices decreased 10-13% for houses that took 3-4 months to sell. For a $1,000,000 house, this loss may be $75,000 to $150,000. This is a great deal more than the cost of staging! Investing $10,000 to $100,000 to prepare a house for sale can more than pay for itself.
How can you get this done?
The job may feel overwhelming. When it is time to stage your home for sale, Madeline can help decide what needs to be done and oversee the work. Her objective is to provide the best return on your investment and the highest sale price. It will be easy for you.