The frenetic pace of the real estate market in recent years was solidly in the seller’s favor, allowing a healthy number of homeowners to sell their homes swiftly and above their listing price. As we move into a more balanced real estate environment, however, sellers will need to meet and exceed buyers’ expectations to stand out from the competition, make an indelible impression, and receive multiple offers.
Buyers on the hunt for investments or their new place of residence see dozens of homes and un-staged properties and will exit their thoughts rapidly–if not turn them off altogether. A beautifully and artfully staged home, on the other hand, will remain at the forefront of their minds and may compel them to put in a purchase offer.
And yet, what is the savviest way to angle your home in the most dazzling light? Read on for luxury home realtor Michael Reisor’s expert counsel on staging your home to sell.
Perform a pre-listing inspection
Qualified home inspectors possess the education and experience to assess problems within a home that may be inconspicuous to the naked, untrained eye. Not only will this help you stage your home for maximum effect, but it’ll also ensure you can enter negotiations with interested buyers from a place of knowledge and candor. Their investigation of your residence will result in a meticulous list of repairs that ought to be handled before you list your home, or, if there’s an urgency behind the sale of your residence, inform your decision to sell your home as is. Bring a contractor on board to perform the renovations you’ve chosen to undertake.
Depersonalize your space–and conduct an in-depth clean
Homes are staged to present your residence in its most glorious light, but they also anticipate and play into the buyers’ psychology. A buyer must be able to enter your home and immediately imagine the life they can create–a nearly impossible task if they’re distracted by unseemly amounts of personal items. What may be meaningful to you will appear as clutter to them; as such, move through your rooms and stow away photographs, pieces of art and decor that might have a polarizing impact, collections of books and records–and anything else that will remind a buyer that your home once served as your private sanctuary. Next, enlist a team of professional cleaners to conduct a thorough cleanse of your home; after all, they possess the training, tools, and machinery to ensure your home is spotless from floor to ceiling.
Accentuate your home’s architecture
You may have gorgeous, open-beamed ceilings, enormous windows that invite the outside in seamlessly, or distinctive crown molding. Whatever your home’s finest architectural features may be, you’ll want to ensure they receive the attention they deserve. This may mean clearing out items and areas that may distract a buyer from seeing these traits or calling deliberate attention to them. A stunning fireplace can become the focal point of your living area if you dress up its mantel with graceful touches of greenery, just as your vistas can take center stage if you place your furniture to face the splendid views of your backyard and the natural scenery.
Engage the services of a professional painter
Revitalize the walls of your interior space with an expert touch. A fresh coat of paint will instantaneously revamp your home and help it appear newer and more radiant. Select shades that fall within the neutral family, whether it’s ecru, a pale white, or greige–a color that’s been on-trend for the last several months and is expected to persist in popularity throughout the new year. Want expert advice? Consult with your interior designer.
Focus on greenery and deft organization
One of the biggest and most alluring trends we’ve seen in the past few years is the Japandi look. This clean, refreshing form of decor is a mix of Japanese and Scandinavian design ethos. It emphasizes extensive amounts of greenery to give a feeling of the outdoors in an interior area, calls upon extreme organization to make a home appear both streamlined and spacious, and strives for an overall minimalist appearance. This may involve rearranging your furniture to open up certain pockets of your home or omitting pieces of the furniture entirely. The effort will be well worth it: It will underscore your home’s appeal as a serene retreat from the rest of the world.
Elevate your curb appeal
The combined expertise of a landscape artist and a handyman can cause passersby to look twice at the beauty of your home–and may lure buyers into presenting you with a desirable offer. Update your mailbox to a modern, eye-catching style. Have your trees trimmed to open up your views and give your yard a polished appearance. Likewise, have your landscaper plant flowers that will give your yard a captivating splash of color, and pay close attention to the appearance of your front door and entryway.
Call upon the experts
Professional home stagers have a thorough understanding of what renders a home irresistible. They also have the expertise needed to achieve the perfect balance between a showroom home and an inviting, extraordinary residence. With their thorough, cutting-edge knowledge of the most current and sellable trends–as well as their understanding of the lifestyle of your target buyer–they can weave in decor details that will make your home look positively exquisite.
Work with The Dillon Gray LeFan Team
Whether you’re in the process of adding your property to the list of St. Louis homes for sale or have just ignited your search into the options available, reach out to The Dillon Gray LeFan Team to get started. In the meantime, please browse our testimonials and current listings.
