I have recently had a bunch of conversations with Realtors who tell me that they have a difficult time bringing up the topic of Home Staging with their clients. When they do get up the courage, they find that clients can be resistant for so many reasons. If your Realtor introduces the idea of staging to you, they are a smart Realtor who has your best interests in mind. You have hired them to sell your house and the smart Realtor knows that an effective marketing campaign includes getting your house in great selling shape. That said, I honestly feel that there is a big misconception and home staging myths about what staging really is and I want to set the record straight.
I'm going to share with you 3 Myths about Home Staging and ask you to make a big doozie of a mental shift coming up here, so hold on!
Home Staging Myth #1: Staging is a Critique About How You Decorate
For many sellers, the idea of Home Staging most likely conjures up the thought of the HGTV shows where a critical Realtor or Designer walks through the home making fun of critiquing it. And, honestly, I find that so rude, unnecessary and not at all what staging is all about. OK–hopping off my soapbox…Not only that, you may have a case of what I like to call “House Blindness”. We are all guilty. Yes, even me. We tend to overlook our house's flaws and actually get used to them and not understand how other (think, buyers) see them.
The good news is, there is a cure for this, but you have really got to put yourself in a buyer's position and see your house through a buyer's eyes. In fact, if you are looking for a new house while you are selling yours, think about how critical you are of every house you see online and in person. Now, look at your house through that lens. Or, you can work with a professional Stager whose job it is to be the eyes of your buyer.
Home Staging Myth #2: Staging is Only for High End Houses
You would think…but according to a study by HomeGain, the number one thing that added value to a house was decluttering which added an average return on investment of a ridiculous 403%! You can do that! I know you can! And, I have seen the huge power of decluttering with my clients. The key is how to declutter. I've given you my advice on exactly how I help my clients declutter to sell their houses super fast right here.
You can absolutely stage your house on your own but a professional Home Stager can give you the direction that you need. We can be like a coach and give you your plan or we can be like a concierge and manage the entire preparation for you so there are many price points and options when hiring a stager. I even offer an “Online Listing Audit”. This is where I will look at your listing photos and give you advice about how you may be able to rework your rooms to end up with better pictures. Which, of course, leads to more traffic and faster offers and that's a really good thing!
Home Staging Myth #3: I Don't Need to Stage: My Realtor Can Sell My House No Matter What it Looks Like
That may be true, but the question that you need to ask yourself is how long will it take your Realtor to sell it as is and at what cost to you. And, I want to be really clear here. I'm not just talking about the monetary cost to you–which can be ginormous. I am talking about the emotional toll.
If you aren't going to put your best foot forward to make your house look great for your online listing and your in-person showings, you will, without a doubt, have to be willing to accept that your house will be on the market longer than you would like and it will sell at a lower price for your house which can be incredibly stressful if you need the proceeds from your house to buy your next or move on to the next phase of your life.
Also, you may be signing up to spend months with either very little traffic, spur of the moment showings, numerous open houses, the cost to maintain your house which eats away at whatever money you need for your next place and repeated disappointment. Why would you voluntarily sign up for that? That's just craziness! Don't make yourself nutty like that! Take the time before your Realtor takes pictures to get your house in shape and you will reap the rewards.
The Big Doozie of a Mental Shift
You have got to consider what your goal is when you list your house in today's real estate market. If you don't really care how long it takes to sell your house or you don't care how much you make, then, by all means, don't stage your house.
But, if you are serious about selling your house at a better price, you are going to need to do some work to make that happen. It's just the reality of selling a house today. And, when you think about it, you are going to have to pack everything up at some point in order to move. You're not really doing extra work.
Not to mention, you will be saving yourself headaches and money because you will not have to keep your house neat for too long once you list as a staged house. They just don't stay on the market that long.
You will save money by selling faster and not having to pay mortgage, insurance, maintenance, etc and you may make more money on the sale.
And, last, movers quote based on what they see when they come to your house to give you your proposal, not based on what they actually end up moving for you. Think about it, you haven't gone through your stuff before a mover comes out but, by the time you move, you have probably thrown out or donated a ton of stuff. But, you are still paying the mover based on what they saw when they came to your house to quote the job. Why would you want to pay them to move your junk? Think about it…
I hope that I have cleared up any home staging myths so that you can save money and sell your house faster!
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