Staging Sells

Staging tips to help sell your home fast

By CAROLINE GOBBLE 

According to a 2017 survey by the National Association of Realtors, a vast majority of real estate professionals believe that staging a home can increase the sale price of the home anywhere from 1 to 15 percent. Julie Glew, the Director of Operations at Custom Home Staging and Design, and her team of designers offer up their top five tips to help stage a home and sell it fast. She and her trained designers know the Wilmington housing market inside and out, providing clients with an edge over the rest of their competition. 

So, why and how should you stage your home?

1. Color Impact
When preparing a listing for the market, it is important to remember the ultimate goal is to showcase the property in a way that will appeal to the maximum number of buyers. Glew explains, “Calling in the professionals allows the seller to gain impactful information on how to spruce up their listing.  Some of the biggest change can come from updating paint colors, improving the overall appearance of the listing drastically.” For a property face lift, try toning down wall colors and sticking with lighter neutrals to help create a cohesive and fresh look. A fresh coat of trim paint helps present the home in a renewed, clean appearance to buyers.

2. Enhanced Indoor and Outdoor Living Spaces
The best parts of a listing are the hidden gems offered in unique spaces that are often left forgotten. “Our goal is to identify these areas and give them a meaningful purpose. “Frequently we find outdoor spaces left off of the staging check list,” says Glew. In the Cape Fear region especially, outdoor areas can add valuable living space as an extension of the home. Sprucing up outdoor living spaces and creating destination seating areas with sunbathing lounges and fire pit features helps potential buyers visualize living there. “The goal with staging outdoor porches and living areas is to create a seamless flow from indoor to outdoor living,” explains Glew. “Also, don’t forget the necessity of curb appeal in your landscaping!” 

3. Impactful Upgrades
Bringing in one of Custom Home Staging and Design’s professional designers helps guide home sellers on any upgrades that will help expedite the sale of their home. Such upgrades include identifying minor changes that can make the largest impact. According to Glew, a fresh coat of paint and a good deep clean are usually the starting points. Other upgrades she and her team often recommend are carpet cleanings or replacements, replacing dated light fixtures and ceiling fans, and changing out discolored electrical plates and switches. “Updating these small details help potential buyers see the space as a whole and not get caught up on minor imperfections that can be off putting,” says Glew. “The ultimate goal is to gain more offers and a higher sale price for the home.” Upgrading larger areas of the home, such as kitchens, bathrooms, floorings, or dated rooms are more involved projects, but can also help sellers receive top dollar for their property. 

4.  Declutter and Organization
Decluttering and organization are key to a quick sale. It allows home buyers to see beyond the day to day clutter and visualize the home at its best potential. Glew explains, “It can be hard to clean out and clear up, but a storage unit is a useful alternative to remove items from the home and still keep them organized and accessible.”  One benefit of cutting the clutter before the sale, is that it kick-starts the moving process. “Our designers offer multiple levels of organization and decluttering consultations. We engage with our clients on what items are priorities to keep, and what item to clear out of the home for staging purposes,” says Glew.  

5. Enhance a Vacant Home
Vacant homes can leave many questions for potential buyers and make it difficult for them to visualize living in the space. Staging a home will allow it to boast a warm and inviting space that buyers can envision living in. “We stage our spaces with purposeful pieces in soft, transitional styles,” says Glew. “By keeping the staging style and trend neutral and by maximizing the use of space in a home, we demonstrate to buyers how the home can function for them. Often, we see huge results from furnishing a vacant listing, many of these homes going from listed to sold in a matter of hours after staging!” With endless rental options available, the team customizes furniture and designs to compliment the variety of homes seen in the Wilmington market. “With our huge selection, we can stage a home at the drop of a dime! Remember, a ‘staged home is a sold home,’” says Glew. 

“When potential buyers enter your home, we want them to see the home, how it lives and how it’s the perfect space for them,” explains Glew. 910-399-4017, customhomestaginganddesign.com