Why Staging Matters

We get asked a lot of questions about staging, and why it is important in the sale of a home. Simply put, as representatives of sellers, we want to recommend what we know will generate the highest and best offers for our sellers. As leaders in our local market, we have witnessed the power of staging time and time again, often seeing our staged properties garner multiple above-asking price offers. We’re not alone, 67% of Realtors surveyed say that staging a home helps sellers fetch more money during resale. We outline what staging is, why it is important, and how it can impact the bottom line when it comes to selling.   Learn More About Our Services   What is Staging? The concept of staging emerged in the 1970s by Barb Schwarz, a real estate professional with a background in theater. She developed and coined the term, to help her show her listings, using mostly techniques in decluttering and arranging furniture. Today, staging still uses these techniques, but also has evolved into a process of transforming rooms to generate more interest using new furniture, artwork, and accessories.   Why is it Important? Real estate has changed significantly over the past decade with the advancement of technology. Now, 43% of buyers start their search online, and over 90% of buyers use an online source for information. Professional photography and staging are critical to a polished digital presentation to draw potential buyers. The importance of the digital presentation of listings is even higher post-pandemic, with the number of buyers and sellers who would buy or sell sight unseen increasing. Staging helps buyers visualize how a home lives, and answers these common questions, “Will my furniture fit?” or “What can I use this space for?”  In today’s society of influence, home improvement shows like Fixer Upper, have reshaped the expectations of buyers of how home’s should look. Today’s buyers are looking for move-in ready, and perfectly staged homes because that is what is shown on TV and social media. Millennials (age 21-28) made up 31% of homebuyers in 2020. This age range is adapted to technology, using apps and online resources to find and view homes. To reach a larger buyer pool, your home should stand out from other inventory.   The Numbers. Staged homes typically sell faster and for more money. According to a 2020 Real Estate Staging Association RESA survey, 85% of staged homes sold above asking price and 75% of sellers saw an ROI of 5-15% over asking price with an average investment of just 1%. Although it is an up-front cost covered by the sellers, many see the benefit of this investment when it comes to the closing table. Pricing is dependent on the size of the home, how many rooms are needed, and the current market conditions.   Before + After. Below: Luxury condominium staging using a mixture of the owner's furniture and stager's furniture and artwork.     Below: Den in North End home transformation with fresh neutral paint and stager's furniture and artwork.     Thinking About Selling Your Home soon? Our services include a complimentary home preparation plan by one of our professional design consultants. This plan gives our sellers a focused view of items to do to maximize profit in their home sale. They can even show you how to use your own furniture to stage for success.   Learn More About Our Services

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Spring Maintenance Checklist

  The sights and sounds of Spring have arrived! Winter can take a toll on your property, so it is recommended to conduct routine maintenance and inspections after to ensure any damaged items are quickly taken care of and your home is ready for warmer weather. Review our Spring Home Maintenance Checklist below or print a copy here.    #1: Test Outdoor Spigots and Sprinklers After the final frost of the season, turn on your irrigation and run the spigots and sprinklers. Take note of any leaking areas, or sprinkler heads that aren't working properly, and address them before running your sprinklers full time. Verify your watering schedule on your sprinkler timer panel.   #2: Inspect the Roof, Gutters and Downspouts Once winter storms have passed, look over your roof for any damage, like lifting or missing shingles. Clean out the gutters and downspouts to prevent water damage from heavy spring rain or small critters. Working gutters and downspouts ensure water is diverted from your home's foundation, preventing moisture issues.   #3: Clean Debris from Vents & Window Wells Remove debris from the vents along your home's foundation and in window wells (if you have a basement) to remove the risk of critters making a home there and damage to the concrete foundation.   #4: Trim Trees and Shrubs Near the Home Early spring is an excellent time to trim back trees and shrubs that are touching or near the home. Landscapers and arborists may offer discounted rates early in the season before peak demand in late Spring and Summer. #5: HVAC Tune-Up Replace your furnace and AC filters for cleaner interior air. Clean filters allow these systems to work at optimal levels and put less strain on them. Remove debris around your AC unit and clean the coils if necessary. Inspect ductwork for any buildup of mold, debris, or allergens. Consider signing up for a yearly service agreement with your preferred HVAC specialist to do these items for you. Learn more about air filter maintenance.   #6: Inspect Your Basement/Crawlspace Look for moisture or leaks along pipes, the foundation, or walls. Grab a flashlight and dive into your crawlspace to check for any possible pipe leaks or sitting water. Catching these items now will help prevent costly repairs in the future.   #7: Apply Grass Seed & Other Lawn Programs Heavy snow and leaf buildup can damage lawns. Inspect for any sparse patches and seed those. Apply your preferred lawn program (i.e. Zamzows, TruGreen) for a green and lush lawn.   #8: Inspect Washing Machine Hoses and Dryer Vent Look over the water hoses for aging such as cracks or wear down. Run a cleaning cycle in your washing machine for extra freshness. Check for lint buildup in the dryer vent hose, this often looks like a thick layer of dust or lint around the interior of the hose. Some hardware stores sell dryer vent brush attachments, or you can contact a professional.   #9: Clean Ceiling Fans and Change Direction If you change your ceiling fan’s direction for efficiency during the colder months, reverse it to keep hot air up and away. Rember to clean off the dust from the blades.   #10: Paint Considering painting your home’s exterior or interior? Early Spring is ideal for painting when temperatures are not too warm or cold. Not sure what color to do? Take note of the homes in your neighborhood, are there any homes you love? Websites like Houzz offer a bounty of inspiration for home colors as well.

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Expert Tips to Prepare Your Home for Sale

Getting your home ready for the market can feel like a daunting task, we're here with tips to help get you started. Despite that we are still in a seller's market, improper preparation and pricing may cost sellers in the long run, leaving money on the table. Our design consultants share some of their tips to prepare your home to stand out above the rest, resulting in a faster sale and higher sales price.   Want to know your home's worth? Find out!   First Impressions Your home’s curb appeal is its first impression, and it’s hard to win over a buyer with a bad first impression. Spruce up the front entry with a fresh coat of paint on the front door, add colorful potted plants, wash your windows, and clean up the yard. The home’s curb appeal lends itself to the kind of care the rest of the home is getting, so this one is a non-negotiable item for sellers looking to maximize their sale.    Neutralize While selling a home, it is important to remember that you want as many people as possible to envision themselves living in the house. One way to do this is to neutralize the home by removing personal items like photos, collectibles, awards, religious regalia, political items, and children/pet items. Another way is to paint interior spaces a neutral color, like soft gray or beige. This presents a blank canvas for potential buyers to focus on the space itself, and visualize their furnishings in it   Set the Stage In a recent survey, the National Association of Realtors found that staging has a significant impact on the home buying and selling process. Home improvement networks like HGTV have affected the way buyers look at homes, and their expectations. TV shows like Fixer Upper educate consumers on what to look for and the many possibilities of home renovations, but also set unrealistic expectations on a timeframe and how homes should look upon completion. The survey noted that staged homes were found to produce 1-5% higher offers than comparable homes that weren’t staged. Rooms that are lived in the most should be staged, including living rooms and master bedrooms. Build vignettes of how the home lives by placing key staging elements in a space, for example, a tray with a bottle of wine and glasses on a table next to a couple of patio chairs creates an inviting look into an evening wind down at home.   Smells Ring Bells One of the strongest human senses is smell. Scientific studies have shown that smell induces strong reactions and triggers memory. Take note of your home’s smell, and invite friends to give feedback as well. A home with overly strong odors like cigarettes, scented plug-ins, or pets will turn some buyers away. It is best to keep added scents minimal as well. Fresh-cut flowers add just enough fragrance to enhance a showing experience, without taking over. Avoid potent flowers like lilies as they may be overpowering.   Clean, clean, clean. Much like if you were to host a party, you wouldn’t want to invite guests to a dirty home when showing to potential buyers. Take time to properly clean the home. This ‘deep clean’ should include: removing dust from ceiling fans and vents, wiping baseboards, polishing metal surfaces, a thorough dusting of light fixtures, scrubbing bathroom tile and grout, and the interior of kitchen appliances.   Lysi Bishop Real Estate offers complimentary design consultation to seller clients Our design experts walk through your home and provide a list of recommendations, including some or all of the above, to help you prepare your home for top dollar. They assist in making selections for paint, fixtures, staging, and more if needed. Our Listing Managers facilitate the entire process of obtaining bids, scheduling appointments, meeting contractors, and managing projects on your behalf. This personalized service gives our sellers peace of mind knowing that their home is being prepared at the highest standard.  Thinking about selling your home? Reach out to us to learn more about the current market, your home’s value, and how we can help you prepare your home to net a higher dollar and faster sale. Contact Us

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