Imagine the year is 1972. Funky platform shoes and wide, bell-bottomed pants are all the rage in fashion, and catchy tunes like “American Pie” are all over the airwaves. This was the same year the real estate market changed forever. Yes, this is when “staging” was invented, and the process of selling a house has never been the same.
We have an interior designer by the name of Barbara Schwartz to thank for the technique. After switching her attention to real estate, she noticed a trend that most people never paid much attention to before. This keen observation? Houses that presented well had a tendency to sell faster and often for more money than those that weren’t prepared in advance. Her background in theatre inspired her to use the term “staging,” and history was made!
Now, it’s nearly unthinkable to put a “For Sale” sign in front of a house without sprucing it up at least a little. But what does staging really mean in today’s market, and is it always necessary to go all out? Some real estate agents believe it’s the best way to sell a house; others would argue it’s the only way to sell a house. We must confess we are intrigued, so let’s explore the matter in a little more detail.
Are you listing your house during today’s fast-moving market? Don’t take another step without our comprehensive seller’s checklist. Download it for free right here.
How Staging Works
The idea behind staging is literally to set the stage for a successful sale. Emotions and imagination are everything when it comes to sparking desire in a potential buyer. A well-staged home effectively removes your presence from the space so they can visualize it as their own.
Does it work? According to multiple studies by RESA (Real Estate Staging Association), absolutely yes; but there’s a catch. You have to do it right, and it’s so easy to do it wrong. Getting it wrong can mean wasted time, money, effort, and a lower return on investment. In contrast, hitting the nail on the head can mean a sale in record time at a price you have to pinch yourself to believe (depending on the market, of course).
Where do so many home sellers get off track? Often, they make the mistake of investing in improvements and decor that they themselves love and appreciate. In their enthusiasm, they forget that it’s the buyer that needs to be impressed.
If your sense of design matches theirs, you’re off to the races. If not, you might see some disappointing results. And this is where it gets really tricky. You never know how many showings it will take to sell your home or who your buyer will be. Since you can’t please everyone, how do you even know where to begin?
First the good news: you don’t have to design the home in precise detail – the buyer will inevitably want to make their own changes. You just have to get them to see the potential. The bad news is that even this can be easier said than done.
Is staging a topic you can’t get enough of? Learn even more about how it can help you enjoy a successful sale in the posts below:
- Beyond Staging: Adding the Most Value for the Least Effort
- Why Should You Stage Before Selling Your Home in Peterborough?
Setting the Foundation
Any home sale should begin with a thorough decluttering and a good scrubbing in each room. This takes time and effort, but is at least easy enough to do, especially if family and friends chip in.
Once your house is clean (and far emptier than you have ever seen it), it’s time to decide on some upgrades. This gets a little harder because what gets results can change depending on supply and demand.
- If it’s a seller’s market with unprecedented demand and too many buyers, a quick coat of paint and a few minor improvements might be all you need.
- During slower markets, you’ll need to work harder to earn a buyer’s interest. This could mean a few more extensive repairs and updates. After that, you’re ready to stage. Now, you’ll need an eye for design, as well as the knowledge of what buyers are looking for.
If you have friends or family members who are creative types, they can help you with the design. But unless they’re in real estate, they likely won’t know how to design in a way that captures a buyer’s attention. Enter a professional stager!
Our Peterborough real estate agents believe in being ready for anything by making sure our clients are informed about the market. You can bring yourself up to speed with these resources we’ve compiled for you:
- When Is the Best Season to Sell Your Peterborough Home?
- Is It Better to Buy or Sell First in Peterborough?
- Need to Sell Your House in Peterborough? Here’s What Buyers Are Looking For
Should You Hire a Stager?
A professional stager can help you achieve a greater return on your investment when selling your home, but there are risks involved. That’s why a little background research and market knowledge are so valuable. There are never any guarantees, but you’ll get a better idea of how far you need to go in transforming your home and how much you should invest to do it.
Professional staging can be as thorough as a company coming in, removing every piece of furniture, decor, and accent in the house and replacing them with carefully chosen staging pieces. In the end, your home is practically unrecognizable. Now, you have to live here and maintain the effect until your house sells. It’s often effective, but can also be stressful.
A less intense level of staging can include most of your existing furniture, just rearranged to enhance the appearance of the space. A few stylish art pieces and accents can add the finishing touch. This “staging without staging” method can be far less stressful, and possibly just as effective.
In other words, we are getting the benefits of staging without the risk, expense, and the effort involved. Sometimes, keeping it clean and simple really is the best strategy!
Looking for a Peterborough real estate agent to represent you? The posts below will help you find the right fit:
- What a Concierge Realtor® Can Do to Sell Your Home
- How to Find a Real Estate Agent in Peterborough You Can Trust
What Are Your Options and Next Steps?
When you work with a full service real estate team like Jeff & Katie, you really do get it all. Our in-house staging coordinator can arrange for everything, with no added effort on your part.
Our team will advise you on what technique and level of staging is the most likely to deliver results in your neighbourhood given current market conditions. Once we agree on a strategy, we take care of the rest. Effective staging is just one part of our plan to make your transition as effortless and enjoyable as possible.
Do you want to know more about buying or selling a home in Peterborough or Kawartha Lakes? Our Peterborough real estate agents are ready to answer any and all questions you may have. Reach out to team@jeffandkatie.ca or call 705-243-9797 to take the next step.
Let Us Guide Your Journey
Curious about your real estate options? Relocating to the Peterborough area? Our experts are ready to help.
