Marketing Keys and Connections

The Transformative Power of Home Staging

This past spring, we worked with a client who was interviewing 3 Agents for the right Realtor to sell their home. 

One local agent told her they could list for $499K and another suggested $525K. After looking at their home and learning that they didn’t have a hard “sell-by” deadline, we suggested waiting until June (they have an incredible yard/setting), listing the property for $625K, and letting us stage their home to accent its best features.

With their yard looking it’s very best in June in addition to our expert staging work, we negotiated a $625K offer on their home with their desired close date. By staging their home to freshen and lighten up the look and timing their sale to when the setting looked spectacular, we netted an additional $125K for our client. 

I share this story not because it happens every day – there were a lot of factors that went into this particular sale – but because it showcases how professional staging can elevate your home sale.  Staging matters.  A lot.

When the housing market is this hot, is it still worth it to have your home staged? 

Our answer is wholeheartedly YES for two big reasons: 

#1 – You will receive much higher offers if your house is staged. 

#2 – We do not charge to professionally stage your house. 

Let’s talk about it.

What Does Staging Your House Mean? 

Our goal with staging is to un-decorate and de-personalize your space so that the perfect buyer can picture themselves living in the home.

We take into consideration the average age and tastes of the buyers. While you may have a particular or generational decorating style, you’ll probably have a younger buyer buying your home, and their preferences likely may be much different. We will refresh your space and make sure it is appealing to that younger buyer.

Additionally, homeowners typically arrange their rooms around a particular focal object – such as the TV or a piece of furniture/artwork – but another goal of staging is to keep the eyes moving around the space. We aim to direct the viewers’ attention to architectural details and features, such as the view of the backyard through your living room picture window or the luxury appliances in your state-of-the-art kitchen.

We elevate your space without all the personal details that may distract or bias buyers.

What is Our Staging Process? 

When we begin staging your home, we immediately start assessing the details we want to enhance and the objects that should be moved or rearranged. We want to make sure staging is complete before your home is photographed and stays staged until after it is appraised. 

With our two full-time, professional stagers on staff, every home gets the royal treatment. We spend an average of two days staging your home. Larger properties could take longer.

On the first day, we select all of the items that should be placed in storage. We aren’t attached to your personal belongings, which is why it’s easier to have our help with this process. We simply group those items together so that when you come home, you can pack them away. You’re moving anyway – might as well get a head start!

On the second day, we select the perfect decor items from our $100,000+ inventory and bring them to your home. We know what buyers want to see, and we’ll make sure your home meets and exceeds their expectations. If we don’t have the perfect item on hand, we’ll go buy it. We’re always adding to our collection and have three storage units full of thoughtfully curated furniture and decor. 

When you come home that day, you’re going to be amazed. Your home is going to look like your house… yet different. You will feel like it is less personalized and more universally appealing. That is the goal.  Our sellers are absolutely blown away by how incredible it looks. 

From an emotional standpoint, we’ve found that sellers actually appreciate this approach to getting their house ready to sell. You become less attached to the house when it no longer feels like “yours” and the process of packing becomes easier when you’re doing it in stages. 

After expert professional photography is captured and we list your house, showings will begin. Each time your house is shown, we appreciate the seller’s help in getting it back to this “staged” look. After an offer is accepted and an appraisal is complete, we will remove our items and let you start packing and moving!

Absolutely no one in NorthEast Wisconsin stages like we do.  We are the only Real Estate company in our area with this level of staging inventory and 2 full time stagers on staff.  This is our sweet spot and we ROCK it.Are you interested in learning more about how our staging services can help you sell your home? We are here to help! Reach out to Sandra Ranck Real Estate, today.

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