How to compete in today's real estate market using staging
Well designed interiors in homes for-sale are no longer considered to be a luxury. Staging becomes a necessity to stay competitive in the marketplace. Seeking the advice of a professional stager to stage lifestyle specific designs and niche market merchandising makes homes for-sale more attractive to prospects. A stager can help determine a color scheme, the type of materials, and an overall style that's appropriate for your market.
For example, sophisticated interiors accented with warmer hues, natural materials, and less windows appeal to empty nesters. In contrast, stylish interiors that feature more chrome, granite, and exposed galvanized surfaces appeal to Gen X-ers.
Single-women, one-parent households, and families want durable materials and low-maintenance interiors. Space can also be an issue for families so homes should be designed to merchandise and maximize square footage. Luxury homes should feature top-of the-line appliances and high-end natural materials such as granite. Seniors tend to prefer softer materials and more traditional decorating looks.
The right lighting can add convenience, drama, and even security to a home. Recessed lighting has become popular because it blends in with interior architecture without making a style statement on its own. Task lighting in the kitchen and computer areas has become a must-have, while specialty lighting can be used to set a mood or convey a particular style with a distinctive fixture.
Kitchens and baths play a large part in a prospect's decision about where to live so these rooms should be given special attention. The future appears to be high-tech homes so merchandise the homes with gadgets that your prospects will appreciate. Even if you don't offer the latest in high-speed wiring, having computers in a home will allow people to see themselves "plugged in" at home. The design should incorporate dedicated places for computers such as nooks, tech centers, home offices, or even special places in the kitchen. Also, be sure to provide a practical location for the television and/or a media center in the family room. Entertainment options such as surround sound and home theater packages may be included in luxury models.
It's important to create "double-duty" floor plans to make the most of multifamily homes. Rooms should be merchandised to show their flexibility and multiple uses. A formal dining space, for example, could double as a library or office simply by adding a wall of bookshelves.
So the next time you stage a home for-sale, don't stop with the basics. Set up a home that will draw prospects in and make them linger for a while, until they can visualize themselves living in the space you've created through staging and merchandising.