05 Dec 9 Ways to Impress Buyers with Property Preparation
Do you remember when you closed on your home, received the key, and opened your new front door? Do you remember that feeling you had of endless possibilities and the desire to make the home your own? You want to try and recreate that same feeling for potential buyers. Part of that means depersonalizing your home. As challenging as it can be, your realtor and your buyers will appreciate it!
In addition to de-cluttering and cleaning, staging can be an important factor in the buyers’ process. Staging is traditionally done with some furniture pieces you own and others that are rented. Traditional staging usually requires a big budget, a lot of time and plenty of elbow grease. According to the 2015 Home Staging Report, the median cost to stage a home is $675! Sona Visual can help your realtor affordably create a similar effect with virtual staging, which digitally adds or removes any style of furniture, decorations, or electronics. This is great for properties that stay on market for a long time because you can avoid repeat furniture rental bills.
Staging is just one way to help people envision themselves in a home. It is most important that your home is in its best shape; this helps buyers see the property for its true potential, not the current state of affairs. Sona Visual aims to help realtors and their clients present a property in its best light, so read on for a comprehensive property preparation guide.
1. De-clutter
Remove family photos from the wall and nonfunctional decorative items. Football trophies? Crayon masterpieces? These can be packed away as they might distract buyers from really seeing the space they are in.
2. Hide the Ugly
There is nothing worse than unsightly items taking centre stage in a photo of your home. That amazing fire pit in your backyard might be less noticeable and impressive if your garbage and recycle bins are in the shot. Make sure you conceal items like these in your garage or storage areas.
3. Pet Tips
We know your Fluffy is the light of your life, but potential buyers may not have the same fuzzy feelings about animals. Help buyers see the true value of your home by removing pet toys, food bowls, kennels, litter boxes or other items. As well, buyers do not want to think about potential damage that your four-legged friends may have caused.
4. Colourful Closets
Closets do not rank high on the list of “must haves” that buyers give to their realtor, but what your closet communicates to potential buyers is very important. Is your closet packed to the jamb? A buyer may be concerned about how their belongings will fit if yours do not. De-clutter your closet by packing away unworn or out-of-season items. Organizing your closet by colour (from light to dark) helps the buyer see the space rather than the items. One last tip: use the same hangers throughout the closet! Any differences will draw the eye and take away what the person sees in the space.
5. Clean It Up
It should go without saying, but cleaning your home makes an incredible difference. Your renovated, updated and fabulous bathroom won’t have the same impact it could if there are streaks on the glass shower enclosure. Every room in your house should receive a loving touch, from wiping down your kitchen appliances to cobwebs in the corner of the furnace room. If you don’t have time to complete this, consider hiring a professional cleaner to come for an afternoon. Once they have tackled the hard jobs, you only need to do quick maintenance cleans!
6. Consider Lighting and Furniture
A popular home staging trick is to float your existing furniture away from walls. This creates a sense of openness, ease of flow, and makes the space feel larger and inviting. Of course, if you decide to try virtual staging, Sona Visual can place the furniture anywhere in the room! Lighting is also very important. Expert stagers recommend 100 watts of lighting every 50 square feet in layers of ambient, task and accent lighting.
7. Art Gallery
Many of us are stuck in a design rut and hang our art around the room at one level, creating a closed circle of art. Doing something as simple as changing up the art in your home can create visual interest and can better show the scale of the room. Try arranging your pieces into a gallery wall or grouping them – the eye loves odd number arrangements, especially in 3s or 5s.
8. Nobody Is Home
A buyer wants to envision themselves in your home. A quick tip that makes a world of difference is to make it appear as if nobody is home. Remove shoes and clear out the front entry closet of jackets and personal items. Park your cars down the street or away from the property to give it that feeling that buyers want.
9. Use Professionals Where Possible
Moving is rated one of the most stressful things in life – but it doesn’t have to be. Using professionals where possible can help save you time and sanity. Feeling overwhelmed by how to get every nook and cranny of your super-sized home clean? Hire a maid service! Unsure how to arrange your art to be more inviting? Ask a local gallery for tips. Not sure if your furniture is neutral enough to appeal to all buyers? Use Sona Visual to virtually stage your home and create an inviting, fresh space which buyers can see themselves in. According to the 2015 Home Staging Report (presented by the National Association of Realtors), 81% of buyers find it “easier to visualize the property as their future home” when it is staged.
To learn more about virtual staging and see some examples of our work, make sure to check out our Instagram page and Facebook page. If you have a home you want staged, ask your realtor to contact us today for more information or to book!