TO STAGE OR NOT TO STAGE?

Posted on 04 NOV

Every vendor wants to maximise the value of their property and sell for the best price. To do that, and hopefully to even exceed price expectations, it’s best to have numerous buyers fall in love with your home and develop an emotional attachment.

By engaging a stylist/decorator with expert knowledge and experience in real estate, there is a greater focus on presenting a lifestyle. The buyer is not just purchasing a house, they are purchasing a lifestyle – lifestyle and home go hand in hand –  and the purpose of a stylist is to give a property “the look” that complements the home.

Vendors unfamiliar with effective property styling often comment, “Our place can sell itself”, and insist on leaving it empty. This is a major error – a property without furniture will always look smaller than a styled one, even if the space has a superior level of design or architecture. Styling can provide the perspective that buyers need to eradicate the guesswork. For example, potential buyers shouldn’t have to guess what size bed will fit in the second bedroom.

An experienced property stylist will have a good understanding of the real estate market and the targeted demographic for the property. Correct furniture selection is an integral part of the process. While you might love your oversized, comfy, brown couch, a more suitable choice could be a slimline design in a soft, neutral colour tone that will allow potential buyers to view the space to better advantage. Accessories and furnishings should add a sense of texture and detail to complement the character of the property.

Attractive features of a small property, or a house with a complicated layout, can be enhanced by clever styling techniques and presented to their best advantage and a dynamic style team will know how to detract from the less desirable aspects of a house, such as an outdated kitchen or lack of natural light. Expert stylists also know how to easily transform a junk room into an extra bedroom. An extra bedroom can add thousands of dollars to the price of a property or even clinch the sale.