Today’s blog post about home staging in Saskatoon comes to you from Shannon Weber of In Fine Order Staging Services. Shannon has staged many homes in Saskatoon including the STARS Lottery Homes, and recently, the 2018 Kinsmen Lottery Home. Today, Shannon writes about the ‘why’ of home staging:
For most homeowners, their home is their most valuable asset. When it comes time to move, they want to sell it quickly and for top dollar. All too often, however, they rush to put their house on the market and are surprised and disappointed when it doesn’t sell right away. A number of factors affect housing sales, many of which are beyond a seller’s control (e.g., mortgage rates, total number of houses on the market). However, one crucial factor that significantly affects the success of a home sale is the presentation of the home.
In Saskatoon’s increasingly competitive real estate market, more homeowners and realtors recognize that they can gain a competitive advantage when they attend to the presentation of their home. In other words, they realize that staging is an important part of their selling strategy. And what is staging? Staging is the art of preparing a property for sale so that it will appeal to the greatest number of potential buyers and improve the likelihood of a quick and profitable sale. The work of staging often involves cleaning, re-organizing, packing, styling and making home repairs.
There are a number of reasons why staging helps to sell homes. These include:
Listing photos of a staged home look better. Most potential buyers view a home online before they ever see it in person. A well-staged home looks well-cared for, warm and inviting. It stands above the rest and lends to a decision to seek a viewing.
A staged property shows well. Because staging involves time and effort, a well-staged home communicates that the seller cares, the agent is attentive, there is investment in presenting a top-quality product and, as a result, there is readiness for a solid offer.
Staged properties can sell more quickly. The National Association of Realtors Profile of Home Staging Report (2017) found that about 40% of sellers’ agents believe that staging a home greatly decreases the amount of time a home is on the market.
Staged properties can sell for more money. Fifty percent of sellers’ agents reported an increase of between one and ten percent of the dollar value offered for staged properties, compared to similar, unstaged homes (National Association of Realtors Profile of Home Staging Report, 2017).
Interested in staging and not sure where to start? Speak to your realtor about a referral to an experienced stager. Staging professionals are adept at helping sellers find ways to highlight a home’s best features. In addition, they work to identify potential obstacles to selling (e.g., awkward furniture placement, outdated paint colors, an unpleasant odor) and will assist you in resolving these concerns.
In Fine Order has earned the trust of homeowners and realtors in Saskatoon and area since 2006. More information about their services can be found at www.infineorder.ca.
Read about creating curb appeal HERE.