This technique was born in the United States in the 1970s by Barb Schwarz, a leading real estate agent with an avant-garde vision in the marketing of properties. Schwarz’s aim was to create a more attractive atmosphere in those properties that were to be put on the market for rent or sale and thus capture the attention of a greater number of potential buyers.
Not to be confused with interior decoration, although they have something in common, because in the latter the main objective is to redecorate the property according to the tastes of the owners or tenants who continue to live in the property.
When using
Home Staging can be used for any property that needs to be restyled for sale, but particularly for properties in the €150,000 – €300,000 range.
According to the Spanish Home Staging Association, selling your property with the help of this technique would reduce the selling time to 1.19 months instead of the average 8.6 months needed.
Another curious fact that the Home Staging Spain Association always offers us is that thanks to this technique 52% of the properties could be sold with an increase of 25% on the final price.
Is Home Staging useful?
You may still think that the use of home staging is not necessary to put your property on the market, but I can assure you that the first impression is the one that helps to close a sale faster and at a better price. Studies have shown that the first visual impact that the buyer has with the property is decisive for the purchase and the first 90 seconds of the first visit are usually decisive in the choice of the property. Often, the purchase of a property is an emotional decision, of which you are not even fully aware at the time.
Home Staging as an investment
It is likely that when you browse real estate portals in search of similar properties to price yours you will see flats for sale in poor condition and unattractive, even though they have a lot of potential or are located in good areas. Neglecting the image of a property means losing the attention of potential buyers or making the discount bigger. For this reason, using home staging as a tool to give more value to your home is a good strategy.
Ask yourself if you would go to a job interview in dirty, unkempt clothes, or if you would buy a dented, dirty car with broken seats. So why put your property up for sale in unattractive condition with the risk of remaining unsold for a long time?
Home staging should be seen as an investment that will allow you to reduce or eliminate the margin for downward negotiation, often it is enough to refresh the rooms with whitewashing and modify the lighting system (investing 1% on the real value of the property), while in the most extreme cases (state of abandonment) the intervention must be more incisive, so that the property can fully express its potential.
Some home staging tips
It is essential to thoroughly clean the home, eliminate bad smells and repair anything that does not work. A dirty, poorly lit and smelly environment devalues the space, while a clean, tidy and well-lit environment conveys comfort and a desire to be lived in.
Remove personal objects such as images, religious symbols, portraits, and any objects that do not allow our visitors to imagine their own home. It is important that visitors can visualise themselves living there.
Enhance all the positive features of the home, such as good lighting, spaciousness and layout. For example, you can redistribute the furniture to highlight the spaces in a room.
It is advisable to use objects that you already have available as decoration to minimise the investment, better if they are made of natural materials such as wood or with plants.
You have to present an environment as neutral as possible because everyone has their own particular taste and not everyone will like a purple (it also darkens the environment, especially if it is small) and remember that in furniture, less is more.
In small rooms, using white both on walls and interior carpentry, curtains of light fabrics or mirrors in front of windows to let the outside landscape into the interior are an optimal solution if you want to present large spaces that emanate freshness.
The colour tones that best help in any type of environment are whites, creams, greys or light blues which, with the addition of some accessories such as cushions and blankets in brighter colours, can give a touch of contrast and colour without overloading the environment.
Conclusion
Buyer is almost always looking for an attractive house that has been well cared for and that when their friends visit it they will be amazed. You can choose to hire the services of a professional or if you like you can come up with your own idea.
Remember that a professional will know how to effectively improve your home and increase the perceived value to the buyer, making your home sell quickly and at a better price.
