When getting ready to sell your home here on the Monterey Peninsula, we will want to ensure your home looks its best for the “big show.” Whether you want to sell your Pacific Grove beach bungalow, Pebble Beach golf property, or your Carmel village cottage, the small details matter. It is crucial that we prepare your home to present the absolute best first impression possible. We want our buyer to fall in love from the moment they pull up to the front of the property, and we want to eliminate any potential objection that may interrupt this showing experience.
There are a variety of ways that proper home staging can help our Buyer enjoy their showing experience and thus potentially write an offer on your home. Consider these results from the National Association of Realtors Profile of Home Staging:
Staging Matters
The key take-away from this report is that, yes, staging almost always helps the property sell faster and for more money. For example, 93% of buyer agents reported that professional home staging had an overall effect on the buyer’s view of the home. Nearly half of buyer agents reported that staging increased the dollar value offered on the property by at least by 1%- 5%. Lastly, over half of all agents indicated home staging resulted in a decrease in the time it took to sell the home.
And this is common sense, right? Buyers get an initial impression when first viewing your home. They take it all in and imagine themselves living there, with their own decor and personal touches in mind. A clean, light, comfortable feeling will go along way to making a good first impression. Likewise, a cluttered, dark and stuffy feel can have the opposite effect, making buyers reluctant to even step through the front door. As over 90% of all buyer viewings begin with online photos, proper home staging can make all the difference. In his article on marketwatch.com, finance reporter Daniel Goldstein describes one client’s experience with staging:
…Janaitis, a 42-year-old writer, used a home stager to sell her house in New Jersey when she was moving to Los Angeles.
Janaitis spent about $7,000 to the stager, who recommended changing several light fixtures and removing wallpaper and several pieces of furniture before moving rental furniture in and adding wall art.The results were impressive, Janaitis says. “The house sold the same day and for $30,000 over the list price,” she says, and she attributes that to its staging. Later, when she began looking at homes in California, she also appreciated seeing homes that had been staged. “It really help you visualize how to use the room,” she says.
Simple, Light and Bright
Home staging costs can vary, from $2,000 up to much more, depending on many conditions including value of the property, size, type of staging, and time frame. The good news is, spending around 1% of a home’s sale price on professional staging resulted in a 7% return on investment, according to a 2021 survey by the Real Estate Staging Association. Overall, professionally staged homes sold for an average of $40,000 over list price in 2021, RESA says. But not all staging is created equal. Sometimes, less is more, and it takes a careful eye to find the right balance of furniture and decor to create the light, clean, comfortable experience that pulls buyers in.
Back to the Basics
In addition to professionally staging the home, we also want to do an audit of the home to ensure there are no minor objections. When getting ready to show your home to prospective buyers, imagine yourself walking through the property for the first time. What can we do to sweep our guests off their feet and make them not ever want to leave? For starters, paying attention to basic housekeeping elements– again, think clean, light, and comfortable — can make a big difference. In addition, sometimes small details can have a lasting impact. A missing lightbulb, loose doorknob or other minor item may only take a few minutes to correct, but this will be one less objection detracting from the overall experience. So we want to pay attention to the details. Some of the most cost-effective steps a homeowner can take include:
- Paint
- Deep clean cabinets, counters, and appliances
- Clean carpets
- Correct minor repairs
- Depersonalize home (remove family photos, etc)
- Declutter
- Landscape outdoors
- Have professional photos taken for the listing
Trusted Professional
As a top-producing listing agent with Sotheby’s International Realty, I have a good deal of experience bringing luxury listings to the market and maximizing the sales price. I list and sell real estate across the Monterey Peninsula, including the markets of Pacific Grove, Pebble Beach, Monterey, Carmel and the surrounding areas. I partner with my trusted professional staging team and photographer, working hand-in-hand to ensure your property is on-point for a perfect buyer showing experience and a successful sale. I also have a trusted list of vendors, including handyman, contractor, painter, gardener, and cleaner, to take care of any finishing touches you may need. I encourage you to give me a call at 831-869-6117 so we can discuss the best strategy for preparing your home to get the absolute best price possible.
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