It’s been awhile since the market has been such that I can take clients to see more than 2 or 3 homes in one day. (That’s another story about the shifting market), but this weekend when I was out with clients one thing really struck me when comparing all the properties.
We looked at the recently remodeled Peleton units in Boulder. Not new builds, but close and nicely updated finishes, but they weren’t staged. Those units can be a bit hard to imagine (how dining and living work in one long space) and how some unusual “extra” spaces might best be utilized and not feel wasted. That is key in smaller units where buyers need to maximize usage of the space (think recreational toys (skis, kayaks, etc.) They have the advantage of being newer units but they fell a little short on appeal since they were empty.
Two of the single family homes we looked at were crammed with a ton of stuff. Way too much stuff in small spaces definitely was a detriment. You want to give the feeling of larger spaces when you are limited by floor plan. Simply removing half the stuff would really made a difference.
We looked at a condo that was nicely put together. Had used the current owners belongings but obviously taken the time to declutter and really think about how it looked. Bonus points for taking the time to do that!
The last place was a vacant townhome (been on the market for a few weeks). It was cold (big no no) and felt very unwelcoming. It’s never good when you removed your shoes and your poor toes are cold while you’re walking around. Dated 1990s unit, that even if not remodeled would greatly benefit from some staging.
The key for sellers is taking time before hitting the market to prepare your home. Get it ready before pictures and strongly consider staging a vacant property. Many times sellers are still living in their properties when they are listed for sale and in that case have someone else come in and give you an honest opinion of what needs to be done to “stage” it for sale. We’re all guilty of letting some things go in our homes when we’re living there but when you’re selling most of us could use some help getting ready.
So, does staging matter? You bet it does!