The biggest home staging mistakes sellers make can easily be very costly in terms of time and money. When a home isn’t properly staged, the house will stay on the market longer than necessary. And, if it isn’t staged correctly, the seller won’t get the price they ultimately want. It’s simply a matter of marketing a property to maximize its potential.
Why Home Staging Works for Sellers
The fact of the matter is, home staging really works and it works remarkably well. In fact, a staged home averages about 11 days less on the market. That, compared to a non-staged house, which stays on the market for days or even weeks longer.
“The experience can be grueling for sellers when their personal lives become public displays to strangers and their criticisms. If you’re going to be living in a home when selling, you have to willingly be inconvenienced. So what’s the best way to get out from under the microscope? Sell fast. Seems simple, but those sellers who have had a home on the market for months with no buyer leads can testify that many factors play a role in the final sale.” —U.S. News and World Report
What’s more, staged home sell for approximately 17 percent more than non-staged homes. Backing that is a study from the National Association of Realtors, which found 52 percent of real estate professionals believe buyers offer more for staged houses. Staging boasts a strong ROI. The cost ranges between just .03 to 1 percent of the listing price. But, it brings back 8 and 10 percent.
Biggest Home Staging Mistakes Sellers Often Make
So, why does staging work so well? The answer lies in other statistics. Only 1 out of 10 of all people can imagine a home in a way other than it’s presented. In other words, only 10 percent of people can “re-imagine” a space other than the way it looks. Plus, it takes just 7 to 10 seconds for people to form an impression of a house. But, you must avoid the following home staging mistakes:
- Theme and color overload. There’s nothing wrong with themes and colors. In fact, these are completely necessary. But, only to an extent. Simply put, if a home appears to have too much theming or too much color, it’s a turnoff to buyers. Sure, a theme and color combination is a great marketing feature. However, if it’s overdone, it will undermine your selling efforts.
- Wasting good natural light. There is no understating the power of natural light. Sunlight is at an abundance here in the Sunshine State and Orlando is no exception. Be sure to let the natural light in and reap its benefits in your staging efforts.
- Failing to float the furniture. If your house is like the average household, you’ve arranged the living room furniture to get the most out of the television. Because it’s the main source of entertainment, you just arrange the furniture to give each seat a good view. But, this sabotages traffic and visual flow. So, “float” the furniture by grouping it away from the walls.
- Publishing bad listing photos. Perhaps the largest home staging mistake is to publish bad listing photos. Because the vast majority of house hunts begin online, it’s extremely important to pique buyers’ interest with their first encounter, especially when it’s not in-person. Poor quality listing photos will cause your property to be passed up, time and time again by otherwise interested buyers.
If you are considering buying or selling a house in Orlando’s Hunter’s Creek, or another community, contact us for the latest market information. We are local and experienced in all facets of residential real estate, here to help you, when you need it.