When it comes to selling, homeowners have fears. A recent article on Inman.com, an online news and trends venue for Realtors and brokers spelled out how home staging can assist to alleviate fears when selling.
Here are the top 5 things, according to Inman.com, that homeowners fear when selling their biggest financial asset and how staging can help remedy them:
1. Selling too low
Since a home is typically the largest investment of a lifetime, sellers want to be sure they're not leaving money on the table. How can a homeowner see the potential of their home? By working with a professional stager. While a stager makes the home more visually appealing for prospective buyers, they can also suggest upgrades to increase the value of the home. Homeowners who stage their home can be assured they've taken advantage of their home's full potential.
2. How will the market respond to my home?
This one is huge. It's the primary reason for home staging. Like it or not, we are attracted to the best, shiniest, brightest items on the market. And now, more than ever, first impressions matter to your bottom line. According to the NAR, over 95% of buyers look online before they go visit or call an agent. So, the first impression has got to be excellent. When homeowners work with a stager to prepare their home for sale they put the best product forward. Stagers are current on home design and marketing trends and can help to insure a positive market response.
3. What if the buyer can't move forward?
This is a common and valid concern for sellers that can be mitigated with staging. When a home undergoes staging prior to market it's primed for a competitive, top-dollar sale. If the original offer is unable to follow through with the purchase, a professionally staged home will likely receive back up offers. Even if the home goes back on the market, because it's beautifully appointed, it will quickly get snatched up again.
4. What will the buyer's inspection find?
Always at the back of the seller's mind (and Realtor's too!), there's no way around this fear. Staging can help to minimize this fear since each space will be thoroughly examined during the staging, possibly uncovering issues with the home prior to an inspection.
5. Showings, but no offers
This fear goes hand-in-hand with the fear of offers that are much lower than anticipated. A staged, well-priced home will squelch these twin fears. According to the NAR, almost a third of buyers will “overlook property faults when a home is professionally staged”. The Real Estate Staging Association, recently released their Home Staging Statistics Report, based on home staging statistics self-reported by professional home stagers nationally. Homes staged before listing sell 90% faster than homes listed on the MLS unstaged. Unstaged homes spent an average of 184 Days On Market, more than 6 months! Once those same homes were staged, they sold, on average, in 41 days. However, homes that were staged prior to listing sold, on average in 23 days.
Professional staging guidance to prepare the home you're selling for market will mitigate fear and deliver the quick, top-dollar sale you desire!