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A Property Stager Reveals: 3 Things I Wish My Clients Knew
Considering enlisting a property stylist to stage your home to sell? Here are three crucial things you need to know
Having your home professionally styled before a sale can be a wise investment – real-estate stylists know just which looks appeal to buyers, and can end up helping you make a tidy profit. Here, Sara Chamberlain, director at The Real Estate Stylist (TRES), shares three things that are good to know before you embark on a staging project.
2. There is always a lot of money involved in listing – be prepared
Don’t skimp on final preparations such as gardens, styling or painting – you will see that money return in spades.
Set yourself a budget in the months before you list. Use that time to get quotes from trades, stylists and agents. If you cannot afford to do it properly at that time, consider selling later down the track. If not, you might be cheating yourself out of anything between AU$20,000 and AU$100,000 on auction day.
Don’t skimp on final preparations such as gardens, styling or painting – you will see that money return in spades.
Set yourself a budget in the months before you list. Use that time to get quotes from trades, stylists and agents. If you cannot afford to do it properly at that time, consider selling later down the track. If not, you might be cheating yourself out of anything between AU$20,000 and AU$100,000 on auction day.
3. You won’t save money by styling the property yourself
Have you ever started a DIY project and needed to call in the experts halfway through, then ended up spending double what you’d originally planned? It’s the same with hiring the right furniture for your home.
Stylists have access to styles, sizes, colours and shapes that you won’t be able to find even after weeks of hunting through eBay and friends’ homes. By the time you source something suitable, arrange to get it to your house, and realise you can’t fit it through the door, you are most likely on deadline for your photography.
Professional styling teams can install a three- or four-bedroom home in half a day. Everything will be selected by a professional with an eye for detail, market experience, knowledge of space and proportions, and using the right colour palette for your home.
Thinking of selling? Find a property stager near you, browse images of their work and discuss what’s possible with your home
Have you ever started a DIY project and needed to call in the experts halfway through, then ended up spending double what you’d originally planned? It’s the same with hiring the right furniture for your home.
Stylists have access to styles, sizes, colours and shapes that you won’t be able to find even after weeks of hunting through eBay and friends’ homes. By the time you source something suitable, arrange to get it to your house, and realise you can’t fit it through the door, you are most likely on deadline for your photography.
Professional styling teams can install a three- or four-bedroom home in half a day. Everything will be selected by a professional with an eye for detail, market experience, knowledge of space and proportions, and using the right colour palette for your home.
Thinking of selling? Find a property stager near you, browse images of their work and discuss what’s possible with your home
The one thing I always get asked is…
Real or fake flowers and greenery? This is always a tough one to answer. While we are huge advocates of the value of fresh flowers and live plants, the quality of fakes is so impressive these days. Sometimes when we collect them from properties the vendors will even have watered them!
A fresh flower and plant package can also be expensive. Expect to pay between about AU$500 and AU$3,000 over the real estate campaign, allowing for refresh, delivery, vases, watering and access charges.
If you are not living in the property during the campaign (which we always encourage), I’d advise getting comfortable with the fakes. They will photograph wonderfully and won’t deteriorate or get smelly.
Real or fake flowers and greenery? This is always a tough one to answer. While we are huge advocates of the value of fresh flowers and live plants, the quality of fakes is so impressive these days. Sometimes when we collect them from properties the vendors will even have watered them!
A fresh flower and plant package can also be expensive. Expect to pay between about AU$500 and AU$3,000 over the real estate campaign, allowing for refresh, delivery, vases, watering and access charges.
If you are not living in the property during the campaign (which we always encourage), I’d advise getting comfortable with the fakes. They will photograph wonderfully and won’t deteriorate or get smelly.
My golden nuggets
- The colour of your walls will have a huge impact on the styling result. Re-painting your walls to a fresh, base white (Dulux Natural White and Vivid White are two of our favourites) will allow artwork, furnishings and finishing touches to shine.
- If your walls are too cream or yellow, we will be restricted in the colours we can bring in. If you’ve seen a look you want on our website or Houzz profile, you will need to provide the right base white to make it happen. Grey, navy and green all look great against the right white, but flat against a yellow-based cream. Our artwork, cushion and fabric selections will all be dictated by your wall colours.
Is it true that the smell of fresh coffee or bread wafting through my home will help sell it?
We believe in the power of temperature and lighting over smell. Bedside lamps, downlights, open windows and fresh air are always the best bets for creating a warm welcome for buyers. And if it’s likely to be hot or cold on an inspection day, make sure your agent is committed to managing the indoor temperature of your property.
Artificial fragrances or ones you introduce can often be overpowering and make it appear as though you’re trying to mask an unpleasant scent. I’d suggest simply airing the house and keeping food smells to a minimum in the days leading up to an inspection.
We believe in the power of temperature and lighting over smell. Bedside lamps, downlights, open windows and fresh air are always the best bets for creating a warm welcome for buyers. And if it’s likely to be hot or cold on an inspection day, make sure your agent is committed to managing the indoor temperature of your property.
Artificial fragrances or ones you introduce can often be overpowering and make it appear as though you’re trying to mask an unpleasant scent. I’d suggest simply airing the house and keeping food smells to a minimum in the days leading up to an inspection.
Another thing that’s good to know…
Property styling is not a personal-taste game or interior designing. Vendors are understandably anxious about making everything in their home perfect and we are committed to supporting this. But there is a line where personal taste can blur with realistic expectations.
While an interior designer can custom-make a sofa that extra 30 centimetres long to suit the shape of a room, property stylists need to work with the pieces on-hand in their hire stock. We cannot change a dove-grey sofa to a petrol-grey one, and – more importantly – we promise it won’t affect the sale price!
Property styling is not a personal-taste game or interior designing. Vendors are understandably anxious about making everything in their home perfect and we are committed to supporting this. But there is a line where personal taste can blur with realistic expectations.
While an interior designer can custom-make a sofa that extra 30 centimetres long to suit the shape of a room, property stylists need to work with the pieces on-hand in their hire stock. We cannot change a dove-grey sofa to a petrol-grey one, and – more importantly – we promise it won’t affect the sale price!
Your turn
What have you learnt from hiring a property stager to help sell your home? Tell us in the Comments and remember to like or share this story and save your favourite images. Join the conversation.
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Getting ready to move house? You’ll want to read this first – A Removalist Reveals: 3 Things I Wish My Clients Knew
What have you learnt from hiring a property stager to help sell your home? Tell us in the Comments and remember to like or share this story and save your favourite images. Join the conversation.
More
Getting ready to move house? You’ll want to read this first – A Removalist Reveals: 3 Things I Wish My Clients Knew
You will only sell a property once – make the most of the opportunity by getting it ready early. We are always surprised that after years of saving to buy a property and paying the bills, many vendors will leave everything until the last few weeks before a sale.
As an investment, your property is making money all the time, so invest in those upgrades that you want to live with before you take it to market. Many people do their kitchen or bathroom at the end. But why not enjoy the investment for a year or two before you list your property for sale?
My advice is to plan when you buy and plan when you sell.