Whether selling a St. Louis or St. Charles County area home, preparing for a party, or just wanting to make a home beautiful, our friends at INhance IT! Home Staging have some great tips for you. We’ve trusted and been delighted by the work of INhance IT! for years and learned they recently received the Top 10 Best Vacant Home Stager of The Year AND Top 10 Best Home Staging Team of The Year by RESA®. So who better to ask for home staging advice? We sat down and asked these experts the questions that are on home sellers’ minds.
The Boehmer Team: What are the most important things a homeowner can do to stage their home or just make it beautiful?
INhance IT!: Staging is a catchall word for condition. In order for a seller to receive the highest return on equity for their home it must be in immaculate condition prior to listing. This involves a curb-to-basement assessment of every aspect of the property. The three key things a homeowner can do are:
Paint – we call it money in a can.
Edit – pack away personal collections, personal photos, and items that might distract a buyer.
Clean – buyers want a home that is move-in ready. It pays off handsomely to bring in a professional cleaning crew (don’t forget grout, carpet and windows) prior to listing a home or just to make it appealing.
The Boehmer Team: Are there any ways you recommend to stage/beautify the outside of a home?
INhance IT!: The old saying “you only have one chance to make a first impression” holds true when marketing a property for sale. Sellers or those just wanting great curb appeal should take a close look at:
Lawn – lawns cut on the diagonal appear larger.
Mailbox condition – make sure it is clean, sturdy and level.
Front door – check the condition of the hardware, choose a good paint color.
Welcome mat – get one, replace or clean the old one.
Healthy potted plants – add character and charm.
Cleanliness – remove any clutter, trash, insects or cobwebs from the outside entryway.
The Boehmer Team: What is the question you get most from home sellers?
INhance IT!: The main question we have been presented with in 2017 is “Why should I stage my home in a hot real estate market”? The answer is simple. Real estate staging brings a higher perceived value to the home in any market. We have seen staged homes receive multiple offers within one day on the market, many receiving offers of $25K or more over list price. Our motto remains the same in any market “the cost of home staging is less than your first price reduction”.
The Boehmer Team agrees. It’s been proven that beautifully staged homes sell faster and for more money than vacant or cluttered homes. So how do you determine if your home is up to snuff or if you need the help of a home stager? If you are listing your home, The Boehmer Team will meet you at your home to go over the tried-and-true décor updates that help sell homes. If you are a candidate for home staging, we’ll connect you with an experienced home stager such as INhance IT!
We couldn’t fit all of our questions and answers into this one article. So stay tuned for Part 2 where we discuss the latest home décor trends for homes with the experienced designers at INhance IT! Home Staging. Or for more great home staging advice, check out the INhance IT! blog here. Thinking of listing a home for sale? Contact The Boehmer Team.
Don't forget to check out Advice From Award Winning Home Stagers Part 2
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