The current series of Phil Spencer’s Secret Agent on Channel 4 is a perfect illustration of why home staging works.
We are sorry if we seem to be repeating ourselves but we are passionate about helping people move and absolutely believe in the benefits of presenting your property for sale so as to achieve a quick sale and the best possible price. If your property has been on the market for a while but failed to sell then we recommend watching an episode or two of the above series. Remember buyers can struggle to visualise themselves living in a property and with all the competition you need to help them. Also many buyers want to walk straight into a property, they don’t want to have to start doing lots of work.
Here are just a few of the lessons to be learned from the programme.
Clutter – clutter prevents viewers seeing the true proportions of a room and may make it feel small and claustrophobic. Clutter is a distraction, viewers may focus on the clutter rather than the attractive features such as a fireplace, coving etc. Clutter is personal and if viewers don’t share your taste it can put them off. You are going to be moving anyway so why not take the opportunity to get rid of unwanted items and start packing – just don’t overdo it and leave the place looking unlived in.
Décor again décor can have a big impact on how viewers feel about your home. Strong colours can make rooms feel smaller especially if the room is small to start with and can feel overwhelming. Different colour schemes in each room can make a property feel disjointed. A neutral colour throughout both for walls and floors gives a feeling of continuity and flow. Inject pops colour with furnishings and accessories (which can of course be taken with you to your new home)
Pets – we are a nation of pet lovers but not all viewers will appreciate Fido or Fluffy so remove the evidence. This includes the obvious such as feeding bowls, beds, litter trays and poo on the lawn but also the less visible such as odour. As you live in the house you may not be aware of any unpleasant smells which can permeate carpets, curtains and furnishings. Hiring a machine such as the Rug Doctor or employing a professional carpet cleaning company not only removes smells but will improve the appearance of the carpet generally and is much cheaper than replacing carpet which is otherwise in good condition. Wash, or have dry cleaned, curtains and cover furniture that is used by pets to lie on with throws that can be regularly washed and also removed for viewings. Consider giving the pet a bath. Lastly, take the pets out when a viewing is due.
A word of warning. Be prepared for some hard work and to spend money. It may go against the grain to spend money on a property you are leaving but the investment will be reflected in the speed of the sale and the selling price. It will be worth it.
For advice on all aspects of home staging, property presentation and interior design contact us via email at info@homestyle4u.com call us on 07745 876182 or complete the enquiry form on our contact us page. We cover Cheshire and the North West.
Contact us now to discuss how we can help provide solutions to meet your design needs.
