Much has been written about the power of home staging to visually present a home at its best for purpose of a quicker and more profitable sale. What a buyer sees in the first 10 seconds of their tour makes an incredible impact on the buyer's impression of the property. If their first instinct is negative, they will subconsciously look for flaws in the home to support their hypothesis. If they like what they see in the first 10 seconds, they'll look for reasons to buy the house.
But sight is just one of the five (or six) senses at play here. Let's not neglect sound, touch, smell, taste and that elusive sixth sense.
Sound - Road noise? Eerie silence? Both can be a distraction. Playing appropriate music during showings and open houses can help. Need ideas? Visit a Pottery Barn and view their compilation CD's. Jazz and classical are good contenders as well. Base your selection on your target buyers' demographic. Be sure to play it at a background noise level. After all, there is no need to rock the house, just sell it!
Touch/Feel - Is the home too cold? Too warm? Either way the buyer will feel a negative sense about the home and not want to stay long. Keep the home at a comfortable temperature at all times. Resist the temptation to set your programmable thermostat to save on heating or cooling costs. Home showings can happen at any time!
Smell - If you can smell it, you can't sell it (sorry for the over-used cliché!). This includes pets, cooking spices, fish, laundry, mold, bathroom "issues," fireplace soot, and so on. What to do about it? First step - ask trusted friends to sniff your home and give you honest feedback. Then, eliminate the source(s), at least while your home is on the market. For example, ship poochie off to grandmas, do laundry more frequently, throw wet towels in the dryer when you leave in the morning, clean out the fireplace, and use this as a good excuse to eat out more often! Don't try to cover up smells with sprays or air fresheners. They can be just as offensive.
Taste - I don't imagine anyone is out there taking a bite out your drywall - but do have some wrapped candy or cookies available during an open house. It has been said that the best way to the heart can be through the stomach! Can't hurt to try!
"Sixth" sense - This is the cumulative effect of all the other fives senses. This is the "big one" that will keep your home in the buyer's memory as they continue their tour of homes. In a competitive market, you need all the senses working for you!
Staging your home does indeed works. But don't stop with sight. There is more to staging than meets the eye! Before you list your home, call a Property Merchandiser in your area for a Marketability Consultation to find out how you can sell your home faster and for more money.
About Rooms That Work: Rooms That Work was established to provide an inexpensive solution for homeowners, whether selling, moving, or simply staying put. Susan's extensive marketing background gives her a great advantage in merchandising properties (also called 'Staging'). Decorating to sell is very different than decorating a home to live in. Susan has the ability to understand the market and emphasize a home's best asset while minimizing distractions. |
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