The number one reason a buyer purchases a home is because it “felt home.” It was warm, inviting and the buyer made an emotional connection with the home. When have you ever heard of an empty room described as warm and inviting? Sterile, cold and uninviting are the three most popular words to describe an empty room.
How big is the room? Without furniture it’s incredibly difficult to tell the scale and size of a room. When the buyer does not have answers to their questions-they walk away.
What is this room for? Many times a buyer can’t even tell if it’s the living room or dining room in an unfurnished home. Don’t keep them guessing, because it only distracts them from considering the home as a purchase.
It’s so much easier to notice that crack in the wall, or the chip in the tile when there is nothing else to look at. Home Staging capitalizes on the positive aspects of a home, while de-emphasizing negative aspects will make an emotional connection with buyers.
Nine out of every ten people walking into your home cannot visualize the wonderful possibilities your home has to offer them. They just can’t picture it. Don’t let a simple thing like a cold empty room or limited furniture kill your sale. Staged homes sell faster and for more money!
According to the Census Bureau the vacancy rate of homes is at the highest level they have ever seen since they started tracking it 40 years ago! You need to differentiate your home from all the other homes on the market. A recent report from the Real Estate Staging Association (RESA) shows that vacant homes that are staged spend 85% less time on the market than those that are unstaged.
Top Ten Reasons To Professionally Stage A Home Prior To Listing…
1. It Will Sell For More Money
According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), the average staging investments between 1 and 3 percent of the home’s asking price generated a return of 8 to 10 percent!
2. It Will Sell Faster Which = More Money and Less Headache and Stress
Statistics show that a professionally staged home sells faster. A National Association of Realtors survey found that the longer a home stays on the market, the further below list price it drops. Homes that sold in the first 4 weeks averaged 1% more than the list price; 4 to 12 weeks averaged 5% less; 13 to 24 weeks averaged 6.4% less; and 24 weeks averaged more than 10% less than list price. Don’t be in a position to be forced to lower your price. Stage first!
3. Professional Staging is a Vital Part of Your Realtor’s Marketing Strategy
The combination of Price, Staging and Marketing all contribute to a successful sale and is the recipe for success!
4. Only 10% of Sellers Can View Their Home Objectively
If you can’t see objectively, you can’t market effectively. Hiring a professional home stager will bring fresh perspective and great ideas.
5. Online Photos Will Standout From the Competition
According to a NAR profile of buyers, over 90% searched for homes online first before deciding to visit. Photos of beautifully staged rooms will stand out from the competition!
6. Very Few Buyers Can Visualize the Potential of a Home
That’s why staging a home is critical! Don’t leave it up to the buyer’s imagination. Show off the home’s selling points by updating and making repairs which payoff big when selling.
7. The Cost of Preparing a Home for Sale (Including Staging) is Tax Deductible
Talk with your accountant about how you can write off home staging and improvements.
8. Selling Faster for More Money Means No Missed Opportunities on Future Purchases
Staging first gives the seller more options and freedom, like being able to purchase that future dream house!
9. Leaving The House in “AS IS” Condition Will Help Sell the Competition
Right now the number of homes for sale on the market is at a record high. Competition is stiff and buyers have very high expectations. Successful agents know that the key to selling in this competitive market is professional staging.
10. You Can Relax
Have the satisfaction of knowing that have done everything possible to affect a quick sale of your most valuable commodity and for top dollar!
Love Your Home While Increasing Its Value
For most of us, our home is the largest investment we will make. Therefore, not only is increasing its value something we all hope for, but very possible even in this current real estate market. Maintaining and keeping your home updated and current is vital to increasing your investment whether you are selling now or plan to in the future. But it goes beyond general maintenance.
Cyndi Sadowsky and Beverly Clarke formed Center Stage Designs in 2008, a home staging and interior decorating company based in Fairfield County that focuses on helping homeowners capitalize on their greatest investment while loving the home they live in. “When you hire us, you hire a team. We have each had personal successes in previous career’s, we each bring different skills to the team so it’s a great mix,” says Cyndi.
Center Stage Designs has a different approach and mind set when it comes to staging and decorating. “We decorate homes to sell whether the homeowner is thinking about selling in a week, a year or ten years because increasing the value of your investments is everyone’s main objective,” says Cyndi. “It’s not all about smoke and mirrors. We create a lifestyle that connects with buyers and make the changes that really add value to a home. Putting fresh towels in an outdated bathroom will not translate to cash at closing. We know how to increase the value of your home with quick & easy solutions that will not cost a fortune, but provide big results.
When decorating, they highly recommend that their clients first start with a staging approach keeping the look cohesive. In other words, think about resale. Keeping big-ticket items, like kitchens, baths, walls and furnishings neutral and sophisticated will go along way in increasing the equity in one’s home. Then they personalize with style and color with less expensive, easy to change items, like pillows and accessories. This way you are not just thinking of future buyers, but you can love and enjoy the overall look and style of your home. “Your space will be completely unique and reflect your personal style, and you can rest assured that you are sitting on a hot commodity.” Says, Beverly.
Not only has CSD seen this approach work time and time again for their clients, but personally as well. Just recently Cyndi capitalized on her own advice when she listed her house for sale and accepted an offer after only five days on the market with a bidding war. Over the nine years she lived in the home she continually added value, equity and interest by keeping her home current and making improvements along the way that buyers wanted.
“There is a difference between staging and decorating,” says Beverly, however, we feel that the basic principles are the same. It’s quite simply creating a product that people want to own.”
According to Wikipedia, the definition of Home staging is the act of preparing a private residence for sale in the real estate marketplace. The goal of staging is to make a home appealing to the highest number of potential buyers, thereby selling a property more swiftly and for more money. Staging techniques focus on improving a property’s appeal by transforming it into a welcoming, attractive product that anyone might want.
Decorating is creating a very personalized space that reflects the homeowner’s taste, style and lifestyle. One client may want a beachy kind of a feel while someone else may envision an urban contemporary look. These looks can easily be created with accessories. “It is not necessary to turn an entire room into a light house to feel that you are at the beach (which we recently came across in a home for sale), or transform your dining room into a pirate ship. You can achieve the overall look and goal without compromising the features of the home.” Cyndi says.
Center Stage Designs concepts works well when decorating for the seasons or when you simply want to change your style. “We recently held a seminar on how easily you could transform the look of a room from season to season using accessories and simple design techniques,” says Beverly. “By keeping the main elements of a room neutral and current, you can effortlessly change from summer to fall to holiday and then back to spring. It makes it fun and interesting and never boring.”
A member of the Center Stage Design’s team recently put our staging philosophy to the test by staging and preparing her home for sale. It only took a weekend of sweat equity before her house was ready for the MLS but yielded big results when she had two offers close to asking within one week. She accepted one of the offers and can now move forward on purchasing the house of her dreams!
Once again, proof that staged homes sell faster and for more money.
CENTER STAGE DESIGNS presents the GRAND OPENING of FAIRFIELD PILATES!
June 30, 2011 at 7pm
FREE Mat Class
Prosecco and Snacks to follow
Bring a friend!
RSVP 203-255-1246 or fairfieldpilates@yahoo.com
Sportsplex@fairfield, 85 Mill Plain Road, Building V, 3rd Floor
Decorating is creating a very personalized space that reflects the homeowner’s taste, style and lifestyle. Staging is the art of preparing a home for sale by creating a neutral environment that will appeal to a wide range of buyer. Staging highlights the home’s positive features while down playing the negative aspects.
When we go on a Decorating Consultation we present our clients with a list of “style words” that help us to understand the vision and goals for the space. One client may want a shabby chic beachy kind of a feel while someone else may envision a masculine clubby ski lodge.
Whereas staging is the art of creating a transitional neutral palate within a home so that a potential buyer can envision his or her furnishings and belongings in the space. For example, with neutral surroundings the buyer that has a shabby chic beachy style and the buyer that appreciates a more southwestern look can both imagine living in the space.
Both decorating and staging are equally important but one is the process of creating your own personal sanctuary and the other is statistically proven to sell your home faster and for more money.
Whether moving out, moving in or just want to refresh your surroundings, Center Stage Designs can help you achieve your goals. Call for a consultation!
Cyndi Sadowsky &
Beverly Clarke
Email Center Stage Designs
203-258-1930 or 203-275-6255
