Why you might be failing at property staging
Are you interested in home staging but don't seem to be getting the results you want? If you're like most people, you probably think that home staging is all about making a house look pretty for potential buyers. And while it's true that curb appeal is important, there's a lot more to it than that. In fact, there are a number of reasons why you might be failing at home staging, even if you're doing everything right. You may be failing at home staging for one or more of the following reasons:
You're not making an effort to understand the psychology of home buyers.
If you don't understand why people buy homes, you won't be able to stage your own home effectively. Home staging is all about appealing to the emotions of home buyers, so you need to understand what makes them tick.
You're not taking the time to declutter and depersonalise your home.
Home buyers want to be able to visualise themselves living in your home, and that's tough to do when your personal belongings are everywhere. Take the time to declutter and depersonalise your home before you start staging it.
You're not using furniture and decor to create an inviting atmosphere.
Your furniture and decor should make home buyers feel welcome and comfortable. If your home feels cold and uninviting, you're not going to be successful at home staging.
You're not paying attention to the details.
The little things can make a big difference when it comes to home staging. From the colour of your walls to the way your furniture is arranged, every detail matters.
Making the space feel empty.
While you don’t want to overcrowd and over personalise the space, a very common mistake is going in the other direction. One of the most common mistakes people make when staging their home is not taking into account the way people actually live. Sure, you want your home to look its best for potential buyers, but if you're making it so that no one could actually live there, you're not doing yourself any favours. Remember, potential buyers are going to be walking through your home and imagining themselves living there. If they can't even picture themselves putting their own furniture in the space, it's not going to do much for them.
You're not staging your home for the right market.
If you're trying to stage your home for a specific market, you need to make careful considerations about what appeals to that market and how to make the house appeal to them. There’s no point trying to appeal to all bases if you have a home that is designed for a specific audience. For example, if you are selling a model home, avoid overstuffing the space and make it feel lived in as the purpose of buying a new home is to have a new home. While your furniture may look nice, it’s complicating the actual sale and making the property harder to sell to its target market.
If you are not having success with home staging, it is important to take a step back and assess what you could be doing differently. By taking the time to create a welcoming environment and to utilise all of the available space, you will be able to increase your chances of success.
