Home Improvement Magazine Emma Mason Fall 2017 | Page 28

THE BENEFITS
OF HOME
STAGING
ADVICE FROM LISA DUNEFSKY
F
Finding a new home is a much different experience
than it was from the print ads we use to look at
in the newspaper from years ago. Today, over
90% of buyers start their search online. They
enter their search criteria, i.e. Price, neighborhood, size,
etc. Once they have their list, the visual piece becomes a
bigger part of the equation and this is where home staging
should become a vital part of your marketing campaign.
it to the next level by making the space look bigger and
brighter. My goal is to accentuate the positive details
while downplaying the less marketable features.
It is estimated that only 10% of home buyers can visualize
the potential of a home. That means 90% are not going
to be able to look past dirt, clutter, and imperfections. Staging can also go beyond simply setting up a space
with furniture. Staging renovations, incorporating small
design changes and updates to the home can also make a
significant difference. Kitchens and bathrooms sell homes.
The updates in those areas will often bring back the
investment twofold or more. Making changes to flooring,
counters, cabinets, or adding touches like a backsplash
can also have a huge impact on sale of the property.
WHAT IS STAGING?
Staging is basically a production, and I am the director. I
will tell you exactly what to do to declutter, hide, move,
toss, rearrange, repair, and replace. You may love that
couch or piece of art, but if I think it's time to go or
wrong for the space, I will tell you. (Tactfully of course).
Beyond repainting and cleaning, staging a house takes BENEFITS
Homes which have been professionally staged sell 80%
faster than ones which have not. Further, they sell for 6-17%
more money than non-staged homes. These are statistics
which are hard to ignore, particularly when weighing costs.
According to a Maritz Research Staging poll, 63 percent of
buyers are willing to pay more for move-in ready homes.
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