Staging a Home For Sale
December 5, 2011
The practice of "staging" a home for sale began to be popular in the 1980s. Prior to the use of the word "staging" and the professionals who called themselves "stagers", real estate agents would walk through a home with a seller and make suggestions about putting away personal items and clutter in order to show the home to be as "crisp and clean" as possible. The theory always was that "crisp and clean" attracts more potential buyers and will help the seller achieve th "highest possible price" in any given real estate market - up or down.
I read an article in the LA Times written by a Mary Umberger. She was reporting on an interview with Andrea Angott who has a doctorate in psychology. She generally is studying how consumers make their decisions about healthcare but last year she did a project in which she research "staging" in real estate.
Andrea sent out a survey to a stagers' trade group and received back 457 responses with more still coming. The most important "staging" that a homeowner could do was to remove personal items from bathrooms, such as used bars of soap, toothbrushes, razors. This was number one in importance receiving a 6.55 on a 7 point scale. The number 2 concern was that sellers should furnish rooms in ways that the rooms were intended. For example: a dining room should have a dining room set, not desks and computers or other non-dining room furniture. Buyers seemingly cannot visualize spaces if they are compromised by inappropriate furniture.
The number 1 concern of personal items is an easy fix. The number 2 concern is perhaps not so easy as it could involve a seller's lifestyle. However, if you are really intending to move on, it may be a good idea to listen to the "stager" or to your real estate agent.
The practice of "staging" a home for sale began to be popular in the 1980s. Prior to the use of the word "staging" and the professionals who called themselves "stagers", real estate agents would walk through a home with a seller and make suggestions about putting away personal items and clutter in order to show the home to be as "crisp and clean" as possible. The theory always was that "crisp and clean" attracts more potential buyers and will help the seller achieve th "highest possible price" in any given real estate market - up or down.
I read an article in the LA Times written by a Mary Umberger. She was reporting on an interview with Andrea Angott who has a doctorate in psychology. She generally is studying how consumers make their decisions about healthcare but last year she did a project in which she research "staging" in real estate.
Andrea sent out a survey to a stagers' trade group and received back 457 responses with more still coming. The most important "staging" that a homeowner could do was to remove personal items from bathrooms, such as used bars of soap, toothbrushes, razors. This was number one in importance receiving a 6.55 on a 7 point scale. The number 2 concern was that sellers should furnish rooms in ways that the rooms were intended. For example: a dining room should have a dining room set, not desks and computers or other non-dining room furniture. Buyers seemingly cannot visualize spaces if they are compromised by inappropriate furniture.
The number 1 concern of personal items is an easy fix. The number 2 concern is perhaps not so easy as it could involve a seller's lifestyle. However, if you are really intending to move on, it may be a good idea to listen to the "stager" or to your real estate agent.
posted by shirley harry at 8:06 AM
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