Misconception #2... About What We Really Do

Misconception #2:  A Home Stager will just tell me to declutter and depersonalize my home.  I can do that myself.

Decluttering and depersonalizing are two common staging techniques aimed to allow buyers to see beyond distractions in the home.  These are important techniques, but are in fact just a small part of what most professional home stagers will address.  I do, however, want to stress the importance of decluttering and depersonalizing so let's talk about it here…

It may seem like an easy task but there is a lot of emotion that goes into decluttering and depersonalizing a home.  We need to remember that your home is now a product - a commodity - and we want it to appeal to the broadest number of buyers.  Research shows that buyers want to envision themselves in a home and clutter will give the impression that there isn’t space for their belongings.  ‘Stuff’ can make a room feel smaller than it actually is.  Personal items like tissue boxes and yes, even your alarm clock, can be perceived as clutter.  Photographs, collectibles or items that reflect political or religious views can be distracting and don't allow buyers to easily visualize themselves in the house or visualize the potential of a room.

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 clutter and distractions such as personal items!

————————-

As part of KW Home Staging & Redesign’s Home Staging Consultations, we provide an action plan to neutralize and remove any items that will distract from the home’s features.  We have simple and practical solutions that go along with our recommendations.  To find out what other topics we address through our Home Staging Consultations please visit our Services page at www.homestagingkw.com.

Single Largest Misconception... About What We Really Do

In my time growing my business some common questions I get asked form some of the home staging industry's biggest misconceptions about what we really do.  I would like to share some insight into one of these common questions with you today.

The single largest misconception I encounter is that stagers make you get rid of all your stuff and replace it with theirs.  This is, in fact, not the case in the majority of situations*.

KW Home Staging & Redesign actually specializes in Owner-Occupied homes and our goal will always be to use what you already have.  In turn this creates very minimal disruption and is a great low cost tool for home sellers**.  

Through our Home Staging Consultation, we include a detailed walk-through of the home (with the home owner) for up to 2 hours and a thorough written report at the end of the visit detailing the recommendations discussed. We work with your existing furnishings and apply our rules and expert recommendations for defining and optimizing spaces, creating proper traffic flow and hi-lighting your home's best assets.  We coach you through the process of transforming your home from your everyday living space to an extraordinary market-ready product.  Remember - the way we live in our homes is very different from a market-ready product!

————————

* We will only suggest adding and replacing furniture, accessories & decor if we believe it is actually crucial and a worthwhile investment for the sale of your home.  Most times, however, replacing your home’s current furnishings is not necessary.

** A growing number of Real Estate Agents are proving a complimentary Home Staging Consultation as part of their listing packages.  Inquire with your agent or contact us for more info on our Home Staging Consultation packages today.