Home staging is the act of preparing a private home/residence for sale. The goal is to make a home look appealing to highest number of potential buyers.
HOW CAN STAGING YOUR HOME CORRECTLY ADD VALUE AND GIVE YOU A PROFIT?
Meridith: I recently staged the home of director Charles Shyer, he directed Baby Book and Father of the Bride. His house was originally valued at TBD, we spent TBD on staging and it sold for TBD. Conversely, if you’re not a celebrity, and say your home is worth around $200,000, spending under $5,000 in staging can make a HUGE difference in what you sell your home for. Our homes usually go for 20% over asking price.
Staged homes usually sell for 20% over asking.
WHY DOES STAGING YOUR HOME ADD SO MUCH VALUE?
Meridith: people want to be wrapped around by their home, they want to feel safe and beautiful and functional, and a lot of people don’t know how to achieve that. If they go into a house and see it done they think I gotta have it. This is the one. You know it when you see it. A staged home gives the buyer a sense of oh this is the one. Even if it’s built perfectly and beautifully you go ok I like this but how would I live in it, with what furnishings? With staging the answers are there, if the buyer liked it we sell it as is. They have the interior designed already.
Staging your home helps buyers see how they would live there.
WHAT ARE SOME SIMPLE THINGS WE CAN DO OURSELVES TO STAGE OUR HOME?
Meridith: There are endless things you can do on your own for very little money. Some easy things for example are:
-When designing the top of your coffee table, start with something large and wonderful in the middle: a floral in an interesting pot, a huge bowl (maybe filled with sea urchins or something else interesting). Then build out from that: stacks of art books, candles, sculpture or pottery. Make it interesting and change it regularly.
Style your coffee table like a pro.
-When you go to pick paint, either go for a perfect shade of white, a color that flatters every skin tone. Or go for bold in a dark shade of red of brown or even black. Ceilings painted white or cream tend to make the room feel larger.
Pick the perfect paint color.
-Make your bathroom counter free of products except a couple that have pretty packaging. Rolled up white towels in a basket and a potted plant look clean.
Make your bathroom look like a hotel
-It seems counterintuitive to pack in more furniture, but if you have the space put an upholstered bench or chair and a side table in a corner. It'll give the impression that the room is larger.
Add a bedroom seating area
-Statistically, you have eight seconds at the front door to get a favorable emotional response from guests. Paint your front door an unexpected color. It sends the message that your home is well cared for.
Make a good first impression for your guests.
-To create an illusion of taller ceiling or larger windows, hang from as high up as possible!
Lengthen your ceiling
Return to the Episode Guide >>
Get more from Meridith at MeridithBaer.com
