Having your home ‘Staged’ can mean extra money when selling…
by Melissa Marro

It’s no secret that the Charleston market is changing. Last year homes were flying on and off the market. This year, you may notice that the “For Sale” signs sit a little longer in the neighborhoods. Amazingly Charleston has nearly as many home sales this year as last year. The prices are still gradually going up in most of the lowcountry. So what’s going on?

There are more homes available for sale now. The Multiple Listing Service (MLS), a database of homes listed through all of the local real estate companies, is showing a nearly triple increase over what was available last year. That means what was a sellers’ market last year is a buyers’ market this year. This isn’t necessarily bad news.

There are four primary factors that determine whether a home will be one of those lucky few - sold quickly and for top dollar. The factors are: location, size, price and condition. The first three are fairly obvious. The last category, condition – what exactly does that mean? Simply put, how move in ready is your home? What does the flooring look like? What color is on the walls? Clutter, family photos, too much or too little furniture in a room can all take away from the salability of a home.

With the average homeowner moving every 5-7 years, buyers look at homes differently. Melissa Marro, owner of First Impressions Home Staging & Interior ReDesign, explains, “Buyers want move-in ready. They no longer want to spend years fixing up a home to make it theirs. They want to bring in their décor, unpack and be done. Professional Staging bridges the gap between the new buyer and seller.”

Professional staging companies, like First Impressions, cater to both owner occupied and vacant homes. Each type has its own needs and challenges. Both seek to create warm, relaxing retreats with a mass appeal for buyers. “Owner occupied homes typically need more work and create larger challenges. We have to bridge the gap between keeping function for the owners who still live there and open, clean spaces for optimal showings to potential buyers.” Marro continues, “Vacant homes primarily need to show how the spaces could be used, what size furniture fits into the space and the warmth of hearth and home.”

There are simple rules that apply to staging, regardless of the type of home you have. Keep the colors neutral. Neutral doesn’t necessarily mean white, taupe or beige. It simply means they have mass appeal and could fit into most decorating tastes. Clutter and personal effects need to keep to a minimum. It is difficult for a potential buyer to imagine themselves in a home if it is full of memorabilia of another family. Clean it up. Everything should be sparkling clean. The walls should not show fingerprints, dirt, scuff marks, etc. The bathrooms and kitchens particularly, should sparkle. Nothing should be left out in the open if it doesn’t belong there. Furniture placement is important. Placement can show off or hide valuable architecture or features. How many pieces are in a room, and their scale can visually add or remove square footage.

“While the rules are easy, often homeowners just don’t have the knowledge or time to apply them.” suggests Marro. “This is why they call in the professionals. We can do in a day or two what would take homeowners weeks. The cost is minimal and more than covered when the home sells.” National statistics show this trend to be well worth the money. Most reports show professional staging costing around ½ of one percent of list price while sale prices are nearly 3-9% higher. Carrying costs, especially for vacant homes, are shown to be much less since these homes typically also sell in half the time. It is no wonder that companies like First Impressions are on the rise both locally and nationally.

Melissa Marro and First Impressions Home Staging & ReDesign, based out of Summerville, SC, are members of the Interior Redesign Industry Specialists. I.R.I.S. is a national organization of redesign and home staging professionals. For more information on staging or professional stagers in your area visit the I.R.I.S. website www.weredesign.com  or contact Melissa Marro at 843.822.2622 or www.RedesigningCharleston.com 

Article contributed by Melissa Marro
 

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