I Could Live Here: Staging Your Property

“Can you give me some advice about staging my home for resale?”  MJ Plofker.

Staging properties for resale is something I enjoy because the whole process appeals to my pared-down sensibility. The art of staging is really about omission, about taking things away—the excess furnishings, the junk, and essentially the current owner’s personality—so that the architectural uniqueness of the property can shine through and appeal to potential buyers.

My realtor friend, Jane Wallace, of Sotheby’s Prominent Properties in Montclair, describes it like this: You want buyers to walk into your house, drop their shoulders, and say, “I could live here.” The owner has to “move out” in order for potential buyers to be comfortable with the house. It’s like eating chicken soup. The house has to go down easy and effortlessly. 

The danger comes when the seller isn’t ready to give it all up—to physically and emotionally remove herself from the premises so that a potential buyer can mentally move in. 

Do You Want to Sell or Not?!

My friend, Marilyn, had a piano given to her by a great aunt. For years this piano took up too much space in her home and was rarely played. So after the aunt passed away, Marilyn’s guilt was alleviated and she advertised the piano for sale. A man called about the ad, asked how much, and said he’d come pick it up on Saturday. Marilyn said, “Don’t you want to know anything about the piano?” And the man said, “Do you want to sell it or not?” 

Saturday arrives. The buyer shows up with his truck, takes a quick look, hands Marilyn the cash, and is ready to haul it away with his son’s help.  No tickling the ivories, no opening the lid, no pushing the pedals, nothing.  Again Marilyn says, “Don’t you want to know anything about the piano?”  The man says, “No. I don’t play and neither does my son. I like the way it looks.” 

As it turns out, the man worked for a theater company, and the piano was going to be gutted for use as a stage prop. Did it break Marilyn’s heart?  Maybe a little. But the several hundred dollars in her pocket certainly softened the blow. 

Today’s Market Conditions

In understanding the listing market, Jane recognizes a natural tendency in sellers to estimate their property over and above comparable properties, regardless of its intrinsic value. That emotional attachment makes it especially difficult to properly price properties when sellers already feel like they are giving their houses away.

Staging is the key to presenting a property in its most flattering and sellable light so that both parties get the deal they deserve. Just because today’s buyers perceive they are getting a good value doesn’t mean that sellers are giving their houses away. The system can work for everyone if realtors are able to control the inventory by showing a finite number of quality properties at appropriate prices.

Breathe in the Negative Space

How should you prepare your home for sale? Jane advises a very simple approach. Make your house clean, neat, sparse, and freshly painted. That’s it. A well-presented house will allow potential buyers to see the building itself—its architecture, scale, and detail—and to breathe in the negative space.

Furnishings should be limited to pieces that will help identify the size of the room. Buyers want to know simply how many people can sit in the dining room, what size bed can fit in the master bedroom, where the TV can go in the family room. The intent is to give an impression of each room’s scale and functionality with just a few anchoring pieces of furniture. 

Jane warns of the danger when sellers think they know the house better than anyone else. This is where a professional stager is so vital. Staging is about seeing it from a new, fresh, and potentially different perspective.  Sellers can’t afford to dictate what they perceive as the best living arrangement in the house. Stagers will highlight the beauty of the space, its structural appeal and built-in detail. A successful “open house” will then welcome whatever decorative possibilities a new owner brings. 

That Ship Sailed

People ask me about home improvements for resale, like the pink bathroom they always meant to renovate. My answer is, “That ship sailed.”  Don’t do it now that you are putting your property up for sale. For two reasons. First, the choices you make in your renovation—fixtures, finishes, and equipment—may or may not appeal to the new owner. 

Second, there’s no guarantee that you will get a return on that investment.  Today’s buyers are willing to envision improvements to the property 2 to 3 years from the purchase time. So long as the property is clean and freshly painted, they aren’t in such a hurry to throw more money down for renovations. “Move-in condition” is the name of the game.

More Staging Advice…

A few more quick tips for staging… Use the maximize wattage on every light fixture in the house, and turn everything on for showings. Try Peroxide to clean bathroom tile and grout, carpeting, and even upholstery. Have the windows cleaned, and open all the shades and draperies. Accent with fresh flowers, a bowl of fruit, and/or candles. With regard to furniture and accessories—when in doubt, take it out. Less is absolutely more.

And above all, try to remember that you’re selling the building not your memories.