This Leeds home staging advice and ideas blog shares our Leeds home improvements experience and offers useful tips for:
Homeowners who want to generate interest to help sell their homes for the most amount of money in the shortest time
Landlords who want to rent their properties and to achieve the highest rents, help attract good quality tenants and avoid long voids to get the best return on their investments
"Well, the estate agents said list for £299,950, whereas I say that's not enough! We should try for £299,953 to recoup the cost of those flowers!"
It will also aim to answer some frequently asked questions on home staging so that you are more informed, such as:
What is home staging?
Home staging is about increasing the desirability of your property. So that those looking for new homes think “I could imagine myself living here” or ideally if staged, presented and finished really well: “It’s the nicest house we’ve seen... we could move straight in… and we’d absolutely love to live here”.
Top tip: By broadening your properties appeal, you increase the chance of generating more interest, leading to more viewings and ultimately the goal of more offers.
Home staging can totally transform the look of a room...
Why stage your home?
There are many reasons why people may choose to or need to stage their home such as:
Increasing the chance of getting offers closer to the asking price i.e. homes that look and feel good and are ready to move in. Really good, well finished homes may even attract multiple offers and a bidding war if there are more than one interested parties.
Lessening the chance of receiving ‘cheeky offers’. If people viewing a property feel that there is a lot of work to do. Or know that it has not had much interest or many viewings then they may feel more empowered to try ‘knock something off’. Especially if they think you are desperate to sell or rent.
Top tip: It’s about helping your property stand out from the crowd. If there are several competing properties all for sale or rent in your street or your area, listed for a similar price, then your property must look at its best to head off the competition.
What does home staging entail?
To get your home or property to appeal to the broadest number of people:
Top tip: another way of looking at this is to put off the least number of people:
You need to:
1) Fix anything obviously wrong with the property
This could be major defects such as damp, rot or subsidence (which would be picked up by any buyers surveyor). If you’re not willing to fix this then the buyer would probably want money off to pay for repairs when they move in.
And minor defects such as a broken toilet seat, leaking tap or flaking paint. These are not necessarily deal-breakers, or justification for buyers or tenants to try knock hundreds or thousands off, but could sow the seeds that “if this needs doing that we can see, then what may need doing that we can’t see?”
Top tip: You want to create the impression that ‘this home has been really cared for and well maintained’.
2) Ensure your home is neutrally and tastefully decorated throughout to appeal to more people
Accent colours and the odd feature wall to add interest can be great. But if every room is bright purple, then unless you can find a buyer or renter who loves bright purple, then the rooms may need toning down. Think off whites, greys, beige etc. If you ‘do’ insist on colours, then play safe by selecting from the (generally lowest) lightest row on colour charts to create a calmer and lighter feel to your home.
The lower the row, the lower the risk, when it comes to choosing 'non-offending' neutral colours to stage your home
Our highly experienced Leeds painters and decorators can help with all aspects of painting and decorating to achieve an immaculate finish including safest choice of colour scheme to stage your property to broaden the appeal to help sell or rent.
Or if you'd prefer to decorate yourselves down the DIY route, see our Leeds painting and decorating tips, advice and ideas blog to help with your staging here.
Top tip: It’s not about second guessing that the colour scheme you choose will appeal to your new potential buyers or renters. As everyone has their own tastes and even if you choose a lovely neutral light grey, they may prefer a light green. It’s more that they can move straight in and live with your ‘non-offending’ colours, before putting their stamp on their home at their convenience and further down the line. Rather than thinking ‘if we move into the ‘orange house*’ we’d have to decorate straight away’.
* Yes, buyers or renters may have nicknames for the properties they view!
Top tip: Likewise, don’t second guess and style your home for one particular demograph. You have no idea whether the next people viewing will be old, young, single, a family, friends, relatives, in a relationship etc. Let alone their situation, tastes, lifestyles or intended use...
3) Create curb appeal
Make sure your home looks inviting from the front (or any other approach) with good paintwork, clean windows, clean paths and driveways (leaves, litter etc.), no weeds, and healthy plants. Ensure that wheelie bins are positioned as discreet as possible.
Top tip: tidy the front. If the gate creaks or is off it’s hinges, or the front garden is overgrown, viewers may not even bother (walking down the cracked path and) coming into the house…
4) Ensure your home is welcoming
Create a great first impression. Particularly the hallway, or any other entrance, and again nice plants and flowers can help with this…
5) Ensure your home is spotless
Think really deep clean. From any cobwebs high up in corners to the inside of the fridge; kitchen worktops to any tile shower area. A pristine, gleaming and clean smelling home will again create that ‘well looked after’ feeling.
Top tip: sometimes cleaning alone can help remove and disguise marks and scuffs on paintwork. Use very clean water and well wrung cloth. Be ‘very' gentle on emulsion. Only add cleaning products if needed, such as Cif, on glosswork - which is more forgiving and you can scrub a little more. Always test on inconspicuous areas first. You may then be able to save the cost of redecorating.
6) Declutter your home
You want to create a blank canvas where people can imagine living there themselves and ideally think "there’s lot’s of space and storage for all our things when we move in".
If your rooms are full of ornaments, pictures, and general ‘stuff’ – to the point where you cannot see the walls or surfaces. Or your cupboards, wardrobes or under the bed are heaving - then it’s time to pair back. Think less is more.
Your options are: keep, move (i.e. to another place in your home), gift (i.e. to friends, family or charity), sell or store (see tip below).
Top tip: don’t put all your items in boxes and then fill a garage, shed, or box room, as viewers may also want to see these rooms. Instead maybe see if you can temporarily store items around a friend or relatives house, or use a self storage company.
7) Depersonalise your home
(Similar to decluttering) you want people looking round to imaging living there themselves. So it’s probably best to minimise the amount of personal effects such as family pictures, areas dominated by a particular hobby, or anything of one or strong particular belief (be it religious or sports team etc.)
Not everyone loves children. So try and keep any childrens toys neat or tidied away during viewings.
Not everyone loves pets. So check that they're ok with animals (unless you only have goldfish that are not going to bark or lick them!)
Oh, and if you’ve got a nice shiny fridge that’s a selling point, then please let viewers actually see it by taking fridge magnets off…
Top tip: Try strike a balance. Don’t depersonalise too much as your home still wants to look loved, lived in and inviting rather than being too clinical.
8) Ensure good light levels
Have window furnishings as wide open as possible to let in as much natural light as the beautiful Leeds weather will allow! Plus put lights on in readiness during viewings to ensure your home looks well lit, and is shown off at it's best, ahem, light.
9) (Where necessary) rearrange furniture
You want your rooms to appear spacious, well thought out, and be easy to walk around. Try not to block doors or natural walkways with furniture, as your home may look cramped or poorly designed. Though zoning and defining areas (point below) with furniture is perfectly ok. If you feel you have too much furniture then (as above) consider temporary storage.
10) Define your rooms
Ensure your rooms have a clearly defined purpose (and hopefully one that will appeal to potential buyers or renters). It’s safer to have a bedroom set up as a bedroom. But a box room used as an office is not a deal breaker (as long as you or the estate agent can confidently explain how it could easily be set up as a bedroom, if that’s what the people wanting to move in wanted).
Top tip: it doesn't take too much effort to stage rooms back to their intended purpose. E.g. a dining table plus chairs. Or the addition of bed, bedside tables plus lamps will soon re-define any dining areas and bedrooms respectively...
11) Ensure your home is furnished
Admittedly more difficult if you have already moved out with all your possessions and furnishings... But a furnished home will look more homely and inviting, particularly on any online listing pictures. Plus some people struggle to imagine how a room could look like (see rooms purpose above). So having preferably fully, but even partly furnished rooms will help. To stage the property, new furniture could be bought - if you had use for it where you were moving to next, borrowed from friends or family, or rented.
Furnish and finish: viewers should not have to imagine a gorilla tub as a bed!
12) Accessorise your rooms
Add interest to your rooms with tasteful accessories such as (matching/accent colours) throws, rugs, cushions, artwork, plants ornaments etc. so it looks well thought out and appealing. You can get more interior design ideas for staging your Leeds property here.
Sometimes the simplest things can add interest to a room
13) Ensure any garden or outside space is neat and tidy
A garden is often seen as another room, a place to relax and entertain. As a minimum weed, and regularly mow any lawn (just in case you get a last minute viewing). Ensure plants are healthy and if not consider replacing or adding new ones. Colour could be easily be added with flowers in planters, and you could always take these with you when you move. Likewise with garden furniture - a patio set can help stage a garden, plus you can also move these to your new home. For more help on landscaping your Leeds garden to help sell or rent (or simply to enjoy yourselves) click here...
When staging to sell you want the grass greener on 'your' side of the fence
14) Ensure your home is comfortable temperature
Open windows before viewings on hot days in the summer, likewise ensure the heating is on before people are shown around during the winter.
For more help with simple and effective Leeds home improvement ideas that could help stage your property see our previous blog here.
When should I stage my home?
You can stage your home at any time, when serious about selling or renting out your property. Some may turn to a Leeds home staging expert to boost interest if their property has been on the market for months with low or no viewings or offers. Others more motivated to sell, may proactively employ the services of Leeds home stagers from the outset to get their property off to the best start.
Top tip: a lot of property research by buyers or renters is done online. So it is important to list your home with staged photos (or get your listing agent to retake and update photos if staged later) to show it off in its best light. This will help generate the most interest and ensure that your property is one that is shortlisted.
What rooms should I stage?
As above, the whole house (inside and out) should look its best. But as a minimum you should try focus on the living room and master bedroom, with the kitchen and bathroom also being important rooms that people looking round rate high on their wish list. If people viewing properties can eat, sleep, keep clean and relax as soon as the move in, that's great. If they have a nice dining area where they can entertain (and throw a house warming party) that’s a bonus. They are then more likely to be more forgiving of a gaudy coloured box room, or dilapidated shed which may be lower on their priority list.
You want to show off your main rooms in their best light to increase appeal
Will staging add value to my home?
It depends as return on money invested in home improvements are often subjective.
Many builders (and TV adverts) claim 'adding value' to your home. But if you spend £50k on a rear extension that only adds £50k to your property price have you really added (monetary) value? But this is a blog topic in it's own right that we'll leave for now...
The aim of staging is to help homeowners and landlords sell or rent their properties for the maximum price in the quickest time. The more well presented and highly finished a property, the more desirable it is. Leading to more interest, more viewings and hopefully more offers closer to the asking price. I personally see home staging as not necessarily adding value (like a full home refurbishment 'could'), rather than helping you achieve the optimum price - and lessening the chance of ‘cheeky offers’.
Another way of looking at it is with a (made up for ease of maths) example:
Semi detached neighbour A lives on a particular street where properties could reach £300k. After six months on the market there has been little interest. Desperate to sell, if the vendor lowers the price by 10% to £270k for a ‘quick sale’ then they would potentially receive £30k less.
Next door neighbour B also listed their property at the same time for £300k asking price. However, at the outset they invested £10k fixing repairs, professionally redecorating and ensuring their property was immaculately furnished and presented throughout. With better images online, they increase the chances of more viewings, more offers and in this example eventually accept £290k after three months.
Even though neighbour B spent £10k in staging their property, and accepted an offer £10k lower than the asking price, they are still £10k better off than neighbour A, and sold their house quicker.
Top tip: There's no guarantee that you're going to be able to directly recoup money spent on small redecorating or minor garden improvements alone (as this is often subjective above). But often a lot of the costs associated with home staging goes into attractive furniture and furnishings, which help complete the look. With good planning and foresight these may be able to be purchased with your new home in mind. So it's a win-win where your staging helps you sell your property and you get to take your beautiful new items to help furnish your new home...
An impartial way is to ask your local estate agent about home staging to sell or rent:
‘If I were to list my property now how much would you value it for?’
and ‘What would they recommend (if anything) cosmetically you do that could increase its value and or help you sell the property sooner?’
How much should I spend on home staging?
A £30 glass crackle lamp (Homesense) and those £3 flowers (Sainsburys) can help make a hallway more welcoming and homely
As above there is no magic figure. Home staging is about spending wisely on impactful areas that are going to show your property off in its best light.
If your property is already in good decorative order, then great, it might just be a case of a deep clean, the odd vase of flowers, some new bedding, and a new lamp or two. Again, most furniture and furnishings can be taken with you when you move...
If your property needs updating or refreshing then you might need to spend low thousands to add desirability. And low thousands to some may be money well spent if you can move onto your dream home sooner...
Top tip: I personally wouldn’t advise spending tens of thousands on a high end state-of-the-art kitchen simply to stage a property (unless you're planning to stay put and enjoy it yourselves). Even though it may add a 'wow factor' that helps you sell, you’re unlikely to recoup your full investment**. Plus any shiny new kitchen (colour, brand, spec or configuration) may not be to the people wanting to move ins tastes. And imho ripping out a brand new kitchen is not good for anyones budget (or the environment).
(**unless you live in a really posh area where buyers and renters demand 'high-end' and your estate agent assures you that you can get this back)
More information on home improvement budgets can be found in our previous blog here.
Is home staging guaranteed to help sell or rent your property?
No… but it will help. There are many factors involved when trying to sell or rent your property and home staging cannot account for the state of the property market, or the desirability of your area, or how proactive your estate agent is. That said, if two properties are for sale or rent on the same street, for the same price, and yours is the one that looks better on the listing photos, with the least needing doing to it and the one where people can just move in and ‘imagine themselves living there’. Or if staged really well: ‘it’s the nicest one we’ve seen… and would love to live there’ then your staged property stands the most chance of achieving the highest price in the shortest time.
Home staging success: Love Your Home Leeds helped landlord re-let flat in 'record time'
Can I stage myself or do I need the help of a professional home stager Leeds?
It depends on your time, budget and how determined you are in selling or renting. Some people may choose to deep clean their homes themselves or refresh some rooms with emulsion. But it all depends on a persons 'DIY' skill set and saving a few hundred pounds on decorating may prove false economy if the viewers notice drips and the cutting in is all over the place. And flags up that they’re now going to have to employ the services of professional Leeds painters and decorators to get an immaculate finished home when they move in. As well as ensuring all your work is carried out to the highest standards, professional home stagers will also ensure you focus your efforts only on key areas to get you the best value most impactful improvements for your budget. They can also offer objectivity and impartiality when it comes to decluttering and colour schemes (that a homeowner may not see if they are too emotionally involved).
Important: please note that most electrical and ALL gas repairs or improvements must be carried out by professional trade. Love Your Home Leeds works alongside highly recommended, qualified NICEIC electricians and Gas Safe plumbing and heating engineers. This ensures that all your work is carried out safely, legally and to the highest standards and that you will have the correct certification proving this when you come to sell or rent...
Love Your Home Leeds are based in Moortown LS17 and mostly help homeowners and landlords in and around North Leeds area. If you’re considering selling or renting your home then for any Leeds home staging advice and home improvements advice, ideas or tips to help transform your rooms and home please get in touch.
댓글