Teaching Your House to Talk
Researchers tell us that when a home buyer walks into a property that is for sale, the decision making process happens quickly. Interestingly, that home-buying choice is based more on emotion than it is finances. Universally, buyers say that when they walk into a potential home the question is, “Does it speak to me?” These same researchers tell us that if your house doesn’t start talking within the first 10 seconds, you’ve probably lost a buyer. So how does one accomplish this essential real estate trick? It’s surprisingly easy.
In Sydney’s amazing housing market, many sellers make the wise investment by bringing in a Sydney property stylist to help them seal the deal.
A property stylist is a staging professional whose job it is to literally set the stage inside your vacant house in order to make it appear gracious and welcoming to potential buyers. When those buyers walk through the door, the house immediately says, “Welcome home”.
A professional property stylist can make a smaller living area appear expansive and an all too ‘cosy’ master bedroom feel like a high-end hotel suite. (Bedrooms like this whisper the word “honeymoon”.) With eye-catching art, elegantly arranged furniture, and an artistic flair that maximises your view, (or makes you forget there is no view) a Sydney property stylist can create a mystical sense of “…this is where you were meant to be” that positively seduces buyers and captivates real estate agents.
Because a home staged by a Sydney property stylist looks as if it walked right out of a glossy magazine, real estate professionals cannot seem to resist the temptation to show your property to their clients first. A staged home sets a certain tone of success that can win over even those whose focus on price might otherwise cause them to stumble a bit over the price tag. Human beings want to live in the lap of luxury. When they realise that an affordable home can look so upscale and polished, buyers very often jump in with both feet. (If they don’t make an offer, don’t worry. Another agent will be along shortly to show off your lovely property to a new set of eager buyers.)
Really great property stylists have studied the tastes and psychological “needs” of potential buyers. This research helps them employ tricks that you might never imagine. It isn’t just the lighting, for example, or the number of lamps. It’s not all about the wattage, but also about the spectrum of the lights you’re using that can create a sense of spring sunshine in the dead of winter. All of that, however, is a trade secret.
Sometimes, if your rooms are small, giving your home a chopped-up feeling, your Sydney property stylist may suggest you expand your visual space by painting adjacent rooms the same colour to give the sense of an uninterrupted space. If the spaces still seem small, then change the window coverings to match the wall colour. Poof. Instant (almost) open concept.
Consider art and its placement. When you lived in the space, you probably had a few pieces you really loved. The others may have been picked up at garage sales or at one of those home décor specialty stores – and there’s nothing wrong with that. Your home should tell a story about who you are and what you love. However, when you set out to make a house appealing to a parade of total strangers, you have to adopt a different accessorising philosophy. You may think ‘neutral’ means boring. The stylists at Urban Chic have ways of making a home sing out even with white walls and minimalist décor. Yes. You could take the time to learn all that for yourself, but our stylists have years upon years of experience – why not simply tap into that expertise?
So, yes. If you’re thinking that this investment is larger than you might have planned, that’s quite possible – particularly if you’d not considered staging in the first place. There is a huge upside to having your home professionally staged. Staged homes sell faster. Staged homes also reel in much higher offers. Most likely, your investment in making your home ready for real estate agents and their clients will come back to you more than once.
At Urban Chic, we take great pride in making your house a very vocal one. By bringing in a Sydney property stylist, you can transform your property. Let us help you find an edge in the real estate market. From the way your house looks from the sidewalk, to the subtle scents associated with large, clean spaces and sunshine, we know how to make your house practically sell itself.