There’s no doubt that the Sydney property market is a fickle beast that has slowed down considerably over the past months due to the banks tightening their lending standards after the Banking Royal Commission. This means homeowners have to go to further lengths than ever to make their homes stand out from the mob – so many are flocking to house stylists to primp and prepare their properties for quick sales and bigger returns on their investments.
When selling your home, it has to look sharp, beautiful, and amazing and definitely appeal to a buyer’s emotions. Agents know an offer on a property will come the minute a potential buyer can imagine themselves living comfortably in your home. The way to draw such emotional responses from buyers is to engage a house stylist to stage your property for sale.
An experienced and talented property stylist can walk into a home and view the spaces objectively, with no emotional attachment to the property, and yet they can transform it into a home that appeals to a broad range of buyers. If your house is selling empty, a stager can use their furniture, or if you will be living in the house while it sells, some stagers will allow you to hire their furniture or they will use yours. This is how they work their magic:
Creating Kerb Appeal
First impressions count. The first thing a buyer will see when they pull up near your home is how it looks from the kerb. A good home stylist will start by making sure your house buzzes with appeal from across the road or down the street and they’ll make potential buyers stop and look rather than just drive past. Many people thinking of touring your house will do a quick drive-by first, then decide whether or not to look inside, so a stylist will ensure the following areas are up to scratch:
- The house number is clearly visible
- The footpath, driveways and front pathways are power washed
- The verges are mown and tidy
- Front lawns are mown and healthy
- Windows are sparkling clean
- Walls are hosed down and clean
- The front porch is spotless and floor stained or repainted as needed
Make Your Front Porch Welcoming
Even if yours is only a small front porch, a home stylist can make it sing ‘welcome’ with blooming pot plants and some neat outdoor furniture. Porch lights left on at night will attract potential buyers who drive past in the evening for a first peek. Solar lights can illuminate the front path for any evening inspections.
The Minimalist Approach
Crowded, cluttered rooms with family photographs and knick-knacks create confusion, not to mention congestion, for buyers so a home stylist will get rid of the excess and open the rooms up to clarity and relaxation. A fresh, open and airy room with minimal furniture will entice viewers and give them room to imagine themselves living in your home.
A home stager might suggest hiring some of their furniture if yours isn’t perfect for the room.
Use Art Wherever Possible
Home stylists use artwork for many different reasons but mostly to add interest to a room or detract from something that is not so interesting. When staging properties, stylists use their creativity to work with varying sizes and kinds of frames and canvas works of art. A home stager can use something from their warehouse or, if you have some great works in your home, they might rearrange them to suit their vision for a room.
House Cleaning/Decluttering
Your home stager will make sure your house shines like a new pin! You’ll have gleaming floors and windows, an immaculate kitchen, scrubbed grouting in the bathroom and not a spot of grime to be seen anywhere. If you want your house staged to the best standard, all clutter has to go, end of story. It’s not simple and might require you to put a lot of your ‘stuff’ into storage, but it is a good chance for you to get rid of unwanted things. Purge closets and cupboards and remember, buyers will open drawers and cupboards.
Colours and Patterns
While most home stagers will use sophisticated neutral colours that will appeal to a wider house-buying public, a splash of the right colours in cushions and throws and a tasteful floor rug will brighten up any room. Now is not the time to experiment with a ‘fun’ purple room or a bright lime green kitchen. All white is not recommended, rather, rich mid-toned neutrals such as mocha and light corals and sage make everything look more pulled together.
Arranging Furniture
A home stylist might work on your living room by using the company’s furniture or your own and place pieces in symmetrical arrangements. By taking furniture away from walls and using pairs of chairs, sofas and lamps, a stylist will create inviting, comfy conversation areas in a room.
You should resist the urge to convince the house stager to follow what you consider your personal style, as that is a no-no. It might be your style, but it might not be what appeals to those seeking to buy a house in your neighbourhood. So even if you have an awesome mid-century modern look happening, rein it in so your home attracts potential buyers, no matter what their style might be. Professional house stylists know what sells, so listen up.
Urban Chic Property Styling is the place to go for professional home staging services across Sydney. Urban Chic has developed over the past eight years to become one of the largest and by far the most positively reviewed home staging companies in Sydney. Our incredible house stylists strive to provide the highest standard in furniture hire and home staging. If you’re looking for the very best in property staging call your local Urban Chic stylist today on (02) 8959 7789 or email info@urbanchic.net.au.
