Staged for success
It may be as simple as applying a fresh coat of paint or lighting a few strategically placed scented candles, but staging a property can be extremely effective. It’s a useful tool — whether you’re trying to find a tenant for a one-bedroom house or the goal is to attract buyers for a multimillion-dollar residential development.
As Valerie Levy and Associates Ltd’s realtor associate Tracey Heaven describes it, the idea is to have the potential client feel something that tells him, ‘Yes! This is what I’ve been looking for.’
“You’re highlighting the best features of the property. You’re allowing the clients, prospective buyers, or renters to connect with that property when they view it for the first time,” she said.
Full-blown staging is most often done on model units to give potential buyers an idea of what the houses will look like once a development has been completed. It’s also used a lot in the normal course of business for the typical residential property. It’s a tool Heaven has used successfully throughout her 14 years in real estate sales, so she had a number of useful tips when she spoke with the Jamaica Observer.
The amount of effort and resources expended will depend on factors such as whether the property is being sold or rented, whether it’s furnished, brand new, or has been occupied before.
“There are some simple guidelines that you can start with in staging. Some of them are basic, but it’s amazing how we take them for granted a lot of times. For example, you have to ensure that the place is clean,” Heaven said in offering tips for properties that are currently or previously occupied.
In addition to cleaning floors and walls, it’s best to get rid of unnecessary items.
“Persons walking through don’t need to see all the dishes in the drainer; they don’t want to see counter tops that are cluttered. You want to also de-personalise the space because what you’ll find is that when prospects are walking through the property, personal items can be a distraction. For example, family photographs — you don’t want to have those displayed in a home while you are doing a walk-through. You want the place to be as clean, and clear, and as neutral as possible,” advised Heaven.
This also applies to the colour of the walls. It’s best to go with colours that can work with any décor.
“Use neutral colours, as opposed to bright ones which may have been there before, because what you also want is that, for persons who are looking to come into that space, you want to take away all the unnecessary things that they have to do. If somebody coming in has a neutral wall to work with, immediately they can move beyond that and look at something else that may need to be done,” she said.
It’s also important to make sure furniture is arranged to optimise the space, and that you capitalise on natural lighting by opening windows or blinds and turning on lights as needed, if it’s a bleak day.
While it’s something that is not often done, Heaven admits that — as seen in the movies — sometimes freshly baked cookies are provided to make a residential space feel like home. This is usually reserved for an open house, when a property is available for viewing by a large number of prospective buyers on the same day.
“You want to go the extra mile; you can bake some cookies or have an air freshener open in the property so that it smells fresh. It gives the space that homey feeling because, as I said, you’re appealing to the emotions of the prospects,” said Heaven.
She knows she has made a sale when the client viewing a furnished residential property gets comfortable.
“They might just have a seat in the living room and we start a conversation. Then you know immediately that they have connected with the space,” said Heaven.
Realtors like her routinely, and at no extra cost, guide clients on how to put their best look forward. This is often done for residential properties that have already been lived in.
“We go through, we look through. Certain areas in the house are very important to buyers: your kitchens, your bathrooms are extremely important so you ensure that those are in good order. And it may not be expensive upgrades or preparation that will be needed. If the cupboards, for example, are scuffed or doors are falling off hinges, or other simple things that can be done without a lot of added expense, we just guide and say, ‘Maybe you can just refinish the cupboards, replace the doors; have things in order,’ ” Heaven explained.
Staging can be particularly useful if there is an empty space in the house — for example a basement that could be used for multiple purposes. It is best, Heaven explained, to show clients the space’s potential. An uninviting basement, for example, can be transformed if it is staged as a gym or a home office.
“Arrange the space so they see that it’s functional, and persons can immediately connect with it, see how they can live in that space, and how it can work for them,” she stressed.
This approach comes in very handy for multi-family units, those large developments that are often being sold while still under construction. While a written description of the property provides a lot of useful details, nothing beats being able to see, touch and feel what your future home may be like.
“You might hear that it is 1,500 square feet but you can’t visualise, in your mind, how exactly the space is going to work for you. Once it’s furnished, there are appliances in, light fixtures are in, it really makes that impression on the buyers — and that’s how realtors drive the sales of the development and, literally, the buy-in,” said Heaven.
She has had appreciative clients who, over the years, have proven to her that staging is a huge help in their decision-making and she urges more people to utilise the tool.
“My advice to prospective landlords or sellers is to take the time and invest, even if it is in the small things that are going to make a difference in the way your property is viewed,” urged Heaven.
“The whole objective is to sell or rent the property quickly, for the best price. You only have one opportunity to make a good first impression. There’s a lot that can be done — it does not have to be costly — but the simple things can make a big difference when persons enter that property for the first time,” she added.