How to How to Successfully Stage Successfully Stage

and Sell Your and Sell Your HomeHomeLinda LeybleLinda Leyble

Beautiful Staged HomesBeautiful Staged Homes

www.beautifulstagedhomes.comwww.beautifulstagedhomes.com

Seminar ObjectivesSeminar Objectives

Open your mind to some things you Open your mind to some things you may not have thought of previouslymay not have thought of previously

Think of your home…differentlyThink of your home…differently What staging is…and isn’tWhat staging is…and isn’t Immediately start implementing Immediately start implementing

ideasideas Know that you have more control Know that you have more control

over the situation that you thoughtover the situation that you thought

My Background and My Background and QualificationsQualifications

Art and design Art and design Personal experience in sellingPersonal experience in selling Being the small fish in a large pondBeing the small fish in a large pond Business and marketing backgroundBusiness and marketing background My belief in “covering all your My belief in “covering all your

bases”bases”

Background and HistoryBackground and History

When staging started, by whom & When staging started, by whom & whywhy

My personal involvement with itMy personal involvement with it Philosophy and psychology of Philosophy and psychology of

stagingstaging

Staging StatisticsStaging Statistics

NAR statistics show that professionally NAR statistics show that professionally staged homes sell nearly 50% faster staged homes sell nearly 50% faster than non-staged homesthan non-staged homes

Staging not only speeds up the sales Staging not only speeds up the sales process, but also helps to increase the process, but also helps to increase the selling price from 6-11% higher than selling price from 6-11% higher than non stagednon staged

Staged homes usually appraise higherStaged homes usually appraise higher

It’s Not Your Father’s It’s Not Your Father’s Real Estate Market…Real Estate Market…

You can’t just put up a “For Sale” You can’t just put up a “For Sale” signsign

There are many homes for sale – so There are many homes for sale – so your competition is greateryour competition is greater

Buyers have greater expectationsBuyers have greater expectations Challenging times = New strategiesChallenging times = New strategies

Nearly 90% of Home Nearly 90% of Home Searches… Start Searches… Start OnlineOnline

How Your Home Looks How Your Home Looks Online…Online…

Is more important than everIs more important than ever Nearly 90% of prospective buyers Nearly 90% of prospective buyers

make their assessments of homes make their assessments of homes online – before they see a homeonline – before they see a home

Staging make your home more Staging make your home more beautiful online and in flyersbeautiful online and in flyers

Marketing 101Marketing 101

How product marketers marketHow product marketers market How new home builders’ marketHow new home builders’ market How stores merchandize How stores merchandize How people sell their carsHow people sell their cars When you put your home on the When you put your home on the

market – it becomes a productmarket – it becomes a product

How to Capitalize – Not How to Capitalize – Not Capitulate Capitulate

Marketing-wise: How do you appeal to a Marketing-wise: How do you appeal to a wider range of buyer?wider range of buyer?

How do you over-shadow the competition? How do you over-shadow the competition? How do you sell – without reducing the How do you sell – without reducing the

price?price? How do you minimize/eliminate possible How do you minimize/eliminate possible

buyer objections?buyer objections? How do you appeal to the first-time home How do you appeal to the first-time home

buyer/female buyer?buyer/female buyer?

Single Women: Single Women: Fast Growing Segment Fast Growing Segment

of the Home Buying Marketof the Home Buying Market

First-Time Home Buyer First-Time Home Buyer MarketMarket

Nearly 40% of Nearly 40% of recent sales were recent sales were first time home first time home buyersbuyers

Lawrence Yun, Chief Lawrence Yun, Chief Economist of NAR, Economist of NAR, stated the tax credit stated the tax credit is is having “the having “the intended impact of intended impact of bringing buyers into bringing buyers into the marketthe market.” .”

Extension is likelyExtension is likely

Target Marketing for Target Marketing for Your HomeYour Home

First Time Homebuyers: Single women, men and First Time Homebuyers: Single women, men and young couplesyoung couples

Downsizing couplesDownsizing couples The Efficiency ExpertThe Efficiency Expert The EntertainerThe Entertainer The “Family First” BuyerThe “Family First” Buyer The “Green” BuyerThe “Green” Buyer The Multi-Tasking MomThe Multi-Tasking Mom The Luxury BuyerThe Luxury Buyer Making sure your home appeals to your “most Making sure your home appeals to your “most

likely” buyerlikely” buyer

It’s a Great Time to Sell – It’s a Great Time to Sell – If You’re PreparedIf You’re Prepared

First-time homebuyers tax credit may get First-time homebuyers tax credit may get extended (and may increase to $15,000 and extended (and may increase to $15,000 and may go beyond just first time homebuyers)may go beyond just first time homebuyers)

Mortgage rates are historically lowMortgage rates are historically low More buyers looking online – greater ability More buyers looking online – greater ability

for your house to be foundfor your house to be found Home sellers have control: Control over the Home sellers have control: Control over the

price…and control over how the property price…and control over how the property lookslooks

Staging Your HomeStaging Your HomeGives You the EdgeGives You the Edge

Staging your home will help you to appeal Staging your home will help you to appeal to the widest range of buyerto the widest range of buyer

Why? Staging is about preparing your Why? Staging is about preparing your house for sale – so that it appeals to many house for sale – so that it appeals to many buyers – not just YOUbuyers – not just YOU

But I love my 2,000 knickknacks, teal wall-But I love my 2,000 knickknacks, teal wall-to-wall carpet and pink rose wallpaperto-wall carpet and pink rose wallpaper

How many people have furniture that will How many people have furniture that will go with it?go with it?

Stage it Before You List ItStage it Before You List It…Not After You’ve Shown It…Not After You’ve Shown It

First Impressions: If You First Impressions: If You Can’t See It – You Can’t Sell Can’t See It – You Can’t Sell

ItIt

First Impressions Should be First Impressions Should be GreatGreat

Curb Appeal is CriticalCurb Appeal is Critical Buyers make up their minds in 10 Buyers make up their minds in 10

seconds, as they are pulling into your seconds, as they are pulling into your drivewaydriveway

- Mow…weed…plant…clean…sweep- Mow…weed…plant…clean…sweep - New welcome mat- New welcome mat - Paint your front door and shutters etc- Paint your front door and shutters etc - Make it memorable!- Make it memorable! - If first impressions are not favorable – - If first impressions are not favorable –

the buyers won’t ring the doorbellthe buyers won’t ring the doorbell - If online pictures look bad – no calls- If online pictures look bad – no calls

If You Can Smell It…If You Can Smell It…You Can’t Sell ItYou Can’t Sell It

Story of the house flipper and his Story of the house flipper and his beautifully redone investment beautifully redone investment property – with mildewproperty – with mildew

PetsPets SmokingSmoking Ethnic cookingEthnic cooking Make sure you neutralize before Make sure you neutralize before

listinglisting

Staging Isn’t…Staging Isn’t…

Making a house look pretty and ignoring Making a house look pretty and ignoring things that really need to be donethings that really need to be done

Tying ribbons around your towels, Tying ribbons around your towels, lighting candles, playing soft music and lighting candles, playing soft music and displaying floral arrangementsdisplaying floral arrangements

About decoratingAbout decorating About YOU …your tastes…your realityAbout YOU …your tastes…your reality About making you comfortable and About making you comfortable and

happyhappy

It’s Not About Your It’s Not About Your “Comfort”“Comfort”

It’s Not About Your It’s Not About Your Personal PreferencesPersonal Preferences

Staging Is…Staging Is…

Showing the buyer a Showing the buyer a cleanclean and and organizedorganized homehome

Helping the buyerHelping the buyer visualize visualize themselvesthemselves living thereliving there

Free of personal items: Family photos Free of personal items: Family photos prevent the buyer from mentally moving inprevent the buyer from mentally moving in

Neutral decor: Strong colors and highly Neutral decor: Strong colors and highly personal decorating tastes prevent the buyer personal decorating tastes prevent the buyer from seeing themselves in your homefrom seeing themselves in your home

How You Live in a Home & How You Live in a Home & How You Sell it are Two How You Sell it are Two

Different ThingsDifferent Things

Staging Is…Staging Is…

Preparing your home so that it appeals to Preparing your home so that it appeals to the widest range of the widest range of buyerbuyer

Defining the space –Defining the space –showingshowing the buyerthe buyer how to live in the homehow to live in the home

Improving your home – doing upgrades Improving your home – doing upgrades that are in line with your neighborhood that are in line with your neighborhood and the price of your home. A deferred and the price of your home. A deferred decision = a price deductiondecision = a price deduction

Showing the room’s key features – Showing the room’s key features – highlighting its assetshighlighting its assets

Staging Is…Staging Is…

Creating a home that is uncluttered Creating a home that is uncluttered and sereneand serene

Creating a mood…Fashioning a Creating a mood…Fashioning a dreamdream

Giving prospective buyers an idea of Giving prospective buyers an idea of how beautiful their lives could be if how beautiful their lives could be if they buy your homethey buy your home

Creating a home that buyers will want Creating a home that buyers will want to linger in…& make an offerto linger in…& make an offer

Remove Clutter: First & Remove Clutter: First & ForemostForemost

A Beautiful Uncluttered A Beautiful Uncluttered DisplayDisplay

The Quality & Number of The Quality & Number of Offers You Receive are Offers You Receive are

Direct Reflections of the Direct Reflections of the Perceived Condition of Your Perceived Condition of Your

HomeHome

Closets Tell the Buyer How Closets Tell the Buyer How Well-Cared For Your Home Well-Cared For Your Home

IsIs

RealityReality

The DreamThe Dream

Kitchens and Baths Sell the Kitchens and Baths Sell the HomeHome

Kitchens should be the #1 room you Kitchens should be the #1 room you improve and stage. Great kitchens improve and stage. Great kitchens sell!sell!

Master baths, powder rooms and Master baths, powder rooms and secondary bathrooms are key rooms secondary bathrooms are key rooms to improve in order to facilitate the to improve in order to facilitate the sale sale

BeforeBefore

DuringDuring

AfterAfter

The Reality…The Reality…

Before staging: Dated 70s kitchenBefore staging: Dated 70s kitchen

The Dream…The Dream…

After Staging: Light, clean, move-in readyAfter Staging: Light, clean, move-in ready

BeforeBefore

AfterAfter

Our Kitchen BeforeOur Kitchen Before

Before…Before…

Our Kitchen AfterOur Kitchen After

Before: Not memorableBefore: Not memorable

After: A Mantle to After: A Mantle to RememberRemember

Before…Before…

After…After…

Focal Points are Focal Points are ImportantImportant

Play up your home’s best featuresPlay up your home’s best features Focal points will be remembered by the buyerFocal points will be remembered by the buyer Your home will stand out from the competitionYour home will stand out from the competition

Before: Dated Furnishings, Before: Dated Furnishings, Artwork, Carpet, Lighting & Artwork, Carpet, Lighting &

Wall ColorWall Color

After: New paint color, After: New paint color, wood flooring, simple art wood flooring, simple art

and accessoriesand accessories

Staging SecretStaging Secret

A home should not reveal…A home should not reveal… The gender of the ownerThe gender of the owner The age of the ownerThe age of the owner The religion of the ownerThe religion of the owner Any distress on the part of the Any distress on the part of the

sellerseller Avoid anything controversialAvoid anything controversial

Selling Your House When Selling Your House When It’s VacantIt’s Vacant

Vacant HousesVacant Houses Are “soulless” and leave the buyer Are “soulless” and leave the buyer

wondering about how to use the spacewondering about how to use the space Make the buyer wonder if their furniture Make the buyer wonder if their furniture

will fit in the spacewill fit in the space Allow the buyer to focus in on every Allow the buyer to focus in on every

single flawsingle flaw Foster a cold feeling for the buyerFoster a cold feeling for the buyer Do not promote the buyer to “linger”Do not promote the buyer to “linger” Only 10% of the population has the Only 10% of the population has the

“vision” to imagine “what could be”“vision” to imagine “what could be”

Design Secret: Make Your Design Secret: Make Your Rooms Seem TallRooms Seem Tall

Use Neutral ColorsUse Neutral Colors

““All it needs is a little All it needs is a little paint” - Little Edie Beale of paint” - Little Edie Beale of

Grey GardensGrey Gardens

Neutral Colors I SuggestNeutral Colors I Suggest

BM Monroe Beige (warm beige)BM Monroe Beige (warm beige) BM Grant Beige (sophisticated BM Grant Beige (sophisticated

neutral, with a slight teal/blue neutral, with a slight teal/blue overcast): Great Bedroom Colorovercast): Great Bedroom Color

BM Shaker Beige: An Interior BM Shaker Beige: An Interior Designer Favorite. Designer Favorite.

Ceilings – Never white. Use a cream Ceilings – Never white. Use a cream like BM OC-94, which is also great for like BM OC-94, which is also great for trimtrim

Eliminate Excess…Eliminate Excess…& Re-Arrange Furniture& Re-Arrange Furniture

Will make your rooms more spaciousWill make your rooms more spacious Try putting some pieces on the Try putting some pieces on the

diagonal – it can help widen a room diagonal – it can help widen a room while it gives interestwhile it gives interest

Extra chairs, chests etc should be put Extra chairs, chests etc should be put away – you want to sell the space…not away – you want to sell the space…not the stuff. Spacious rooms SELL!the stuff. Spacious rooms SELL!

It costs nothing to do this…except It costs nothing to do this…except timetime

BeforeBefore

AfterAfter

Lighting Is ImportantLighting Is Important

At least 3 sources of light in each roomAt least 3 sources of light in each room Lights on throughout the houseLights on throughout the house Curtains and blinds should be open Curtains and blinds should be open

(except of a view that is undesirable)(except of a view that is undesirable) Get rid of vertical blinds, if possible. If Get rid of vertical blinds, if possible. If

not – at least open them completely to not – at least open them completely to let light inlet light in

Eliminate heavy draperies; Sheers are Eliminate heavy draperies; Sheers are bestbest

So…Stage Your HomeSo…Stage Your Home

Thank you for attending the Thank you for attending the seminar!seminar!

Go forth…and stage!Go forth…and stage!