Sell a Lifestyle, not a House!
10 Reasons For Creating A Lifestyle Look When Staging
When selling a home, first impressions really matter. Potential buyers often make snap judgments when viewing a property - often within moments of entry. These first thoughts have a big impact on a buyer’s overall decision.
A few years ago I was looking for a townhouse. My real estate agent had set up a mid-morning appointment for a viewing. It was February and it was cold. It had snowed. When we approached the home I wanted to see, I noticed a lot of accumulated snow around the house and that the walkway and steps leading to the front door had not been cleared. It was treacherous to get to the door. I then noticed significant wear and tear at the front door.
My agent was ahead of me and rang the doorbell when I mentioned that I no longer wanted to see the home and didn’t even want to go inside. I turned back while she explained to the seller that I had changed my mind. Later she asked why I turned around. I explained that if sellers couldn’t even clear the front steps of snow that had fallen days before the appointment I could not be sure they would have maintained the home properly.
First impressions matter!
Selling a home in today's competitive market involves more than just listing it for sale. It's about ~
creating a memorable experience that captures the attention of potential buyers
showcasing a desirable lifestyle
evoking emotions that linger and influence a buying decision
differentiating from your competition
Sell a Dream…
Have you ever wondered why some homes receive multiple offers while others remain unsold? What is their secret…?!The secret lies in staging your home by showcasing a desirable lifestyle. This strategy is a mix of highlighting certain spaces, stir emotional connections, and standing out among other listings. Lifestyle staging goes beyond aesthetics. It involves psychological and emotional
Here are the top 10 reasons why incorporating lifestyle staging can make your home stand out in the real estate market and inspire buyers to see their ideal life within your walls.
1. The All-Important Emotional Connection
Buying a house is so much more than buying a property, arranging for a mortgage, putting down a down payment, etc. Buying a home is an emotional journey. Buyers are looking for a place where they can live their lives. A place where they can put roots down and raise their family. A place to entertain family and friends. A place to make memories that last a lifetime.
By staging your home with a particular lifestyle in mind, or several lifestyle references, you allow the buyer to see themselves in your space. Thoughtfully staged spaces can stir emotions. Think of a cozy reading corner to curl up in wintertime, a stylish home office, or a vibrant family room. Any of these spaces will give the buyer the feeling your home is exactly that: a home, a place to live in, and not a house or four walls with a roof on top…
2. Show Your Home’s Potential
Poorly furnished spaces or empty rooms leave a lot to your buyer’s imagination and often fail to show the possibilities of your home. Lifestyle staging can prevent this by emphasizing the functionality and potential of each space. It also allows you to stage a variety of lifestyles to a broader range of buyers with different needs and desires. For instance, a basement can be shown as a games room or even a home theatre, rather than sitting empty. An extra bedroom can be staged as a nursery to appeal to young families or as a guest room for a professional couple.
3. The Beauty of Architectural Features & Special Spaces
When staging your home you want to emphasize interesting features and spaces. Lifestyle staging is perfect for this. What if you have a gourmet kitchen or luxurious master suite?! Or, your property has a spacious backyard?! You want to make sure that viewers notice these spaces. That they spend time in them. And, you can do that by creating seating areas in your yard or placing fragrant flowers in the master suite.
If your house has beautiful casings, crown moldings, and baseboards, draw attention to them by placing furniture away from the walls and emphasizing height with tall artwork or standing lamps. Make sure windows let in plenty of natural light by removing heavy drapes and replacing them with lighter ones or none at all. In general, you want to keep the colours light. Light coloured spaces look bigger and fresh. In short, make sure special features or spaces are not overlooked but visible and staged gently!
4. Beat The Competition
Depending on the time of the year, the economic circumstances, and your local real estate market, selling can be a competitive business! This type of market requires more marketing, more attention to staging, and more work. You want to make sure you stand out from your competition so it’s your home that gets the offers, and that sells the quickest even if it is late on the market! Good staging is the secret to doing just that! Especially by using lifestyle staging, your home will look and feel different from others in your neighbourhood. It will be more unique and tailored to a buyer’s needs or dreams. Potential buyers will remember it! They will spend more time viewing your home, thus increasing the likelihood of an offer.
5. Increased Perceived Value
When something is well-maintained and looks good, people will perceive it to be more valuable. It is just human nature. Therefore if you stage your house strategically and with care by showing a variety of lifestyle looks, you are more likely to receive solid offers and have a quicker sale.
Staging with a lifestyle look will make your home look more luxurious; the viewing will be a good experience for potential buyers and it will be easy for them to imagine themselves living in it. Your home will also look move-in-ready (and, of course, in many ways it is!) and has a good chance of aligning itself with a buyer’s aspirations.
Another thing: buyers will feel a sense of urgency to place offers. After all, many people will feel similarly and are know that others have the same thoughts and feelings.
6. Appeal to Your Target Audience
Understanding your future buyer’s demographic and psychographic profile makes a big difference when creating an effective lifestyle look. Whether it's young professionals looking for a modern urban loft or families in search of a spacious suburban home, staging your home to reflect their desired lifestyle can help attract the right buyers. For example, a home in a trendy urban neighborhood might be staged with modern furniture, vibrant artwork, and tech-savvy features to attract young professionals. Conversely, a suburban family home might feature comfortable, durable furnishings, and child-friendly spaces. Tailoring the staging to the target market ensures that the home resonates with the most likely buyers.
