Thursday, May 15, 2014

How Home Sellers Leave $$$ on the table


Educating home sellers is one of my most rewarding aspects of representing the home staging profession.   Home sellers may not be aware how to increase, or most importantly, protect their home equity they have already invested prior to selling.  Let’s take a look of ways sellers discourage serious buyers from  investing time and further interest in their properties:

1.        Unattractive Curb appeal   
The posted For Sale sign brings attention to your neighbourhood and property.  Tidy the yard and gardens, remove out-of-season décor, add seasonal foliage that will add both interest and colour, and remove any debris including obvious tools, recycling bins, outdated or worn garden features.   Repair or replace broken fences.

2.       Leaving a home ‘naked’ or ‘vacant’.
  Although it may be impeccably clean, buyers will focus on the negatives of empty spaces and find faults.  More importantly, only 20% of buyers can envision their furniture in an empty space.  The other 80% will be influenced by homes that are furnished and appealing to the senses.  Leaving a property completely vacant is a sure way to leave your $$$ on the table.

3.       Consulting a designer friend to ‘stage’ your home.
  Interior designers ‘design’ with the emphasis of the decorating preferences for 1 family or individual.  Experienced home stagers style homes to appeal to the mainstream of potential buyers so a greater audience will be drawn to your home. 

4.       Selling privately.
 This is a personal choice and can be appealing to some degree.  However, the legal implications for the inexperienced home seller compared to the knowledge of a professional real estate agent will outweigh any unforeseen consequences.  Unless you are a marketing expert in real estate, leave it to the pros. 

5.        Over up-grading your home or implementing no up-grades and selling as is.
 A definite way to leave $$$ on the table.  

6.       Unprofessional photography of your home’s interior spaces and exterior curb appeal.  
What is the quality of images you or your agent wish to convey – professional or unprofessional?  A picture is worth a thousand words.  Reaction to what is displayed will be instantaneous to the immediate interest to view your home with an onsite visit.


There are so many other deterrents how to leave $$$ on the table when selling your home – outdated furniture and fixtures, outdated flooring, DIRT,  poor furniture layouts, too much ‘stuff’,  multiple or no functions for the use of a space,  more than one focal point, etc.

This is only the tip of the iceberg how to leave $$$ on the table when selling a home or property.  Need to have a further discussion with actual statistics and a visual presentation to improve your home equity, schedule a consultation with an experienced property stylist or home stager.  Many real estate agents in your local area can recommend one that can meet your needs.

Beware generic lists to improve your home’s presentation are not customized or tailored for your specific needs. 

“Ideas are easy. Implementation is hard.” 
 –Guy Kawasaki, Alltop Co-Founder and Entrepreneur


Cheryl Trudell, Lead Property Stylist of Home Staging 4 Success provides both home sellers and real estate professionals  ‘one stop’ staging services to fit the needs of clients (estate sales, home builders, vacant or occupied homes, rental properties, investors, home sellers and buyers)  with her team encompassing handymen, renovators, painters, re-organizers, movers, garbage disposal, , professional home and window cleaners,  furniture/home décor/ and artwork rentals,  professional home stagers and interior designing.  Contact Cheryl@hs4s.ca to schedule a consultation.

10 tips to sell your home - Style At Home

10 tips to sell your home - Style At Home