STYLING is key to selling homes faster and for more in a tough real estate market, according to a staging expert.
Perth Style Company managing director Sara James, who helps agents and developers including West Coast Eagles midfielder Jack Redden present properties, said seven projects were under offer within 14 days of listing last quarter.
“We style and stage homes for sale in order to create a strong marketing campaign for the home through brilliant visuals and eye-catching concepts,” she said.
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READ NOW“These days, buyers have seen the entire property online before they see it in reality, so the styling needs to not only entice people to view the photos online, but also attend the home opens in person where our use of props and styling tools then creates that emotional connection.
“Our styled projects measure, on average, 28-32 days on the market therefore it is evident that the styling helped to create a beautiful connection between a homebuyer and the property in a difficult Perth property market.”
Ms James said the interiors of a well-styled property should be simple yet effective.
“Less is more is certainly my mantra,” she said.
“Keeping colours calm and the floor plan minimal are the fundamentals to a beautifully styled space.”
Ms James shared her top tips to set your home apart from the competition.
Spend on your “wow” areas
If you have a dated kitchen, for example, don’t highlight it. Instead, find another space you can showcase to attract buyers, such as a great alfresco zone or a large back yard with a pool area that’s wonderful for entertaining. Allocate your budget to gardening, cushions and modern outdoor settings to style it for maximum attention.
Consider your bedrooms
If your bedrooms are big and can add value to your sales campaign, use queen beds to accentuate room size. If they’re small, find another area of the home to be the show-stopping conversation point. Also, convert the smallest bedroom into a study. If there is a small bedroom at the front of the home, transform it into a home office.
Create family areas
Creating “zones” is an easy and effective way to showcase a family home. Multiple TV areas or living spaces demonstrate to growing families that the home has longevity, with an array of areas for kids to play or even a quiet spot for parents to relax.
Reduce clutter
If your home is on the lock-and-leave scale, emphasise it is easy care by minimising clutter and creating clean sleek lines.