Home staging : The art of selling an appartment!
Home staging—have you heard of it before? It could be defined as the art of selling a property. Does that ring a bell? In this article, we tell you everything about this technique and even share some valuable tips.
What is home staging?
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Home staging : what is it ?
For many years, the real estate market has been very tight, and it is difficult to sell a property. In order to stand out from the competition and optimize the chances of selling a property, whether it's an apartment or a house, a technique has emerged: it is called home staging. This technique simply involves enhancing the property's appeal in order to sell it; the expression 'home staging' can literally be translated as 'real estate valorization.' As you may have understood, the principle is to draw the potential buyer's attention to the property's strengths in order to provoke a purchase.
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Home staging : where does it come from?
It is a concept that originated in the United States during the 1970s due to the real estate crisis and quickly spread to some Northern European countries, such as Sweden and Great Britain. This practice is credited to interior designer Barbara Schwarz, who began using her decorating skills to enhance the properties of her husband's real estate agency, which was facing difficulties. She then started decorating and staging the houses that were up for sale, and it was a success. Since then, it has become a widely used practice.
Home staging : application !
You’ve understood, home staging is a marketing tool designed to promote the sale of a property. It involves making a property attractive to seduce potential buyers and create an emotional connection. In fact, it’s often said that when selling a property, the buyer makes a decision within the first 90 seconds of the visit. Home staging, therefore, aims to trigger that emotional connection. Unlike interior decoration, it does not involve rethinking the entire space or undertaking major renovations. As mentioned earlier, the sole purpose of home staging is to enhance a property at a low cost.
Example of Home Staging
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Entrusting your property to a home staging professional
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Calling on a home staging professional
TV shows like "Maison à vendre" with Stéphane Plaza and Sophie Ferjani, which you are probably familiar with and which helped popularize home staging in France, have generated a great deal of interest among individuals looking to highlight their property. It is now possible to hire professionals for this purpose. In fact, it is very common for these professionals to work directly with real estate agencies. Their job involves visiting the property for sale to create an assessment, highlighting the areas that need improvement to facilitate the sale. These professionals are often paid a percentage of the property's selling price. More and more schools are offering training in this practice, and real estate agencies are developing new tools, especially digital ones, such as home staging software, which extends the use of home staging to the virtual realm by presenting a before/after comparison to visualize the property before and after the home staging process.
Our tips for successful home staging to showcase your property!
First home staging tip: Declutter the rooms
This first point is very important. It is essential to have an airy space that allows for easy movement without obstacles. Leave about 70 to 80 cm of clearance in the room to ensure smooth traffic flow. Having an open, uncluttered space also allows potential buyers to envision themselves in the home, as they can see how much room they have for their own furniture. This helps them better imagine how the space will work for their lifestyle, making it more likely they’ll fall in love with the property.
Désencombrer les pièces
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Faire des petites réparations
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Second home staging tip : Harmonize the overall space
To attract potential buyers, it is highly recommended to adopt a neutral approach to harmonize the entire space. For instance, opting for white paint rather than a brightly colored wall is a good strategy. Neutral tones create a calm and timeless atmosphere, allowing buyers to easily envision their own style and furnishings in the space. This approach helps to emphasize the property's features without overwhelming the viewer, making it more versatile and appealing to a wide range of tastes.
Third home staging tip : Depersonalize the space
To help potential buyers visualize themselves before purchasing the property, it is recommended to depersonalize the space. The goal is to avoid making the presence of the previous occupants too obvious. To achieve this, simply remove personal items such as family photos or other souvenirs, for example. This allows buyers to focus on the space itself and imagine how they could make it their own.
Fourth home staging tip : Make small repairs
At a low cost, it’s possible to make small repairs that will reassure the buyer. Small issues can leave a negative impression of the property and discourage potential buyers. I’m thinking specifically of water leaks, marks on the walls, or faulty switches and outlets. It's important to minimize these small issues, which don’t require major work but could unfortunately discourage a buyer from committing. These minor repairs will give a good impression to the buyer regarding how well you’ve taken care of your property, and as a result, they’ll feel more reassured and confident in making an offer.
Fifth home staging tip : Revise the decor
Note that we are not talking about major renovations that would require a significant budget, but rather a small makeover at a low cost to enhance the look of the room. For example, why not add a few stylish mirrors to create the illusion of a larger and brighter space? Or even replace that old chandelier? One or two key pieces can completely change the atmosphere and add character without creating a decor that feels too personal.
Small, thoughtful changes can make a big difference, improving the overall appeal of the property without requiring a large investment.
Sixth home staging tio : Don’t neglet the exterior
Indeed, the exterior appearance also plays a significant role in the overall image your property will convey. Therefore, special attention should be given to the aesthetics and cleanliness of the outdoor spaces (balcony, garden, driveway leading to the entrance). The more welcoming these areas are, the more likely you are to attract potential buyers. A well-maintained exterior creates a positive first impression and can greatly increase the chances of making a sale!
Home staging and exteriors
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Bonus : The case of studios and small spaces
The case of studios and small spaces is quite unique, as the goal is for one single room to serve all functions: bedroom, kitchen, dining room, and living room. And for this, even though it may cost more than simply changing the curtains in the living room, nothing works better than a custom-made multifunctional piece of furniture. The space will then seem much larger because there will be a storage place for everything. Moreover, the room can transform throughout the day (for example, a pull-down bed, a folding table, etc.). And if one doesn't want to invest in custom-made furniture, there's always the option of modular furniture (basic cubes from Leroy Merlin or Ikea, arranged cleverly to adapt to the space), which just requires a little more thought, or the help of an interior designer. The optimization might not be the same, but at least the buyer will be able to visualize it.
Home staging : Application for each room
In a home, each room has a well-defined function, and the role of home staging is to ensure that each room properly serves its intended function. Therefore, we suggest looking in more detail at the principle of applying home staging room by room.
The kitchen: In this room, often subjected to daily tasks, everything starts with a thorough cleaning and also a major decluttering! It is very important that the kitchen is as clear as possible, so to avoid visual clutter, we will store all items in drawers and boxes. Then, for example, we can modernize the furniture by repainting it and changing the handles, and we can also consider repainting the backsplash or covering it with adhesive film. In short, the kitchen should have a spotless countertop, and the furniture should be used for storage. If the space is large enough, you can also have a dining table, and nothing else!
Home staging & Kitchen
The living room: Just like in the rest of the house, the first step here will be to get rid of overly personal items that often pile up in this room (family photos, magazines, TV guides, etc.). Don’t hesitate to repaint the walls white if they weren’t already, and opt for light colors to create a bright living room. You can also consider updating the sofa by adding trendier cushions and throws. The living room should be comfortable without being cluttered.
Home staging & Living Room
The bathroom: Just like the kitchen, this room must be spotless: tidy, clean, and free of signs of wear and tear. For example, you could replace the ventilation system (VMC), the shower curtain, or check the faucets if they are too worn. And, most importantly, if mold stains have appeared due to humidity, it is crucial to address this issue before potential buyers visit.
Home staging & Bathroom
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Les chambres : Toujours rangées et dépersonnalisées, mais elles doivent aussi et surtout conserver leur fonction. Par exemple si d'anciennes chambres d'enfants sont devenues avec le temps des salles sans fonction définies qui font à la fois office de bureau, dressing, salle de sport ou autre, il est conseillé de lui redonner la fonction de chambre. Il est également conseillé de neutraliser au maximum les chambres d'enfants pour que les acheteurs puissent se projeter avec leurs propres enfants peu importe leur âge. Il sera difficile par exemple pour un adolescent de se projeter dans une chambre de bébé.
Home staging & Bedroom
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In short, you need to put yourself in the shoes of the buyer and understand who the typical buyer is (young couple with children? Retirees? Students?), and arrange the rooms accordingly.
The result of home staging
So now, let's take a look: does home staging actually work? To answer this, we looked at some figures that illustrate the results of this practice. First, it is believed that 90% of real estate purchases are made after a 'coup de cœur' (a strong emotional reaction). This 'coup de cœur' is greatly enhanced by the home staging process. Additionally, agencies such as Faim or Century 21 confirm that the average time to sell a property is around 130 days under normal circumstances, but for properties that have been enhanced through home staging, this average is reduced to 19.5 days. Furthermore, a study shows that the average price negotiation rate for a property is between 8.7% and 11.42%, while for properties that have undergone home staging, this percentage drops to 3.42%. Overall, it is often said that the budget allocated to the home staging phase should not exceed 1 or 2% of the total price of the property and represents an investment that can sell the property up to 5 times faster.
Now, home staging holds no secrets for you! We hope these little tips will be helpful. Feel free to give us feedback (on Instagram or by email) to let us know if you've already sold a property using this method or, on the contrary, if you're experiencing difficulties selling your property.