How Staging Can Sell Your Luxury Home Faster and For More

The world of Evanston real estate can be a complicated one, and when you embark on the process of selling your luxury home, there's a lot to consider. From determining the correct listing price to marketing your home to ensure a quick sale, the finer points can make all the difference when taking such a big step. Before you open up your home for showings, however, you will need to make sure that it is properly staged.

Staging a home is a step of the home selling process that is often overlooked, but it can make a big difference in how quickly your home sells and how much you sell it for. Staging allows your home to really shine and some research suggests that you can even make a bigger profit when you properly stage your home. The experts at Summerville Partners Real Estate have everything that you need to know about home staging, and how you can use it to your advantage when listing your home for sale.

While you might find the right buyer out of the gate without any effort at all, even the hottest real estate market usually necessitates that your home is properly prepared for listing. This is where staging comes in. Home staging is usually done after you have completed any pre-listing renovations to your home and property and have determined a listing price.

Staging itself is the process of rearranging furniture and accessories so that your home looks its best. It also frequently involves bringing in new decor items, such as furniture and art. The idea behind staging a home is to help potential buyers imagine themselves in the space by creating an updated, modern look. Done well, staging will help to "neutralize" your home, creating a canvas for buyers to experience anew.

Many sellers choose to work with a professional crew for their home staging. This can often be organized through your realtor, who can recommend whether your home might benefit from this service or if it is something that can be done with a single expert. Whether you work with a crew, a single staging expert, or choose to make the updates yourself with the advice of your realtor, there are certain key elements you should focus on when staging your home.

It is normal and ideal for your home to reflect your taste. However, when staging your home, you will need to think of ways to de-personalize the space. This includes taking down family photos, removing any extremely eclectic art, and putting away knick-knacks and home decor elements that are particularly personalized. This is all to help potential buyers see themselves in the home and imagine ways that they will be able to put their unique touches on the space. While it might not be possible to remove every family photo from the walls, consider taking down the most eye-catching statement pieces that might detract from the overall vision a buyer could have for your property.

If your home is large or if it seems like too much of a chore to stage the entire home, you can focus on the common areas that tend to attract the most attention. Here are the primary areas that you should consider staging:

Adjust this list to include any areas that are a focal point in your home. For example, if you have a kitchen that is on the smaller side, but an impressive, substantial dining room, you should definitely consider staging the dining room as well, so that the entire area can really shine.

Furniture is often used to make a room more comfortable and is not necessarily utilized to showcase all of a room's best qualities. However, when staging your home, the opposite holds true. Furniture should generally be faced toward a room's focal point, such as the TV or fireplace, and should allow visitors (AKA prospective buyers) to be able to walk comfortably through the room without having to squeeze through any tight spaces.

You should also look at the rug placement in your home to make sure there aren't any bulky rugs that ruin how rooms "flow" into each other. While you might love the look of a bright accent rug, consider that future buyers might not see your vision – and when in doubt, roll the rug up and place it into storage while you prepare your home for showings.

Lighting can make all the difference in your luxury home, from highlighting your home's best features to showing off a beautiful new coat of paint. When considering the lighting in your home, you can take into account both natural and artificial lighting, since both can serve unique staging purposes.

Finally, any very dark rooms or areas in the space should be "lightened" up wherever possible. You can do this by utilizing a tall lamp or by using light-colored furniture or accessories in those areas to naturally draw the eye and create a brighter atmosphere.

While the bulk of the staging process should focus on the interior of your home, it's important not to neglect the outside of your home. Before you start showing the property, make sure that the lawn is mowed and that any shrubbery is trimmed and properly manicured. If you have an opportunity to bring your landscapers in before officially listing your home, see if some flowers that complement your home's color scheme can be planted.

If you have a pool or patio area in the backyard, you can focus on creating interesting vignettes that highlight those areas. Don't neglect the entryway, either, since that area is often the one that offers up the first impression potential buyers will have of your home. One of the best ways to add life to your entryway is by putting a fresh coat of paint on your front door and by adding a new doormat to the front stoop.

There are other things to consider when staging your home, such as minimizing clutter and making sure that your paint colors flow well from room to room. If you have any questions about how to prioritize your home staging projects, get in touch with your realtor. The right realtor can help you understand what the most elements to consider might be and how you can ensure that your home is presented in the best possible light.

Staging your home can be an emotional process since it requires you to take down many of your personal effects. Still, staging is well worth the effort, since it can help you make more money. According to data published by Forbes, a 2021 survey revealed that 23% of agents said that home staging led to increased offers between 1% and 5% compared to similar homes that weren't staged. Additionally, staging can help your home sell faster, with Forbes reporting that homes that have been staged spend between 33% and 50% less time on the market.

If you want to expedite the selling of your luxury home, staging can be a very effective tool that helps you reach your goals and sell your home for the greatest profit.

No matter where you are at in the staging process, if you have started moving furniture around or are just thinking of how you can maximize the effectiveness of your home staging, working with the right realtor can make all the difference. If you want to work with a realtor who understands the intricacies of selling luxury real estate, contact Mary Summerville of Summerville Partners Real Estate.

With over 30 years of experience buying and selling luxury real estate, Mary Summerville has the longevity and adaptability that you want with the compassion and negotiation skills that you need. Mary has deep-seated roots in the Chicago area and is an expert in understanding the various neighborhoods in and around Chicago, including Evanston, Wilmette, Lincoln Park, and Edgewater. For all your luxury real estate needs, contact Mary Summerville and the Summerville Partners Real Estate team!