As adult children move away and demands on time lessen in retirement, many older adults find that they no longer want or need to live in a large residential home. This shift, as well as concerns about social isolation and future health needs, leads many seniors to explore senior living communities like Claridge Court.
Once a deposit has been made at a new senior living community, the process of selling one’s home begins. For a faster, and potentially more lucrative sale, many homeowners choose to stage their homes. This simple step can increase the final sales price of a home by about 5-10 percent. According to the Real Estate Staging Association, staged homes also sell about 73% faster than un-staged homes.
What is Home Staging?
Home staging is the process of preparing your home for the arrival of potential buyers. Home owners and home staging professionals essentially “set the stage” to encourage buyers to picture themselves in your space. This can include rearranging furniture, repainting, redecorating or even renting furniture pieces to strategically position around your home.
How Professionals Stage a Home
The most effective way to stage your home is to hire a professional. Professional home stagers can evaluate your home and design a plan to ensure your home lives up to its full potential. As previously stated, a modest investment in home staging can lead to significant results. Your real estate agent is also a good resource for advice on how to showcase your home’s best features.
Professional home stagers and agents will generally recommend the process discussed here, which may give you inspiration for staging your own home.
Pre-Staging
The pre-staging process is all about creating a fresh, well-maintained canvas that gives your home the opportunity to look its very best.
Be especially mindful of staging areas that are most important to buyers. According to a survey conducted by the National Association of Realtors, there were three specific rooms of a home that influenced their ultimate decision on whether to buy or simply browse. A streamlined and perfectly staged living room was considered the most important, followed by the master suite and then the kitchen.
- Declutter
Cherished heirlooms and large furniture items mean the world to us, but potential buyers have no emotional attachment to them. Look for ways to declutter your space by moving items to storage, donating them or giving them away to friends or family members. Decluttering a space can make it feel more open and inviting, and give the illusion of more space.
- Move, Rearrange or Discard
Take advantage of the staging process to begin downsizing your belongings. Many older adults who sell their family homes do so ahead of a move to a smaller footprint in a senior living community.
Consider putting away or rearranging personal effects such as family photos, toiletries and pet items so they are out of sight. Potential buyers can more easily envision their own belongings in this space when those of the current resident are tucked away.
- Repair or Replace
Ahead of your home’s listing, complete any necessary repairs or refinishing. This includes small adjustments such as attending to a leaking faucet, swapping out older light fixtures or covers, and refinishing floors and woodwork so it looks its best. Fresh paint in neutral colors can also make rooms feel larger and fresher.
Staging
When the canvas is prepared, the stage can be set. Strategically place furniture in a way that allows potential buyers to easily move from one space to another. The more open and airy the home feels, the better. Also be sure you have opened any blinds or drapes to showcase the home’s natural light.
Small touches can also go a long way to “wowing” potential buyers. Consider placing fresh cut flowers in bathrooms and fresh fruit in a stylish bowl in the kitchen. Subtle fragrances such as cinnamon or lavender can also be introduced into a space to appeal to potential buyers’ sense of smell. However, be sure the smell is not overpowering, as this may have the opposite effect!
Speak with a Move-in Coordinator at Claridge Court
At Claridge Court in Prairie Village, Kansas, our move-in coordinators seek to make the transition here as seamless as possible for our new residents. We offer sophisticated independent living options for residents that include access to numerous services, activities and amenities. This means our residents can spend more time simply enjoying this extraordinary chapter of their lives.
To learn more about the benefits of living at Claridge Court, or to learn more about our move-in coordination services, contact us.
