Turning potential buyers into buyers with home staging

If you are selling a property, home staging is an option. You hire a professional company to prepare your apartment or house in such a way that prospective buyers can easily imagine living there. Thanks to this “homeliness”, the marketing time is ideally shortened and you can achieve a higher sales price.

What is home staging?

Home staging is about professionally furnishing properties for marketing purposes. The motto here is “there is no second chance to make a first impression”. During the property viewing, prospective buyers should get a positive impression and be able to imagine living in the property.

According to surveys, only around 20% of people are even able to imagine a room with furnishings that do not resemble the existing furnishings, so you can use home staging to create interesting impulses. Because this tasteful, modern design of the property gives the potential buyer ideas without already suggesting an entire interior design.

The idea is to provide a neutral but cozy background for the home furnishings. This includes, for example, kitchen utensils, towels in the bathroom, bouquets of flowers, cushions and possibly also some furniture. It is also possible to prepare the exterior of the property during home staging. Gardeners and other experts help with this.

There are rules for home staging that are intended to guarantee that the majority of potential buyers feel addressed:

• As the seller, you should distance yourself from the property and realize that it no longer has to suit your taste
• The property should be tidy and well-maintained, which also applies to the front door, house number, letterbox, specifications and entrance area
• Every room should be cleaned and in pristine condition
• A fresh, neutral coat of paint serves as a canvas for the introduction of interested parties
• Furniture, lights and accessories should be contemporary
• The furnishings should be neutral and contain no religious, political or erotic symbols
• Furniture and accessories should be optimally positioned and not dominate the room

As soon as you advertise your property, it’s time for home staging. This means you can also take photos for the exposé with a beautiful, modern look. The property is also ready for viewings and can be marketed as quickly as possible.

What are the advantages of home staging?

Home staging gives you as the seller the great advantage of having your property presented by professionals in a contemporary, appealing and neutral light. This allows you to generate interest among potential customers and reach a large target group.

The advantage of home staging for the customer is that they can visualize the possible furnishings and room proportions very well thanks to the neutral furnishings. The property looks much more attractive and inspires even during the viewing.

The home staging itself is usually carried out by a professional company. They will ask you as the seller about the target group and design the house accordingly. For example, rooms can be decorated as children’s rooms or home offices to give potential customers an impulse.

Thanks to professional support, your property will be given a room concept that takes existing colors and design patterns into account. In the USA, this is already common practice for almost every second property that is sold. In Switzerland, the home staging concept has only been around for about 15 years. However, this has the further advantage for you that you stand out from the competition and can therefore also achieve a higher purchase price.

A survey of US real estate agents has shown that home staging shortens the selling time by up to a third. In addition, thanks to the attractive presentation, a sales price can be achieved that is 10 to 15% higher than initially planned.

Are you convinced and would like to take advantage of home staging? Feel free to contact us! As a proptech startup, we work for you across the entire residential ecosystem and can recommend a specialized home staging company in your area.

When does it not work?

Although home staging offers many advantages, it also has limitations. For example, if you have not set aside a budget for incidental purchase costs, the only option is DIY home staging, which often does not produce quite as good results as the professional version. Nevertheless, when selling a house, you should always make sure that the property is presented in the best possible condition.

Furthermore, home staging cannot be used to justify an inflated price. While it is sometimes conceivable to achieve a higher price than expected, this also depends on your starting price for the house sale. You can therefore expect many advantages from home staging, but at the same time no miracles.

By the way: Most home staging companies also undertake minor repair work. This way, you can save yourself the trouble of hiring a tradesman. For houses in poor condition, however, home staging is only possible after a thorough renovation. Home staging cannot and will not cover up deficiencies such as mold or damp walls, so the condition of your property is still your responsibility.

How high are the costs?

Home staging has different prices in Switzerland. However, you will normally receive a free introductory meeting during which the team will get to know your property on site and advise you on possible home staging measures.

The costs vary depending on whether repair work is required and whether furniture is rented. Bear in mind that rental furniture and plants remain in the property for up to three months on average and that you bear the monthly costs. If the sale takes place more quickly, the rental costs are naturally reduced.

Compare the different offers before deciding on a home staging company. The following rough guidelines will help you to get an idea of the home staging costs:

• 30 francs per square meter that is decorated
• Participation package for properties that are still occupied: from CHF 650
• Package for an empty property: from 1,000 francs

If you also book a photographer or other services, home staging becomes a little more expensive. On the other hand, the investment is worthwhile if you achieve a higher purchase price. A good estate agent can advise you accordingly – we will be happy to recommend an expert in your area!

Let us help you find a tenant – contact our estate agents now!

All data are without guarantee. The information on these Internet pages has been carefully researched. Nevertheless, no liability can be assumed for the accuracy of the information provided.