In short, absolutely! Whether it's a full home stage or just a partial one, it can make a huge difference in how potential buyers view your property. Home staging is particularly helpful for previous rental properties that would otherwise be photographed and shown empty. 

I recently sold a large 4 bedroom family home in Westlake, Halswell and I was very impressed with what a massive difference it made. I worked with Heather Russell from i Transform Homes and she absolutely nailed it. The property went live online (Trademe.co.nz, Realestate.co.nz and Harcourts.co.nz) on a Friday and after just two open homes that weekend with 28 parties through, the first offer was submitted Monday night. The owners accepted the first offer and the deadline was brought forward - we ended up with 3 offers at the deadline plus 3 backup offers. The property sold well above RV and both the sellers and purchasers were over the moon. 

In order to maximise what your property is worth in a very competitive market, it's so important to show it at its best and with that extra WOW factor. Decluttering and removing personal items like family photos can also help buyers picture it as their future home. 

Never has there been a time when home staging is more relevant and sought-after than right now. The popularity of reality TV shows such as “The Block”, “Fixer Upper”, “Love It or List It” and countless others, have been game-changers in shaping buyer perceptions in New Zealand according to Russell. 

There is no question that those who engage in some aspects of home staging are more likely to quickly sell for top dollar and secure their asking price, or in many cases well above!

https://itransformhomes.co.nz/ 

Home staging is all about selling the feeling of a home to prospective buyers, but living in a staged home can be a little inconvenient. Here are some steps you can take to make your life easier during the selling process.

Sometimes it can be hard to let go of the emotional attachment and see your own home as a “product” to sell, rather than a place where memories have been made. Not to mention that keeping a house pristine and staged to perfection while eating, sleeping and living in it creates a completely new set of challenges.

Treat your home like a five-star hotel

According to Homestaged.co.nz, switching to “hotel mode” can help you avoid getting too comfortable and letting your cleaning habits slip. They suggest that to help keep your space clean, tidy and inviting all day long, you treat it “as if you are in someone else’s fancy home”.

Use as little space as possible

It’s rare that people use every space in their house all the time. Whether it’s a spare room, home gym or rumpus in the basement, some rooms can probably be kept locked and untouched – ready for the next open home. “The more spaces you can leave untouched after home staging, the fewer rooms you’ll have to clean when showing day comes up,” Homestaged.co.nz writes, adding that the same goes for extra bathrooms.

Get out of the house

It may sound counterintuitive, but the more you can make the property appear as if no one is actually living there, the better. “The best way to keep your house looking stage-ready is to avoid spending all of your time in it, especially if you have kids or pets,” suggests Homelight.com. If you have children, this can be a great opportunity to plan some fun outdoors adventures. And if your budget allows it, treating yourself to a few meals out can be a great way to keep your home smelling fresh and clean. On this note, unfortunately pets are not stagedhome friendly. To ensure pet odours are dealt with in advance, you may want to keep your furry friends in one or two rooms – or board them in a kennel or cattery for a few days.

…or get organised

If you can’t leave the house, organisation is key. Realtor.com recommends creating a cleaning schedule, which starts with identifying which areas of the house are likely to get the dirtiest. Before each open home, a simple cleaning routine could include vacuuming the floors, dusting all furniture, and wiping down all kitchen and bathroom surfaces. To make things easier, it’s a good idea to create a last-minute cleaning list to double-check that countertops are clean, beds are made, and everything looks as tidy as possible. Daily items (like toothbrushes, toys or beauty products) can be kept in totes or baskets, ready to be hidden. In the meantime, you could even get a head start on packing, going through every cabinet and closet, and getting rid of the non-essentials.

Call in the professionals

While living in a staged home throughout the listing period can be stressful, it’s worth the hassle – even more so when working with expert home stagers. By understanding what needs to be done to make your home competitive in the current market, professional home staging is designed to help you sell the property faster and for a higher price. The good news is that you can advertise now and pay three months later with property marketing finance options from Lifestyle Finance. From home staging through to LIM, building and meth reports, they’ll work with you to provide the funds you need to increase the chances of a profitable sale.