Statistics show that staged homes sell both faster and at a higher price than homes that aren’t staged. And staging becomes even more important if you’re listing your home in the colder winter months, especially in colder areas. For in most areas, spring and summer are traditionally the best times to put your house on the market. So your staging task will be to make your home really stand out, which requires careful attention to detail, making it seem cozy and inviting, and highlighting seasonal features. So take a look at these staging techniques for sellers in colder areas such as Downey.
Make It Safe
Colder areas typically come with a lot of wintertime snow and ice – which can pose a hazard to anyone coming to view your home. The last thing you want is a lawsuit on your hands because a potential buyer slipped on your walk and fell and sustained a severe injury. In order to promote safety, here’s what the real estate pros recommend: “Continually shovel a path through any snow, even if flakes are still falling. Footprints on freshly fallen snow will turn to ice if the temperature is low enough, so scrape the walk and steps periodically, and sprinkle a layer of sand or salt over them. Remember to open a path from the street to the sidewalk so that visitors aren’t forced to crawl over snowdrifts. Put a rubber mat by the front door or a container to hold wet umbrellas and shoes.”
Make It Warm and Cozy
When it’s cold and blustery outside, an important staging technique for sellers in colder areas such as Downey is also an easy one. You just need to make your home is warm and cozy, a refuge from the inclement conditions outside. Turn up the thermostat a couple of degrees higher than normal so that your home is comfortable and thus provides viewers an incentive to linger and look. Also, be sure to light the fireplace for extra warmth and an attractive focal point in that important family area.
Showcase and Enhance the Fireplace
As we just indicated, a fireplace is an important feature and interior element and is often an important focal point. Although we no longer depend on our fireplace for light and heat and cooking, it often remains true, nevertheless, that the hearth is the heart of the home. So you should do what you can to showcase and enhance the fireplace, particularly sellers in colder areas such as Downey.
“Not only does a modern fireplace,” according to staging and real estate experts, “instantly become a breathtakingly eye-catching feature for any area, but due to advances in energy efficiency, they have become more cost-effective. . . The most popular fireplace trend is an ethanol-burning fireplace because of its effortless maintenance, minimal looks, and flexibility. Alternatively, you can opt for a mirrored glass fireplace which is perfect for a spacious, light-filled home.”
Light It Up
Speaking of light, that will be an important staging consideration for sellers in colder areas such as Downey. When days are short and dark, you need to let in all the natural light you can. So be sure to open all the drapes and pull up the blinds.
But many buyers will be able to visit your home only in the evenings after work when the little winter sunlight is waning. In that case, make sure all fixtures, lamps, and bulbs are clean and dust free, and then turn them on. Add lamps in darker areas where necessary. A light-filled house will seem warm and inviting and will encourage buyers to spend more time looking at your home.
Put Up Seasonal Decorations
Another good staging technique for sellers in colder areas such as Downey involves playing up the seasonal mood to make a house more attractive to buyers. You can do that with appropriate happy, cheery holiday decorations. Just make sure that the decorations aren’t too tacky or kitschy and that they actually add elegance and warmth. It’s also a good idea to avoid overtly religious-themed decorations because some people may find them offputting or offensive. Just exercise good taste and strive for friendly, cheerful holiday warmth.
Yes, warmer months are typically the peak season for home shopping. But with these staging techniques, even sellers in colder areas such as Downey can find success in the wintertime. Besides, during the colder months, you will have less competition, and buyers are often more urgently seeking to find and purchase a home. Still, there’s a lot you have to get right, so you might consider hiring a professional staging service. Your local real estate agent can also be a valuable asset – to help you with staging decisions and to put you in touch with a professional stager if you need one.