In this chapter of Eugene Koh’s Property Guide, I want to share with you what are the benefits of home staging.
In light of the current property market conditions, home buyers and tenants can be more selective on what they want. I have experienced client pass on buying a new launch condo simply because his balloting ticket number was “164“. (一六四 sounds very close to 一路死). It is important to present your apartment at its best appearance as the first impression always lasts.
Home staging – Creating the perfect first impression by decorating an unfurnished property with furniture and home items. It helps to exhibit how to utilise the space and to entice potential buyers or tenants to decide on your unit.
Here are some low-cost methods on staging your home for sale or rent:
- Remove clutter
The first thing to do is to remove all unnecessary stuff lying around your home. They may have some sentimental value to you, but it may not have the same effect on a stranger who is visiting your home for the first time. Put away all dusty ornaments, collectables, old photos and anything that does not belong. Note to self: more is less!
- How does it smell like?
Ever walked into a room and immediately get blinded by the smell? Bad smells are a huge distraction and it leaves a bad impression. Clean to get rid of unpleasant smells. Use air freshener, essential oils diffuser or scented candles to seal the deal!
Try using different scents for different parts of the home:
Kitchen & Toilet – Citrus scents, citronella, lemon, lime, orange
Living Room – Soothing scents such as Sandalwood, Cedarwood, lemon grass
Bedroom – Flora scents like roses, jasmine, Lavender
- Brighten up your home
Let your potential buyers step into a light and airy living room. Replace faulty bulbs with bright daylight bulbs for living rooms and kitchens. Warm lights are usually for bedrooms. Unblock windows as much as possible to allow natural sunlight.
- Make your bedroom look cosy
Make sure your bedroom looks warm and relaxing. If you have a desk in your bedroom, sweep it clean of work materials and clutter, replace it with a vase with flowers. Use matching neutral coloured bed linen and keep accessories such as posters, framed photos and old items to a minimum. Think of how a hotel room look and keep it that way.
- Cleanliness is godliness
Cleaning can be such a chore but it is essential as it gives the illusion of things looking new. Spend some effort to clean walls, floors and furniture. Dust and cobwebs give the impression that the house has been vacant for a long time and subconsciously, potential buyers will be more cautious when approaching to close the deal
Do note – you don’t need to reinstate damaged furniture if it is still functional. Move the furniture to obstruct from view the parts that are damaged.
“My house is empty, I do not have nice furniture. What should I do?”
No worries, my team and I have solutions for helping you stage your apartment with nice decorations and furniture to make it look like a showroom unit. This is part of our service commitment to our clients who are serious about getting the best price for their unit. We also can arrange for our interior designer partners to do up a 3D mock-up of your apartment with virtual renovation in place.
Home staging helps buyers feel excited when they come to view your property. A well-staged home leads to more people wanting to view and more excitement from viewing leads to offers. More offers will lead to a higher rate of closing the deal.
The 3D rendered photos of your apartment are free of charge so long as you are equally committed to selling/renting your apartment through us. We are happy to help turn your house to a dream home for the next potential customer. Drop us a text if you are interested to discuss further.
Our team at Lovelyhomes is committed to assisting homeowners with all their real estate needs, we are dedicated to providing you with the highest level of service as we value you, our lovely clients!