How to Prepare Your Marina Del Rey Home for Staging

 

Are you ready to work with a Marina Del Rey real estate agent and list your home for sale? The Marina Del Rey area is currently experiencing a balanced market, meaning there are approximately the same number of prospective buyers as there are listings. While this makes it easier to sell than during a buyer’s market, you still need to put your best foot forward when it comes to presenting your home to potential buyers. 

 

Most homeowners know that staging is one of the best ways to attract buyers and increase the number of offers on their homes. If you are going to stage your home, it’s important that you prepare it properly to pave the way for a successful process. Here are some tips to help you out.

 

 

Home staging is when a professional comes into your home and rearranges furniture, adds décor, and performs other tasks that will make your house appealing to potential buyers. A stager will also ensure that each room in the home has a designated purpose so that buyers will be able to visualize what it would be like to live in your home should they decide to purchase it. 

 

You can stage your home yourself, but most realtors in Marina Del Rey suggest their clients work with an experienced professional to get the most out of the process. If you don’t want a stranger in your home and also aren’t interested in DIY staging, you can also choose virtual staging. A computer program can stage vacant homes with virtual furnishings and décor to produce photorealistic staged photos and video tours.

 

The National Association of Realtors estimates that 31% of buyers increased offers on homes from 1-5% if they were staged. Not only do staged homes sell for more, but they also sell faster. One study showed that staged homes sell 87% faster than homes that are not staged. Realtors in Marina Del Rey also believe in staging and say it leads to buyers offering more money and being able to better visualize themselves in a home. In fact, only 14% of real estate agents surveyed did not feel that staging had an impact on the selling price of a home.

 

Decided you are going to move ahead with hiring a professional stager to prepare your home for listing? Work with your Marina Del Rey real estate agent to choose one who is experienced in staging houses similar to yours and prepare for his or her visit by doing the following:

• Reach out for help. You’ve likely lived in your home for so long that you don’t even notice that one of the rooms has a dark corner or there’s a funny smell in the basement. That’s why having a few pairs of fresh eyes is important in the beginning phases of staging. Ask a couple of friends, family members, or neighbors to do a walk-through and make notes of areas that are off-putting or otherwise catch their attention. Realtors in Marina Del Rey are also helpful when it comes to initial walk-throughs since they know exactly what to look for.
• Make repairs. Your stager is not a handyman. It’s up to you to make small repairs like replacing broken or loose knobs, changing burned-out lightbulbs, patching holes, or addressing that creaky step. Not sure where to start? Those who walk through your home will likely be able to help you prioritize which issues need the most attention.

 

 

• Declutter. It’s difficult for your stager to create flow and organization in your house if there is clutter everywhere. This is an excellent time to purge belongings you no longer need or want. You can also facilitate the decluttering process by renting a storage unit where you can put excess furniture, décor, clothing, and other items that are taking up space in your home.
• Remove personalization. It’s difficult for a buyer to envision their life in a home that is full of pictures of you and your family and other personal touches like hobby materials or unique paintings from your favorite artist. To help your stager out, remove any personal photos or other unique touches and store them in closets or your storage unit.
• Deep clean. Just as your stager is not a handyman, he or she is also not a cleaner. It’s your job to either deep clean your home or have a professional service come in and deep clean it before your stager arrives. Your Marina Del Rey real estate agent will remind you that potential buyers will be poking through every nook and cranny of your home and that any messes or neglected areas could leave the impression your home hasn’t been cared for.
• Focus on curb appeal. A professional stager will concentrate on the interior of your home, so it’s your job to take care of the exterior. Curb appeal is how your home looks from the street (or in images taken from the street) and is a large part of the first impression buyers will have of your property. To increase curb appeal, make sure your lawn, bushes, and trees are nicely manicured, consider painting or replacing the front door, and add some potted plants for flowers to your porch or walkway.

Are you ready to list your home for sale in 2021? It’s important to take the necessary steps to get your house in its best condition before you start having professional photos and videos taken for the listing. Working with a professional stager is one of the best ways you can ensure your home will be attractive to potential buyers and encourage high offers. 

 

If you’re ready to get started, reach out to one of the Marina Del Rey real estate agents at Homes by P + H who can help you choose the right stager for your home and help you from navigating Marina Del Rey real estate to selling your home in Marina Del Rey.