There is no doubt that spring has sprung. The grass is green, the flowers are in bloom, the sun is out and the real estate market is once again a buzz. It’s no secret that spring is the season of choice when it comes to selling your home, but with strong clearance rates achieved across winter, and the recent influx of properties placed on the Sydney market, how can you make sure your home stands out from the rest?
The Sydney real estate market continues to remain strong, and with a good amount of properties on the market, sellers have to increasingly compete for buyers. “It has never been a more important time, than now, to consider home staging when selling your property,” says Melanie Coleman, Director and Senior Stylist from Sydney-based home staging company – Concept Styling. “Home staging is an emerging trend in the Australian property market. Most people will associate it with housing estate show homes or something only the wealthy might afford, but that couldn’t be more untrue. Good home staging doesn’t have to be expensive, and the return it can make you – whether a swift sale, or an increase in sales price, means the cash you initially outlay becomes negligible.”
Staging a home is about making your property most appealing among its competitors, giving it a personalised feel and making sure it stands out from the rest. After all, you’re not just selling a house; you’re selling a lifestyle. With so much competition it’s imperative to create a fabulous first impression. “Most buyers are browsing properties online, so your property not only needs to present well at open homes, it needs to capture their imagination across the computer screen. Making an impact on camera will motivate buyers to be at that very first open home. Buyers need to be left wanting more from that very first click.”
Emma McKellar, Director of Urban Greenfield agrees. “Real estate marketing is constantly evolving. Sellers expect a good mix of traditional marketing methods and robust digital strategies, but an addition like home staging is proving to be an important tool in our property-marketing arsenal. Styling can be of great benefit when preparing your home for sale and a professional stylist will ensure you make the most out of your property.”
Some statistics suggest a home that has been styled will generally sell for 7-11 per cent more than comparable unstyled properties, and in half the time. This was certainly the case for Melanie’s recent client. “My client had previously listed his home for sale, he needed to relocate for work and had moved his family out of the home. A common misconception, he believed showing an ‘empty canvas’ made the property appear bigger and more attractive to potential buyers. The problem was, the home appeared to have no soul and no warmth, and potential buyers found it hard to imagine living and enjoying themselves there. After one offer, well below asking price, he came to us. Styling the living areas and all five bedrooms the house received several offers on the first open home and sold for $80,000 above asking price. A worthwhile investment for a fantastic sales result.”
Hot home staging trend for 2017
Indoor Plants have become an interior trend once again and there is no indication of this changing anytime soon. Incorporating greenery into your home can be easy. Using small pots on kitchen bench top, dining tables, on a bedroom side table and even the bathroom vanity helps to bring the outdoors in. Make a standout feature by popping the plant or single stems into a gorgeous pot/vessel or even on a pot stand, creating different heights in the room. Some great living indoor plants to use are fiddle leaf fig, palms, monstera, succulents, orchids, or using hanging plants, grey beard or senecio vines. – Melanie Coleman
The author, Emma McKellar is Director of Sydney-based real estate and property development services firm, Urban Greenfield.
Melanie Coleman is Founder/Owner and Senior Stylist at Concept Styling. Melanie can be contacted through the Concept Styling Facebook page or on 0414 257 726.