When it comes to selling your property, you only get one chance to make a good first impression. That’s why home staging and show homes are such powerful tools: they enable you to showcase your home’s full potential and make a lasting impression on potential buyers. With the right staging or desirable show home design, you can transform a property into a welcoming, aspirational home that buyers can’t wait to make their own.
Whether you’re a developer looking for a reason to invest in a show home, homeowner planning to sell your property or an estate agent looking to enhance your client’s sales strategy, this article will provide valuable insights into the power of home staging and show homes.
What is Home Staging?
Home staging is part of a marketing strategy that involves preparing a property for sale by arranging furniture, decor, and other items in a way that highlights its best features. The goal is to make the property more attractive and desirable to potential buyers, ultimately increasing the likelihood of a successful sale.
The home staging process typically involves several steps, including decluttering and depersonalizing the space, making minor repairs or upgrades, rearranging or bringing in furniture to create an appealing layout, and adding decorative accents and artwork to enhance the overall aesthetic.
How Does Home Staging Help Sell Properties?
By creating an inviting and stylish atmosphere, the potential buyer can feel more emotionally invested in the property and be more likely to imagine themselves living there. This emotional connection can be a powerful selling tool and can increase the buyer’s perceived value of the property, ultimately leading to a faster and more successful sale.
In addition to creating an emotional connection, home staging can also help to highlight the unique features and strengths of a property, making it stand out from other listings. By strategically arranging furniture and decor, stagers can draw attention to architectural details, create a sense of flow throughout the space, and showcase desirable amenities like large windows.
Home staging can also help to neutralize any potential objections or concerns that buyers may have. By depersonalizing the space and removing any clutter, buyers can better envision their own furniture and decor in the space. This can also help to make the property appear more spacious and open.
How Do Show Homes Differ From Regular Home Staging?
Show homes are designed to look and feel like a real home, with furniture, accessories, and artwork carefully curated to appeal to the target buyer demographic. In contrast, regular home staging is typically more focused on decluttering and depersonalising a property to make it more appealing to a wider audience. Home staging also leans more into functionality and practicality, contrasting with show homes which tend to prioritise aesthetic and cohesive design.
Show homes are typically created before a property is listed for sale and often before the surrounding development has been finished as this helps to generate interest among potential buyers and secure funding. Regular home staging can be done at any time during the sales process.
Why Are Show Homes Important for Property Sales?
Show homes provide potential buyers with a tangible representation of the property’s full potential. By showing the layout, finishes, and design elements of a property, show homes can help buyers to imagine themselves living in the space, again, creating an emotional connection between the buyer and the property, increasing the likelihood of a successful sale.
Additionally, show homes can help to demonstrate the quality of the construction and finishes used in the property development. By showcasing the finishes and design elements in a tangible way, buyers can see the attention to detail and level of craftsmanship that has gone into the development. This can help to justify a higher asking price and differentiate the property development from others on the market.
Show homes also provide developers and agents with an opportunity to showcase their branding and marketing message. By creating a cohesive and inviting design scheme that aligns with the development’s brand and message, show homes can help to create a memorable and lasting impression on potential buyers.
How Do You Choose the Right Home Staging Company or Show Home Designer?
Consider experience, portfolio, and skills. Look for a company that understands your needs and budget, and who can work with you to create a bespoke plan for your property.
Before committing to work with a particular company, enquire about the types of properties they typically stage and make sure they are experienced in working with properties similar to the one you are developing. We also advise asking about timelines to see if this is compatible with your own project plan. For further reassurance, ask for references from past clients so you can get a sense of their level of professionalism and quality of work. Some home stagers or show home designers may offer additional services such as photography or virtual staging, so it’s also worth asking if there are any packages or services that could be beneficial for your project.
By leveraging the power of home staging or show home design you can make a lasting first impression and set your property apart from the competition. A recent report by Zoopla found that staged homes in the UK sell for an average of £3,100 more than un-staged homes, and sell, on average, 2 weeks faster. With such compelling stats, whether you’re a developer or selling your own home, it’s clear this is an opportunity for you to maximise your selling potential.
If you want to discuss your show home or home staging then get in touch!