‘Staging’ can sell a house

By Heather Warlick Comments 0
Published: November 3, 2008

I recently spent the morning with Julie Fost, owner of Divas of Decorating, an interior design and home staging company in the metro. She let me follow her as she "staged” a home for sale. The home at 5804 Wilson Drive is huge — more than 5,000 square feet — and it was completely empty when Fost and her stagehands swooped in.

Because the home’s architecture is contemporary, Fost made the staging decor more traditional so more families could envision being there.

Fost and her crew lugged in a sofa and loveseat, dining set, rugs, decorative floral arrangements, glassware, dishes and other items to make the home look lightly lived in. The trick to staging this home was to combat its empty feeling. With mostly beige walls and carpets, the home also needed some splashes of color.

If you live in your home while you’re trying to sell it, you still can use the help of a professional home stager. From adding curb appeal to the little details, professional help can make or break a potential buyer’s interest.

Here are some tips from Fost for prepping your home for sale:

→Remove family photos, at least most of them. When potential buyers walk into your home, you want them to be able to see themselves there, so replace the family photos with big mirrors.

→Find your focal point. When you walk into your home, what draws your attention most? It might be a beautiful archway above the foyer or a tacky set of curtains over the window on your front door. A stager or honest friend can help you identify the focus and either emphasize it or fix it.

→Make sure your paint is neutral. Painting your walls is a wonderful way to personalize your home, but your idea of beautiful is never quite the same as a potential buyer’s. Bright wall colors can be overwhelming to buyers and make them miss the true selling points of your home. Choose a tasteful eggshell or other neutral color for all the interior walls.

As for whether it’s easier to sell a vacant home or one that’s occupied, Fost said it depends on what’s in the house.

"If you have really nice furniture and art, that can help improve your home’s image. But if your furniture is less impressive and you have any amount of clutter, moving on is a good idea. Let the buyer visualize her own stuff there,” Fost said.