Author: adm_thsc

Hi Everyone

Home Staging has become an absolute must for savvy sellers in today’s market. Whether you decide to go DIY or hire a company like ours to help you, it’s vital to make sure your home stands out from the crowd. Take a look at our 'Must Know' Staging Tips.

‘Must Know’ Staging Tips From The Professionals.

According to a recent report by The Home Staging Association UK & Ireland published in Estate Agent Today (2019), staged properties sell three times faster than those that have not AND for up to 10% more than the unstaged equivalent.

Worth making some effort with home staging? Most definitely.

Before we begin, it’s important to clarify that Home Stagers are NOT interior designers. Whilst we have design skills aplenty, our role is in many ways the exact reverse of a designer. Designers are commissioned to ensure your home represents your particular personality and taste; what we do is the polar opposite.

Before selling, you’ll need to neutralise and depersonalise each room in order to help as many different types of potential buyer imagine themselves living there. The aim is to make the space look its absolute best but without putting anyone off who may not share your taste.

Almost all viewings in person these days are generated by online searches. If you want to stop buyers in their tracks while searching on platforms like Rightmove, you’ll need to post eye catching images of your home which stand out from all the hundreds of other homes for sale.

Follow our key rules and you’ll be on your way to selling success and if you need a hand, you know where to find us.

Staging Kerb Appeal

Buyers often indulge in a discreet ‘drive by’ before viewing so make sure your exterior landscape invites them to find out more. Mow front lawns, trim hedges, sweep or jet wash driveways, clean windows and make sure the approach to the house is clutter free. Fix any broken gutters, gates or fences and make sure your bins are discretely hidden away.

Be Objective

Once you have decided to sell, your home becomes a product. Ask for honest opinions from family and friends – ideally someone not particularly close to you who will give a truly honest account of what needs to be changed. Most homeowners are too emotionally connected to be objective about their home's contents. In the absence of a professional home stager, estate agents are usually good at offering advice around cosmetic improvement.

Show buyers your space, not your stuff.

In every room, implement a strategy of depersonalisation. Clear out every piece of non-essential décor and in particular, anything personal. Remove all nick nacks, photos and memorabilia – including anything framed and on the walls.  Remove excess furniture and furnishings. Consider how buyers might navigate and eventually use the space and clear natural pathways between rooms.

Consider some temporary storage away from the property to store surplus furnishings.

Get The Balance Right   

Once completely cleared, carefully choose select items to replace but choose only those items that enhance the look and even then, use them sparingly. If your walls look too bare after your purge, replace family pictures with low cost artwork or neutrally styled canvasses. Find the right balance between too sterile and too cluttered. Use Pinterest, magazine features or www.thehomestylingcompany.co.uk for inspiration.

Clean and Bright                                 

Every inch of your home should be thoroughly cleaned before inviting viewings. Consider a professional cleaning company to perform a one off deep clean or at the very least invest in a steam clean of all carpets, window dressings and upholstery.

From the ceiling down, dust, clean and polish every surface and appliance until they gleam. Everywhere should feel and smell fresh so buyers are not put off by the impression of an unkempt home. If you are presenting a grubby home, buyers might wonder what else you might have neglected to fix or mend.

Maximise your natural light sources by opening curtains and blinds fully and open windows to air the house. Turn on all the lights in the house to make rooms appear brighter and bigger.

Paint and Paper    

Consider any areas where some minor decorative work would make a major difference. Painting chipped or faded woodwork such as doors, bannisters and skirting boards can be done inexpensively but the overall effect is of a smartly finished property.  Remove any outlandish or very distinctive decorative touches – a very bold feature wall or unusually coloured paint choice for example. Replace them with a soft grey or bright white to provide a blank canvass for buyers. Ensure each room looks inviting without the need to immediately decorate which might not be within buyers’ budgets.  

Sorry….No Pets Allowed                     

Remove toys and pet accessories (and before photography or viewings, any sign of pets themselves inside the house). Ask a neighbour if they can watch your pet during a viewing, so you can stow away the dog bed or cat litter tray.

Kitchen Magic

Kitchens are always absolutely key to a viewing and should be immaculately presented. Buyers love lots of preparation space so clear countertops of appliances by putting items such as toasters, blenders or containers away out of sight to make the kitchen feel larger as a whole. Would a coat of fresh paint and new hardware like handles improve the look of your cabinetry for a very small investment?

Add a bunch of fresh flowers in a pretty vase for a welcoming touch and if there is a dining area such as a bar with stools or a table, then dress it with place settings to illustrate the flexible use of the space. We often use a colourful placemat or charger with white china on top for a chic, contemporary look.

Beautiful Bathrooms     

Make sure all your sanitaryware is gleaming and clean. Replacing old, tarnished taps and the grout between tiles will make a huge difference. Remove all mats, bins and personal toiletries. No loo brush or toilet rolls should be on show and make sure the loo seat is down.

Accessorize with a set of new, white towels and some luxurious toiletries but keep any other items to an absolute minimum to emphasize space.

Boutique Bedrooms                  

Take your inspiration from stylish boutique hotels by creating a calm, peaceful space in each bedroom. Keep fuss and clutter to a minimum and invest in some large, plump pillows and crisp, white bed linen to make resting spaces feel inviting.

So that’s our 'Must Know' staging tips for successful sales.

If you’re inspired, we wish you the very best of success in staging to sell. If you are selling an empty property or don’t have the time to devote to staging your home on your own, we’d be delighted to hear from you.

Give us a call or drop us an email and we’ll be in touch to help you make sure your home achieves the best price in the shortest possible time.

Denise and Stephen Cable

The Home Styling Company

Multi Award Winning Home Staging Professionals

info@thehomestylingcompany.co.uk

www.thehomestylingcompany.co.uk

Tel: 07870 751108

How do I Choose the Best Estate Agent to Sell my Home? This is a question we are frequently asked and as professional home stagers we are in a great position to offer an informed and impartial answer.

We specialise in staging to ensure homes sell faster and for the highest price. Our work brings us into daily contact with Estate Agents based all around the East Midlands.

Here's our guide to key considerations when choosing an agent – particularly if you haven’t moved home for a while.

ONE SIZE DOES NOT FIT ALL

Don’t assume that all agents are equal or that the only difference is the amount of commission you might pay.

The quality of service offered can range enormously and choosing the right agent will not only affect the speed of your sale but the price you can expect to receive for your property. That’s why time spent selecting an agent carefully will always reap rewards.

Even as recently as ten years ago there were High Street agents and very few other viable options which is not the case today. As well as traditional agency, you can opt for online agents or hybrid companies as well as those who also offer mortgage deals and finance packages.

Traditional agents tend to have a deeper understanding of local markets but charge more for their services. Online and hybrid agencies may charge lower fees but may offer a less detailed personal service and a lower level of support.

We can help and advise on which type of agent might suit your circumstances. Helping to sell homes is our business so we understand that every sale is different and that moving home is stressful enough.

The right choice of agent can make all the difference to the smooth running of the whole process.

PERFECT PARTNERS 

Although home staging before putting your home on the market is always beneficial, we take an individual view of each property and create a look and feel that suits. In the same way, we can help you find the right agent by matching your needs to an agent experienced in selling your style, size and type of house. Agents skilled in selling homes like yours are more likely to have suitable buyers listed and waiting to view.

Regardless of size and guide price, there are some universal questions that every property owner should ask before engaging an agent to sell their home. Here are five of the most important: 

QUESTIONS TO ASK BEFORE CHOOSING AN AGENT

1. Do they come recommended?

First and foremost use word of mouth. Seek out personal recommendations or use the impartial advice of companies like  The Home Styling Company to give you a head start on which agents to approach. Ask your friends and family about choosing the best estate agents.

2. Is the Price Right?

Always ask at least three agents to offer a valuation and compare them carefully – they should be broadly the same. A valuation that differs greatly either way from the others should raise concerns.

A realistic asking price is key and the highest valuation is not necessarily the best. Some agents will overvalue only to advise a reduction in price in a few weeks by which time you may have missed out on motivated buyers who will wonder why the price has been dropped.

3. How will you market my home?

Look at the images potential agents are currently using for homes on their books to get a feel for their approach to property presentation.

Will your agent offer high quality staging services backed up by professional photography? On-line portals such as Rightmove or Zoopla are crucial elements in the selling process and excellent property presentation is vital to make your home stand out from the masses. Social media exposure and walk through videos are new tools that have become essential so make sure your potential agent offers them as standard.

4. What support will you offer?

Will your agent be on hand every step of the way? Will they conduct each viewing in person and offer constructive feedback after each one? Will they assist with staging and presentation to make sure you are maximising your home’s potential?

5. Fees - what is covered in my contract?

Most agents’ fees will be in the form of a percentage of the sale price  – usually between 1% and 2.5%. Agree what feels reasonable to you and remember that a low percentage fee is still nothing if your house fails to sell. Better to agree a fair rate and have an agent motivated to sell your home quickly and for the best price possible.

Read the small print… are you required to pay a fee even if you ultimately find your own buyer? Are you agreeing to ‘No Sale, No Fee’ or are you agreeing to pay for some costs such as photography even if you choose to back out?

Be aware of contract length – the average is 12 weeks. Don’t agree to be tied into a lengthy contract.

Are you confident your agent will keep everything moving after a sale is agreed? It is crucial that your Estate Agent is responsive, available and pro-active to keep buyers on track and prevent sales falling through.

Check everything carefully before signing on the dotted line.

Ask the experts about how to choose the best Estate Agent to Sell your Home

So that’s our essential guide to choosing an estate agent.

If you would like to discuss "how to Choose the Best Estate Agent to Sell your Home" with us further then please get in touch.

More blogs and success stories at the link: https://thehomestylingcompany.co.uk

Why not give us a call to find out how we can help you find the right agent or for any advice on how to sell your home quickly and with the minimum of stress? We’d love to hear from you.

Denise and Stephen Cable

The Home Styling Company

The Home Styling Company Celebrate A Global Excellence Award. Another example of their Award Wining Property Staging. 

LUXlife Magazine have announced the recipients of their 2022  Global Excellence Awards and The Home Styling Company team are thrilled to be amongst the winners.       

We’re delighted to have been named the ‘Best Home Styling Company’ for the East Midlands in the awards which showcase companies and individuals achieving excellence in their industries. 

With a selection process renowned for fair and analytical comment towards some of the world’s most luxurious markets, businesses and service providers, the awards honour the contributions of those who aim above and beyond the competition.

Commenting on the winners of this year’s awards programme, Co-ordinator Gabrielle Ellis stated: ‘I offer my sincere congratulations to all the nominees and winners. You have demonstrated excellence within your chosen sector, regardless of whether that is on a global or local basis, to some of the world’s most discerning clientele. We are so excited to see what you achieve in 2022.’

Home Staging Services

The Home Styling Company provide a wide range of Show Home and Home Staging services to homeowners, developers, estate agents and property investors.

Our primary aim is to add value to your property sale, creating inspirational but achievable interiors in the process. Our staging will always be focused on your property style and target market ensuring we reach out to your widest possible audience by creating beautiful marketing images so you achieve the fastest sale at the highest price.

Award Winning

Founder and Creative Lead, Denise Cable reacted to the award by saying: ‘Winning a prestigious LUX Global Excellence Award further acknowledges the outstanding skills of our team which is very much appreciated. It’s a great endorsement of our continued hard work and dedication on behalf of our clients and is a wonderful start to 2022.’

Other blogs to show the power of Staging - Once Upon a Time in Leicestershire & A Tale of Two Houses.

Contact Denise  for Award Winning Property Staging.

We love hearing feedback about the blog, our website and our services so feel free to get in touch. If you’d like to you can also follow and ‘like’ us on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

The experts at The Home Styling Company explain how savvy developers use cost effective Show Homes to sell properties quickly and for the highest possible price.

We’ve been busy working with a series of property development companies lately and the Show Homes and results have been spectacular. Canny developers realise that staging homes to sell not only encourages many more viewings but those viewings are converting to rapid sales at prices higher than expected – something that every vendor strives for.

Would you shop for an expensive outfit for a special occasion and then forget to wear shoes? Thought not.

Staging is the final piece of the development jigsaw. When a renovated or newly built property is ready for sale, why not showcase it beautifully to achieve the very best return on your investment?

Even better, why not follow the lead of experienced developers and factor in the cost of staging from the very beginning?

We guarantee staging will cost far less than you think and be worth every penny when the added value appears on your bottom line.

Selling more than one house?

Recently we staged one home for a developer with five similar properties for sale in Evesham. It wasn’t necessary to stage all five properties; staging just one allowed buyers to really connect emotionally and see exactly how living there might look and feel. When the images were posted online, buyers were queuing up to view and all five homes sold quickly. The investment in staging one home triggered the sale of all five properties. The vendor was delighted and so were we.

Staging sets a home apart from many similar properties a potential buyer may have seen; it makes the difference between finding a home and just viewing a house.

It’s never too late for Show Homes to make a difference.

We know buyers are harder to persuade during the winter months so act now to stage those unsold, empty properties fast. It’s well documented that buyers make up their mind to buy a home as soon as they walk through the door so let us help you create that crucial first impression.

The Home Staging Report 2019 (Home Staging Association UK) report three key statistics from developers who took part in the research:

100% of developers saw staging increase the number of viewings.

100% of developers saw their staged properties sell faster than non-staged ones.

83% of developers said staging increased the offer price typically between 8 and 10% per property.

Affordable appeal

We offer cost effective Show Homes solutions to small to medium sized developers who may not have used a show home before. A fully dressed show-home can be delivered within two weeks from order to installation with no hassle or time commitment for the vendor whatsoever. We can scale up or down to make every size of empty house so much more appealing.

The Home Styling Company have won awards for our transformative skills and we style properties to sell – not just to look good. Never overdone or ‘glitzy’, we’ll plan the interior and supply just the right tasteful furnishings to highlight the best features of the property and showcase your hard work. Our furnishings can be purchased or rented and are often obtained by buyers who have fallen in love with the looks we create.

Transparent Pricing of all our Show Homes.

Our price includes all design, delivery, installation, styling and uplift and will incorporate your brief, brand, target market, budget and timescale.

We are very happy to recommend and liaise with estate agents to develop a marketing package on your behalf, including the professional photography which can also be used to help market your future development projects.

For more of our services see - Services

Don’t risk harming your overall profit margin through slow sales and a low perceived value of your product. We offer free, friendly and informal advice about your future plans and look forward to talking about how we can help.

To see more on our great results see our favourite blog - Once upon a time in Leicestershire – Property Styling Midlands

Denise and Stephen Cable

Defining the difference between Interior Design and Property Staging.

A very warm welcome to The Home Styling Company blog. This week we look at Property Staging in the UK and the difference with Interior Design. The sun is shining on the regional property market and our team has been busier than ever making all kinds of homes look their best before being offered for sale.

We’re grateful to everyone who responds to our posts and visits our website and we love hearing your questions about what we do. One thing that seems to cause plenty of confusion is the difference between home staging and interior design. We’ve outlined the difference between the two disciplines – you might be surprised to find out they aim to achieve completely contrasting results.

What is Property Staging?

Home Staging focuses on presenting a property to its best advantage so that it is sold or rented more quickly and at a better price. Home stagers aim to make a home appealing to the highest number of potential buyers. A large part of our job is to help viewers imagine themselves living at that property and embracing the lifestyle we have created.

There are several techniques that The Home Styling Company team use to improve a property's appeal by transforming it into an attractive and welcoming package that will have buyers queuing up. Presenting the house in a neutral way for example, has proven to be an effective way to accelerate sales. We make use of decluttering and de-personalising techniques to make space for the next homeowner. We also use space carefully and add furnishings, accessories and furniture from our own collection to make the space sing.

This is how one veteran estate agent describes home staging: “It’s magical. It's beyond decorating and cleaning. Staging is about perfecting the art of creating moods. The process makes houses look bigger, brighter, cleaner, warmer, more loving and, best of all, it makes home buyers want to buy them... Instantly!”

Does Property Staging really work?

Yes it does and here’s a few quick facts to prove it… You’ll make more money and your property will sell faster - Staged homes spend, on average, half the time on the market than non-staged homes. You will make your money back - Staging can start from as little as a few hundred pounds, with an average staging investment of between 1 and 3% of the home’s asking price for full blown whole property furniture rental, which generates a return on investment of 8 to 10%. Generally, staged homes sell over 8% above asking price. Your online photos will stand out - 90% of buyers search online first. They spend 2 seconds on an advert without a photo, and 20 seconds on a listing with a good image. Guaranteed offers - 77% of estate agents said staging made it easier for buyers to visualise the property as a future home.

What is interior design?

Interior Design is focused on structural changes, the floor plans and functions of space within the house. It allows clients to bring their own ideas to life. Clients can create homes with their own very personal tastes and requirements in mind.

Interior Designers do the opposite of Stagers. They personalise the property to the client’s requirements, whereas Home Staging creates a neutral space – ideal for selling.

Property staging in a Nutshell.

1. depersonalises a property and Interior Design makes it uniquely personal.
2. helps a home appeal to a wide range of buyers and Interior Design is all about the owner.
3. helps sell the space and Interior Design is usually for just the owner to enjoy.
4. mostly works hand in hand with the Estate Agency industry while Interior Designers work hand in hand with the Design Industry.

Other blogs to show the power of Staging - A new developer & Tale of two House.

We hope that helps clear up any confusion but do contact us for clarification around your own home projects. We offer free, friendly and informal advice and look forward to helping.

Denise

We love hearing feedback about the blog, our website and our services so feel free to get in touch. If you’d like to you can also follow and ‘like’ us on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

Home Staging Success in Leicestershire.

Welcome to The Home Styling Company (Property Styling Midlands) blog post, this time we’d like to share a story with you.

It does feature a very happy ending BUT it’s no fairy tale. This is the true story of what happened when one Leicestershire property developer decided to invest in home staging. At least one of his dreams came true!

A property styling story.

In November I took a telephone enquiry from a property developer in Leicestershire – let’s call him Ben. Ben had just completed his very first development project and was exploring his options regarding marketing. He was interested to find out how home staging could help sell his property quickly and with the maximum return on his investment.

Property Styling Advice

We chatted at length and after explaining the home staging process thoroughly, I gave Ben the advice I always offer to clients in his position. “The most important thing now is to strike the right balance between presentation, marketing and price. If your property looks fantastic, is pitched at the right price and you have exactly the right agency representation, you have the perfect combination for the best chance of a swift, successful sale.”

How will I know that home styling will work?

Armed with my best advice, Ben hit me with the question I still find most difficult to answer…. “How will I know if staging makes a difference?”

The truth about Home Staging.

The truth is, we can never really know what might have happened if a client had decided not to opt for staging. Would the home still have sold? Maybe – who knows? But maybe not; perhaps that property would stay languishing on the market for months and months, losing money and deteriorating in condition all the time.

A leap of faith into property staging.

Ben decided to put his faith in The Home Styling Company and I am delighted to report that what happened next made him very happy indeed.

Ben’s ‘Styling Godmother’ swooped in. The Home Styling Company team provided full furnishings to all rooms complete with complementary accessories. After carefully selecting just the right furniture and furnishings from our vast stock of homeware, the property immediately came to life and was transformed from a beautifully finished shell into a gorgeous potential home – the magic spell was cast.

To make the most of the transformation, we arranged a portfolio of professional photographs for Ben’s estate agent to use on line, as well as a great video to showcase exactly how potential buyers could use the space – making it effortless for them to imagine themselves living there.

A dream price and outstanding result for Property Staging.

Before staging took place Ben had received a valuation he was happy with. It didn’t quite take him into profit but he would break even. Not a bad result for a first development project right? Of course, but can you imagine how happy he was when his agent increased the valuation by £30,000 after staging took place?

Ben was ready to place his property on the open market and what happened next was a dream come true. Ben’s agent arranged four viewings on the first day of listing and they ALL made an offer!

Ben sold his property for the full asking price and the sale was completed within six weeks. A happy agent, a happy buyer and a VERY happy vendor. Oh and by the way, the buyer purchased lots of the furnishings and accessories we placed which meant we were happy too. It proved we’d pitched the styling absolutely on point.

A happy ever after for Property Styling Midlands!

So, what’s the moral of this story? We can’t ever be sure of what might have happened but we can be sure of what really did happen when Ben put his trust in The Home Styling Company.

This is what Ben had to say when I contacted him to congratulate him on his dream sale:

“Thanks Denise you did a great job. I’m very pleased we decided to have you stage the property. I’m convinced it’s made a substantial difference and feel justified in my decision to spend the extra money. Regardless of the financial or time benefits, no one can argue that there is a tangible improvement to a staged property over an unstaged one.”

Why don’t you have a look at Ben’s property and judge for yourself?

Here are the links to the portfolio of pictures and the video tour.

Portfolio Pictures

Video Images

More proof and more evidence that Home Staging really works see our Bedford Blog.

Thanks for visiting our blog today. See you next time for more Property Styling in the Midlands.

Denise & Stephen

We offer a free consultation (just on the phone at the moment) for advice about your own home staging project, and you’ll find everything you need to know about cost effective solutions to help sell your property on our website.

We love hearing feedback about the blog, our website and our services so feel free to get in touch. If you’d like to, we’d love to meet you on our social media platforms too. You can follow and ‘like’ us on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. We're always available to talk about all things "Staging".

Home Staging Midlands.

Wishing all friends and clients of The Home Styling Co. a peaceful Christmas and a very happy and successful New Year.

We’d like to take a moment to reflect on some of our highlights from the year gone by and to look forward to all the great opportunities the New Year has to offer. Our Home Staging Midlands projects team have been particularly busy.

What a year it has been…. For all the obvious reasons, most of us have never spent so much time within our own four walls and the concept of being at home has never meant so much to so many.

Property is our passion and making houses look their best is not only our job but our privilege.

Homes matter and so do the people living in them, building them, improving them, buying them and selling them.

We are very proud that our team of expert home stagers have played their part in making so many amazing dreams come true this year.

Looking back to 2021.

Looking back to the start of 2021, we were busy helping vendors create virtual interiors to show buyers in lockdown exactly how rooms might look until they could visit again in person.

As the months went on and we were able to emerge back into the real world, we collaborated with builders and construction companies to create elegant show homes to ensure that clicks online turned into viewings and progressed into sales. Dozens of buyers went on to find their ideal homes and developers kept their cashflow healthy and successfully stayed afloat which in turn helped keep affiliated jobs secure.

The Ideal Magazine has some great festive content Ideal Home.

We’ve celebrated with estate agents when empty properties ‘stuck’ on the market have been given a new lease of life by our skilled stylists and quickly found new occupants to love them.  We’ve helped vendors far and wide make sure their properties stand out from the crowd when they were not on hand to do it themselves.

We were thrilled when Rutland was named ‘The Best Place in England’ for families to live and we look back with great pride to our work on Hudson’s Cottage – one of the county’s most historic homes which had been in the doldrums but quickly found a brand new owner with a little help from our creative consultants.

We’ve worked with clients struggling during the course of parting with much loved family homes and made that process a little easier to manage by staging their home through fresh eyes and helping to find a buyer to love their home just as much as they did.

The Year Ahead 2022.

Happy New Year & Happy Home Styling

To everyone we’ve worked with this year – the developers, investors, private clients and property agents, a heartfelt thank you for your faith in our ability and for your continued support.

We can’t wait to see what new challenges 2022 will bring and to help a whole new raft of customers make their homes look their very best.

And finally, to our own loyal and super talented crew. We salute you and thank you for letting us share your incredible skills which have combined to make us the most awesome, award winning and successful home staging team in the region.

With our sincere thanks and warmest wishes to everyone.

Denise and Stephen Cable

The Home Styling Company

Visit our Home Page to see links to our latest projects of 2021 Home.