Marketing in real estate is often seen as “getting exposure” for the property and then selling it to the people when they come. We believe this is the bare minimum to successfully market a property.
In a hot market, this will sell most properties, but we believe this will also leave money on the table, sometimes a lot of it! As average time on market increases, it is increasingly imperative to market well.
Finding the Best Light
Our marketing efforts center around using professional real estate photographs to show a property in its best light. Before we bring in our photographer, we will work with you to make a plan to prepare the property.
The home needs to appear clean and well-cared for. Much like the things you might do to prepare yourself for an interview (put on a suit, touch up your resume, check in with your network, research the industry), preparing a home for the market focuses a lot on the appearance and basic qualifications of the property.
The checklist for our sellers typically includes repairs (less than you expect), decluttering (more than you can imagine), and cleaning. We truly do ask for the moon, but we provide as much support as we can and work together with you to implement a plan that best fits your needs and showcases the best features of your home.
Staging
Staging creates a welcoming environment for the buyer that helps them feel that they have found the home that they want. This is where we use strategic furnishings and accessories in your space to market a lifestyle and attract the best buyer possible. Staging happens after you’ve done your work to prepare the space, and is the final step before we bring in our photographer and videographer and begin preparing the marketing materials.
When we stage a home, we add, remove, and rearrange furniture and accessories in order to tell a concise story to potential buyers about what their life in the space would be like. Our process goes beyond interior design to blend an understanding of the property with an understanding of the characteristics of the likely buyer of the property. We create spaces that highlight features that are important to buyers, and make sure your home’s presentation reflects its value.
The Value of Staging
The staging industry touts a 17% increase in sales price for a staged property. While we won’t stand behind that number as factual or typical, we believe that in the Arlington area we do see a return of 5-10% increase in sale price for 1% spend on staging.
Staging is different from decluttering, decorating or interior design. Staging is presenting a property in a particular way to attract buyers. Staging is in no way a judgement of the way that a home is currently decorated, but the heart of staging is to present an aspirational lifestyle to a buyer to increase their attachment to a property.
