The pros and cons of home staging, according to Seeff
When you are selling your home, correctly pricing it is of the utmost importance. Equally significant however, is to present the property in such a way that prospective buyers would want to live in it and this includes amongst others creating a lasting favourable first impression. Although not yet a major trend in South Africa, people are increasingly aware of the value of a presentable home and as a result of this more sellers are interested in and enquiring about professional home staging services. Charles Vining, Seeff's MD in Sandton, says home staging in Sandton is most prevalent when developers or speculative builders are looking to sell property at a premium price or are looking to sell a specific "lifestyle". "They realise the importance of presenting the property in an enticing manner. We listed an exclusive cluster some time ago for example, where the seller had invested in top class furnishings and decor in order to achieve a great price. The home was irresistible with its exclusive furnishings and decor, but it must be noted that staging a home and decorating and furnishing it entirely in order to sell will in most cases be a significant cash commitment". Vining continues that although staged homes certainly have their benefits, many 'lived-in' properties also have fantastic appeal because buyers can imagine themselves living a similar lifestyle in the home. "South African buyers are astute and they can see past the contents of a property to understand its potential. A property that is well priced in a good area, and has potential to be improved or give a good return on investment will be sold even if it doesn't have the best curb appeal or interior finishing. That being said however; when two similar properties that are similarly priced are on the market at the same time, and one is better presented than the other, there is no doubt that it would sell before the 'messy' property. Vining concludes that it is the responsibility of the seller to absorb the costs of home staging as the seller is the person who will reap the benefits of the staging when achieving a better price when the home is sold. "The necessity of home staging is relative to the type of property and the expected pricing by the seller. We do however always appeal to all our sellers to de-clutter, tidy up and make an effort to improve the property's aesthetics before selling, and indeed before a show day".
