With all the advances in social media marketing, agents and vendors alike are reaping the benefits of engaging a professional home stager in preparing their property for sale. For most people though, it is just not practical or possible to leave their home and live elsewhere during the sales campaign.
Generally, when people think about 'Home Staging' they think that this involves decking out their property like a display home and that it must be empty. Now, in some part this is true - for vacant property styling. This is when the home is empty due to being an investment property where tenants have just moved out, a brand new build, or the vendors have simply had to move on prior to the sale of their home. Vacant property styling then provides a blank canvas for the professional home stager to develop an optimal styling scheme to enhance the property's appeal, features, space, layout and lifestyle.
But what happens when you are still living in the property or you have some furnishings in the home already?? This is where Partial Property Styling is your next best friend to help you prepare your property for sale to appeal to a broad market and increase your chances of a faster sale and for a better price than had you have done nothing.
What is Partial Property Styling?
Partial Property Styling involves working with the existing items in your home to maximise your property's appeal while you may or may not be residing in the home. This not only keeps costs down but also allows you to remain in the property throughout the marketing campaign if required. It can involve styling a space using existing pieces and with hire items or can be a whole room (or more) from scratch in an already well furnished home.
A professional home stager will conduct a pre-sale consultation with you at your home to provide recommendations on how you can best prepare your property for sale. This may involve de-cluttering, de-personalising, cleaning, updates like painting or replacing that stained or ghastly carpet or removing any furnishings that are not suitable for staging due to their size, style or condition.
The stager will determine an optimal layout and design scheme for your property utilising as much of your existing furniture and accessories as possible to keep the cost to the vendor down. Keep in mind that it is not always possible to use every item in your home as your stylist needs to appeal to a broad range of buyers in your target market and this may involve updating some furniture and accessories, especially if some items are not in top condition.
Once your stylist has determined what pieces will and won't be used, they will then develop a scheme that compliments your existing items and the style of your home, whilst modernising it with on-trend accessories. Hire items can include art, rugs, soft furnishings, lamps, bedsides, tables, chairs, sofas, tv units and much more dependant on the individual needs of the client and their property.
Your stager can also point you in the right direction for any of those necessary updates with knowledge of local trades and businesses.
For occupied premises, we also offer a 'linen to keep' package so that you receive a refreshing bedroom update that you can enjoy daily and take with you when you sell.
What are the benefits of Partial Property Styling?
- You receive ongoing support and guidance in preparing your property for sale and throughout the marketing campaign
- Save time and reduce stress by utilising a professional stager who can help you with tweaking your spaces, de-cluttering and de-personalising your property
- Reduced cost of full vacant staging whilst maximising your property's appeal
- Custom quote and styling for each property
- You can remain in your property. No need to move twice or rent in between
- Hire for the campaign or buy and keep your items to enjoy and take with you
- Utilise the service for photos or for the whole campaign
What are the limitations?
The size, style and condition of existing furnishings are always assessed in terms of their appeal and benefit to the client and the sale of the property. Damaged items are not recommended to be utilised as this can give the impression that your home may not have been cared for and leave your buyer looking closer for other damage to the property and what happens when they find damage?? They make lower offers or worse, move on to the next property.
In determining an optimal layout for the home, the correct size and structure of larger items of furniture is essential. If a piece simply does not fit or overwhelms the space, it may have to be stored away and a more suitable hire item introduced.
Kids and pets - this is an individual company policy and we service both however we request that no pets be allowed into the areas in which hire items are being utilised. This is not only to maintain cleanliness but also due to the risk of allergies of future clients. Some companies will request a bond or additional cleaning costs upfront as large items may require professional cleaning after being utilised.
Consideration will also be made in relation to furniture and accessory selections where young children will be living and playing in those areas for safety and durability.
Not all staging companies service occupied homes and some may not service specific properties due to pets, children or cleanliness so be sure to enquire with them first.
Remember to look after the hire items as if they were your own as Partial Staging is a fantastic service available for people looking to keep their preparation costs down and remain in the property while they sell.
Amy xx