The Power of Listing a “Market-Ready Home”

from Andrea Canty and Allison Carswell of Red Door DesignWorks

Last week the Arlington Advocate ran an article about a swift and successful home sale in Arlington—listed by none other than Mark and Carole. We were called in to help get that home ready to go on the market. Some people call what we do “home staging.” That’s a term that has been coined to describe everything that needs to be done to set the stage for multiple offers and a quick sale: cleaning, making home repairs, removing clutter, making a house feel spacious and welcoming, presenting the exterior in its best incarnation.

Did you know that 70% of home buyers get their first look at a property online? From the get-go, the look of a home, as it comes across in photographs, is crucial to generating interest. The best photos showcase spacious rooms, furnished in a modern style and inviting paint colors. Getting a loved, lived-in home into this condition can be a lot of work.

When we work with sellers to get a house ready for the market, many things get put into boxes and stored. By the time their house is listed, they have effectively taken the first step to “moving out” of the house. The rooms likely look significantly different from how they are used to living, with furniture and accents pared down or rearranged. Wall and window covering colors get changed to those that appeal to the majority of buyers, and the trappings of everyday living, such as bulletin boards, pet beds, kids toys, are stashed out of sight. It may sound a bit jarring, but here’s the reason for doing it: more enthusiasm from agents and buyers, faster sales and higher offers. To date, our projects are beating the average list time in Arlington 5:1 and the offers have exceeded expectations. That’s the power of listing a market-ready home.

To learn more about home staging and Red Door DesignWorks, visit www.reddoordesignworks.com . To read the article about Mark and Carole’s listing and how staging was a factor in the success, visit http://www.wickedlocal.com/arlington/homepage/x1346454861 .