Real Estate Talk:
The importance of staging

What to do and why it can be challenging

By Joseph Marovitch

Previously published on September 26, 2018

As professional realtors, brokers know what generally appeals to a buyer and what does not. Factors that appeal to buyers are space, light, kitchens, bathrooms, ample storage space and parking, to name a few. After that, buyers know and like their own taste in decoration but for the most part, not everyone else’s preference in decoration. This means many buyers, not all, cannot see what a property can look like and what the potential is.

As professional realtors, brokers are aware of what generally appeals to a buyer and what does not.

If the buyer visits a property that suits their taste in its decoration, including the colour of the walls, window treatments, furniture and arrangement, then the seller is lucky and may have a sale. If a buyer visits a property that does not suit their taste but has a structure and location they want, and the buyer has a vision of what can be done to make the property their own, again the seller is lucky and may have a sale.

However, most of the time, when a buyer visits a property that does not suit their taste, the buyer tends not to have an idea of what the property could look like if it were decorated and renovated. These buyers tend to have short visits and make no offers.

There are three solutions to offset a buyer who may not be able to envision what a property could look like.

‘… when a buyer visits a property that does not suit their taste, the buyer tends… to have short visits and make no offer.’

The first solution is to make the property as neutral as possible. If the walls are all different colours, especially bright oranges, reds, yellows and blues, it can help to paint the property a neutral off-white colour. This will make the rooms appear larger and brighter. If the rooms are cluttered with books, pictures, and other paraphernalia, it may be wise to choose a room to store as much as possible, so the rooms appear open and ready for the new owner. Remove as much clutter as possible.

Smells are a large factor that can affect a potential buyer. Flowers can be good odour as can freshly baked cookies, however incense, spices, cigarette smoke, animal smells, and cat litter, are all deterrents that can send the potential buyer away.

The neutrality solution may not give the buyer a sense of the property’s potential, but it will not deter the buyer either and there will be things in the property that will appeal to the buyer such as light and space.

‘Smells are a large factor that can affect a potential buyer. Flowers can be good odour as can freshly baked cookies…’

The second solution is to have interior design knowledge or an interior designer on hand to provide potential buyers with a vision of what the property could look like. The interior designer may ask the buyer where they live currently and what the buyer would want in a home. With this initial information, the designer could begin to provide vivid ideas of what can be done to make the house more to the buyer’s liking.

The third solution is to either hire an interior designer or a broker and allow them to stage the house. This means the broker or designer will rearrange the furniture. Sometimes they will remove or add furniture. Other times the broker or interior designer will add flowers, change bedspreads, and rearrange the kitchen. They will do whatever it takes to sell the property and get the most money.

As a professional broker, there is one issue that at times makes it difficult to sell the property. That issue is the preferences and tastes of the seller. Sometimes a seller will indicate that they are not the best at decorating their home because it is just not a priority. The seller is busy with work or children and for the seller, the property is functional and comfortable. These types of sellers will allow brokers to do what is best.

‘Unfortunately, most buyers either do not have the vision or the time to determine what a property could look like and be.’

Then some sellers think their home is perfect as is, which it is to the seller because it is their taste. In this seller’s mind, it is unthinkable that buyers would not like their home. In these cases, it can take longer to sell the property because the seller has reduced the demography of buyers to those who either have the same taste as the seller or buyers who have a creative vision of what the property could look like. Unfortunately, most buyers either do not have the vision or the time to determine what a property could look like and be.

The rule to selling anything is to sell what the buyer wants and needs.

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