Designing to attract: the benefits of property staging

By Benjamin Hall, Managing Director at LOFT. In this article, he explores why property staging can make a real difference in the way you sell property.

First impressions are lasting impressions, and property staging is an essential element for landlords and agents to help capture the attention of target buyers or prospective tenants.

On average, home viewers take 65 minutes before submitting an offer for a home purchase, and with only 27 minutes spent per viewing, it’s vital to help viewers envisage themselves within a space and imagine the aspiration lifestyle they could achieve by living there.

How can property staging help attract viewers, and what are the tangible benefits?

While there’s plenty of evidence showcasing the benefits of property staging, many property agents and landlords have yet to unlock its potential.

According to The Home Staging Association UK & Ireland (2019), 100% of property professionals surveyed believe that property staging makes it easier for a buyer to visualise the property as their future home, and 94% say it increases the number of viewings.

So why are landlords holding back? Property staging can transform any space and make a vision a reality without the need to spend thousands of pounds and time by adding cosmetic details, furniture and dressings.

Properties that look beautiful in print, online and in person can help to achieve the best price in the shortest possible time with 75% of homebuyers spending more time viewing a home that is staged, as opposed to a non-staged property.

The art of property staging

People tend to perceive an empty room to be smaller than what it actually is. Furnishing a room provides perspective and gives potential buyers the ability to see how a space can be utilised and maximised. It will look and feel bigger and proves things like where a double bed can fit, eliminating questions and doubts from a viewer’s mind.

Over the past decade, the demand for open-plan living has dramatically increased and these large, empty spaces can prove challenging for most buyers struggling to envisage where to put their furniture or how the room will feel once their furniture is in place. It’s hard to imagine what we can’t see, so staging a property with carefully placed, well-proportioned furniture and accessories will help viewers see how to divide the areas into their own ‘zones’.

Finally, walking into a beautifully styled space can evoke positive emotions, and help instil a desire for a buyer to live in that space. As such, it can often drive up the price if multiple buyers can picture themselves living in the property.

Virtual viewings

With the world now needing to adapt and overcome challenges COVID-19 has thrown our way, marketing a property with eye-catching campaign photos and professional open home viewings, be they virtual or in person, is going to be even more crucial.

Virtual property staging involves computer generated visuals of how the space could be styled by digitally enhancing images with furniture and accessories.

All that’s required is professional photography, which is likely already captured for use online, and a discussion on the preferred design style for a space. The images can be turned around quickly, meaning it’s a time and cost effective alternative to physical property staging, and produces incredible results. It’s especially beneficial for landlords and property agents to utilise these images on adverts, or showcase the images in person when viewing an empty space.

Unlocking the potential

In 2019, 83% of property developers saw an increase in the offer value of a staged property, 33% of which were above 10% of the original price. So with property staging often resulting in increased yield and return on investment, it should be a no-brainer in attracting the best viewers to a space.

At LOFT, our Property Staging service has been designed to give landlords and tenants the edge over other properties, as all items are hand selected by our team of highly experienced interior designers with a wealth of knowledge on home staging and property presentation. We take care of everything — from key collection, full delivery and assembly through to the final finishing styling touches.

Property staging isn’t a fad, and the benefits are clear to see. Simple techniques can truly transform a property, whether it’s for in-person viewings, or for online images to capture the attention of those browsing online for their perfect property.

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