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Today on the show, Dan is speaking with Kim Dunn, founder and owner of Staged 4 You by Kim, the Upstate’s largest and most experienced home staging service. Why is home staging important? How is it different than interior design? And why does staging matter during a crazy seller’s market?
Why Stage My Home?
Kim has been staging homes all over the Upstate for 14 years. She and her associates’ professional staging services are designed to ensure the highest rate of return on your investment prior to going to market.
When potential buyers come to see a home, they often make an emotional decision and then find logistical reasons to back that decision up. Staging can help you overcome aesthetic downfalls in your home and elicit that emotional response from buyers. Buyer’s Agents report selling homes 86% more quickly staged than not, and many Listing Agents Kim has worked with anticipate up to a 20% listing price increase as a result of www.
Home staging is different than interior design. Interior design is all about crafting a unique and personal home, while staging creates a de-personalized space that will “appeal to the masses.” Both are beautiful, but one will attract a buyer much faster.
Staged 4 You Services Provided
Staged 4 You offers three levels of services depending on the needs of her client:
First, Kim schedules a one-on-one meeting in her client’s home. This consultation time allows Kim to understand the current state of the house and consists of discussions on everything from rearranging furniture, paint color, lighting, and listing timeline, all to help the client get things done quickly, well, and with a return on investment.
“Understand that it is not a personal assault on your property when a stager walks through,” Kim advises, “We offer respectful advice with the objective of appealing to the masses and securing a buyer quickly.”
A second service Staged 4 You offers is vacant property www. According to Kim, vacant properties typically sit on the market about 50% longer than staged properties, which often results in decreased buyer traffic, price reductions, and other undesirable situations. One explanation for this is that buyers struggle to visualize themselves in a vacant space. “Staging your home is always cheaper than the first price reduction,” Kim helpfully points out.
To decorate vacant properties, Kim rents furniture to her clients from her curated collection and stages the main living areas in the home. This service is available at any price point.
Finally, in rare cases, Staged 4 You will offer occupied staging services.
Staging an occupied home is a service with a higher liability as borrowed furniture can be easily ruined. However, in the case of a little used home being sold such as a second or vacation home, this option ensures a quality finish and spectacular first impression for potential buyers. Similar to vacant staging, this service is available at all price points.
Buyers make their decision quickly, often based on the curb appeal or emotional response they have walking in the home for the first time. Getting these primary living spaces up to par is a far better investment than painting your basement with the funky color.
Tips for Staging Your Own Home
Kim advises against hiring a staging “hobbyist,” instead investing in a true staging professional who will guarantee a return on investment.
When in doubt, Kim says paint and clean. A fresh coat of paint does wonders and scrubbed baseboards shine more than you could imagine. Focus on those main living areas and curb appeal; the spaces that serve as a potential buyer’s first impression.
Kim and her team at Staged 4 You would love to transform your home and help you get ready to sell! Visit her website for more information and call her at 864-386-9176.
Dan Hamilton is the founder of Hamilton & Co. and the lead listing agent for the team. He is the only agent in the Upstate endorsed by Shark Tank star and real estate mogul Barbara Corcoran. Additionally, Dan hosts a weekly radio show on The Answer 94.5 and 106.3 WORD giving tips and advice on real estate and is a frequent contributor for real estate on Your Carolina TV show on WSPA Channel 7.
