When you go to sell your house, there’s plenty to think about.
There’s the major decisions you’ll have to make, of course, like which agent do I go with? What’s the best time to sell? Private sale or auction?
But then there are those smaller considerations, such as whether you should have your home professionally styled, as well as hiring new furniture for the campaign.
Is it worth it?
Having professionals fit out your home could be a good move. Picture: Getty
Jellis Craig Fitzroy director Rob Elsom says having professionals fit out your home is well worth considering, and here’s why.
Fade those flaws
Ever walked into an open for inspection at an empty home and immediately noticed a few rough edges, like worn carpet or a crack in a wall?
Elsom says adding attractive furniture to empty rooms ensures those rough edges aren’t the only things that potential buyers see.
“I often feel that even with the lower end properties, that without the furniture, the real flaws of the home are on show,” he says.
“A buyer walks into the home and they can see that the floor may be a little bit wonky, that the carpet’s a little bit worn, any cracks in the walls are very visible. The home is being displayed very much in its raw state, without the furniture in it.”
It’s not about trying to hide anything, Elsom says, but simply accentuating the home’s strong points, rather than leaving all of its weaknesses as a buyer’s lasting memory of their visit.
A beautiful rug is a great way to cover a less than perfect floor. Picture: Getty
Create a sense of livability
Sometimes it’s hard to imagine a life inside a home with only a series of empty rooms to work with.
“For buyers who struggle to visualise how a property’s floor plan could work for them, furniture is key,” Elsom says.
“The simple way to put it is that when you’re selling something you have to make it as easy as possible for the buyer to feel like they could live in your property. Whether it’s an apartment or a five-bedroom home, you’ve got to make every post a winner.”
Looking to sell? Here are some styling tips from the experts:
Pump up the price
A stylist’s task is to look at a home and determine the best way it can be improved in order to deliver the maximum return for the vendor.
Elsom, who has a team of stylists on staff that are included as part of the campaign cost, says the service might even include advice on other more significant enhancements that could be worth investigating in order to achieve the maximum sale price.
“Their job is to go and look through any of the homes we’re selling, and not only organise quotes for furniture hire but also give the owners advice on what needs to be done in the home to sell it,” he says.
“They’ll organise quotes for anything from renovating a house, to changing the lights, to changing the paint palette throughout the home. We might find we’re project managing that for six to nine months.”
A stylist can help your home look more appealing to buyers. Picture: realestate.com.au/buy
What’s the cost?
Elsom says using a stylist and hiring furniture will generally cost between $3500 and $10,000, depending on the amount of furniture and the size of the home.
And while it’s almost impossible to quantify how much more you’ll pocket for the property than if you’d left it empty, it’s a fair bet that it’ll outweigh the outlay of hiring.
If you can only afford to partially furnish a home, definitely include a sofa and table. Picture: Getty
“One and two-bedroom apartments are going to be around that $3000 to $4500, depending on the style of the furniture and the amount that it’s furnished,” Elsom says.
“For those who are struggling to afford it, you can always partially furnish a home. We often say that the first impact is the most important – the rooms that the buyer sees first. So if you’re going to partially furnish the home you might want to furnish the first couple of rooms and then leave a couple of rooms, and then dress up the living room and kitchen area a bit.”
