Exterior Staging

What is Exterior Staging?

People have become more familiar with the idea of staging their home to make it more competitive in the real estate market.  Basically, a professional stager tries to make your home appeal to the widest group of prospective buyers by arranging furniture, depersonalizing (Doesn’t that sound wonderful?  It’s just so the buyer can see themselves living in your home.), and even light remodeling.  After all, a new coat of paint in just the right color can truly do amazing things.    Positive impressions, not "To Do" lists should be the first thing that comes to the buyer’s mind.  Exterior staging is the same practice, but focused on the outside of the home.

If the interior of the home is important enough to stage, what about the exterior?  You see the term “curb appeal” everywhere and for good reason.  Homes with excellent curb appeal can sell for over 16% more than those with poor curb appeal (Elam and Stigarll).  Many people drive by homes to preview them before ever arranging with their realtor to look inside.  Your landscaping is many things, but when you are selling your home, it is the link from the curb to the front door. In helping you stage the exterior of your home, it is my goal to get buyers to stop the car, get out and enjoy every step to the door.  Beyond that, when they step back out of the door, any door, I would like them to be presented with a pleasing, inviting property which they look forward to living in.

How I can help:

A friend who spent many years in the real estate industry told me once that cleaning a house well and applying a fresh coat of paint will take you a long way towards selling your home.  The same is true for the outside.  If the exterior of your home and walkways are clean and in good repair, your freshly edged beds have been weeded and mulched, you’ve put away most of the toys and ornaments and the lawn is in good condition, you have done quite a bit to make your home appealing to potential buyers.  Do you need my services for that?  If your schedule makes it difficult for you to accomplish that significant list of things to do, it may be helpful to have someone oversee that process.  I can:

 Assess your needs and resources (of both time and money)

Develop a prioritized list and plan to accomplish the tasks

Help you oversee the process

Now, you may not need anyone to help you with basic improvements to your exterior.  I am a landscape designer, so I can particularly help you in improving the landscape around your home.  Michael Menn, a principal for Design Construction Concepts was interviewed about curb appeal for Residential Design/Build magazine and had this to say, short and sweet:

“First and foremost is the landscaping.”

Your landscape is the setting for your home and a huge part of a potential homebuyer’s first impression.  Excellent landscaping can improve the value of your home by about 10% (Elam and Stigarl).  I can help you redesign your landscape to help your home and property look its best.

Sources

Elam, E. and A. Stigarll. "Landscape and House Appearance Impacts on the Price of Single-Family Houses." Journal of Environmental Horticulture. 30.4 (2012): 182-188. Web. 24 March 2014.