STAGE A HOME TO SELL TO MILLENNIALS

If our last post got you thinking about selling your home, consider this:

The largest share of home buyers are millennials – those individuals born between 1981 and 1994. Today, a whopping 38% of buyers are millennials.

And even though housing inventory is down, this group of buyers isn’t willing to just accept any old house to step onto the housing ladder. Appealing to young buyers is key to getting good offers.

Luckily, with the help of strategic staging, you can increase the odds of your home not only selling, but also selling for top dollar. Here are our suggestions to appeal to millennials:


TECHNOLOGY

What buyers want: “Connected” homes, or homes with the potential for connectivity.

What sellers can do: Install smart thermostats, a video doorbell, and LED lights.


FURNISHINGS

What buyers want: A home they can easily imagine themselves living in.

What sellers can do: Replace or store your antiques and formal pieces of furniture. Rent or purchase furniture in line with current trends (think modern and mid-century modern styles with a minimal feel and clean lines).


DINING AREAS

What buyers want: Flexibility.

What sellers can do: Create a “dining room” that does double-duty. Set up a space that doubles for dining, a work area, or a play space for the kiddos.


AMBIENCE

What buyers want: A sense of health and wellness throughout the home.

What sellers can do: Select natural materials when possible – wool or jute rugs, rustic woods, and natural fabrics for upholstery and curtains. And bring in the houseplants! They’re having a moment right now.


TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THESE STAGING TRENDS TODAY

Cozy up to your home

“Luxury” used to be a draw for buyers. Today, “cozy” is the new luxury. We wrote earlier in the year about making your home’s floor plan feel less open but it’s easy to take “cozy” a step further. Adding texture to your home instantly adds warmth. It’s easy to add throws in your living and bedrooms spaces, but what about adding placemats and cloth napkins for meals? Think about adding layers of texture, and you’re halfway to creating a cozier environment.

Highlight outdoor living

Today’s buyers are searching for usable outdoor space. Even if your yard is small, you may want to dress up front porches and back decks/patios to expand your home’s living space.

Light it up

We’re spending more time at home these days. Natural light, and indoor light that mimics natural light, can boost your mood and even improve mental health. We rarely have buyers ask for dark (aka depressing) interiors. Here in the Pacific Northwest, “light and bright” are buzzwords we often hear from buyers.

Work it out

Home office space, which had been less in demand in recent years, has moved back to the top of many buyers’ lists as a result of new work-at-home policies in 2020. If your home lacks a true home office, think about ways to stage a corner or even a closet so buyers can see the possibilities if they are in a position to work from home.

Finally, think about ways you can shift a buyer’s perspective of your home so it feels more spacious. Here are six great tips to help you get started:

  1. Lighten up. White walls can reflect light and make a room appear larger. While white walls were out of favor for many years they’ve come roaring back as a result of many high profile HGTV shows (particularly those featuring the now-popular “farmhouse” feeling).
  2. It’s curtains for curtains. Not only do curtains block natural light (and your views), the vertical lines stop your eyes as they move through the room, making your space appear smaller.
  3. Let accents be big and bold. If you’re working with a small room, you may want to gravitate to small accents. Rather than cluttering your space with lots of little items, select one or two large and impactful pieces.
  4. Keep colors simple. A monochromatic colors scheme creates a soothing atmosphere and expands the space. Using furniture, walls, and accessories of a similar color allows your eyes to see them as a unified form.
  5. Move away from the wall. Don’t push your furniture up against the walls which draws your eyes to the wall and makes them seem closer together than they are. Instead, create a central seating area if possible (using a rug to anchor the area expands the space visually).
  6. Utilize “see-through” furniture. Glass tables are a great choice, but think beyond this obvious selection to maximize the space. Sofas and chairs with visible legs (rather than furniture with skirts that touch the floor or legless furniture) allows furniture to float in the room. Because your eye can pass under the furniture, your space is expanded.

Every home has elements that can be highlighted, and those which should be minimized. Great staging can help you do exactly that, adding to your home’s appeal (and the amount of money you can sell for).

Have more questions on staging? Let us help you style your home to sell!

 

Marti Reeder, Realtor, Managing Broker