Vendors are reporting getting great results by using professional stylists to fit out their sale properties.
Sandy Smith has told the story in The Age of property stylist Claudia Matthews, who was hired to do a full stying job on a beachside property recently for sale in Collaroy.
The vendors of the property was told by several agents the property wouldn’t sell anywhere near the $1 million mark.
After getting the styling workover however, the property indeed got near the mark, selling for $200,000 more than what they were expecting.
“We did a full styling job on this particular property, everything from all the furniture, to dressing and steaming the beds and accessorising the kitchen and bathrooms,” she told The Age.
Ms Matthews is the head of styling and operations at Furnish and Finish property stylists and could well be worth a call if you’re looking to get the best possible sale price for your home.
Ms Matthews said the great result for the Collaroy property was purely because of the presentation.
“It just goes to show the impact professional styling can have,” she said.
“A lot of agents we use say whatever they spend on styling they get back five times in the sale price.”
“it is 100 per cent worth doing.”
Urban Chic is a similar styling specialist in Sydney, and Juliana Gowen says popular television shows such as The Block have helped to boost the popularity of property stylists.
“Once it was only reserved for high-end market homes, however now we regularly style properties right across the board,” she told The Age.
“Real estate agents are also very pro styling these days as it increases the level of interest in the property helping them sell more easily while achieving a higher price for their client.”
“It really is a win-win for all concerned.”
Sandra Smith’s report in The Age sought the experts’ advice for the five main things property sellers can focus on to style their homes for a sale:
Declutter
Simplify the space, pair things back and de-personalise it by removing family photos.
Focus on key rooms
Focus on the strengths and main rooms when styling as they will be the ones photographed to attract potential buyers.
Don’t underestimate the importance of the kitchen, keep it decluttered.
Consider your proportions
The furniture needs to be the right size and in proportion with the rest of the house, and this includes artwork as well.
Neutralise the space
A fresh coat of neutral paint freshens up the space and allows you to then add beautiful colours with props such as art and cushions that are appropriate to seasons. Colour attracts buyers’ emotions so use it to appeal to the buyers you are expecting.
Fresh flowers
A beautiful fresh bunch of flowers are great for photos, freshening the space and adding colour.
