Great real estate photography and beautiful home staging can make a huge difference in the price you are offered and the timeframe you close in.
Putting in the extra effort with incredible photography and a professionally staged space, will typically pay for itself and then some. Check out our latest post for some great staging and photo tips!
Real Estate Photography and Staging to Sell Your Home in Chicago
Before The Photos Are Taken and The House Is Shown…
For optimal results in staging and photography, it’s advisable to hire professionals for each role. This typically means engaging two different experts: a skilled photographer and an experienced stager.
A photographer specializes in capturing the best angles, utilizing light effectively, and maximizing the visual appeal of each room through photography. On the other hand, a professional stager excels in enhancing the overall ambiance and functionality of a space, ensuring that furniture placement and accessorizing complement the home’s features and style.
The synergy between these two professionals is crucial for showcasing your property in its best light. While a photographer focuses on capturing the essence of each room through compelling images, a stager ensures that the physical presentation aligns with the aesthetic appeal and lifestyle appeal that prospective buyers are looking for. By investing in both photography and staging expertise, you significantly enhance your home’s visual appeal and attractiveness in the competitive Chicago real estate market.
As They Say, A Picture Says A Thousand Words…
High-quality photography plays a crucial role when listing your house on the MLS and other platforms. We’ve all encountered listings where the photos fail to showcase the home effectively, leaving us wondering why certain shots were chosen. While some homeowners or agents may take photos themselves, others rely on their agent’s skills.
While some agents have a good eye for photography, nothing compares to hiring a professional photographer. They bring a wealth of expertise and tools, including tripods, wide-angle lenses, and a knack for utilizing natural lighting to capture stunning images that highlight your home’s best features.
Investing in professional photography is an investment that typically pays for itself. It’s important to note that a photographer’s role is distinct from that of a stager. They focus on capturing the existing space as-is, without rearranging or cleaning up items throughout the home. Their goal is to present your property in the most appealing and realistic manner possible, ensuring potential buyers get an accurate and enticing impression of what your home has to offer.
Get it “Magazine Pretty” With a Professional Stager
Professional staging is sometimes viewed as a luxury service, often associated with larger cities or considered a boutique offering. However, staging plays a critical role in enhancing the likelihood of selling your home successfully.
Home buying is heavily influenced by emotion, and staging aims to create a neutral yet inviting environment that allows potential buyers to envision themselves living there comfortably. While some stagers may completely refurnish and decorate the entire house, it’s more common to focus on key rooms that have the most impact.
A professional stager assesses your existing furnishings and decor, determining whether to enhance with additional pieces or strategically repurpose items to improve visual appeal. The primary objective of staging is to elevate the perceived value of your home in the eyes of prospective buyers. By presenting a well-staged space, you can make a positive impression that resonates emotionally and practically, increasing the likelihood of a quicker sale at a potentially higher price.
Tip #1: Declutter
Before taking any photos or showing your house to potential buyers, it’s crucial to declutter thoroughly. Personal possessions and photos should be removed to create a neutral and inviting atmosphere. When buyers tour a clutter-free home, they can better visualize themselves living there without feeling like they’re intruding on someone else’s space. This approach helps create a positive and welcoming environment, encouraging potential buyers to linger and imagine themselves in the home comfortably. By presenting a clean and depersonalized space, you can enhance the overall appeal of your property and ensure that prospective buyers focus on the home’s features and potential, rather than feeling uncomfortable or hurried during their visit.
Tip #2: Say Goodbye To All Personal Items
Absolutely, temporarily storing personal items such as photos, awards, bills, and any religious or political items can greatly enhance the comfort and appeal of your home to potential buyers. The objective is to create an environment where visitors can easily envision themselves living in the space. This becomes challenging if the home is filled with personal memorabilia that may distract or prevent buyers from forming a connection with the property.
By decluttering and depersonalizing, you allow buyers to focus on the home’s architectural features, layout, and potential. It helps them see the space as a blank canvas where they can envision their own belongings and lifestyle fitting seamlessly. Moreover, packing away unnecessary items and personal effects not only improves the showing experience but also prepares you for the eventual moving day, making the transition smoother and more efficient.
In essence, creating a neutral and inviting atmosphere by removing personal items enhances the overall appeal of your home, making it more appealing to a broader range of potential buyers and increasing the likelihood of a successful sale.
Tip #3: Don’t Neglect the Outside Areas
For both photography and viewing purposes, you will want to spend some time fixing up the outside of your home. Don’t leave your cars in the driveway, instead park them down the street.
This will allow the focus to be on your home in the photos and will make people feel like they are pulling into their own driveway as opposed to someone else’s. You should also put away all personal items and kid stuff. They say people decide if buying is a possibility in only a matter of seconds.
This is why it pays to clean up the front yard, plant a few flowers and refresh the front porch. The backyard should also be clear of clutter, with a warm and inviting feel. People should want to spend their time there!
Tip # 4: Keep it Tidy… Like Really Tidy
When preparing your home for potential buyers, it’s important to consider how different people live and what might be perceived as distracting or unappealing. Small details like leaving food out on the counter, keeping the toilet lid up, or having visible cables running across walls can detract from the overall impression of your home. These seemingly minor issues can become significant eyesores for certain individuals viewing your property.
A helpful approach is to imagine how you would expect a hotel room or Airbnb to look upon arrival—a clean, clutter-free space that feels inviting and well-maintained. Striving for this level of cleanliness and organization can create a positive first impression and make it easier for buyers to envision themselves living comfortably in your home.
By addressing these potential distractions and striving for a neutral, tidy appearance, you enhance the appeal of your home and ensure that it presents well to a wide range of prospective buyers. This attention to detail can ultimately contribute to a smoother and more successful selling process.