Everyone wants to sell their home for the highest price possible in a competitive market. It is therefore very important to consider the presentation of your property to differentiate it from other properties on the market and give you the best chance of achieving a premium selling price.
A well-presented property with immaculate interior design can have a strong influence on potential buyers. We spoke to director and stylist expert, Sally Rodgers, on why property styling is a must when putting your property on the market.
Sally works for one of the longest serving property styling companies in Melbourne called Presentation Counts. She took over the medium-sized business in 1996 with her business partner and director, Ray Rodgers, who is also a qualified architect. The business has grown significantly since it started and now boasts a large warehouse in Clifton Hill where all of the latest staging furniture is stored ready for use.
What is property styling?
Property styling takes after the American tradition of ‘staging’ and prepares a property for sale to look its best for buyers by using furniture and interior design accessories.
In Sally’s experience, property styling has become very popular in Melbourne especially after the COVID-19 pandemic. Presentation Counts is in high demand to assist with properties for sale. As part of the company’s service, a stylist goes out to view the property and makes an assessment as to which pieces of furniture are required to fill the space. Once the space has been reviewed, a formal quote is given to the seller. Once the quote is approved, a team of stylists works hard to achieve a harmonious look that not only makes the house look appealing but photographs well.
One of the biggest considerations when styling a property is to ensure that the space does not look cluttered. Many people acquire a lot of items over the years which may be hard to get rid of. Presentation Counts mainly deals with empty properties to provide a more coordinated look to entice buyers. A decluttered space also looks great in photographs used for online advertising. Furthermore, it is also imperative to avoid selling investment properties with empty rooms. Buyers are willing to pay more for a property that is fixed up and styled effectively.
It is critical that the right size furniture is sourced and configured effectively in each room. A wrong-sized piece of furniture can drastically change the appearance of the room size. Configuration and theme of furniture is also important. Sally recommends starting with the living room first to set the look, then the dining room, kitchen and lastly, the bedrooms.
The company provides styling assistance for a variety of property types such as apartments, townhouses and stand-alone homes. Timing of the job depends on what type of property the seller has and how many rooms it has. On average, it usually takes four or more hours for one job.
Sometimes properties are old and run-down. Presentation Counts offers an extra service to freshen-up the property if required. This service includes a fresh coat of paint, new carpet laid, sanding of the floors and even a plumber to install a new toilet. It is important to work with the agent as to what is required to bring the property back to a certain standard. After the alterations are complete, furniture is brought in to finish the final presentation of the property.
Tips to sell a property
Sally recommends the following tips for selling a property.
Declutter – Look at your property critically and make a decision to get rid of a few items. Streamline all of your surfaces and cupboards. Sally also suggests moving items to a storage container or a friend’s house to make more space.
Decorate – Try to add more personality to your property by adding art on the walls to match the furniture. This adds instant colour and shape. However, it is important to keep all the elements in mind including texture and flow between each room.
Listen to your Agent - Agents will have a clear idea as to who would be interested in your property and what the target market wants to see. It is also important to use an agent that has been recommended to you in addition to doing your own homework.
Clean the property – All buyers like to see a sparkling clean property. You should clean everything including windows, cupboards and get rid of any mould.
Be realistic about the price – Don’t set your expectations too high and set a realistic price based on your agent’s advice, your own research of comparable recent sales in your suburb, and the state of the market in which you are selling.
There are many benefits to using a professional property stylist. Not only does the service add value to the property, it saves time and stress. When selling your property, in addition to engaging a conveyancer, you should also engage a property styling company to get the best price on your investment as possible.
Sally Rodgers Bio
Sally has extensive experience in corporate management with a former life as a Registered Nurse. Since then, Sally has worked in styling and interiors for many years. In her role as Director, Sally works closely with clients to achieve a speedy response to enquiries, quick turnaround of quotes and timely completion of jobs.