Selling Your Home in a Buyer’s Market?
The help of a professional decorator and stager can make all the difference
With more than 6,500 homes on the market in the Albuquerque metro area right now – more than twice as many as last year at this time – it can be a challenge to get your home shown to prospective buyers, much less get it sold. But, the two go hand-in-hand, and without showings, your chance of selling your home in a reasonable time frame is drastically reduced.
Buyers are using the Internet more than ever before to search for potential properties. According to a 2005 survey by the National Association of Realtors, 78 percent of homebuyers used the Internet to search for homes and 90 percent used a Realtor. Attractive pictures and virtual tours are key tools in helping them narrow down which homes they ask their Realtor to show them.
So, how can you make sure your home looks its best, both on the Internet and once you get a prospective buyer in the door?
Having your home staged properly can make all the difference. If the home you are trying to sell is vacant, a few personal touches can make the home feel more warm and livable. If you have a room that is awkward or small, properly arranging the furniture can help prospective buyers visualize how they could use the space. And we all know that a home that is clutter-free, well lit and attractively decorated shows better and often garners a higher price than its plain Jane competition.
It’s a common misconception that professional staging is expensive. Stacia Lamb with Instaciable Interiors offers services ranging from a simple one or two hour staging consultation to help your home look its best for showing – using items you already own; or as complex as complete interior decoration of your home. She charges $40 per hour for staging. For complete home decoration, her initial 1 hr. consultation is free and she follows up with an estimate, priced either by the hour or square foot, for the work you’d like done.
Stacia received her degree in Advertising Art and Graphic Design from the Art Center of Albuquerque in 1998. Since that time, she’s worked on several high profile projects, including the interior decoration of both OPM Lounge and Nightclubs in Albuquerque and Las Vegas, NV, and many personal residences. She was an artist and illustrator for the Weekly Alibi magazine for many years as well, and in 2004 opened her own interior decorating business. In addition to interior decorating and staging of homes for sale, she specializes in hand painting of faux finishes and custom paintings for private residences, restaurants and retail stores.
You can reach Stacia by phone at 505-850-2667 or by email at staciablamb@aol.com. If you do decide to call Stacia, you’ll be glad you did. Just a little effort can go a long way in today’s more competitive real estate market.
