Anniversaries give us the opportunity to reflect on the passage of time and consider our achievements — and we are certainly feeling nostalgic here at Ellen Kurtz Interiors.
It’s been just over a year since we launched Staged By Design, the natural outgrowth of our interior design business.
Dipping into the world of luxury staging has been an exciting adventure for us. Staging has allowed us to stretch and strengthen our creative muscles in new ways, and has quite literally opened new doors for our company.
We feel blessed to have had the opportunity to help so many people sell their homes. There is nothing quite so lovely as realizing you have helped buyers fall in love with just the right new home or workspace.
Which leads me to this:
I never expected this enterprise to be quite so meaningful for our clients – both the sellers and the buyers.
As an interior designer, I know better than most the significance of one’s surroundings to their sense of well-being. But until we began staging properties, I suppose I didn’t truly fathom the level of uncertainty, energy and thought that goes into buying a high end property.
What I’ve learned since we entered into this venture is that a beautifully-staged property offers something the buyer desperately needs – a tangible representation of the space and all it could be. That alone eliminates a world of fears.
There may be a misconception out there that luxury living can sell itself. In reality, the opposite is true.
High end buyers are searching for high end interiors, and not all have the vision, time or energy to see what could be.
Let me elaborate.
- Luxury touches will elevate your space.
As we’ve said previously — empty spaces and seller’s furnishings are no longer enough to close a deal on a high-end property.
The luxury buyer has a lot to pick from, so you need to make sure you are showing your space in a way that shows its’ true potential.
You want the property to ooze quality, standing out from others they have visited. Beautiful architecture alone won’t give you that edge over the competition.
This means choosing design elements that highlight the assets of a space. Maybe you want to draw a visitors eyes to the coffered ceilings, or highlight the craftsmanship of custom millwork.
Not all stagers do this type of work because we must have access to the necessary industry contacts in order to acquire the high-end furnishings and artwork that provide that certain je ne sais quoi.
We are fortunate to have these types of connections, and as a result, can provide the very best for our clients in this niche market.
- An empty property feels just that – empty.
As with any property, the best path to a For Sale sign is giving the buyer a taste of what it would be like to live there, their way.
That last part is important because we are dealing with buyers of discriminating tastes.
Luxury home staging experts put a great deal of research into the design process.
We want to understand who the typical buyer is for a particular neighborhood or community. We then choose our design elements with that buyer in mind. But it’s a delicate balance between appealing to a certain type of buyer and keeping the design neutral enough so we don’t turn anyone away.
That requires a special touch, which an experienced designer will have developed over time. That’s why you definitely want to hire someone who focuses on this type of staging. It is more of an art than a science.
- It will sell faster and at a higher price
There’s very little debate on this point — staging a property will get it sold faster and at a higher price.
Sure, there are costs associated with it — but people need to think of it as an investment that will pay off for brokers and sellers in the long run. You are minimizing any carrying costs for keeping the property on the market and warding off price reductions.
Bottom line: While staging may be considered optional in some real estate markets, it is a given when you are dealing with luxury homes.
Choosing a company who truly cares about design, and the clients, is just important. Call Ellen Kurtz Interiors today for an appointment.