My role as a home stager is to remove all reasons for a buyer NOT to make an offer. Talk to any real estate professional and they are likely to confirm that there are consistent complaints from buyers that surface with all showings. Here are the top three complaints (which, by the way, can all be solved with some simple home staging):
“It’s too small/cramped”
Buyers will often complain that a home feels too small or cramped. This typically has more to do with the perception of the size rather than the reality of it. Some things that cause a home to feel tight are clutter, oversized/bulky furniture, too much furniture in a space, a bad layout, and insufficient lighting. I always recommend that you declutter your home before it goes on the market. Get rid of as much as you can, including paring down the décor on shelves and surfaces to open up each room and make it feel larger.
Similarly, bulky (or too much) furniture can crowd a space. Keep the furniture visually lightweight and only have a few necessary pieces. Don’t block the doors or windows and make sure there is a natural flow to the space. Lastly, make sure each room has plenty of natural light or artificial lighting to fill in dark corners.
“It needs too much work”
In the case of a fixer-upper, this is a given, but many buyers will pass on a home that needs a lot of cosmetic changes too. Most buyers simply can’t see past personalized décor. When they see brightly-coloured walls or overpowering window treatments, it can be too distracting for them to imagine themselves in the space. It can also be overwhelming to think about all the changes they will have to make for it suit their personal style.
I always recommend neutralizing your home’s décor before putting it on the market. This will make it much easier for the buyer to imagine it as their own. They won’t feel rushed to change anything (to feel comfortable in the home) but instead will get excited thinking about what they will be able to do with a blank canvas.
“It just doesn’t feel like home”
Similar to the last complaint, this one is often caused by a home feeling too much like a stranger’s home not only because of the décor, but also the personalized touches like family photos and toiletries sitting out on the bathroom counter. Too many reminders that someone else lives in the home breaks up the fantasy for many buyers and gives them an uneasy feeling that they can’t quite put their finger on.
You need to make buyers feel relaxed on a subconscious level.
The above suggestions will help buyers overlook things that may not be exactly what they were looking for, but the home “feels” so good that they can’t resist making an offer.
— Julie Brown, CCSP
