Home staging can turn a white elephant house into a hot property, but you have to recognize a few key concepts. One important mistake many home sellers make is forgetting that staging is not the same as interior decorating. When you stage to sell, you think of prospective buyers, not your own individual taste.
The challenge can be especially great when it comes to putting art on walls. Choosing art that you love to live with will be quite different from choosing art to sell a home.
Many home sellers just leave their own art work on the walls. If you have been living with the house awhile, you could be making a major mistake. Art that works for you personally probably won’t help sell the house.
Inappropriate or offensive – One stager who walked into a house and was confronted by a gigantic painting of the seller’s naked little boy, in ALL his glory. That’s a little extreme but prospective buyers can be sensitive.
Individualistic – Religious icons, Asian art or an African mask collection…Buyers have strong feelings either way. You may get lucky and find a buyer who loves your collection. But buyers often have trouble erasing these images from their subconscious minds.
Bland and Ho Hum – Beige on beige? Art that could be viewed in a local motel? Even a new frame might make a picture stand out a little.
Walking a fine line on art can be tricky. I spend a lot of time with my clients going over these items. They’re often surprised how much difference the art work makes.