Lake Oswego Real Estate Agents Say "Stage for Success!"
First impressions are critical in Lake Oswego real estate. People paying $500,000 - $1 million aren't looking for a house – they're looking for a home, a lifestyle, a certain warm fuzzy feeling, a property that exudes their persona.
"You need to get the potential homeowner's attention in the fast-paced world where everyone has a limited attention span," remarks Heather Wood, designer for Meadowood Design Group. "This happens 10 seconds into the front door."
Making that Lake Oswego real estate speak to prospective home buyers is more than just sweeping the floors, painting the walls and keeping the place tidy. Wood says it's about making the home look as unique as possible, so it stands out from the competition – things like adding furniture and accessories to create warmth and personality or give people an idea of what living there might be like.
One piece of Lake Oswego real estate at 567 10th Street sold for $1.3 million less than three months after staging it. "Obviously, you can't stage the entire house; it's not a model home. The rooms that people are interested in are the rooms that sell the home – the great room, kitchen, dining area and master suite," Wood said, "and if you have a challenging area or room that is small or people wouldn't know what to do with."
Her emphasis is on creating a room that makes people visualize themselves living in the Lake Oswego real estate. For example, they see a comfy chair near a window and think of relaxing after work with a book. Or they see a large dining room table and realize that the room is still quite large, even with furniture in the space. A lamp and calendar placed on a built-in desk draws the eye to it and emphasizes its usability.
She adds that you don't have to spend a fortune to sell a home. In fact, some of her most successful shopping has been at TJ Maxx and Target. Find something unusual and "unexpected," Wood advises. She also uses pieces from local furniture stores, which advertises for them and adds a bit of uniqueness. Sometimes people are interested in purchasing the Lake Oswego real estate fully furnished because "they can't imagine it any other way!"