While home staging is primarily designed to highlight a home’s best features, it can also hide potential problems. A quality REALTOR® will not allow clients to hide significant issues that a home inspector will ultimately find. Here are some common home staging tricks that buyers should know.
Curtains
Stagers can use curtains or curtain rods to hide small, cracked, or damaged windows. They can also attempt to hide damaged paint or holes in the walls. Buyers should always pull back the curtains to see anything that might be hiding behind them.
Decor
Artwork is sometimes used to conceal water damage or large wall holes. Planters, vases, decorative platters, etc., can also be used to cover damaged floors or countertops. Always pick up, move aside or look behind any decor that seems to be in an odd location.
Furniture
Stagers can disguise a lot with furniture placement. Low furniture makes ceilings seem higher than they actually are. Undersized furniture is commonly used in small rooms to make them appear larger. Furniture placed in an odd spot might be concealing damaged floors or walls. Take note of extra bedrooms that are staged as home offices. While it looks like a comfortable work-from-home setup, be sure the space is large enough to fit a bed if you plan to use it as a guest bedroom.
As you walk around the space, ask yourself important questions:
- Is that a love seat or a couch in the living area?
- Will my sofa fit in the space?
- Is that a queen-size bed or a king-size bed in the primary bedroom?
- Will the dining space accommodate my family for the holidays?
It is a good idea to have a measuring tape handy to get an accurate idea of the actual space.
Mirrors
Mirrors are another tool commonly used to trick the mind by making a room appear larger and brighter. It’s a relatively harmless staging trick, but buyers must pay attention to each room’s shape and size. Also, be aware of mirrors that may be placed to reflect more light than the room naturally provides. The more mirrors you see, the more you should question how much the room will darken or shrink when they are no longer present.
Rugs
The most obvious staging trick is placing a rug over stained or damaged floors. An area rug doesn’t necessarily mean that sellers are purposefully concealing something. Still, savvy buyers should look under them just in case – especially if a rug is in an unexpected or random location.
Scents
A home needs to smell nice when it’s on the market, but a home that is too fresh is probably hiding something not-so-fresh. A pleasant scent in the bathrooms or the foyer is not uncommon, but a robust air-freshener aroma throughout the home should be a concern. It is usually indicative of sellers attempting to mask other odors. Other odors can include pet potty odors on the carpet, cigarette or cigar smoke, or mildew.
White Noise
Buyers should be aware of music playing in the background. Sellers might use subtle background music to drown out unpleasant outdoor noise. As a buyer, you’ll want to “listen to the home” while walking around. You want to ensure you’re not offended by residual neighborhood noise or the surrounding area.
A staged home doesn’t always mean that sellers are being deceptive. The primary purpose is to ensure that buyers focus on the positive features of a home rather than the imperfections. Most imperfections may not be deal breakers, but buyers need to know exactly what they’re getting into before signing on the dotted line.
If you’re looking to buy or sell a home in Guadalupe County, I’d love to help. Email me at krista@bloomrealtytx.com, contact me here, or give me a call at (830) 305-5248, and I will guide you through the process.
