Archive for category: Blog

Spring is a time of renewal, and that extends to the real estate market. If you’re selling your occupied home this season in the Metro Detroit area, you have a great opportunity to attract eager buyers. But, as a homeseller with enough on your plate, navigating the obstacles of staging while still living in the space can be…challenging. That’s where the expertise of a dedicated staging company like Impact Home Staging Experts becomes invaluable.

We know how tempting it can be to put your effort towards an attempt at DIY, but haven’t we all learned our lesson that shortcuts are not always the most logical option? Investing in professional occupied home staging offers many advantages that can directly impact your sale price, perfect buyer, and timeline. Here’s why partnering with us is the smart move this spring:

1. 20 Years of Expertise and Fresh Perspective:

• Beyond Personal Attachment: You love your home, and that’s wonderful! However, a professional stager provides an unbiased perspective, seeing your space through the eyes of potential buyers. We can focus on areas that might not appeal to a broad audience and suggest impactful changes you might not have considered. Detaching from your well loved home is not easy, and we can offer sound advice. 
• Staying Ahead of Trends: Our team stays up-to-date on the trends and buyer preferences that are specific to the price and style of your home, ensuring your home is staged in a way that feels current and desirable for the spring market in Oakland, Wayne, Macomb, and the Ann Arbor area. From family friendly to a sophisticated style, our warehouse is packed with beautiful accessories and furniture. 

 Maximizing Space and Flow:

• Strategic Furniture Arrangement: Whenever possible, we always try to incorporate your items, saving on cost. We are experts at arranging your existing furniture to create flow, define spaces, and make each room feel as spacious as possible. Every square inch counts. This can be crucial in occupied homes where furniture placement might prioritize comfort over buyer appeal. The way we live in our home is now how we sell our home!
• Highlighting Unique Features: Our professional stagers know how to draw attention to your home’s best assets as well as downplay flaws. Your home may have original hardwood floors so we may suggest removing rugs. But if your home is situated on a busy street and has an open floor plan, we could bring in rugs from our inventory to help with deflecting traffic noise

3. Targeted Styling for Your Market:

• Understanding the Potential Buyer: We have experience working with the local real estate market and understand what resonates with local buyers. In fact, we have it down to a science…20 years to back it up! Our staging choices will be tailored to attract your target demographic. 
• Creating Emotional Connections: Professional staging goes beyond simply making a home look pretty. Sure, we love a pretty space, but we strategically place items to evoke positive emotions and help buyers envision themselves living in the space. Plus, making your property memorable will make it unforgettable!

4. Minimizing Your Stress and Effort:

• A Collaborative, Yet Hands-Off Approach: We understand you’re living in the home. Our process is designed to be collaborative but also minimizes disruption to your daily routine. This allows us to come up with a plan that will create spaces for living and spaces to showcase your home’s potential..
• Saving You Time and Potential Mistakes: Impact Home Staging Experts warehouse located in Troy, Michigan has all the inventory you need and our team has the eye to make impactful changes. This saves you the time and potential expense of buying unnecessary items or making choices that don’t resonate with the right buyers.

5. Online Presence:

• Picture-Perfect Listings: In today’s market, online photos are crucial. Hom Shoppers typically start their journey online. Professionally staged homes photograph beautifully, leading to more showings and greater online interest. More interest leads to more showings. 
• Increased Perceived Value: A professionally staged home often conveys a sense of care and quality, potentially leading to higher offers and a faster sale. This also communicates that you’ve invested in your home sale. 

In 2025, we don’t leave money on the closing table. Partnering with Impact Home Staging Experts this spring for professional occupied home staging is an investment that has been proven to lead to a faster, more profitable sale. Let our 20 years of expertise transform your lived-in home into a buyer’s “that’s the one”. Contact us today for information on our staging consultation!

Ever wonder how the real estate market is really doing? One key indicator is the “Existing-Home Sales” report. But what exactly is it, and why should you care? We break it down in this blog article.

What Are Existing-Home Sales, Anyway?

Basically, this report tells us how many previously owned homes were sold nation wide each month. It’s not about brand new construction; it’s about homes that have already been lived in. The National Association of Realtors (NAR) puts out this data around the 25th of each month, giving us a snapshot of the market’s health.

Think of it this way: when you buy a used car, that’s a “used car sale.” Similarly, when you buy a house someone else has already owned, that’s an “existing-home sale.” And since most home sales are for existing homes (over 90%), this report gives us a pretty good picture of the overall housing market.

Where Does This Data Come From?

NAR gathers info from real estate boards and multiple listing services (MLSs) across the country, covering a huge chunk of the market. They then break it down by region: Northeast, South, Midwest, and West. This helps us see how different parts of the country are performing.

Why Does This Data Matter?

• Market Trends: This report helps us understand if the housing market is heating up or cooling down. Are more homes selling? Are prices rising or falling? This is crucial for anyone thinking of buying or selling.
• Seasonal Shifts: You might notice more homes selling in the spring and summer. That’s normal! The report accounts for these seasonal changes, giving us a clearer view of the underlying market trends.
• Pricing Insights: The report provides median home prices, which are a better reflection of what’s actually happening than average prices. It tells us the price point where half of the homes sold for more, and half sold for less.
• For Real Estate Professionals: For realtors, this data is invaluable. It helps them advise clients, understand market conditions, and advocate for housing policies.
• National Impact: This data is widely reported in the news and influences policy decisions in Washington D. It’s a key indicator of the overall economy.

Why the “Seasonally Adjusted” Numbers?

You’ll often hear about “seasonally adjusted” sales figures. That’s because home sales naturally fluctuate throughout the year. To get a true sense of the market’s direction, economists remove these seasonal ups and downs. This way, we can see the real trends, not just the effects of the weather.

In Simple Terms:

Essentially, this report is a vital tool for anyone interested in the housing market. It gives us a clear, data-driven picture of what’s happening, helping us make informed decisions. Whether you’re a buyer, seller, or simply interested in the economy, understanding existing-home sales is key.

Here’s a breakdown of the key information from the National Association of Realtors (NAR):

• January Sales Decline:
  • Existing-home sales experienced a 4.9% decrease from December, reaching a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.08 million.  
• Median Home Price Increase:
  • The median existing-home sales price rose to $396,900, marking a 4.8% increase from January of the previous year. This is the 19th consecutive month of year-over-year price growth.  
• Inventory Increase:
  • The inventory of unsold existing homes increased by 3.5% from December, totaling 1.18 million units.  
• Key Factors:
  • NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun highlighted that “Mortgage rates have refused to budge for several months despite multiple rounds of short-term interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve. When combined with elevated home prices, housing affordability remains a major challenge.”  

To sum this all up, while sales dipped in January, home prices continue to climb, and inventory is showing signs of improvement. But, affordability remains a significant hurdle due to persistent mortgage rates.  

The latest NAR data, with its 4.9% drop in existing-home sales alongside rising median prices and increased inventory, has some distinct implications for home staging.

Key Takeaways for Home Staging:

• Increased Competition:
  • With more homes on the market (increased inventory), sellers face greater competition. This makes effective staging even more critical to stand out. A staged home can create a memorable and positive impression, distinguishing it from the competition.
• Emphasis on Value:
  • With rising median prices, buyers are increasingly price-sensitive. Staging should highlight the home’s value and justify the asking price. This means focusing on key selling points and minimizing any perceived flaws.
• Creating a Move-In Ready Experience:
  • In a market where affordability is a concern, buyers are looking for homes that require minimal additional investment. Staging should create a “move-in ready” feel, demonstrating that the home is well-maintained and requires little to no immediate work.
• Targeting Buyer Preferences:
  • Understanding buyer demographics and preferences in the specific market is crucial. Staging should be tailored to appeal to the target buyer, whether it’s a young family, first-time buyer, or downsizing retiree.
• Online Presence is Paramount:
  • With the majority of buyers beginning their home search online, high-quality photos and virtual tours of staged homes are essential. Staging should be photogenic and create a compelling online presence.
• Addressing Affordability Concerns:
  • Because of the higher prices and mortgage rates, staging can help a smaller home feel larger, or a less updated home feel more modern. Staging can help buyers envision how they can make the home work for their needs.
• Highlighting Key Features:
  • If a home has desirable features, like a renovated kitchen or a spacious outdoor area, staging should emphasize these selling points.

Click image for a FREE downloadable PDF to share with your clients!

In essence:

In a market with fluctuating sales and rising prices, professional staging can be a powerful tool for sellers. It can help attract buyers, justify the asking price, and ultimately lead to a faster and more profitable sale.

Please reach out to us at 248-591-4290 or fill out our contact us form for any questions you may have!

When preparing your home for sale, making smart aesthetic investments can significantly increase its value and appeal to potential buyers. And while you might be tempted to just “throw money at it”, you’ll need to prioritize the updates/improvements with the best return on investment. Here are some key areas to focus on:

Light Fixtures

Updating light fixtures is a relatively low-cost improvement that can have a big impact. Modern, stylish lighting can make spaces feel brighter and more contemporary. Focus on key areas like the kitchen, living room, and bathrooms. Lighting is easy to install and doesn’t have to be expensive. But if you are listing a luxury home, don’t skimp!

If you love this fixture, contact our design team, they can help you order it!

Paint
The most effective ways to update your home. Stick to neutral colors like whites, grays, and beiges, which appeal to a broad range of buyers and make spaces look larger and more inviting. Stay away from pink. Trust us. (Here’s some great info on hiring a professional painter for the job.)

Hardware

Replacing outdated hardware on cabinets and doors can modernize your home without a large investment. Choose finishes that complement your home’s style, such as brushed nickel, matte black, or polished chrome. If you’re at all handy, you won’t even need a plumber to update that powder room faucet!

Curb Appeal

We’ve said it before and we will say it again (and again…) First impressions matter. Invest in landscaping, fresh mulch, and a well-groomed lawn. Consider painting the front door, updating the mailbox, and adding some potted plants or flowers. New door mats? That’s an easy update that you can take with you when you move!

Minor Kitchen and Bathroom Updates

Kitchens and bathrooms sell homes. Simple updates like new faucets, updated cabinet hardware, and modern backsplashes can make these spaces feel fresh and new. e surprised what

If your budget allows, consider replacing outdated appliances with basic level newer models and, if counters are dated, consider updating just the island to a pretty quartz or granite top. You might be able to use a remnant from your local hard surfacing purveyor for this.

In the bath, a new vanity top and sinks is a quick update that can be really affordable with all-in-one units from your local big box store. We’re looking at you, Costco. (Say, honey, while you’re out, can you pick up 2 dozen eggs, a case of Kirkland chardonnay and a new vanity?) This one’s currently just $499, complete with countertop/sink and faucet set.

What to Skip:

Say no to Major Renovations: Large-scale renovations like adding rooms or completely remodeling kitchens and bathrooms can be costly and may not provide a good return on investment. Besides, who wants to say goodbye to a brand new bathroom!?

Don’t bother with High-End Upgrades: Luxury upgrades like custom cabinetry, expensive countertops, or high-end appliances may not appeal to every buyer and could reduce your overall return. We are sure you can find something else to spend that money on in your new home!

Avoid and Remove Personalized Décor: Avoid highly personalized decor or bold color choices that might not appeal to the majority of buyers. We’ll just leave it at that.

Bang for your Buck

Home staging is a crucial investment. It involves arranging furnishings and décor to showcase your home’s best features, making it more attractive to buyers. Professional home staging companies can bring in furniture and accessories to update a look or make a vacant home more appealing. Staging helps potential buyers visualize how they could use the space, which can lead to quicker sales and higher offers. It’s more than just aesthetics; it’s a strategic marketing move that can make your home stand out in a competitive market. Besides, who doesn’t want their home to look like it came out of a glossy magazine, even if just for a little while?