Staging a Property During the Winter
If you’re selling a home during the winter months, there are more benefits to doing so than you may have realised. There tends to be less competition among vendors, for example, with fewer properties listed at this time of year. Meanwhile, those buyers who do come forward are likelier to be serious; plus the festive period often sees a spike in interest in viewing flats and houses online.
That said, there are challenges too, including the shorter daylight hours and weather potentially impacting kerb appeal. In the dead of winter, after 5pm, clearly, people will be viewing your property for the first time in the dark.
But you can rise to those challenges in various ways, including by staging – i.e. the business of styling a property to present it in the best possible light so it appeals to the widest possible range of prospective buyers. And it typically helps to sell somewhere more quickly and for a higher price that you’d be able to do otherwise. So home staging is certainly highly effective.
In winter, many of the principles remain the same as they do at other times of year. You’ll still need, for example, to think about cleaning the exterior, including windows, tidying the garden and painting where you need to. Your property should be as clean and decluttered as you can make it, whatever the season.
If the winter has meant windows have been closed for a while, open them for long enough to let in some fresh air.
Some extra considerations for the season include clearing away wet umbrellas and muddy boots. Equally, could your entrance do with a fresh doormat or a seasonal wreath? Oversized lanterns create a well-lit, inviting entrance.
When it comes to the inside, create a welcoming ambience in the following ways:
· Warm your home to a comfortable temperature.
· If you have any sort of fireplace, get a fire going ahead of the viewing.
· Use warm lighting – this is a key element of staging. Rather than bright overhead lights, think table and floor lamps for a softer, gentler mood and to illuminate any dark corners. And, talking of lighting, maximise natural light by opening all curtains and blinds during a viewing. (Having clean windows will help with this.)
· Add some subtle aromas via scented candles or diffusers, as long as these aren’t overpowering.
Enhancing comfort and space
Layer up for different textures with soft throws, cushions and rugs on sofas, chairs and beds for a cosy vibe. Think as well in terms of any winter-themed flowers or foliage you want to display. You could also set and decorate your dining table.
Winter-time home staging from McGlashans Interiors
At McGlashans Interiors, family-run and founded in 1988, we specialise in creating stunning central London homes through our professional property staging services.
Over the years, we’ve built up strong, trust-based working relationships with developers, architects and London property owners, all of whom appreciate the value of our expert property staging services plus our highly personalised approach.
We also offer furniture hire for home staging as part of our service, and are the UK’s largest stockist of Flamant furniture.
In our time, we’ve staged everything from an elegant one-bed apartment to grand 10,000 sq. ft. residences.
After a site visit, we’ll design our vision for your property according to your brief, before procuring everything we need and staging your home. We’ll then take some professional photos before you show people round the house or apartment you want to sell or rent. The final stage will, of course, involve celebrating a successful sale or let!
Contact us to learn more. Fill in the online form, call 020 7486 6711 or email interiors@mcglashans.co.uk. Alternatively, pop into our shop and showroom on Marylebone’s Crawford Street.