Home Staging - Q&A With Elaine Penhaul
Elaine Penhaul, founder of award-winning Lemon and Lime, brings her Norfolk heritage to the forefront of her work, specialising in staging premium country homes. With a particular fondness for the flint and carrstone gems of the North Norfolk coast, Elaine has turned her passion for property staging into a transformative marketing tool. From shaping her own successful business to inspiring homeowners and professionals alike, Elaine’s influence is far-reaching. Her Amazon #1 best-sellers, Sell High, Sell Fast and How to Sell Your House, have empowered countless readers to maximise their home’s potential and achieve standout results.
This Q&A with Elaine explores how staging can make all the difference in selling your home.
What is home staging?
Home staging is a property marketing tool which ensures that the presentation attracts multiple potential buyers as quickly as possible in order to create a buzz about the property. It significantly differs from interior design as it is deliberately attracts the likely buyer for a property opposed to designing the interiors to a clients taste.
What are the benefits of using home staging?
Home staging showcases the lifestyle of a property to a potential buyer. In an occupied property it will involve using the home seller’s furniture and the addition of accessories and artwork will complete the look. Some properties require decorating, repair work and gardening, all of which are advised to make sure everything in the house looks as good as it possibly can be to attract a buyer.
In an empty property, it is very difficult for a viewer to imagine themselves living in the space if there is no furniture. In particular, bedrooms look smaller without a bed in and viewers will imagine they can’t fit a king size bed in when in fact they can. Furnishing a vacant property solves this problem.
What return can I expect from the investment in staging?
In many cases we see properties that we have staged achieving 10-15% over their list price. We operate in the premium end of the property market so that can translate into £100k or 200K over list price meaning that often our clients are getting a 5-10,000% return on their investment in staging.
How much does it cost?
The cost varies depending on what needs doing ahead of the property launching to market. Decorating is quoted on a bespoke basis as it is not always required. When decluttering is necessary at an occupied property, we would suggest a budget of up to 0.5% of the list price. To fully furnish a property ahead of sale, a budget of around 1 – 1.5% of the list price would be reasonable.
How does the process work?
Either a home seller will contact us directly, or an estate agent will call us on behalf of their clients. We will then speak to the home seller and understand what their goals are for the sale and also the timeline. If the property is empty, then we can quote from floorplans. If not, then we will do an initial consultation free of charge. From there we will make recommendations about the presentation of the property ahead of photos and viewings. From the acceptance of quote it will take a maximum of 2 weeks before the property is ready to be launched to market.
Where can I find out more about Lemon and Lime?
In addition to the Lemon and Lime website, (www.lemonandlimeinteriors.co.uk), our social channels are a great place to see what projects we are currently working on and our tips to help you sell quicker and for a higher price. You may also often see us featured in publications such as The Times, The Daily Express and House Beautiful magazine.
Call us for a free consultation 01332 987740.
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