Homes staged for a quick sale

Anthea Baker-Shreeve's designs convert empty apartments into homes. Photo / Herald on Sunday

Property stylists who jazz up houses for sale say that homeowners are turning to them in greater numbers due to the uncertain housing market.

The design specialists, known as home stagers, replace the vendor's furniture and household items with fashionable substitutes.

They say home staging can add tens of thousands to a property's value - and costs anywhere between $2500 and $7000 for a set-hire period.

Homebase director Anthea Baker-Shreeve said her company had noticed a surge of business recently.

"We have been flat out busy," she said.

"People are realising they need to market their homes better. In the current market you can't just throw the house on the market and expect it to sell quickly."

She said making a few simple changes could fetch a higher price and effect a faster sale.

"I do know we have picked up houses that have been sitting on the market for three months without a sale, staged them, and sold them within a week."

The home staging phenomenon hit New Zealand in the late 90s but had been popular in the United States and Britain for decades.

Studies in the US have shown that in identical homes, a house that had been staged sold for 15 per cent more and in half the time, said Baker-Shreeve.

Greg Dunn had his Mt Albert house home staged in April.

"I originally had it on the market for two months and didn't even get a bite. As far as I was concerned the house looked fine, I had tidied it up and moved out some of the junk but obviously it wasn't enough." Two weeks after the home stage, it sold.

He said it cost around $3000 for the service but it paid off, enabling him to sell the three-bedroom home for around $450,000.

"I was pretty desperate to sell. It was so frustrating waiting for months and not getting anywhere.

"It made a big difference to the place, it was instantly more attractive and the pictures looked awesome. Way more people came along to the first open home after I got it done."

Figures from the Real Estate Institute showed houses across New Zealand were taking four days longer on average to sell than in June last year.

Theresa Fincham, from Ultimate Home Staging, said buyers were more discerning than in previous years.

"People are realising they need to do more to make the sale." She said most of the properties they were staging were selling quickly.

She had heard of homes fetching $20,000 more than was expected after their properties were staged.

Alex Baker, one of Harcourts top agents in Auckland, said the market was patchy but what was for sale was going well.

"The problem is getting enough quality properties to sell. There is a lack of supply."

He said it was important to get the basics right.

"Waterblast the paths, wipe down the kitchen, tidy up the junk and clutter.

"There is nothing worse than having an open day and going into the kids' rooms and the blinds are down, there are things on the floor and the bed is not made."

Property values have slid in recent months, according to Quotable Value.

Values are above where they were at the same time last year due to increases in the second half of 2009 but the recent declines are closing the gap.

Glenda Whitehead, from QV, said the market had flattened since the beginning of the year and prices had decreased due to a lack of demand.