First Impressions

 

You’ve heard the old saying, “You never get a second chance to make a first impression.”  This is true in home selling as well as in the rest of life.

 

That’s why a pristine foyer area is key when staging a home to sell.  Is it welcoming?  Is it light and bright?  Does it feel spacious?  Buyers form an impression of the home within moments of entering this space.

 

But what about the home that doesn’t have a foyer? Premiere Home Stagers recently worked with sellers in just such a space.

 

 

 

 

The front door of this duplex opens directly onto a small landing for this staircase.  There is no foyer to welcome a potential buyer.  A sofa turned against the railing blocks the view into the room and leaves a buyer feeling slightly claustrophobic.  Now, the key is getting the buyer to look beyond this space.

 

 

 

By simply turning the sofa 90 degrees the view from the door, and the first impression, is completely different.  Now a buyer sees the focal point of the room — a corner stone fireplace.

We tweaked a few things around the fireplace to enhance it as a focal point.  The slipper chair had been facing it, but angled to the right it balances the bookcase and leaves an unobstructed view.

The sofa now faces the fireplace and is centered in front of the window.  A TV was removed.  Another lamp was added.  The expanse of empty floor space allows easy access to the kitchen and the other levels of the home.  It also gives the room a spacious feel.

What about first impressions?  The first buyer to view the home made an offer that has been accepted!  Home staging helped make a positive first impression.