While the housing bubble in Sydney hasn’t quite burst, it is slowly deflating, which means homeowners have to do everything they possibly can to attract a maximum number of buyers and to sell their properties quickly for a top price. Many are flocking to a home stylist Sydney to help improve the final price, which can be up to 12.5 per cent according to a survey of agents in a leading real estate chain.

That’s no mean return on a home worth a million dollars or more. Property styling is not necessarily about furniture hire, it’s about achieving a complete look, from flooring to paint colours and finishes, updating bathrooms and kitchens, to landscaping the garden – it’s about first impressions overall.

There are plenty of home stylists and property stagers popping up all over the city to choose from, so how do you know which one is best for your property?

Choosing the Right Home Stylist

Your home is a valuable asset that should be styled by a trustworthy, professional property staging expert, so selecting the right one for you is vital. Knowing how to separate the wheat from the chaff is the difficult part. However, if you ask the following questions, they can help you find the stylist who is just right for you and your home:

1. What qualifications/experience do you have?
   Anyone can hang up a shingle or get a website and call themselves a home stylist. However, a person with a background in real estate, marketing, and interior design who is also a qualified and experienced home stager will understand more than just decorative elements.These experts are trained to recognise the design, architecture and style of your home and will know how to enhance its presentation to attract buyers. Remember, one style doesn’t fit all. A qualified home stylist is also trained to advise you on ways to enhance both inside and outside your property.
2. Do you cater for diverse styles?
   Does the stylist you are considering have a variety of modes to suit the character and era of your property or do they cater for only one style? A good home stylist can create a range of looks from classic or art nouveau to modern and all things in between.It’s a good idea to check out what work your stylist showcases on social media and ask for some recent examples of work they’ve done on homes similar to yours. Be aware that sticking to a strict style can limit the number of interested buyers. The aim of home styling is to help your property stand out from the crowd and attract a multitude of buyers.
3. What does your hire really cost?
   Most home stylists will offer to hire their furniture for four to six weeks, which allows for all the photography and a month-long real estate sales campaign. You need to ask your stylist about the costs of an extended hire. Be sure you know what is the extended hire cost beyond the initial term.You need to know this because properties at the high end of the market can take longer to sell, especially now that the market has slowed. Auctions can be erratic and your home might not sell, or a sale could fall through. It is crucial that you are aware of any ongoing rental charges and keep this in mind to avoid any unpleasant surprises.
4. Can I live in my home while I hire your furniture?
   Due to the possible damage and wear and tear, very few home stylists will supply furniture for lived-in homes. If you need to live in your home while it’s for sale, then this should be an important question to help find your stylist. Some stylists will work on only a couple of important rooms and use your furniture, but you need to be tough enough not to be insulted if the stylist doesn’t think your furniture is suitable.Some furniture might need to be stored and replaced by the stylist’s items. It’s important to understand that styling to sell is completely different from interior design. When home stylists work on your property, their aim is to take you right out of the picture and depersonalise it. This makes your home appeal to a much broader home-buying public.
5. Is your stylist’s advice truly independent?
   How your property is presented is up to you, not the real estate agent. You engage a stylist to provide honest and independent advice that will help to generate a faster sale and also maximise the sale price of your property.An independent stylist will work for you and can be hired no matter which real estate agent you choose. Stylists can work on redesigning a space, advise on cosmetic renovations such as which paint colours would suit your home or advise you on which of your items can be used for staging, which can help also you in the decluttering process.

Do ask your stylist if they have any preferential deals with real estate agents and make sure the quality and style of the work is of the standard you would expect.

You obviously want to get the highest possible sale price for your property — but this can be challenging when you’re competing against so many others for attention. You need the premium services of the Urban Chic experts. We have home styling Sydney sorted. Our friendly team is made up of professional real estate marketers and qualified interior stylists with decades of experience and expertise in home staging.

We understand the pressures of selling a property and we’re here to help you, so call us today on 02 8959 7789 or email info@urbanchic.net.au