Deciding which new home to buy is not an exact science. Some buyers make an instant decision while others can take months and view dozens of properties before they find the property that is ‘right’ for them. A property can tick all the boxes on paper –the number of bedrooms, open plan layout, parking, outside space – but it still may not have the elusive ‘wow’ factor.
Buying a property can be an emotive subject and it is often hard to know what will appeal to buyers. That’s why it’s so important for developers to present potential buyers with a real home, full of style and personality – somewhere they will fall in love with and where they can instantly see themselves living.
So the art of homestaging is a secret weapon in their marketing strategy – designing a showhome that will present well online, encouraging more viewings, more offers and more sales.
But don’t take our word for it! Take a look at one of our projects and see how homestaging enabled one developer to quickly sell all the apartments in their new development in Victoria, London SW1.
Furnishing Luxury Apartments in Victoria
This small residential development in Victoria, London SW1, is part of the £2.2 billion Victoria regeneration scheme which is transforming this area of central London, (previously a rather poor relation to sought-after Belgravia and Pimlico), into a prime residential hotspot, packed with luxury apartments and trendy shops and restaurants. It’s located in an Art Deco building (which had previously been used as offices) and consists of eight luxury apartments, including a stunning penthouse apartment. The quality of the finish throughout is exceptionally high while the location tucked away in a peaceful side street yet in the heart of historic Westminster, really is enviable.
Its location in this increasingly sought-after area is definitely a real plus for the developer, but there was a major challenge too in that there was intense competition from many other developments springing up in Victoria. Other buildings have sought-after facilities such as a gym and concierge, which this development doesn’t, so the presentation was always going to have to overcome these factors to attract buyers. Homestaging was pivotal in allowing these apartments to outshine other similar properties for sale in Victoria
Seven Stunning Apartments Furnished and Sold
Initially, we were brought in by the developer to create a sophisticated, contemporary interior for the penthouse apartment.
After homestaging, the penthouse sold almost immediately for close to the asking price. And the buyer bought all our furnishings as well, they loved the interior so much! Following this success, the developer asked us to furnish another apartment – this too sold very quickly. And this continued until we had furnished a total of seven out of the eight properties in the building, all of which sold very quickly.
So was the Developer Happy with the Result?
The developer was delighted with how quickly the apartments sold after homestaging, commenting that “All our units sold very quickly after furnishing and this was particularly impressive as Victoria has many luxury residential buildings to choose from. Clearly our apartments really stood out from the competition.
Homestaging is a very important element of our marketing strategy and InStyle Direct are real experts, helping to transform a blank canvas into a stunning home where potential buyers can quickly feel comfortable and truly at home. Buying a new home is often an emotional decision and this instant connection with property has a huge influence on someone’s decision to make an offer. Using InStyle to dress a property undoubtedly increases the number of viewings and ultimately sales.”
Creating a Beautiful Showhome – Our Design Tips
The developer was delighted with how quickly the apartments sold after homestaging, commenting that “All our units sold very quickly after furnishing and this was particularly impressive as Victoria has many luxury residential buildings to choose from. Clearly our apartments really stood out from the competition.
Homestaging is a very important element of our marketing strategy and InStyle Direct are real experts, helping to transform a blank canvas into a stunning home where potential buyers can quickly feel comfortable and truly at home. Buying a new home is often an emotional decision and this instant connection with property has a huge influence on someone’s decision to make an offer. Using InStyle to dress a property undoubtedly increases the number of viewings and ultimately sales.”
Creating a Beautiful Showhome – Our Design Tips
Clearly, each homestaging project varies according to the type of property, its location, its value and its target market. But there are several key points that we look at initially when we design an interior for a showhome.
Make the property look like a home. Make it easy to see how much space there is, how furnishings will fit into it, what colours work well, how much light it has.
Think about your target market. Is the property a contemporary, urban loft apartment, ideal for a young, single professional? Or are you creating a relaxed, family home where functionality is as important as design?
Colour palettes, Presenting a property in a neutral colour scheme is a tried and tested way to ensure it appeals to the highest number of viewers. But increasingly, we are finding that an injection of colour is a good way to create a more contemporary look with a nod to the latest trends.
Furnishings, Choose simple, contemporary furnishings that appeal to most clients, look stylish and luxurious and fit comfortably into the living space to show it to its best advantage.
Stylish accessories, soft furnishings and artwork are the icing on the cake and create that real sense of individual style that someone will buy into. When determining the best selling price for probate property, the overall presentation and appeal to the target market become even more critical for a successful transaction.
These are the issues we look at first when we are dressing a property for a property developer or estate agent client to ensure that a property looks like a home that appeals to the developer’s target market and is ready to move into immediately.
Experienced developers know that homestaging doesn’t just make their showhomes look more attractive, it also helps them to maximise their profits.
If you are a property developer and planning to launch a residential development soon, call our business development team on tel: +44 (0) 20 8964 1966 or email them at info@instyledirect.co.uk to discuss how they can furnish and style your property to appeal to your target market.
