Help! I Need A House Doctor!
If you're finding it hard to sell your property, you might be tempted to enlist the support of a house doctor. But is it really worth it?
House doctors or `home stagers' have been around a while in the US, but are a relatively new concept in the UK -- although TV programmes such as Five's House Doctor, fronted by Ann Maurice, have made the services more popular.
Basically for a fee, a house doctor or home stager will visit your home and advise you about getting your property ready for sale. This could include advice on furniture layout, de-personalising, de-cluttering, cleaning, and generally improving the appearance of your house or flat to generate interest among potential buyers.
If a property is unfurnished, a home doctor can arrange to rent some furniture so viewers can see what it will look like furnished.
However, this is not the NHS: home doctors don't come cheap.
What should you expect to pay?
The amount you will have to pay depends on the kind of service you want:
- Homestagers.co.uk charges £250 for a home sale consultation, £450 for a `complete home staging day', £250 for a space finding or de-cluttering consultation and report. the list goes on.
- Propertycoach.co.uk has a similar price structure; £250 for a one-day makeover restyling service, £125 for a verbal consultation and £350 upwards for a written report.
- Designfix.org.uk offers a range of services and generally charges £25 an hour, £100 for half a day or £200 a day.
The home staging companies all say their help and advice will make it easier to sell your house and achieve a better price. Among the benefits listed on the sites include the home stagers' knowledge of the market, the fact they will give you an objective opinion about the state and style of your house, and their professional creative advice. Generally, they'll try to convince you that the price of employing an advisor will be more than covered by the increase in the price achieved when the property is sold.
But do vendors really need a professional to help them get their property ready for sale_ Isn't it just common sense_
Clearly a cluttered, untidy property with poor and dated décor isn't going to appeal as much a spacious, neutrally decorated abode. You don't need to pay a house doctor to tell you to clear out the junk, slap on a lick of paint and have things nice and tidy when potential buyers come round to view - I'm telling you right now, for free.
So save your cash! Or at least take these few simple steps yourself, before splashing out on professional medical attention.
Tidy the front of the house
It doesn't take long to put those over-spilling rubbish bins out of sight, trim the hedge or put up some colourful hanging baskets. Replacing gutters or rotten window frames might be a bigger job but is definitely worth doing.
First impressions count
Make sure your hallway is inviting by creating as much light as possible, using a mirror to reflect light and adding a nice green plant or two.
De-junk
Clearing out the clutter has two main benefits; firstly it will make your property look tidier and more spacious and secondly it will mean there is less stuff to pack up and transport when you move out. Be ruthless and chuck out things you'll never need and use any cupboards or attic space to store things you might need in the future.
Cleaning
You'll be amazed where people look when viewing a house they're thinking of buying. So clean everywhere and make sure the whole place is spotless. Wash, dry and put away any washing up and make sure the radiators aren't covered with drying laundry. Finally make sure the house smells nice - fresh coffee and baking bread smell nice, cigarettes and pets don't.
Neutralise
Soft muted colours are best for the walls and neutral colours for the flooring. People are generally put off by wallpaper that might not be to their taste whereas a light coloured painted wall can easily be changed.
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Comments
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Why hire someone when you can do it yourself? You could say the same about painting and decorating, car maintenance, gardening etc. Every trade and discipline has its trained experts. Professional home staging consultants specialise in cheap or no cost styling, making the most of what the homeowner already owns. We know what appeals to the mass market, where to buy things cheaply if need be and which storage companies and trades people you can trust. Think of it as interior design on a shoestring budget. Looking at the comparison prices Emma has listed, I think I need to put my prices up! As Emma said the basics are common sense and yes the tips she offered will go a long way to improve the look of your property. However, I have visited many properties where the homeowner has gone too far with their de-cluttering and neutralising thus creating a stark, bland, uninspiring beige box – ironically putting off the potential buyers. Property styling experts offer advice and services to people who want to maximise their chances of a sale, that need help or just don’t have the time to do it themselves. In a sluggish market, it may not be that we increase the value of the property, but we will enhance its desirability, hopefully putting it to the top of viewers’ wish lists. Susie – Design Fix
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If the storage firms were not so disgraceful there would be some point of making use of their services. The one I used sent along a `packer`who carried articles such as sewing machines and vacuum cleaners without packing them and the contents are missing rendering them useless. [br/]I travelled to see where my possessions were being stored and was refused either entry or knowledge of where they were being stored, quite obviously they were ashamed of their premises. The crunch arrived when they demanded 3 months prior insurance instead of the one month that was stipulated in the original contract, and I had to have all my possesions returned, some antiques were very badly damaged. Never again.
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05 August 2009