Sarah Evers has staged hundreds of homes for sale. It’s part psychology, part aspiration, and part removing excess.
Pics: Peter Evers
Home stager Sarah Evers has built a couple of homes, been through a divorce, and believes presenting a home for sale is part psychology and part aspiration.
“The first impression takes about 30 seconds. In that time, a buyer has made a snap decision about how they feel about your property.”
Some homes present poorly online, and buyers want turnkey.
“There is a perception that you just open the door and the property will sell. You don’t want your home to be perceived as a doer-upper, because buyers will likely haggle to renegotiate it downwards. Buyers haggle less if you remove the things they can haggle over.”
She lives in a pretty little place called Longbourn Cottage in The Naul, Co. Dublin, a property that is only eight years old but looks like it has been there for far longer.
This is in part thanks to the work her husband Jimmy Kiernan has done on the garden.
It isn’t a show home, but when it comes to selling, the house's comfort is also important.
“It has to look the part. Buyers have to imagine climbing into the beautifully textured bed or curling up on the sofa with a glass of red wine.”
Her sitting room has panelling to the dado rail, and the walls are painted in Farrow & Ball’s Skimming Stone. A large velour-textured sofa fills the back wall.
She’s added plants and a sense of whimsy in the animal print lampshades. It is definitely a place you could stretch out and binge your favourite show.
It’s a real-life example of how to position furniture correctly.
She doesn’t advise asking friends for their opinion on how your home looks.
“Most will be reluctant to tear your home asunder,” she says. Instead, shoot video footage and take photos of every room from every angle.
Critically analyse how the rooms look in each.
Then do a cull. Strip everything back. If the bed appears too big for the room, consider a smaller bed.
“Every room should have a function. If you’ve too many bedrooms, turn one into an office. A smaller one could become a laundry room.”
After decluttering, the best way to present the property well is to paint it.
“Don’t just do one room. Do the whole house and in cohesive colours.”
If a room looks or feels dark, take down the curtains.
“They can eat up wall space and block light. Replace existing blinds or curtains with simple white or off-white roller blinds."
Lastly, the house should be well aired, especially if it is vacant. She says smells can put buyers off.
“Nothing beats the smell of clean, of detergent, freshly washed floors. But not the smell of bleach. And avoid overpowering diffusers or plug-in fragrances. If you must have a scented candle, go for a linen or cotton-fresh fragrance and don’t light it.”
Remove all animal paraphernalia, she counsels. “There should absolutely be no sign of the cat litter tray, an animal bed.”
Kerb appeal is crucial. Many buyers do a drive-by of the property to get a preview, to see if they want to view it. Prune the hedging, paint the front door, clean the paving, and get the railings painted. Window treatments are part of the kerb appeal.
If the outside looks appealing, it augers well for the inside, she explains.
“It’s part psychology and part aspiration. You need to perceive that the person living in the house has a lovely lifestyle.”
A consultation with Sarah Evers Interiors costs from €200.00 plus 23 per cent VAT. It puts a fresh set of eyes on the property, a set of professional eyes. Prices to stage a property usually range from €5,00 to about €30,000.
