Did you know that apartment staging can fill a vacant unit an average of 80 days faster than in a community that doesn’t have a staged apartment? Staging a home or an apartment can help prospects envision themselves living in the space, and any marketer knows that vision is tied to emotion, and emotion drives people to make decisions.
Use apartment staging to drastically shorten your vacancies and improve occupancy rates. We’ll tell you how, but first thing’s first.
What is staging?
Staging a home, or arranging it with furnishings and accents to make it appear lived-in, is a popular tactic and one that real estate agents everywhere tend to invest their time and money into. So, the logical thought is this: If staging does so much for selling homes, why can’t it do just as much for rental homes and apartments?
Why apartment staging works
Imagine walking into a unit you’re interested in renting, or seeing a virtual tour video online. The unit is empty. There is nothing in the rooms except open space and bare walls. While some managers make the mistake of thinking that open space is a blank canvas for a prospective renter to view their future, this is most often not the case. A prospective tenant may, in fact, find him or herself overwhelmed at the very thought of trying to imagine how furniture will fit and how certain things will look.
Now, imagine walking into a unit that is moderately furnished and arranged to look as though it is lightly lived in and every space has a well-designed purpose. You can see how beds fit in the bedrooms, get a feel for the living room space and how well your stuff will “go,” and you’ll even get a feel for color palettes.
This is because apartment staging does two things:
- Helps prospective renters see all that is possible in the space
- Allows the presentation of certain features while minimizing other features that aren’t as desirable
Want to get units rented quickly?
We’ve got a strategy for apartment staging that works every time. Here’s how to do it right:
- Find the Space. It may not be economical to bring in a staging crew and materials for every vacant unit. In these cases, try to reserve one unit for the purpose of staging. Many managers use the staged unit as the office if there is not an actual office space on the property. Either way, you can always look into writing a staged unit off as a marketing expense.
- Rent. If you have the ability to stage individual units, renting furniture may be your best bet. This way, you have a great design for the exact amount of time you need it. As an added bonus, many rental stores deliver.
- Invest. If, on the other hand, you’re looking for a long-term solution, remember that you don’t have to buy brand new, brand name furnishings. Lightly used and well taken care of items will definitely suffice. So, keep your eye on Craigslist and any area Buy-Sell-Trade Facebook pages where people tend to list some very affordable furnishings and designs.
- Mind the Color. To get the most from staging, you need to pay attention to color schemes and trends. Just because you are getting a couch from Craigslist and chairs from the newspaper doesn’t mean you can just throw whatever into the space and produce a hodge podge layout. The power of staging is in the ability to make a unit look like the best version of itself.
- Watch for Details. Throw pillows, window coverings, art work, and a small number of knickknacks should all be on your list. But, again, don’t go broke over the details. Some of the best stores for highly desirable home décor that won’t break the bank include Home Goods, Marshalls, TJ Maxx, and Ross.
Rather leave it to the pros? We love staging, and we love getting the properties under our management to maximum occupancy even more. Contact us today to see how we can work together. Call 817-295-5959 or email us at info@classamgmt.com.
