Chris Hammond is CEO of Beau Property Staging as well as a property entrepreneur, investor and developer himself. What better way to kick off the blog than a post with our own in-house home staging expert? Read on for our interview with the man behind the success of Beau Property Staging.
Chris, what made you start Beau Property Staging?
We started Beau Property Home Staging because as property developers ourselves we had successfully staged many of our own projects for sale. We saw the results first-hand that we were getting higher-than-expected offers in double-quick time, just by styling our properties in the right way.
However, as the number of developments we had in our portfolio grew very rapidly, we weren’t able to, at that time at least, stage that higher number of properties on the market by ourselves. So, I went out and got quotes from other companies to do the staging work for us.
I found most companies to be very expensive indeed and this was a problem for me as it would have impacted my sale prices too much. I knew immediately that we could produce beautifully staged homes for a lower cost than our competitors were able to offer. When I realised that, it was honestly like a lightbulb moment! I just knew we had to start the staging arm of the business fully and I’ve never looked back.
What are your top tips for home styling a property?
Firstly, less is more. If you’re styling your own home for sale, I always say ‘de-clutter and tidy, then go round and de-clutter some more!’ Put things in the loft or the garage but any clutter on show in a house most certainly puts potential buyers off.
Secondly, if you have a room with a strong colour palette, consider changing it. Simply repainting in a neutral shade is a great way to refresh a property and keep it appealing to a wide range of buyers.
Finally, think about employing a professional home staging company to do all the work for you. Professional home stagers know how to truly capture the imagination of potential buyers.
What has been the most interesting home staging project you’ve worked on and why?
About a month before the launch party of the business, we finished a development of two very similar apartments. The Crown Mews was formerly a single storey dentist surgery which we then converted into two separate properties.
Despite identical fixtures and fittings, the apartment we staged went under offer within three days, whilst the apartment which was empty with no home styling or furniture remained available for over three weeks. When this property was later staged, we received several viewing requests, and it was taken within just two days. This is interesting to me because it just goes to show why home staging is so effective.
On that, is there any other evidence that home staging or show home decor works?
Our statistics page has some great numbers that explain exactly what returns developers can expect from home staging.
Beyond that, obviously the previously mentioned Crown Mews project is a great case study to show how well home staging works. Another example would be our Farmcombe Road project, which sold within four weeks for over £200,000 more than any other semi-detached property in the road.
I am certain that one of the key reasons these projects both delivered results so quickly and at such a high price is because they were home staged.
How can someone choose a reputable home staging company?
Firstly, always look at their videos and photos and make sure you like their style. Do they adapt schemes to contemporary or period properties, for example? Once you have made your shortlist, check they are registered with the Home Staging Association as they only list reputable and registered home stagers.
Another great way to find out how good a home stager might be is to read company reviews and testimonials. Chances are that if others have been happy with the service – you will be too. Lastly, of course, if you want a quote from us – please just reach out. We’d always love to hear from you.
