One of the most popular housing destinations in St. Louis, Tower Grove is a hot market for developers and flippers looking to rehab houses. The neighborhoods near Tower Grove Park have seen an enormous increase in homes being purchased by millennials and young families looking for a charming place to live in close proximity to downtown. From Tower Grove Heights to Tower Grove East, and nearby Shaw, it’s no surprise that Tower Grove Park homes have helped St. Louis has become a top 10 city for millennial home ownership, according to a 2017 study by apartment listing company ADOBO.
Homes in this area are often more than 100 years old and can require significant work to become move-in ready. One of the trickiest challenges is balancing the desire of millennials, who are looking for a turn-key property that’s been updated to reflect today’s décor style and trends. That’s where professional home staging comes in.
Consider this recent scenario: a developer purchases a Tower Grove-area house built in 1917 that needs a great deal of work. He spends months and untold thousands renovating it from top to bottom. But while he knows the changes and updates – new wiring, plumbing, HVAC, adding a second bathroom and completely re-doing the kitchen – are necessary, the developer still wants the house to reflect its history and adorns it with velvet drapes, swags, and antique furniture pieces reminiscent of the era.
Historic and Antique Are Two Very Different Qualities
As a Certified Staging Professional, I’ve been trained to review and examine the local market of every home we stage, in order to understand the demographics and desires of prospects most likely to look in that area. In this case, homebuyers attracted to this area are, by and large, millennials — young professionals in their late 20s and early 30s, singles and couples looking to buy their first home. Houses that look like their grandparents’ homes are NOT what these buyers are looking for. Millennials want the experience of having a property that may present history or character from the outside, but with very modern amenities and livability on the inside. If a property feels like it has been filled with relics inherited from their grandparents, it may leave them feeling like they’re visiting a museum rather than their new home.
It took time and patience to convince the well-meaning developer that we needed to stage this home with on-trend colors, styles and décor that would appeal to today’s buyers and help them make an immediate emotional connection with the home. Once he bought into our vision we set to work and transformed the property into something prospective buyers could see themselves living in. Gone were the red-wine drapes and old rug seen above, along with the antiques scattered about the home, replaced by stylish, modern furniture and accents throughout.
Staging Is Essential For Tower Grove Park Homes
The end result? All of the hard work above paid off dramatically.. The house sold less than one week after going on the market. In January. In the Midwest. A traditionally “slow” time for real estate sales, if you’ve followed our recent post on selling your home in the winter.
If you’re a realtor, a flipper, or just relocating and selling your home in an older neighborhood, appealing to the buying demographics of the area will give you the best possible return on your investment. Give us a call and set up a home staging consultation to see how we can help you transform your property into a home that prospects will flock to.