Wait, the Millennials are buying homes?
What are they, 16?
OK Boomer isn’t the rallying cry of Millennials. Millennials are in their 30s now. They’re part of a 56 million person workforce and they are buying houses.
They aren’t their parents, though. This group of buyers isn’t as likely to be dazzled by acres of water-hungry lawn, dark exotic wood floors or formal dining rooms that seat 12. Marketing your home to Millennials means making an emotional connection.
A star stager knows how to help a buyer see themselves living in a house. So what’s so different about the Millennial buyer?
Read on to learn more.
Selling to Millennials
The hard sell isn’t going to work here. Millennials are famously cynical. They grew up watching their parents lose jobs in recessions. Their early lives were spent Googling information for their boomer grandparents who had trouble with the TV remote or transitioning from AOL.
They wiped searches for erectile dysfunction, best we buy houses company near me and no bankruptcy from their Meemaw’s computer. Millennials have seen everything and believe almost nothing.
Staging homes for them means creating something that looks new, clean and bright. They look for an emotional pull forward to the future, not so much for ties to the past.
Tips From a Star Stager
The Millennial homebuyer is part of the internet generation. Everything they consume is thoroughly convenient, researched and ready to go. Staging needs to reflect that. Even if the home you are showing is twice as old as the potential buyer.
- Clean, declutter, depersonalize
- Choose neutral painted walls, eliminate grandma’s wallpaper
- Get inspired by Pottery Barn, IKEA or similar interiors
- Replace dated tiles with grout and seam-free alternatives
- Remove wall to wall carpeting, switch to hardwood or laminate
Star stager tip: Use area rugs to define spaces and add warmth. Create 2-in-1 spaces like office/guest rooms and kitchen/dining areas.
Millennials are looking for homes that look “move-in ready”. This generation has watched HGTV for the last decade and researched your home photos days and weeks before visiting.
Don’t Forget Curb Appeal
Appeal to the Millennial aesthetic by swapping out fussy and formal lawns and hedges with easy-care xeriscaping. If the area is small, a high-quality synthetic lawn is a good choice.
Don’t carry the artificial turf too far, though. Millennials like working on their homes. They just like the rewards to be easy, convenient and efficient.
Choose outdoor lighting with efficiency in mind. LED and solar lights are the way to go.
Home Staging Sets the Scene
Create an instant emotional connection with your buyer through the right staging. You don’t need to be a star stager, you just need to create a space where your buyer can imagine their lives.
Get inspired by sleek, clutter-free design and contemporary colors from popular Instagram and Pinterest sites. Choose neutral colors and remove carpeting where possible. Choose easy-care gardens.
Millennials aren’t the only buyers on the market right now, but their cohort represents a huge potential. Appeal to Millennials to sell your home now! Keep browsing our blog to learn more about the Millennial market.
