When a home is put on the market it is no longer your home; it becomes a product to be marketed and sold for the best price in the shortest amount of time. The whole idea of staging is that you want to market your home to the largest number of people and to get as many offers as possible.

A home stager can help sellers see their homes as buyers do. An initial investment for a basic home evaluation and report of what needs to be done, runs about $150 to $300, with the actual work starting at $550 and up, plus an additional cost for rented or bought furniture.

How can a stager help sell your home?

• Evaluates the home inside and out.
• Works with your furniture 1-2 days editing and/or adding the correct number of pieces.
• Neutralizes the home by removing personal items (photos, knickknacks, etc)
• Broadens appeal of home to attract the most variety of buyers. Creates a lifestyle.
• Features the best assets of the home. Sets up activity areas for buyers to envision the lifestyle.
• Arranges it all to enhance the space, not to deceive potential buyers. Homeowner stays more relaxed.

 
To sell your property you can price your home below market value or make a small investment hiring a stager to make your home more desirable. Houses do not show well vacant. Most people do not have a lot of vision and empty rooms look smaller. One note of caution, however; you must be certain the home is priced close to market value because no matter how good a home looks, it will not sell if it is overpriced.
 
Five Points When Staging a Home

• Cleaning
• Getting rid of clutter
• Depersonalizing
• Furniture and accessory placement
• Maintaining

Cleaning
I mean a deep cleaning in which you make every surface, every window, every nook and cranny sparkle and shine. Clean windows, ceiling fans, curtains and blinds, carpet…in short, everything. Eliminate any unpleasant odors and if possible, have someone else care for pets until the house is sold.

Getting Rid of Clutter
Your are going to be moving shortly so go ahead and start getting rid of the things you’ll never need again and boxing up the things you can live without for a couple of months. Clean out about fifty per cent of the things in your closets. Countertops should be clean and uncluttered. Even the cabinets and drawers should contain only a few items, because prospective buyers will be opening doors and drawers and they will want to see a lot of space.

Depersonalizing
When selling your home, remove all your personality from the home. Besides getting rid of clutter, pack your family photos, children’s artwork, trophies, and personal effects. Remove all items that are questionable like skulls, dead animals, furs, horns, guns, and political memorabilia. Buyers want to envision their belongings in their new home.

Furniture and accessory placement
As stagers we have the expertise and experience to create memorable focal points, choose the right furniture and knick knacks, creatively arrange furniture, lighting & accessories, clearing out counter tops in kitchens & bathrooms of personal effects while leaving just enough to enhance the space. Using proven staging strategies may include setting up spaces with suggested activities that buyers perceive as a lifestyle change or making homes user friendly so that buyers are not put off by museum-like rooms.

Maintaining
Sellers must commit to keeping their home spotless as long as it is on the market. Keep the outside as clean and neatly maintained as the inside. If they can’t keep the lawn mowed they should hire someone to do it. Trash cans should be kept out of sight. A nice potted plant, a clean doormat, and a freshly painted or cleaned front door makes everyone feel welcomed.
 
Six Misconceptions about Home Staging
 

• Staging requires remodeling
• It is expensive
• Must rent high-end furniture & lots of accessories
• Covers up defects to fool buyers into paying more money than is worth
• Lighting a few candles & baking cookies
• I watched a TV show. I can do it myself.