Frequently Asked Questions:

What is home staging?

Home staging is the art of preparing and packaging your home to create an appealing property that will attract the largest audience of buyers. The goal is to get your home sold for the highest possible selling price in the shortest amount of time.

Why should I use a home stager?

First impressions are critical when selling a home. A stager can make visual accessments based on that intial first impression, just as a buyer will form quick opinions when having a tour of your home. Statistics have shown that very few home buyers, about 10%, can visualize. This means that very few home buyers have the ability to see past the many potentially harmful and distracting features of a home. The longer your home is on the market the lower your selling price will be. A stager will prepare and package your home so that it stands out from the competition.

What should I look for in a home stager before hiring?

Home stagers are not all the same. Since there is no official accreditation, you must be able to judge for yourself just how desirable a stager is. You might ask about her experience in decorating, college major, professional career path, experience in real estate and relocating, color and design, business and marketing. Lastly, do you like this person, does she seem knowledgable and competent, is she courteous, friendly, manage time well, listen, have good advice? Would you enjoy working with her? Sometimes your decision will simply be based on your first impression- just like a buyer’s first impression of your home!

Why does home staging work?

Home buyers prefer viewing a house where they don’t have to use their imagination, can immediately fall in love with the idea of living in your home, and be able to say, ‘this feels like home’! It’s when buyers make this emotional connection to your property that the offer to purchase becomes a reality. Savvy real estate agents, builders, investors, and homeowners know the importance of staging (marketing) their homes to make sure they stand out from the competition and reduce the length of time they are on the market. Statistics show that the longer a home is on the market, the more likely a price reduction will be necessary.

* Something to think about- How often have you gone into a store, picked up an item on the shelf only to discover it is dented or torn... or has been opened up and retaped? Did you purchase that item? Or did you put it back on the shelf to get the one without a defect?

What are the 3 ingredients to selling my home?

Location, price, and condition will always equate with how quickly your home sells and for what price.

Location- Is always the number 1 reason realtors site for selling a home quickly and for top dollar. This is certainly important but location is not the only reason a home is desirable. The location of a property needs to work in conjunction with 2 other equally important ingredients...price and condition. If it is all about location and is not priced correctly and does not show well, it is doubtful the house will sell quickly or for the best possible price. What if your home IS in a bad location- on a busy street, near a shopping center or some other eyesore. Unfortunately we cannot pick up and move your home, but as a home staging professional, we will divert attention to the pluses of your home and try to minimize the detractions.

Price- A home must be priced realistically. If the location is great and the condition is wonderful, you‘ll be able to price it at the higher range of comparable homes in your area. If either the condition or the location is less than perfect, you’ll need to adjust the price accordingly. A good realtor will be able to guide you in this area.

Condition- The condition of your home will either boost your sales price or lower it, based on it’s location and comps in the neighborhood. Obviously, a staged home that shows beautifully, no matter where the location, is always a plus. It will have the ability to sell quicker and for maximum price. A staged home will often bring in multiple bids, or even bids over the asking price. Staged homes are homes in top condition and play up the best features of a home. They create an environment where buyers will form emotional attachments .

Staging can make the most impact on a home in that 1. you cannot change your location, and 2. the price is dictated by location and condition. A well staged home will give buyers their all important first and favorable impressions which are critical to selling. Buying a house is most often an emotional decision.