Home Staging is NOT...

Expensive - A good stager will be willing and able to work within your budget. Creativity and inventiveness are an integral part of the home stager's job description. A stager should offer sellers the option of either providing the actual staging services or a comprehensive staging report that the home seller can do themselves.

A Job For Real Estate Agents - The role of the real estate agent is complex enough without having to tackle the many details involved in staging their clients' homes. Sellers need their real estate agents to be marketing their homes, not fixing them up! Hire a professional home stager and you can be assured that the all-important fantastic first impression will be created.

For Exclusive Homes Only - It doesn't matter what the price of the home ishome staging can benefit homes in all price ranges. Creating a memorable atmosphere for potential buyers is the ultimate goal of a home stager. Regardless of the value of the home, the home stager will focus on the goal of selling your home quickly and for the highest price possible.

A Homeowner's Job - As a home stager, I frequently make recommendations to my clients regarding changes that can be made to best highlight the positive features of the exterior and interior of their homes. It is not unusual to hear, "These are changes that I never would have thought to make. My house looks so much better!" The point is that the longer we live in a house, the harder it is to view it objectively. A home stager views a home through the eyes of the prospective buyer. They are therefore able to make and implement recommendations that will show the house in the best possible light.

Decorating - Decorating an interior is done for those who intend to live in the home for a period of time. Personalizing the interior for day-to-day living is the name of the game. Home staging is for those who intend to move and de-personalizing the home is required in order to maximize the appeal to potential buyers.

For Model Homes Only - The model home look is often associated with home staging. Staging techniques are frequently used in effectively preparing vacant homes for sale. These techniques are just as effective for occupied homes. Home stagers will work with sellers' furnishings and accessories to create an appealing environment that will appeal to many buyers.

I hope this helps readers understand what home staging is and what it isn't. For those anticipating selling their homes, home staging can make a significant difference in the time your home remains on the market, as well as the ultimate selling price. For those whose homes have been on the market for a while and a price reduction seems inevitable, call a home stager before you take this step! Keep this in mind: The cost of hiring a stager will be significantly less than the price reduction.