Selling Your Home? Consider the Benefits of Home Staging

With the huge success of HGTV's line of shows like Designed to Sell, the focus on the place we call home is at an all-time high.

Viewers find themselves tuning in for do-it-yourself tips, fabulous makeovers and the latest design trends. Then off they run to the nearest stores hoping to recreate the magic. Home sellers, builders and investors with vacant properties on their hands also watch anxiously for ideas to help maximize their sales. At some point, most find that they need a hand … but don't know where to turn.

Enter Home Staging®.

Staging is the professional process of preparing a property to ensure it sells for the highest possible price in the shortest amount of time. The average increase in sale price of a staged home is 6.9% and it stays on the market for 50% less time (source: 2004-2005 stagedhomes.com survey). What used to be considered an exclusive service primarily for high-end clientele in the West Coast is quickly finding a niche market here in the East.

Stagers work as part of the professional real estate team to develop a comprehensive marketing strategy. So, it's ideal to introduce the stager prior to listing ….and definitely before scheduling the open house. The goal is to showcase the architectural features of a home so buyers can envisions themselves living there from the moment they open the door. Stagers work essentially with furniture and accessories the owner already has yet custom furnishings can also be incorporated as needed.

Staging doesn't have to expensive, just effective.

The investment in staging is less costly than the first price reduction. Understanding the full benefits of staging can help owners avoid 'just giving their homes away'. The process begins with an initial consultation and a physical walk-through of the property. A Property Analysis is then compiled which includes detailed recommendations for everything from the front yard and exterior to each and every room in the home. Owners can implement the recommendations and/or contract with stagers to manage the project in preparation for sale.