My Realtor Said I Need to Stage My Home. How Do I Do This?
My Realtor Said I Needed to Stage My House. How Do I Do This?
If you have a Realtor that suggests that staging your home is going to help you sell your home then you have an excellent Realtor. Additionally, your Real Estate Agent is correct. Properly staging your home helps your home stand out and it also invites new home buyers to envision themselves living and being in that space. Making the right choice of who you hire will make all the difference.
Can you think back to a time when you were looking to buy your first home? Or perhaps your family had grown and you needed more space, so you were looking for your second home? What did you see? Were the rooms comfortable and organized? Did you start to see your family sitting on the living room couch watching a movie; huddled together with a warm, crackling fireplace creating a calm and soothing atmosphere. Or perhaps you were gathered around the large kitchen island, making cookies together for the upcoming holiday. Laughing and singing along while Frosty the Snowman played in the background. What you experienced was the craft of a talented and observant stager.
Only Hire The Best
Not all staging companies are created equally. Not even close. Your Real Estate Agent can testify to this statement. A great staging company understands and takes into consideration all the factors involved in achieving the best outcome for your home. Here are just a few key factors:
Is the home owner-occupied? This means the home seller is still living in the home while it's being shown for sale. This also means that the staging company will need to blend existing furniture with new furniture and create a cohesive, intertwined space that looks purposeful and not disjointed.
When does the home need to be ready for marketing photography? Your home will be photographed and a video walkthrough will be created. Your staging company should ask you when this needs to happen and be able to have everything ready the day before so any minor adjustments can be made to maximize this time.
What happens if your open house gets moved back a day or two? Life happens and most of the time the control is not within our power to change. Your staging company needs to be flexible and be able to adjust your move-in day with minimal disruption. If your staging company isn’t compassionate, understanding, and capable of doing this for you, then you’ve made the wrong choice.
Contract As Early As Possible
Staging is usually last on the to-do list of selling your home. It’s understandable and normal. You want to give your house and your Real Estate Agent the tools for success. You’ve decided that staging your home is something you are going to invest in. You’ve found the staging company that's approachable, professional, experienced, and most importantly cares about you, your Realtor and the sales of your home. Many people are under the impression that staging is easy and quick. The truth is that it takes experience and time to coordinate every room with care and precision to make it look effortless to the new home buyers.
As the homeowner, you will participate in the prep work that happens prior to the physical staging of your home. Tasks may include removing and storing existing furniture, cleaning out cabinets and closets, and on occasion, removing mounted televisions. Knowing that there is more than meets the eye with staging, contract with your staging company as soon as you know who you are going to hire. Get your preview appointment booked and let the staging magic begin while you and your Realtor make those final decisions.