Selling in Style: A Luxury Home Staging Checklist
We recommend that if you are deciding to sell, currently in the market, or just starting your home selling journey - do your research. We have a quick and easy checklist for you to use to make sure you are hiring the right people for the job and making a great decision for the best outcome. Staging your home is a critically important phase in getting your home ready to sell.
Forty-seven percent of buyers’ agents cited that home staging had an effect on most buyers’ view of the home.
Eighty-two percent of buyers’ agents said staging a home made it easier for a buyer to visualize the property as a future home.
Staging the living room was found to be very important for buyers (46%), followed by staging the primary bedroom (43%), and staging the kitchen (35%).
Home Buyers spend an average of 5 minutes in an unstaged home as compared to 45 minutes in a staged home.
National Association of Realtors reported that 23 percent of sellers’ agents indicated that staging helped increase offer amounts by up to 5 percent while some increased the selling price up to 15% and more.
Ask you staging company the following:
RESPONSE TIME = Less than an hour during staging hours
Your staging company should know that changes and hiccups are part of the process and can occur at a moment's notice. Quick and effective communication is the key to making things move smoothly.
FLEXIBLE SCHEDULES
Flexible schedules means your staging company has the ability to work alongside you just in case something happens. They can move the staging day with relative ease.
PROFESSIONAL WHITE GLOVE INSTALLERS
Every mover that works inside your home should have previous experience. Time on the job exposes the installers to everything and anything so they know how to manage situations professionally and quickly.
LIABILITY INSURANCE
Your staging company should have liability insurance which covers you from damages and accidents. They should be your homeowners first line of defense. PRO TIP: Ask for a COI (certification of insurance). Your staging company should easily produce this for you.
PREMIUM FURNITURE & ACCESSORIES
Your staging company should be using high-end, luxury furniture and accessories to stage your home. The furniture and accessories should be in excellent condition to showcase your rooms.
LARGE WAREHOUSE SPACE
The staging company you hire should have a spacious warehouse. They should not use their own garage or compact storage units for storing their furniture or design elements.
PRO TIP: Ask for a Scheduled In-House Visit to view their Warehouse. Your stager should be proud of their facility. Transparency is a key to building a strong, trusting relationship.
CERTIFICATIONS & AWARDS
What certifications does your staging company have? Do the designers come from a design background? Has the staging company won any awards? HSRA (Home and Staging Redesign Alliance) is an accredited organization that certifies staging companies and helps them continue their education and stay up to date.
COMPANY STRUCTURE & SIZE MATTERS
Your staging company should operate like a business, meaning they have departments such as operations, sales, customer service, designers, in-house logistics, warehouse, distribution and finance/accounting. Each playing a specific role to ensure all clients and partners are responded to quickly and appropriately. Did you know that most staging companies only have about 7 employees total?
PRO TIP: Ask your staging company if they have an inventory system. A great staging company is tech savvy and leverages technology to track what's in a home being staged, when that furniture is on its way back, and what is still available for new staging jobs. Visibility is key to staying flexible in this industry and providing the best results for your clients.
YEARS IN BUSINESS
How long has your staging company been in business? Start-ups are risky. Longevity is king in the staging world.
HIDDEN PRICING AGENDA
Did you know that some staging companies use a tiered system when selecting furniture for your home and have as many as five tiers? Each tier offers a specific level of furniture and accessory access.
If your staging company doesn’t check all these boxes, you may want to ask them why first. Then it's time for you to think about who you already hired, or who you are about to hire. Is this the best decision you can make for your client and their home?
WHY CHOOSE ECD?
ECD checks all the boxes. ECD is the largest, Southern California based luxury staging company that consistently delivers a boutique service. And here’s how we do it.
RESPONSE TIME - We are committed to responding quickly to all our clients. If your dedicated stager is on a job during business hours, ECD has an in-house office team to support you during your staging. We are committed to your success.
FLEXIBLE SCHEDULES - ECD has a 99% ON TIME installation rate even when things change.
PROFESSIONAL WHITE GLOVE INSTALLERS - ECD proudly employs fully insured, in-house staff to install your staging.
LIABILITY INSURANCE - ECD has you covered and has been since the day we opened.
PREMIUM FURNITURE & ACCESSORIES - ECD only uses the highest quality furniture and accessories in your home at all times. We bring in new pieces every year to ensure your staging design is up-to-date and on trend.
LARGE WAREHOUSE SPACE - ECD has over 22,000 square feet of warehouse space and we are bursting at the seams. Contact us to schedule a private tour.
CERTIFICATIONS & AWARDS - Need we say more?
COMPANY STRUCTURE & SIZE - ECD proudly employs 30 individuals and we are still growing. We structured our business to remain nimble and leverage technology. We use RFID chips that integrate into our proprietary inventory management system to efficiently track inventory down to the toothbrush holders in the bathrooms.
YEARS IN BUSINESS - ECD is celebrating its 17th year in business in 2023. A family owned business that started in 2006 and has grown to be Southern California's largest and number one luxury staging company.
OUR BEST INVENTORY, EVERY TIME - ECD always puts their best foot forward. Every staging job is important and deserves what’s best for the unique qualities of each individual space. What’s best for a downtown condo isn’t what sells a palatial estate. Our clients have the confidence to know their stagers are selecting what’s best for their home every time they stage.
INDUSTRY STANDARD PRICING, ALWAYS - ECD prides itself on always being within the industry pricing standards. Our technology enables us full transparency to schedule staging jobs so that we will never overcharge, double book, and will always fairly price the job.