Stacey Davis owns Stace’s Spaces, Real Estate Staging & Interior Redesign in Centennial.
303-842-1723
www.StacesSpaces.com
Q. What is home staging?
A. Home staging is using limited funds, practical creativity and extraordinary expertise to professionally prepare a home to sell. A staged home becomes clearly more attractive to potential buyers and sells quickly for more money. Staging is a small investment resulting in greater home sale earnings. Staging can be as simple as a one- or two-hour consultation, after which a detailed do-it-yourself report can be provided. Another option is a half-day of hands-on staging working with what the homeowner already has. It can be as in depth as an entire home makeover or completely furnishing and accessorizing a vacant home for the duration of the listing. Stagers can make recommendations based on a client’s budget. A professional stager can recommend the best service for the home and the client.
Q. When should I stage my home?
A. Ideally, before it goes on the market. Staging a home prior to listing will assure that your photos look great and are going to draw in potential buyers. Statistics show that over 80 percent of potential buyers shop online first. Having great photos of the interior and exterior of the home will attract more interested buyers. Every day that a home is on the market without being staged reduces the chance of achieving the sales goal. If your home was not staged prior to listing, it is time to get it staged. Don’t let another potential buyer walk away.
Q. Can I stage my own home? Should I have a friend help?
A. A home is typically a large investment, potentially gaining thousands of dollars if sold for the highest possible price. A professional home stager is there to be impartial and to help make you the most profit possible in the shortest amount of time. Experts in the industry will have the resources and experience to obtain discounts to stage your home for the least possible cost. Staging a home to sell is way beyond cleaning and de-cluttering. In the least, have a professional come in and give you an unbiased report that you can work from.
Q. Is home staging expensive?
A. No, especially when compared to having to reduce your price, or having your home go unsold for a long period of time. An article published February 2007 by Realtor Magazine Online reported that staged homes sell 50 percent faster than non-staged homes. In the same article, it stated professionally staged homes sell on average for 7 percent more than non-staged properties. Staging a home to sell could mean simply rearranging the furniture to create a better traffic flow or repainting. Professional home stagers will recommend the most cost effective improvements needed to make a home stand out above the competition. A complete staging consultation can be done for as little as $150.
Q. Do I need to buy all new furniture to stage a vacant home?
A. No. Professional stagers will have the resources to completely furnish a vacant home for the time it is on the market. Bringing in artwork, greenery, modern furniture, and accessories will help show buyers what living in that home could be like. Staging can be done for one room or the entire house. An experienced stager will give you their recommendation on what rooms need to be staged to help sell the home. A stager will emphasize the positive characteristics of the home while detracting from the negative features. But an ethical stager will never hide defects!
Q. Does every home need to be staged?
A. Yes. Staging is a marketing tool used to present the home. With so many choices for a buyer in today’s market, a home needs to stand out above the competition and entice buyers. This will help assure you the best price possible in the shortest amount of time.
Q. How do I choose a home stager?
A. Choose a professional, someone with experience in the field. Look at their website, portfolio, and testimonials. Typically, professionals will have personal statistics showing they are result oriented with a reputation to protect. Stagers should have the proper business insurance to cover the home, and merchandise in it. As with most industries you get what you pay for. Don’t go with the cheapest stager in town, chances are they are lacking in experience, but you don’t need the most expensive either. And above all, ask questions.
