What is it and how does it help me SELL my house?

The term “Home Staging” is not a new concept to Team 292-SOLD, and working with trusted Professional Stagers is becoming more common in our marketing process for a home.

Team 292-SOLD has a list of Professional home stagers that are experienced in the art of getting ready a home ready for resale. They will work with the “flow” of a home; assist in removing clutter, edit and position furniture, and even help in enhancing curb-appeal.  With the support of a professional home stager, your house can make a prominent first impression on prospective homebuyers.

The First Impression

Here at Team 292-SOLD we stress that the first impression is the key influence in selling your home.  Normally, a potential buyer will have already made up their mind within in the first ten seconds of entering your home.  The buyer is already forming an opinion as they pull up to your driveway. This doesn’t leave much room for mistake.

To attain the highest possible result your home should always be presented at its best when searching for a buyer.

Finding a Professional Stager

You will find and choose a professional home stager the same way you would go about searching for any other professional service. Inquire around and get referrals. When working with Team 292-SOLD we offer our clients access to a list of professional home stagers in your area. These individuals and companies have already been pre-screened and are trusted by Team 292-SOLD.

What is the Cost of Staging?

When contacting a home stager, request for an estimate of the cost. Home staging businesses will often be glad to provide you with a free estimate. It is typically a quick process. Be aware of the fact that this is only an estimate and sometimes estimates can be off a little.  Nevertheless, unless something unexpected happens between the estimate and the job itself, the estimate should be properly accurate.

Get more than one estimate and make calculations.  Like any service, the pricing in the home staging industry can fluctuate. Some companies will charge an hourly rate and others will charge you a set fee for the entire work. Always ask how they determine their prices so that your choice is an educated one. Likewise, factor in the asking price, the condition of your home, and on average how long the homes have been on the market in your neighborhood.

The asking price will usually play a big role in what you should be prepared to pay for staging. Some companies will bring in rented furnishings, which will drive the price up significantly. Some will, in the end, be too expensive to make it worthwhile.  Unfortunately some home staging companies seem to overlook the fact that their clients are preparing to move out of their home very soon. Typically the sell is not going to be willing to invest a large amount of money in a household they are planning to leave behind.

Figure out in the very beginning what the stager is arranging to bring in and at what rate. Even though expert services can come at a price, the charge of the staging costs should balance with the projected profit of a higher selling price. As a rule of thumb, the higher the asking price, the more you can expend to have it professionally staged.

Team 292-SOLD Participation

In some cases, Team 292-SOLD is happy to contribute to the cost of professionally staging a home. What determines this, is if a particular home is in need of this type of service, and if it would be favorable or not to the sale of the home. If we feel it’s in the homeowner’s best interest and if there is something that needs taking care of before the home is listed, we will set aside a sum of the marketing budget for staging. If the cost is reasonable, then it is generally a sensible investment. It could certainly make all the difference in the showing of your home.