Benefits of Home Staging? Stager Puts Skeptic to the Challenge - Home Sells in 2 Days

"Staged home sell faster and for more money," says Barb Schwartz, the creator of home staging and owner of one of the largest home staging accreditation programs in the country, Stagedhomes. With the growing popularity of hit HGTV shows like Designed to Sell, Get it Sold, and Secrets that Sell, home staging has become one of the most popular marketing tools in real estate today and in some areas it's as expected as receiving a home inspection. Home staging is preparing a home for the real estate market by making all necessary repairs and creating a neutral environment that anyone can visualize living in. This is achieved using techniques such as decluttering, furniture rearrangement, color correction, careful accessorizing, and highlighting a homes best assets and architectural features.

Stagers believe no seller should sell their home before staging it and provide some interesting facts and statistics to back up their claims.

1. A 2007 survey of Accredited Staging Professionals by training company StagedHomes found that 94% of staged homes sold on average in one month or less. Homes that were staged spent 80% less time on the market than those that were not staged. It should also be considered that market, location, price, and condition all play a role in the successful sale of a home and these statistics would reflect a not only carefully planned staging but also strong pricing.

2. Only 10% of buyers can visualize the potential of a home, according to Home Staging Resource, another large home staging training program. That means 90% of buyers cannot visualize size and scale. They need furnishings in place to give them a frame of reference.

3. It's easier for Realtors to show and sell their buyers a staged home because they know the property will be in pristine condition. Realtors are often more prone to attend broker open houses because staging creates a buzz and excitement in the industry. Thus increasing showings.

4. Professional Staging attracts the eye and creates a psychological appeal that draws buyers away from the negatives of a home and puts the focus on the positives.

5. Pictures and virtual tours are more enticing when staged. Powerful pictures will attract more buyers to a home when placed on the MLS and Realtor.com.

6. Staged home often appraise at a higher value. A 2007 HomeGain survey of 2,000 practitioners found that the return of investment from home staging was as much as 343%.

7. Providing a professional and objective eye, home stagers can tell a seller what will appeal to the current market and make suggestions such as remove grandma's pottery collection so that sellers will notice what they are buying, not what a seller isn't selling.

8. By neutralizing a property, buyers can visualize themselves living in a home, rather than the current owners.

Some skeptics, like Ana Zawadzki, believe a home can sell itself. "If a buyer likes the home enough," says Zawadzki, "They'll buy it no matter what it looks like." Despite skepticism, the Zawadzki's allowed Simplicity Home Staging & Design to help them stage their home. When their home had an offer the second day on the market, the family was convinced, "Staging really works."

Home staging is not decorating or interior design. Though some of the same design principals are used, the objectives are actually the opposite. Designers are personalizing a space while stagers are depersonalizing and neutralizing to help a home appeal to any buyer. Buyers considering staging their home, should consider consulting with a professional home stager who can guide them with the proper techniques to help their home look its best for a sale.

Starting a Home Staging Business - A Lucrative Business as a Home Stager Part 1

Entrepreneur Magazine recently named home staging as one of its Hot businesses for 2006. And with start-up costs of $1000 or less, barriers to entry are low. So you can jump right in with very little risk while you keep your current job.

Learn about home staging (hint: staging is also called "home redesign" or "interior redesign" or simply "redesign") by reading everything you can find on the subject. There are many great resources out there and they all explain the principles a little differently. You will probably take a special liking to a particular author's style, but it's good to read as much as you can. You'll be more comfortable working in the field if you've read all of the home staging books you can get your hands on. Not all of them agree on every point, and you will be able to decide for yourself what you think works the best after you gain a little experience.

You can find many types of home staging courses to sign up for.

Some home staging courses are home based while others are conducted in a seminar-style classroom format. The home staging courses that are classroom based are often weekend sessions set up in meeting rooms at hotels - not at a permanent home staging training school.

After your home staging course, you'll be ready to work on business building.

Practice on your own home and then branch out. You really do not need to get certified or attend expensive programs. The people selling those programs would very much like you to believe you can't enter the business without their backing. That just isn't true.

You can keep your current job because home staging is perfect for weekends. Start marketing yourself and use your cell phone as your business phone number. Change your voice-mail message to something professional sounding, stating your name and youe business name. Or just say "Jackie Riley, Professional Home Stager" for now. You do not need to come up with the perfect business name right now--don't get stuck on that part.

Home Staging and Real Estate Marketing - Top Ten Reasons Real Estate Agents Should Use Home Staging

1. Professionally staged homes stand out from the crowd.

A professional stager will examine the property with an objective eye and make recommendations to give the home that "wow" factor necessary to entice potential buyers. Did you know that only 10% of people can look past the clutter and unsightly decor in a home and see the potential of a property? First impressions mean everything in the real estate market, having a home professionally staged will ensure that those critical first 10 seconds of a showing are a deal maker, not a deal breaker.

2. Real Estate agents often make suggestions for improvements needed, but they aren't as detailed as a professional home stager.

Many realtors feel they provide adequate suggestions on repairs and changes needed to get a property sold, but usually these suggestions don't cover all the elements a home stager would. As a real estate agent you know most homes are purchased based on emotions, professional stagers will advise making all the obvious repairs and improvements needed, but they also help provide the emotional connection points throughout the home that make potential buyers fall in love. Most real estate agents don't have the design expertise to help their clients carry out a masterful home staging, and most homeowners don't have the knowledge, objectivity, or time to carry out the changes suggested.

3. Just because you recommend home staging for a listing does not mean you have to pay for it.

Although some real estate agents are opting to provide home staging for their clients as part of their fees and services, it is not the norm for agents to pay for staging. Recommending a professional home stager is just like recommending a home inspector. Your clients don't expect you to pay for the home inspection services, so why should they expect you to pay for home staging services? In the end, staging doesn't cost the homeowner a dime either, a 2007 Home Gain Survey of over 200 realtors reported that sellers who spent typically $500 on staging services for their home recovered over 343% of the cost in the sale of their home.

4. Home staging has been proven to help properties sell faster and for more money.

This is a clear win-win situation because turning the property quickly means less hassle for you and your client. Also, a higher sales price brings you more commission and benefits your clients' pocket book as well. Professionally staged homes sell over 50% faster than non-staged homes and on average for 6-10% more.

5. Your listings will show better if they are professionally staged and this will reflect well on your professionalism.

If you become known for always having properties that show well, other agents are more likely to show your homes, and homeowners will seek to have you as their listing agent. You will gain a reputation for turning homes fast when people notice your name on the lawn signs of all the "sold" homes in their neighborhood.

6. Stagers are experts in tackling sensitive topics in a diplomatic manner.

Stagers can relieve your anxiety of offending your clients by taking over the responsibility of discussing sensitive subjects like odor and unattractive decor. Home stagers will explain to your clients that they aren't there to put down their design choices or cleanliness; they just want to help their home appeal to the greatest number of potential buyers. While the décor may suit their tastes, properties need to be neutralized before they are put on the market to attract as many buyers as possible. Professional home stagers will explain that the way you live in a home is very different from the way you present a house for sale.

7. Home Stagers free up your time to focus on what you do best.

Professional home stagers will take over the daunting task of preparing your listings for the market. This way you don't have to waste your time and efforts on something outside of your realm of expertise. Stagers will take your weak listings and turn them into "model homes" so that you can focus your efforts on your real estate skills. Having a property staged can help make the entire selling process easier because homes that are organized and free of clutter are seen as being well taken care of. This makes all aspects of selling a home go more smoothly from showing to inspection.

8. Having a home professionally staged provides you with eye-catching photography for your MLS and marketing materials.

According to the NAR Profile of Home buyers and Sellers 2008, "87% of all home buyers and 94% of buyers aged 25-44 used the internet to search for homes", this is why you need to have the strongest marketing photos possible. Many home buyers are eliminating properties from their viewing list based solely on the photos they see online. Having a home professionally staged will arm you with valuable marketing photos that will draw in the buyers.

9. Professional Stagers can prepare a home for sale more quickly than an agent or homeowner.

Some real estate agents and homeowners do have an eye for design, but home staging is not their profession. Professional home stagers prepare homes for sale day in and day out. They know the right contacts and have the knowledge and skills needed to achieve the most bang for your buck in the least amount of time.

10. Home staging is becoming the standard in the real estate market.

Home staging is growing more and more prevalent, especially in today's saturated real estate market. By not informing your clients about the benefits of home staging you are putting them at an immediate disadvantage. Leaving a property in "as is" condition will only help sell the competition, especially when the competition is already using home staging as a marketing tool. With the tough real estate market sellers are facing today, it's critical that you help your client put their best foot forward by recommending staging. Be sure to inform your sellers about the benefits of home staging, your clients will appreciate your suggestion to utilize one of the most innovative and successful marketing techniques in real estate today!

Five Common Costly Mistakes Made by Untrained Home Staging Consultants

Selling a home is never easy. However, the challenges today seem overwhelming to most sellers. The main criteria for selling real estate have always been location, size, and price but never before have presentation and condition been as important as they are today. 95% of buyers are shopping first on the Internet and "driving-by" properties in a "click." Without a doubt, appealing website photos are the key to attracting buyer traffic. Visiting the property, buyers form first and lasting impressions within seconds. 90% of the population cannot visualize and base their judgments solely on what they see and how they feel, and research is proving that emotions play a much larger part of the decision making process than previously assumed.

In this tough market, buyers are also demanding and getting best value, so properties that are in good condition sell faster and for money. According to Barbara Corcoran, for every $1 a home seller does not invest in condition work, a buyer will deduct at least $3. Most buyers today are putting their full investment into the purchase price of the home and don't have extra money for any major work. In addition, the majority of buyers do not have the time or the desire for renovation.

As professional home stagers, we cannot influence location, size and price factors. Our role is to collaborate with agents and home sellers to prepare properties for the marketplace to sell for top dollar as quickly as possible. This is impossible without thorough attention to condition issues and enhanced presentation. A successful home staging process begins with a professional analytical consultation that includes specific recommendations for the homeowner. It is our responsibility not only to tell the seller what they need to do but also to make sure they understand the importance of staging and to motivate them to follow through with the recommendations. Otherwise, they will not achieve their objectives of selling quickly and for top dollar. In fact they may not be able to sell at all.

With so much at stake for home sellers, the staging consultation is critical to the preparation and marketing of the property. The expert advice trained staging consultants provide has significant financial importance. That is why real estate agents and home sellers should invest in trained professional home staging consultants. Unfortunately, many "stagers" are not trained and make serious mistakes that can be extremely costly to the home sellers. When the staging process is ineffective this can lead to longer time on the market, increased carrying costs for the seller, reduced selling price and increased stress. These are all extremely costly consequences for a home seller.

Here are five common costly mistakes made by untrained staging consultants:

1) They give away free consultations:

My view of this is "you get what you pay for." Trained professional home stagers understand the critical importance of the consultation as the first step in the staging process. They provide comprehensive room-by-room assessments and thorough, prioritized recommendations. They counsel, explain and motivate homeowners to invest in what needs to be done. The consultation should be value-rich. Free consultations are generally "meet and greet" with some general information about the benefits of staging. They are superficial and fail to capitalize on this opportunity to address all the important staging issues of the property. In many cases the lack of attention to detail and other omissions can lead to ineffective staging, longer time on the market and reduced selling prices.

2) They provide decorating advice versus marketing strategy:

Trained professional home stagers know that staging is not decorating - it's marketing. A room can be beautifully decorated, but fail from a staging perspective. Our focus is on showcasing the best features of the property, making rooms look as bright and spacious as possible and creating buyer appeal and wow impact. Our work is strategic, always considering the buyers' preferences and the camera's eye. Even if someone is a talented decorator, they may not be qualified to give you professional home staging advice.

3) They perform check-list style assessments but don't analyze and prioritize recommendations.

This really demonstrates the level of expertise of your consultant. The room-by-room assessment is just the beginning - it is simply information gathering. Identifying the key strengths of the property, and analyzing and prioritizing recommendations in respect to market trends, buyers' wish lists, and budget issues provides the homeowner with a clear understanding of not only what has to be done but why these actions are so important. This expert consulting advice helps sellers make the best financial decisions.

4) They don't know how to handle sensitive issues so avoid them.

Mastering the art of difficult conversations with home sellers is a key skill for professional home stagers. We are trained to address sensitive issues with home sellers and understand that it is imperative for us to do so. One strong negative impression can override a list of positive factors and prevent a sale. These sensitive issues can include odors, cleanliness problems, unattractive and dated decor, clutter, an abundance of religious items, provocative art, etc. A lack of understanding and or skill in handling these issues is not an excuse and avoiding them can be a very costly mistake.

5) They fail to motivate the client with an action plan.

Professional home stagers know that it is not enough just to tell home sellers what they need to do. The true test of an effective consultation is that the consultant has been able to motivate the sellers to follow through with the recommendations. Trained home staging consultants understand that the staging recommendations may seem overwhelming to their clients, but by outlining a feasible action plan, they will inspire confidence and demonstrate their ability to help with some or all of the process. Trained professional home stagers are serious business owners who are experts at consulting, design planning, problem solving, project management and showcasing. A home seller is far more likely to get the best advice, follow through with the necessary staging process and succeed at selling faster for top dollar if they invest in a consultation with a trained staging professional.

Home Staging - HGTV Shows Don't Reveal The Total Cost

HGTV has many great shows to offer particularly in the real estate and home staging world. As a highly sought-after Professional Home Stager in Orlando and Central Florida I get asked questions all the time about the price. Unlike the real world, here is what HGTV does and does not reveal about the TRUE cost of staging...

Like many do-it-yourselfers, designers and other interested homeowners, I love HGTV! They offer such a variety of shows that are so relevant and helpful to homeowners as well as buyers and seller participating in the real estate game. I particularly enjoy a special grouping of shows surrounding home staging. One of my favorite shows is 'GET IT SOLD'. Their star Sabrina Soto is wonderfully creative and she is someone that I can learn from. I do applaud them for actually helping bring awareness to the general public about the relatively new service called Home Staging. Many people still do not know what it is. It is the process of de-personalizing a home and making it buyer ready to appeal to a mass buyer audience by de-cluttering, purposefully arranging furniture and accessories and highlighting a home's best features while downplaying the negative ones.

Where Home Staging shows cause a bit of grief for us Professional Home Stagers, is in the area of pricing. Usually most of these shows tally up the cost per room or for individual materials to show you that it really isn't all that expensive to do it right the first time and get it staged. While I firmly believe staging a home is an absolute must for every home seller, since the idea is to appeal to a mass group of buyers, I don't agree with the pricing shown. Let's remember staging is almost always less than the cost of not staging so it really isn't an expensive process, it just is different than what the HGTV shows lead you to believe.

When you see that a four-bedroom home was staged for around $1500 including rental furniture, I really wonder where they rent from because their pricing isn't always realistic. Furthermore, nowhere in the total cost is the fee for staging indicated. Where is the labor cost?! There is always a labor fee and it can be very misleading for potential clients. When they think they can have their home completed for that same above price only to find that it is double or more because HGTV's pricing on rentals was not correct, that leaves a bad taste in a client's mouth and creates a false hope for home sellers.

Please beware when watching any of these shows that in real life there is always a fee for a Professional Home Stager to actually do the staging work. Unlike the show, generally the homeowner does not participate unless they want to. Most want to pay someone to have it completed while they spend their time on other tasks. The fee of the actual staging labor is made up of transportation for sometimes multiple trips, time to select accessories and rental furniture, the actual design creation, actual staging of all items, de-staging and removal of all accessories that belong to the Home Stager. A professional stager spends much of their staging time lifting, pushing, pulling, hanging, carrying as well as the creative process to put it all together which makes your home sparkle.

Gone are the days you could simply put a listing on the market and receive multiple offers in hours. But even with this crazy market homes are still selling IF they are (a) priced correctly and (b) look their absolute best. You and your real Estate agent can set the fair price based on the comparable homes being sold in your area and the price they are fetching.

Making a home look it's very best is where home staging comes into play. Often for a small investment a seller can see huge returns in a short period of time. A good example is retail store windows that draw customers in with captivating visual marketing followed up by inviting, and even inspiring visual marketing inside a store. It really is no different when selling a home. Every home should look its very best from the curb to the back yard. Homes should look warm, inviting and inspire an air of "house pride" winning over the hearts of home shopping public.

Today more then ever it is imperative that all homes listed for sale look their absolute best, otherwise you run the risk of a home sitting on the market month after month while the asking price continues to drop ever lower. Here are 10 reasons you should hire a professional home stager to help stage your home and get that home sold!

1. You Will Make More Money. U.S. Housing and Urban Development reports that a staged home will sell, on average, 17% higher than an un-staged home. It makes more then cents it makes real money to stage a home.

2. Your House Will Sell Faster which = Less Headaches and Hassle. The New York Village Voice reported that the average number of days an un-staged home is on the market is 30.9 versus 13.9 for a staged home.

3. The Cost of Staging Doesn't Cost A Dime. In a 2003 Home Gain Survey of over 2000 Realtors, it was discovered that sellers who spent up to $1000 staging their home recovered almost 200% of the cost in the sale of their home.

4. Most Home Sellers Can not View Their House Objectively. If you can't see objectively, you can't "package" effectively. Have a staging professional get your home into its most advantageous condition for showing.

5. Less Guesswork and "Do It Yourself". A professional home stager can manage your projects from start to finish. Or, they can give you a detailed enough report based on their extensive knowledge and training to have you "do it yourself".

6. Only 10% of Home buyers Can Visualize the Potential of a Home. That's why staging a home is critical! You don't want the advantages of your home overlooked and left up to the buyer's imagination.

7. The Longer Your Home is on the Market, the Lower the Price Will Be, so STAGE FIRST! According to a National Association of Realtors survey, homes that sold after 4 weeks on the market sold for 6% less then ones within the first 4 weeks! Don't be in a position where you have to lower your price...have your house staged.

8. The Money You Make May Be TAX FREE! Take advantage of a possible tax-free capital gain by getting every dollar possible!

9. Leaving Your House in "AS IS" Condition Will Help Sell the Competition. Right now the number of homes for sale on the market is at a record high. Competition is stiff and buyers have very high expectations. Successful agents know that the key to selling competing is professional staging.

10. You Can Relax. You will have the satisfaction of knowing you have done absolutely everything
possible to affect a quick sale of your most valuable commodity and for top dollar!

Home Staging - Professional Service Slashes Time and Increases Profit

It's time to put your home on the market. You've hired a real estate agent. You've signed all the papers. You've been given the typical remarks about keeping your home neat and ready for potential buyers. And now you wait. Or do you?

Instead of waiting the typical 4+ months and then taking a reduced price on your home, why not invest in a home staging professional! Doing so will drastically decrease the amount of time your home spends on the market - up to 20 times faster - as well as increase the amount you get for your home - six percent over listing is typical!

What is Home Staging?

Home staging is simply the art of preparing your home for sale. Basically, there are five steps to home staging:

- Cleaning

- Getting rid of clutter

- Depersonalizing

- Decorating and accessorizing

- Maintaining

In days gone by, home staging consisted of advice by your real estate agent to "clean up" and "de-clutter." If you had a savvy agent, you may have even been told to add fresh flowers or fresh linens in the bathroom. However, being a real estate professional is not the same thing as being a design professional.

Professional home stagers know exactly what to do to create the right atmosphere. They not only tell you to de-clutter, but know exactly what to do in order to create a clutter free environment. They can walk through your home and know immediately if you need to remove or rearrange furniture. With just a quick visit, they can tell you what will enhance your homes curb appeal.

Why Does Home Staging Matter?

When it comes to sales, first impressions are everything. A potential homebuyer will often decide to enter a home based on the outside appearance. And once inside, they make up their mind about a home within about 10 seconds. This means that you have 10 seconds to create an atmosphere that entices the imagination and creates a longing in the buyer.

Home staging is the way to create that desire and longing. Through home staging, you can put your home's best foot forward.

Professional or Do-It-Yourself?

Professional home staging services are not free and many people believe that they can save money by doing it themselves. However, there are many pitfalls to the "do-it-yourself" mentality.

1. You obviously like the look of your home or you wouldn't have created it, right? Making changes can be downright difficult when you love your things and feel that your home is comfortable "as is." A professional can help you step back and see your home in the same way that a potential buyer will see it. They help you take yourself out of the home so that the homebuyers can see themselves in it!

2. What do you know about color, lighting, and traffic flow? If you are like most people, you know very little about these things. Although the colors or the traffic pattern worked for you and your family, a professional can see issues that will keep your home from having that "instant appeal." Remember, buyers are not buying "your" house - they are buying "their" house!

3. Can you walk through your home and instantly list 10 inexpensive ways to increase the value of your home? Home stagers can. They know how to make the changes in a timely manner so that you can get your home on the market quickly. They view your home from the buyer's point of view and can tell you what to store, what to keep, what to move, and what will add that pizzazz that will make your home sell.

Is Home Staging Cost Effective?

One of the most important things you can do to sell your home quickly and for the highest possible price is to "stage" it. The proof is in the pudding:

- According to the National Association of Realtors, for every dollar sellers put into staging, they get $4 back

- The average increase over the listing price is 6.32%. On a $500,000 house, that is nearly $32,000 and will more than pay for your professional real estate agent! Think of home staging as a way to get your real estate agent for free!

A real estate professional has the knowledge, experience, and qualifications to sell your home. A home stager has the knowledge, experience, and qualifications to prepare your home for the sale. Although professional services are not free, the cost of the services more than exceeds the benefits received!