To Home Stage - Or Not to Home Stage

    Recent data on home staging shows that nine out of ten people can't see past what is front of them, whether it is a collection of fishing trophies in the living room or a completely empty space. People seem to have a hard time separating what is there from what they will bring when they move in.  Once they have seen a room, they cannot "un-see" the room. A positive first impression is key as many buyers can rule out a home within the first few moments of entering through the front door.
     The truth is, they likely don't even want to see what it will look like with their furniture in it, what your potential buyers really want is to know that their new home can be made to look like the beautiful set pieces one can see on HGTV.
    Is it fair? Perhaps not, but it is the world we live in. It does not need to cost a lot of money and will most certainly result in getting your money back many times over. The question naturally arises, "How much money am I going to get out of this?"

     While it is impossible to predict specifics, recent data from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) and the Real Estate Staging Association (RESA) show that staging your home is both likely to sell it faster and will also bring you a higher price than if you do not stage.  Removing the clutter and putting on a fresh coat of paint before your agent even begins taking picture for the listing will almost certainly result in more people being willing to stop looking at your house online and set up an appointment to view it from the inside out.
     In fact, a large portion of agents reports in the study that their buyers were more likely to walk through a home if they viewed it online. Assuming of course that the photos represented a clean, modern and appealing home. Another positive effect of staging is that the buyers are more likely to overlook faults in property. This was reported by 28% of agents, meaning that a tastefully stages home can lead to a buyer overlooking things like a small back yard, or the lack of the skylight they were hoping for.
     Even more important is the amount of time spent on the market. According to RESA, a home staged prior to being listed will sell at an average of 42 days. A home that is listed without being staged can spend as much as six months on the market.
     Even if you happen to live in an area that is currently enjoying a seller's market, staging is still imperative. Making your home appealing is the factor that can positively affect the would-be buyers and possibly lead to a bidding war between them. And that means a higher selling price!

Should I hire a professional home stager or do it myself?  
     Time is the most common denominator among homeowners during the home-selling process. To conserve as much time for yourself as possible, you will want to delegate as many tasks as you can so that you will be free to focus on other important aspects of your move. A professional home stager could be a real lifesaver. Staging experts often have acquired valuable experience that they can pass on to your home to increase its salability.
     The staging professional or firm will create a theme in each room to compliment the layout, bring in the furniture and home decor needed to complete the themes throughout the house, and give you tips to use when showing the house such as what kind of fresh flowers to buy or scented candles to burn.

How quickly can staging a home be turned around?
     The size of the home and available pieces in inventory can be a factor in timing. This question can be answered best by professional stager Stephanie Augusta of Ponte Vedra Staging in Ponte Vedra Florida. "I usually only need one day to complete a home. Every home is different, I may need time to shop for a few things, and in that case, it would take two days, and possibly longer. However, I prefer to get in and get out, the longer it takes to stage, the less days the home is being marketed. When I first visit a home, staging is typically scheduled 1-2 weeks out. It's during that 1-2 weeks that I shop for any necessary items, which usually results in a one day turn around."
     On the other hand, staging the home yourself could not only save you money, but could also allow you to put more personality into the theme - just make sure that you don't overdue it. Having lived in the home yourself, you are more familiar with it pros and cons indoors and outdoors such as the need for more light in certain rooms or making sure that the lawn is treated for weeds to keep them from sprouting up overnight.
     Your goal is to gain the highest return on investment when your house sells. If you believe you can achieve this by staging on your own, then go for it, otherwise, spend the little extra on a professional upfront to reap the benefits of the sale. Remember, the buyers can't "un-see" what they have already seen so not all buyers will come back for a second chance.

What to Expect with a Pro
     True Staging pros run a very smooth operation. Of course, anyone can make mistakes, but fumbling around for something to write on or asking for you pen is already a red flag. Here are a few things to keep in mind:
     Ask around. Don't just select a random name from online and hire the stager. Ask your agent, other agents and friends about their experiences and ask for a referral. Then, interview several pros and select the one who could provide the best value to you.
     You get what you pay for. If the price tag is low, it's probably that the quality of service offered will match that price.  If your stager is a well-known expert in the field, your price tag will definitely be considerably higher than someone running a summer gig.
     Can your potential stager provide references and photos of successful past projects? You will also want to ask many questions during your consultation with the stager. Such as how do they work their rates, how long will they take, what you could do on your end to keep costs down, have they stages homes in the past and how many, and whether or not they'll expect anything from you during the process.
     What if the seller is living in the home while it is staged? This situation is very familiar to Stephanie Augusta. She says, "I have certainly done this, and sellers are extremely positive with their feedback, It's an excellent way for a seller to update the look and feel of their home, without spending a ton of money."
    Be prepared to change your ways. The stager will want you to follow certain guidelines if you will be living in the staged home. This will keep the rooms in order and ready for viewing. If you won't be living in the house, it's going to be much easier to keep the home clean and ready to show.

 Real staging pros should make you feel confident about the quality of their work. If you have any negative internal reaction during your initial consultation, run in the other direction and find someone you can trust. If you want to sell your home, it's ultimately your responsibility to make it happen. A properly staged home can send a feeling to the buyers that they can "Love Where They Live" once they walk through the front door.

*Special thanks to Stephanie Augusta, Owner of Ponte Vedra Staging in Ponte Vedra, Florida. To learn more about your staging options, she can be reached at:
904.400.3356
www.pontevedrastaging.com
PonteVedraStagingCo@gmail.com

Tara Belanger
Real Estate Professional
Watson Realty Corp
904.501.9037
Tara@NortheastFLLiving.com
Northeast FL Living
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