FAQs for Realtors on Home Staging – What you need to know about cost, time, value, and how home staging leads to more listings.

Most Realtors have heard of home staging and how it can help sell a home faster and for more money but many Realtors still have questions. Here are answers to some common questions about how home staging works.

WHAT IS HOME STAGING?

What is home staging?

Home Staging is a marketing tool that uses decorating to show off a home’s best features while downplaying its flaws. Done right, staging creates an emotional connection between home and buyer, leading to a faster sale at maximum value.

Is staging just for vacant homes?

Home staging is for all homes, occupied or vacant. Staging a home with what a home seller already has is always the preferred choice, as it leads to greater savings on rental furniture and labor fees.

COST

How much does home staging cost?

Usually the first question I get! A better question might be can home staging help me sell faster and for more! Think of home staging as an investment, rather than a cost.

That investment will depend on the size of the house, if it is vacant or occupied, if the stager will do everything or just a consultation, followed by the seller doing the bulk of the work. It also depends on the seller having suitable furniture and accessories or if items need to be rented.

Stagers charge a fee for a consultation and give an estimate (based on an hourly fee, or a flat fee) if additional time is needed. A monthly rental fee may apply for furniture and/or accessories.

On average, stagers charge $300-$500 for that initial “working” consultation and about $100/hour for their time after that. Furniture and accessory rental costs vary based on what is needed to properly showcase the home.

Just like a home seller shouldn’t pick a real estate agent based on the highest quoted sale price for your home, a stager should not be picked based on the lowest bid. In both cases, the agent and the stager may be quoting that price just to get the job. You get what you pay for. Quality counts.

Who pays for home staging?

Some popular options include:

• the home seller pays all
• the real estate agent pays for a consultation
• the real estate agent reimburses the home seller at closing for an agreed amount (i.e.: for the initial “working” consultation).
• the real estate agent pays all or part of the staging

More and more Realtors are covering the cost of a consultation as part of their marketing plan, leaving any further investment up to the home seller. For clients that like to DIY, a consultation may be all they need to properly prepare their home for sale. See the article, “Who Pays for Home Staging” for more detail.

As a Realtor, why should I pay for home staging or a consultation?

Many savvy Realtors pay for the initial consultation and their clients pay for any additional staging services.

While getting a higher price is paramount for home sellers, it may not make a big difference in a Realtor’s commission, but certainly makes for happier clients and more referrals! Ultimately, selling faster will be great for you and your client because everyone gets paid faster. It also lowers marketing expenses for you and holding costs for your client. Home staging is an investment. With little money up front, you should be able to list the property for more and sell faster.

How can I help my clients understand the value of home staging?

Most Realtors believe that staging increases the dollar amount that buyers are willing to pay for a home by between 1 and 10%.  Also, homes that are staged first before listing spend 90% less time on the market.

Help your sellers see that staging will cost less than that first price reduction. The increased sales price of their home, faster closing, and reduced holding costs, will more than cover the staging investment and all with a whole lot less stress!

My sellers have a very limited budget. How can they afford the services of a professional home stager?

Think you can’t afford to hire a professional home stager? In today’s market, you can’t afford not to. For the most budget friendly option, invest in a home staging consultation. Home sellers can do the work themselves based on the advice of a professional home stager. For the best results, have the stager return for a final checkup prior to photos.

How much does it cost to do “Lite Staging”?  

Putting a few decorative items or sparse furniture in an otherwise vacant house is often more distracting for buyers than not adding anything at all. “Lite” staging or “vignette” staging of small areas is generally not a good investment as it does not help make that emotional connection which sells the home. It also does not highlight the home’s best features, give buyers a sense of how big the space is, or how their furniture might fit in the space.

PROCESS AND TIMELINE

How long does it take to stage a home?

This varies based on the size of the home, what is needed to best market the property, and the experience of the stager.

Overall, I find that an average occupied home can be staged in 8 hours or less, and a vacant home in 2 days or about 16-18 hours. If you plan to stage a vacant home, it is best to call the stager at least 2-3 weeks prior to listing. An occupied home may require less lead time, based on the staging needs. For best results, call the stager as soon as possible.

What is the home staging process for a vacant home?

Generally, staging can be completed within 7-14 days after the initial consultation and all needed repairs and updates are complete.

• Consultation– Up to 2 hours
• Pre-staging- (usually 1-2 weeks). Home seller works on the consultation task list to get the home cleaned, de-cluttered, maintained, and completes updates such as painting, replacing flooring or lighting etc. The stager prepares the staging plan, coordinates with furniture rental companies, and prepares art, accessories, and furniture for transport.
• Staging- 1 to 2 days on site.
• De-staging- 2-3 hours. Prior to closing and after inspection is complete and/or contract is signed.

What is the home staging process for an occupied home?  

• Consultation– Up to 2 hours.
• Pre-staging- (usually 1-2 weeks). Home seller works on the consultation task list to get the home cleaned, de-cluttered, maintained, and completes updates such as painting, replacing flooring or lighting etc. The stager prepares the staging plan, coordinates with furniture rental companies, and prepares art, accessories, and furniture, if applicable, for transport.
• Staging- As little as a few hours or up to a full day.. Sometimes it can be done directly after the consultation.
• De-staging- (usually 2-3 hours, if the seller has rented furniture or accessories). After inspection is complete and/or contracts are signed
• Please visit my Services page and call to discuss details.

What does a consultation include?

A consultation gives your sellers a complete list of everything they can do to prepare their home, both inside and out – whether it is vacant or occupied. With this information, the home owner can then decide how much work they will do themselves and how much they would like the stager to do. Recommendations include:

• cleaning
• decluttering
• maintenance
• paint colors
• flooring
• lighting
• furniture and accessory placement to highlight each space or focal point
• purchases, if needed, for bedding, towels, or other items
• contractors
• advice for keeping the home show ready
• curb appeal
• preparing for the photo shoot

A professional consultation can help reinforce information you, as the Realtor, already provide.

Can the home seller do the staging themselves?

The most budget-friendly and effective thing a home seller can do is invest in a consultation with a professional stager. Have them follow the stager’s advice and do the work themselves. For the best results, have the stager come back for a final checkup prior to photos. See my article, What is the Cheapest Way to Successfully Stage Your House? Get a Home Staging Consultation.

Can I, the Realtor, do the staging myself?

It is always faster and more effective to hire the right professional for the job. If you wouldn’t recommend a home seller list as For Sale By Owner (FSBO), then it’s probably not a good idea to do the staging yourself. Even if you are a home stager, you still may wish to avoid staging the clients’ home and having those difficult conversations about cleaning, odors, pets, animal heads and the like to maintain a great relationship with your client. Wouldn’t your time be better used marketing your current listings and finding more?

Should every house be staged?

All houses can benefit from a 2-hour home staging consultation. There is always something that can be done to raise the perceived value of a home in the buyer’s eyes. A small investment in a home staging consultation can increase buyer appeal, reaping large rewards in the final sales price.

Does every room need to be staged?

Every space in an occupied home should be staged for a consistent look-and-feel throughout. For vacant homes, it is critical to stage the main rooms, awkward spaces, and any areas that add value to the sales price such as a potential rental unit. When rooms are left empty, buyers may wonder if the seller has already moved out or is desperate to sell encouraging low offers.

As the Realtor, do I need to be at the consultation?

Some agents never attend, some always attend, and others attend occasionally or a few minutes only. The real key to success is the home owner’s willingness to go along with the staging recommendations, and not whether the agent attends the home staging consultation. For more detail, see a great article by Susan Atwell on this subject.

Does the stager coordinate all the contractors such as painters, maintenance people, flooring specialists, etc.?

Stagers can recommend trusted, professional contractors. For owner occupied homes, the home owner will find it faster and more convenient to coordinate these contractors themselves. For home sellers living away from the property, the stager can easily coordinate all.

VALUE

Can home staging help me sell my listing faster and for more money?

Various reports (see Resources) publish statistics on the benefits of home staging. A 2017 report by the National Association of Realtors states that at least 50% of Realtors think staging increases the dollar amount buyers will offer to pay by between 1 and 10%. Also, homes that are staged first before listing spend 90% less time on the market. See the summary of some of the 2017 findings from the National Association of Realtors.

What should I tell a client that wants to list first and stage later if their home does not sell?

The same thing you tell a client who wants to “test” the market with an unrealistic listing price, just to inevitably reduce the price later. The longer a home is on the market, the less desirable it is. Just like food, a listing becomes stale in a very short time. You can also add that the Real Estate Staging Association Home Staging National Statistics Report found that homes that were staged first before listing, rather than after listing, spent 90% less time on the market. See the article, the “Big Bang Theory of Home Staging”.

Why should I invest in home staging in a seller’s market?

Home staging works in every type of market. Even in a seller’s market, there will always be listings that do not sell quickly. Staged homes generate more interest on the web and in person, by creating move-in ready homes that feel fresh, spacious, and up-to-date. All these conditions lead to higher offers, potential bidding wars, and greater profits for you and your clients.

Can home staging get me more listings?

YES! Would you like to tip the scales in your favor when competing for a listing? Want to know what top producing real estate agents do? Offer your sellers an affordable home staging consultation. Position yourself as a forward thinking agent that:

• Gives extra value.
• Goes the extra mile.
• Is a savvy marketer.
• Is known for having the best listings.

What should I look for when selecting a home stager?

Even though there is no legal licensing or training requirement to become a home stager, do your homework and look for a professional with training, experience, and good reviews.

An accomplished stager will have both training and proven natural talent to get you great results. See the article on tips to hiring a great stager.

Resources

An Inconvenient Truth about Selling your Home.

Answers to questions commonly asked by real estate agents considering
Home Staging for their clients

Helpful Tips on Finding a Great Home Stager

Home Staging Consultation: Should Realtors Attend?

Home Staging Proof: Solid Science Proves Staged Homes Sell Faster.

National Association of Realtors 2015 Profile of Home Staging

National Association of Realtors 2017 Profile of Home Staging

Consumers Guide to Real Estate Staging

Six Tips to Maximize Your Home Staging Consultation Dollar

Summary of 2017 Home Staging Statistics

What is the Cheapest Way to Successfully Stage Your House? Get a Home Staging Consultation.

Who Pays for Home Staging

Why Hire a Professional Home Stager?

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Interested in becoming a home stager? I recommend the Staging Diva Home Staging Training program!

Selling your home is no easy feat. But before you can juggle offers, nail negotiations, and work on closing, you have to get your home ready for the market. Staging your house is one of the most important parts of the sales process. By making sure your property is at its best for a photoshoot, you increase your chances of finding a buyer willing to pay a great price.

Here are some tips for getting your home clean and tidy for listing:

Decluttering and Depersonalization

A Guide to Decluttering to Sell Your Home

Where to Donate Everything in Your Home

3 Ways to Depersonalize Your Home for Potential Buyers

How to Stage Your Home While Packing for a Move

Call Northern Lights Home Staging and Design for Professional Help

Top-to-Bottom Cleaning

How to Clean Your Bedroom Thoroughly and Efficiently

Deep-Clean Your Bathroom in 7 Steps

Kitchen Cleaning Tips

How to Clean a Living Room

The Essential Guide to Green Cleaning for Pet Owners

How Much Does It Cost to Hire a House Cleaning Service?

5 Easy Daily Cleaning Tasks for a Clean Home

Preparing for Open Houses

Coronavirus Fears Turn Open Houses Into Virtual Tours

COVID-19 Open House Checklist for Sellers

Buyers want to be able to see all the best parts of a property. By making your space as clean and tidy as possible, you allow them to imagine their lives in your house. This means it’s more likely to catch their attention, get an offer, and sell for the price you’re dreaming of.

Written by guest blogger Suzie Wilson from Happier Home. Suzie is an Interior Designer and author.

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How are you feeling about yourself?

• Do you like the way you look?
• Are you healthy and happy?
• Do you feel peaceful, abundant and grateful for all you have?
• Do you love the way you start each day?

Why do so many of us go on for years without changing our lives for the better? I know for me it has always been the struggle between the short-term pain versus the long-term gain.

Imagine yourself thinner, healthier, happier and more peaceful. What if you could transform yourself? I mean lose weight, quit smoking, improve your health and well-being, reduce your stress and do it all without all the “pain” we usually imagine coming along for the ride?

The Same Old Struggle

Like many people, I struggle with all of those things. Every year I had the same resolutions, goals etc. Lose weight, work out, eat better, quit smoking. EVERY YEAR for at least 20 years. I had some successes in some things some of the time, but never in all of the things.

THEN IT CHANGED

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For me it was the same old struggle. Mary Ann Benoit- President of Northern Lights Home Staging and Design.

I heard about Jim Fortin and TCP (Transformational Coaching Program) from a friend who was taking the program. I listened to his free podcast and was so hooked on it I was excited to learn about the program which opens up 2 times a year. Just from listening to his podcast about controlling your thoughts and habits among other things, I was inspired to change my diet and started losing weight. I thought the program could also help me not only with health but with business. Learn more about Jim Fortin in this Inc Magazine article.

Invest money in personal development during a pandemic? Are you smoking crack?

I was scared to invest in a program like this at the beginning of COVID. The program was just under $3000.  I knew business would be slow or suspended for both my Bed and Breakfast and my Home Staging and Design businesses.  I had never invested in any type of “personal development” course before. I decided it was the best time to do it because I had time and it would be better to remain positive during this time of uncertainty and to make lemonade out of lemons. I also figured investing in myself and my business would hopefully pay for itself later.

I soon realize that Jim and his coaches are truly amazing. I join their Facebook private group with about 500 others, and receive weekly content such as workbooks, videos and audios with homework followed by weekly Facebook lives with Jim and the coaches on a wide variety of topics from health to business. We worked on things like clarity, vision, sub-conscious values, habits, self-integrity, responsibility, commitment, choices, relationships You could also ask for coaching on any topic in the FB group or do a “hot seat” on one of the live calls. The community of people in the group from all over the world was extremely positive and supportive. Participants also did regular videos talking about their struggles and wins so everyone got to know each other.

We were each asked to do a 90 planner and track our goals and activities, with a focus on either health/wellness or business. I picked business.

So, what happened to me?

TCP Improved my Health

I joined TCP to increase my income for my Interior Design/Home Staging business.

Although my focus was business, the program instead provided incredible value to my health and well-being.

TCP helped me overcome stress over-eating and smoking that I had struggled with for more than 20 years.  I lost 14 lbs, quit smoking and totally changed my diet to healthy whole foods and went from exercising a few hours a week to 3-4 hours a day.

What was interesting was what we learned about subconscious re-programming and habits helped make all these changes much less painful than I had experienced in the past. Why? As Jim mentioned in an article in Forbes Magazine, “Research has demonstrated that 95% of all habits and everything that we do is subconsciously-driven, which is housed in the right brain. But when we say, for example, ‘I’m going to change my mindset,’ that is a left-brain, analytical thought. We’re using the smallest part of the brain, the 5% analytical part, to try to change our habits at a core level, and it just doesn’t work that way.”

I also struggled with voice issues which made it difficult to speak sometimes and found that doing healing visualizations and quitting smoking helped improve that tremendously.

I also have a nerve issue in my right foot that made it painful to walk more than 30 minutes. With healing visualizations and weight loss I am out walking several times a day without pain

TCP Improved My Well-Being

I used to be that person that would wake up thinking about what I had to do, check my email and social media and then DO DO DO all day and into the night for my business. I watched 5-6 hours of news a day and was stressed out, like a hamster on the wheel that never stopped.

Now, I start the day with a Miracle Morning routine consisting of silence, affirmations, visualizations, exercise, reading and journaling. I’ve learned do less better and feel amazingly peaceful, and grateful for all I have. I limit my news watching time to an hour or less.  

TCP helped me release anger and stories I had developed from a 15 year traumatic work experience which likely caused some of my health issues and stress eating.  Releasing the stories and forgiving brought me peace and healing.

My Doctor Was Amazed

Last week I went to my doctor for my annual check up and blood work. She said “Holy cow Mary Ann, What the heck have you been doing?  Actually she said “Holy Shit Mary Ann, What the hell are you doing?”.  My doctor and I used to dance together in a dance troupe so that is how she really talks to me:) Your blood work looks fantastic and you have lost 45 lbs from your highest weight record here. I told her about TCP. She said, “I am so proud of you, you just inspired me and made my whole day”!.

Yeah!! I’m good with that!

While my business income didn’t increase, I think I needed to be better to offer more to my clients and am looking forward to what the future brings for my business now that I feel like a new person.  I liked it so much, I just joined TCP for Business.

“The pandemic puts the earth on pause, cleansing and shifting our planet. This course does that for me on an individual level”. 

Try it for Yourself

Don’t take my word for it, try it for yourself. Some of these links are affiliate links, meaning I may get paid a small amount for referring you at no additional cost to you.

Get on the Waitlist for the next TCP Program. I think this is the best training I have ever invested in. It made a huge difference for me which is why I am sharing. I hope it can make a difference for you too.

Check out Jim Fortin’s Podcast. This is how I started and it’s free,

Listen to this podcast episode- Why Your Bad Habits are So Hard To Break. This one really helped me to change some of my eating habits and lose weight, even before joining the program.

This is a great episode too. How the Law of Attraction Repels Money and Abundance you Want.

Listen to the Master Thought Formula, which is amazing!

Ways to Work With Me

I specialize in helping you create a colorful and happy home that tells your story. I can work with you in person or online and assist you with design and color consultations so you can do the work yourself, or I can help you implement it all. My most popular package is a design/color consultation. Check out all my Edesign packages here.

What’s Your Global Design Style?

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When it is time to sell our home, we all want to sell fast and for the highest price. One of the best ways to make that happen is to stage your home. Home staging uses decorating to highlight the home’s best features and helps buyers visualize how they can use the space while making an emotional connection with them so they can see themselves living there happily.

When it comes to home staging, there are several ways to go about it. You can:

1. Get a consultation with a professional home stager and get advice on everything you need to know to successfully stage it yourself.
2. Hire a pro to do the staging for you or with you, either working with what you already have if you will be living there while on the market, or bringing in everything and staging a vacant house.
3. You can virtually stage the space to show buyers the “potential of the home” and “what it could look like” if it was furnished in a particular style.
4. You can also use ” virtual design” to show how it could look if it were remodeled to have different paint colors, lighting, flooring and more.

What is Virtual Home Staging?

Virtual home staging is a computer rendering of what a vacant space might look like if it was staged with furniture and accessories.

Here are two examples of virtual staging where good quality photos of a vacant home were virtually staged to show the potential of a vacant property for sale. These examples could be used on the MLS for your listing if allowed in your state and should be clearly disclosed that they are virtual photos. A good way to do this is to show both the vacant photo and staged photo together so buyers know what to expect when they see the property in person. Notice in both cases, the condition of the walls and carpeting looked in very nice shape, so the staging was not covering up any obvious “problem areas”.

Virtual staging could even be used to advertise rental properties that the renter is expected to bring their own furniture to show them the potential of the space and give them a sense of scale and how furniture could fit in the space.

What is Virtual Design?

Sometimes a seller or realtor wants to show the potential of a space. Below is an example of one of the rooms above where the paint color was changed, the lighting updated and flooring was changed. The area rug was changed to work with the new paint color.

This type of rendering entails more work because in addition to adding things, you are also changing items such as color, lighting and flooring so would be more expensive. This type of rendering that shows cosmetic changes is more an example of “virtual design” than “virtual staging”.

Virtual design can help if the property for sale will need work such as repainting, new flooring and lighting and the seller is willing to sell for a lower price and allow the buyer to do the work and make their own selections for those items. This would be a nice addition to materials you are showing buyers at an open house. It is not recommended for use on the MLS (Multiple Listing Service) because the cosmetic conditions of the home have been changed and you do not want to mislead buyers about the actual condition.

In addition, virtual staging or design should never show changes of things that cannot be changed (such as removing powerlines or highways from the view). Check to see what is allowed on the MLS in your state. Even if allowed, you may be opening the door to having buyers feeling ‘misled” by the listing when they see it in person, especially if they do not read all the “fine print” on the listing.

Sometimes, you may not have good photographs to work with due to the lighting or angles they were taken at, or the photos are filled with furniture or other items that need to be removed. In those cases, a 3D render can be created from scratch from room measurements. This type of render takes longer so is more expensive. Because these do not use actual photos, I would consider this “virtual design”, and it is critical to make it clear to buyers that this is a virtual rendering so they are not surprised.

The Pros of Virtual Staging and Design

• Virtual home staging usually costs less (often half the cost or less) than physical home staging because it takes less time and there are no rental fees for furniture and accessories.
• If the seller cannot afford in person staging, virtual staging can still help buyers or renters visualize the possibilities of a vacant space.
• Virtual home staging is better than no home staging, because it helps the buyer to visualize how big the space is, how furniture can fit in the rooms and the purpose of each room.
• Some homes may need a lot of remodeling, updates or exterior or interior painting and the seller may not be able to afford to do it, or may choose to leave that to the buyer so they can do it their way and sell at a lower price point. Helping the buyers see the possibilities at an open house with “virtual design” is a great advantage as the majority of people can not visualize how the space could look with major or even minor changes.
• Virtual staging can show higher quality furniture and accessories, or specific styles to attract the target buyer that might not be available for in person staging. This might be beneficial for high end properties.
• Virtual staging could be used to advertise rental properties where the renter is expected to bring their own furniture.
• Virtual design can be used in combination with regular home staging. For example, if you have a home that needs exterior painting due to the color or condition but cannot afford to do that before selling, you could show a render of the house with a new paint color and still physically stage the interior.

The Cons of Virtual Staging and Design

• I always recommend in person staging over virtual staging so buyers can make an emotional connection and envision themselves living there. The emotional connection is what causes buyers to make an offer. Buyers will never make the same emotional connection with a computer or paper image of a space as they will when seeing a beautifully staged home in person.
• When using virtually staged images on an MLS listing, it is critical to make sure it is allowed in your state, and make it clear to buyers that this is a representation of the space. Buyers may get angry or be very disappointed when they visit the home in person and it looks nothing like the advertised image. Some buyers buy online and do not get to see the home in person. Be sure you are not mis-representing the space to buyers that cannot visit it in person. Showing a photo of the real space next to the virtual space with a detailed description can help make that clear.
• If the rendering is not done accurately and to scale, it may give a false impression of how big the space is and how furniture could really fit in the rooms. Be sure to have your renders done by professionals that will make it to scale.

Be Sure to Disclose

Home staging,  virtual staging and design are great tools to help you sell your property faster and for more, or help you rent a property and attract your ideal renter.

Be truthful with buyers on the condition of the house. Check with the MLS for your state to know what is allowed before listing. And remember that all buyers do not read all the details or fine print. Things to consider:

• For realtors and home sellers, be clear and disclose that the photos you are showing are virtually staged and the property is actually vacant.
• For those creating the virtual renders, be sure not to cover problem areas with staging items.
• Be clear if the photos have made cosmetic changes and show the “design possibilities” rather than what the house actually looks like now.
• One of the best ways to disclose are to show the actual photos side by side with the virtual photos. You do not want buyers to be surprised or angry when they see the actual property.
• Photos should be realistic and not cropping out or changing things that cannot be changed, like power lines or other actual physical features surrounding the property.
• Photos should represent the actual scale or size of the space in relation to the furniture and accessories added.

Need Help?

If you would like help selling your home faster and for more, I can help you with an in person home staging consultation or staging of a vacant or occupied home, an online home staging consultation for your home or vacation rental property and virtual home staging and virtual design.

Click on the pictures to learn more about my online services and give me a call for a quote for in person staging in my service area (south-central Alaska).

Virtual Staging and Remodeling Services

I always recommend in person staging over virtual staging so buyers can make an emotional connection and envision themselves living there. Sometimes though, a space may need a lot of remodeling or updates and the seller chooses to leave that to the buyer so they can do it their way. Or the seller can not afford in person staging. Virtual staging can help buyers see the possibilities of the remodeled space or visualize the possibilities in a vacant space.  Learn more about the Pros and Cons of Virtual Staging in my blog article. Drop in renders use your well lit great photo of the vacant space. 3D renders use measurements of your vacant space with a suitable photograph for guidance. I also offer your buyers 10% off an Interior Design consultation for their new home that you can give them as a gift. See examples and Learn More.

Drop In Render- $100 per room photo. 2 Photo Minimum

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3D Render- $210 per room

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Floor Plan Added to either Package above. $30.00 per room

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Learn More

Interested in learning more home staging and design tips? Get my monthly award winning blog articles and get a free report on Top Paint Colors for a Speedy and Profitable Home Sale or My Top Ten Interior Design Tips in appreciation.  Never miss a great idea!

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In a recent article, Buying a Fixer-Upper: Tips for First-Time Home buyers by guest blogger Ray Flynn of the DIYGuys, we learned how to manage the buying process for a “fixer upper”, where to buy, setting a budget, what repair or design projects to tackle first, and creating curb appeal. We considered whether to stay or sell once your house is all fixed up.  Did you decide to sell? How can you sell your fixer upper fast and get the highest price for all your hard work and investment

Do Your Research

With any home you put on the market, there is a range of prices for similar homes and you want to be able to list at the high end of that range and sell fast so you don’t have any price reductions. Give yourself the best chance for success by using professional home staging and avoiding mistakes many home sellers make that cause a house not to sell quickly.

Make an Emotional Connection with Buyers

The key to selling fast and for the highest price is making an emotional connection with buyers so they can envision themselves living in your for-sale home.

Avoid selling the house “vacant”.  It is hard for any buyer to make an emotional connection with an empty house. They look a little sad and lonely! Buyers have a hard time visualizing how big the rooms are (they often look smaller with nothing in them to give a sense of scale), if their belongings will fit, how to arrange furniture and the purpose of different rooms. Without furniture and other things in the rooms, there is nothing to focus on except potential flaws. Were your “fixer-upper” skills perfect? Even the pros can make mistakes.

Use Color to Increase Your Selling Price

If you still have painting to do before selling, this is a great time to consider paint colors, inside and out. Did you know that studies show the right paint colors in the right rooms attract buyers and can increase the sales price? The wrong colors can also reduce the price buyers are willing to pay. Why? Color affects emotion and buyers buy on emotion!  For the price of a cup of good coffee, this report gives you specific color recommendations to help sell your house for up to $10,000 more.

Get my guide to Top Paint Colors for a Speedy and Profitable Home Sale to learn more.

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Appeal to Your Target Market

Who is your target market? Is it a young family with children that are interested in your location near schools? A single professional? A retired couple? Look at who lives in your current neighborhood or is moving in, check on Zillow to see how close the house is to different schools and what rating they have. Your house should be decorated or “staged” to appeal to that target market. For example, to appeal to a young family with children, at least one bedroom should be decorated as a child’s room.

Build a Great Home Selling Team

The best way to sell your house fast and for more is to compile a great team to help you.  This includes a realtor, home stager and photographer. Just like you are the expert in converting a home that needed help into a thing of beauty, a good realtor is a marketing and negotiating expert to make sure your house is seen by buyers nad you get the best price. A home stager is an expert at getting buyers to want to see and then fall in love with your house. A real estate photographer is the expert at getting amazing photos that will attract buyers online and get them in your door. See my guide on how to build this team and find the right experts to help you.

A great home stager can help you build your team. Get a consultation with a professional home stager and ideally have them stage it for you. They can give you paint color recommendations, stage it to appeal to your target market and give you tips for living in the home if needed while it is for sale. They can even use your existing furnishings and belongings to stage it and save you money on furniture and other rental fees if you plan to live in the home while it is listed. They can recommend a professional photographer to take photos of your beautifully staged home to attract buyers online and give you tips to prepare for your photoshoot. They can also recommend good realtors if you do not have one yet.

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Create Great Curb Appeal

As Ray mentioned in the previous article, make sure you have great curb appeal. You may outshine your competition online with great photos and get buyers to the property, but without great curb appeal they will just drive by and never make it inside to see your beautiful “fixer upper”.

Spending a little money on home staging and great photos before listing will help you sell fast and for more, cost less than your first price reduction if the house sits on the market and will be a lot less stressful!

Preparing for your Home Sale

The best tip I can give you is to get a professional home staging and color consultation to prepare for your sale. It can make all the difference in your final sales. price.

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Northern Lights Home Staging and Design is recognized as a 2019 “Best of Houzz” by Houzz.com – the leading online platform for home remodeling and design.

Out of 2.1 million home professionals from across the United States and around the world, Northern Lights Home Staging and Design earned Best of Houzz 2019 in Customer Service. The Houzz website has 40 million monthly users, and the Best of Houzz Service award is based on the number and quality of positive client reviews received in 2018.

“Best of Houzz is a true badge of honor as it is awarded by our community of homeowners, those who are hiring design, remodeling and other home improvement professionals for their projects,” said Liza Hausman, vice president of Industry Marketing for Houzz. Homeowners from around the world use Houzz.com to find remodeling inspiration and to connect with top-rated Interior Designers, home stagers or color consultants like Northern Lights Home Staging and Design.

“It’s a great achievement and I am really honored to have achieved the award the last four years in a row!   I hope if provides peace of mind to potential clients that my work and service is endorsed by Houzz.  I thank all my clients for leaving great reviews and making this possible”.  Mary Ann Benoit- Northern Lights Home Staging and Design

Check out Northern Lights Home Staging and Design’s five star reviews on Houzz.

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Here are my top ten home staging tips to help you appeal to the greatest possible pool of prospective buyers so you can sell fast and for the price you want.

Get a Home Staging Consultation with a Professional Home Stager

First, get an “objective” idea of how buyers may view your house. We all have problem areas that we no longer “see” because we live with them every day. Also, consider who your likely “buyer” is and what they want. A consultation with a professional home stager and advice from your realtor can help you determine and appeal to your “target market.” A home staging consultation can give you that objective view and great advice to either do the home staging yourself or enlist the help of the home stager to do it for you.

Make it Spotless

Make it spotless. The most beautiful house, if dirty, will turn off potential buyers.  It is worth it to hire a professional cleaning service if you do not have time or desire to do it right yourself.

Paint Neutral Colors

Paint neutral colors to make everything look fresh and new. Neutral colors will go with most buyers’ belongings. Buyers that think they will have to repaint will offer less. Sherwin Williams “Accessible Beige” is one of my favorites for home staging.

De-clutter

De-clutter so you only have about half the items that you normally live with. Cluttered rooms or too much furniture will make your space look smaller than it is. A consultation with a home stager can really help here before you get started. Home sellers often remove too much or the wrong things in their de-cluttering efforts. The things that remain and their arrangement are critical to making that emotional connection with buyers.

Remove Personal Photos

Remove personal photos for your own security and to help buyers visualize their family living there. As a buyer, it is hard to “move in in your mind” if they are looking at your family pictures.

Repair to Make it Move in Ready

Repair needed items. Most buyers want a property that is move-in ready.

Don’t Sell it Vacant

Don’t leave it vacant. Buyers will focus on the flaws since they have nothing else to look at! When buyers make an emotional connection and can see themselves living there, the house will sell. It is hard for buyers to visualize how their belongings will fit, or to make that emotional connection with a vacant property. It is worth the expense to stage a vacant property. It is cheaper than your first price reduction, which will likely happen as your home sits on the market for months. If actual staging is not possible, try virtual staging so buyers at least have an idea of how it could look and how their belongings could fit in the space.

Replace Old Carpeting and Outdated Lighting

Upgrade outdated lighting or old carpeting. Your stager or realtor can advise you on which upgrades will provide a good return on your investment in the final sales price. Old lighting can shout “dated” faster than anything. Old carpeting is filled with years of dirt… and no one wants to buy that! The examples shown below were from a house that sold the first day on the market after home staging.

Create Great Curb Appeal

Clean and maintain your yard and make the front door area look welcoming. Great curb appeal will assure buyers make it inside to see your beautiful house.

Get Professional Photos

Get professional photos! Most buyers shop online and will decide about viewing your house in a few seconds. Great photos are critical. See my article on “Preparing for your Photoshoot”.

Prepare for Showings

Finally, when showing your house, make sure all lights are on, curtains are open, toilet seats are closed, and personal items are out of view in the bathrooms.  Remove all evidence of pets.

Best of luck on a fast sale!

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Need a home staging consultation? Call today to set one up or try my online consultation.

If home staging is not an option, consider one of my Virtual Home Staging packages.

Learn more about the Pros and Cons of Virtual Home Staging in my recent blog article.

Call 907-362-0065 today

 info@northernlightsstaging.com

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Online, in another state, far, far away, I saw this listing for a house for sale. It is the perfect example of how not to sell your house!  If you don’t want to sell fast or for more, follow this advice!

1. Make sure every room is so cluttered with objects and décor that buyers are totally distracted with your stuff and can’t see past it to the house!

2. Make sure it does not appeal to the greatest number of buyers by making the colors and décor so personal that it only appeals to people with taste just like you.

3. Overwhelm buyers with colors and patterns.

4. Put too much furniture in every room so the house feels small, regardless of how big it is.

5, Add as many personal photos as possible so buyers are distracted by who lives in the house now rather than envisioning it as their house.

6.  Keep the decor dark and heavy, rather than light and airy, clean and modern.

7.  Increase your price to 60 times more than the estimated value of similar homes.

While “Zestimates” are often wrong and can be off quite a bit, they are usually not off by 29 million dollars!

Zestimate:  $613,051

Price / Tax History

For more information on why your house may not sell, see my recent article “Why Your House Won’t Sell”.

To have a quick and profitable sale, make sure your house is easy for buyers to fall in love with and visualize themselves living there. To make that happen, make sure it is clean, move in ready, well maintained, light, airy, modern, decluttered, inviting and warm yet not too personal, priced right, and marketed well. Don’t forget curb appeal. Grab buyer’s attention with great photos and a reasonable price, get them to the front door with great curb appeal, and get them to fall in love with it once they are inside.

A professional home stager can help you make it all happen and increase your sales price with professional staging.

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There are many reasons why your house won’t sell. Common reasons include condition, buyer appeal, price, marketing, market conditions and you!

To sell a home fast and for the price you want, it has to appeal to buyers!  Buyers want a move in ready property that is clean, modern, well maintained and that they make a connection with and can visualize themselves living in. It has to be at a price they can afford, and they have to know it is for sale!

Condition-Does the house appeal to buyers?

Is it move-in ready?

• Does the home need repairs?
• Does your house smell due to old carpeting or pet odors?
• Are your appliances ancient and barely working?
• Is your lighting out of the 70’s?
• Is your flooring cracked and chipped?

Don’t try to hide issues from buyers like covering odors with freshly baked cookies or other silly tricks. If your house won’t sell, fix the problems and be honest and disclose any issues with the home.

Is it clean?

• No-one wants to buy your dirt. Get it professionally cleaned.

Is it professionally staged?

• Do your paint colors appeal only to a limited number of people? A professional stager can make recommendations on paint colors that can actually increase your selling price.
• Is your space so cluttered it is hard for buyers to see the space? If so, your house won’t sell. A stager can help you determine what is important to keep and what should go. Homeowners that do their own staging often take out too much, making the house feel cold and uninviting.
• Are Buyers making an emotional connection and able to visualize living there? Home stagers are professionals at seeing your house objectively; highlighting the homes best features to make that connection with your target buyer.
• Is your house vacant? Vacant houses do not connect with buyers, appear smaller than they are and buyers have a hard time visualizing how their stuff will fit in the space. A stager can take an empty house and make it look like a home.
• Are you living in the house while selling? A stager can work with what you already have, making sure the house does not retain enough personal items to distract buyers
• Do you have good curb appeal?
• Was the house staged by a trained and experienced professional stager? Staging done by home owners, realtors or friends often fails to connect with buyers. Non-professionals often stage with too little or too much furniture which is distracting to buyers, or does not appeal to the right target market. Silly staging tricks are often used which makes it look staged and un-natural or it is decorated to their personal taste rather than to appeal to the greatest number of buyers. A professional stager may be a greater investment up front but will more than pay for itself in your final sales price. Professional staging always costs less than your first price reduction.

Price- Is it too high?

• Is your price too high? Listen to your realtor.
• Is your house in the upper price range for homes? More expensive houses usually take longer to sell because the pool of buyers that can afford it is smaller.
• Have buyers viewed the property, made positive comments, but no offers?  Your price may be too high.
• Have you made the mistake of pricing it based on what you need to get from it rather than market value?
• Are you worried about pricing it too low? If the price is too low, and the house looks great, buyers will bid up the price to market value or beyond with multiple offers.

Marketing

• Do you have professional photos? Great photos of a properly staged home online are the first step to attracting buyers to visit your for-sale property.
• Has Your Realtor done sufficient and effective marketing? Not all Realtors are created equally. If your Realtor can not find the time or money to properly market your home, find another Realtor.
• If you are FSBO, have you done sufficient and effective marketing?
• Has it been on the market too long? If you have made some of the mistakes listed above and the house has been on the market a while, buyers will wonder what is wrong with the house and will no longer consider looking at it. It may be worth taking it off the market, fixing the problems, taking professional photos and re-listing so it appears as a new listing.

Market Conditions

• Is it a Buyer’s Market?- Regardless if it is a buyer’s market, if your house provides what buyers want, you can sell it fast and for a good price. If your house is outshining the competition and has a reasonable price, buyers who usually take more time to make a decision in a buyer’s market will realize they need to get an offer in fast.
• Is there an economic recession?-Sometimes economic conditions can make buyers reluctant to spend money on a home. In this situation, the only options are to make sure your property outshines the competition, wait it out, lower your price or offer other incentives to buyers.

You

If your house won’t sell you also need to consider your role in the problem.

• Have you been willing and available to show your home when buyers have been interested in seeing it?
• Have you kept your for sale home clean, de-cluttered and looking at its best for showings?
• Are you hanging around and making buyers uncomfortable during showings?
• Have you been honest and disclosed any issues with the home?

Here is an example of a home staging project I did that had many of the problems listed above, had been on the market for many months and was not selling or generating interest.

1. The house had some repairs and updates that were needed.
2. The house was not professionally staged.
3. The price was too high compared to similar houses in the same location.
4. The market conditions were poor, and it was a buyer’s market
5. The house was in a higher price range.
6. There was an economic recession in the area.

After the house was taken off the market, repaired, properly staged, new photos taken and the price was lowered to meet prices more in line with the location, the house sold within a few months.

Need Help Getting Your House Ready for Market?

Why not get things right before you list and save yourself time, money and stress. Get a home staging consultation to learn everything you need to know and the you can stage it yourself or have it professionally staged.

Get your Free Report

Call 907-362-0065 today

 info@northernlightsstaging.com

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Interested in becoming a home stager? I recommend the Staging Diva Home Staging Training program!