When you decide to sell your house, of course, you want to make the most money on the sale and sell fast.  My house is my biggest asset. I bet it is for you too. It is important to hire the best person for the job to get the best results.

After all, if you had a brain tumor, would you go to someone who does cosmetic surgery and expect them to get the job done?

If you needed a tooth pulled, would you ask your neighbor? Maybe if they were a dentist.

Invest in the right person. Make sure they are experienced professionals.

Here are some of the common mistakes I see people make when they call about hiring me to stage their home.

1. Look for the Cheapest Price?

Think all stagers are created equally? It’s just decorating, how hard can it be? You can probably do it yourself.  Those beliefs are going to cost you.  Thousands. Maybe tens of thousands.

How much it costs you now is the last thing you should be thinking of. More important is how much your investment will make you when it sells.

Most home stagers will charge $350-$700 for an initial consultation which is usually about 2 hours. They will tell you everything you can do to prepare your house for the market and stage it yourself if that is what you choose to do. If you want them to stage it for you, which I highly recommend, they charge by the hour or a flat rate. Do it. They are trained to know what will get you the fast sale.

When you are looking for a stager, do not just pick the person with the lowest price. Look for someone experienced, with training that has a professional website that shows a great portfolio and testimonials.

After all, if you find a stager who charges half the price of another, but their work does not sell your house fast and for more, you just wasted a lot of money.

2. Allow Yourself to be Fooled by Meaningless Credentials?

Don’t be fooled by titles and credentials. The home staging industry is not regulated. There are no certifications out there that are regulated by the states or federal government. There are some companies that will say you are certified if you pay them money to take their unregulated classes and will give you a certificate. I am not saying they are not good classes, only that the certification really does not mean anything. After all, your neighbor can decide to call themselves a home stager tomorrow, make some business cards, and go into business. But will they get you a fast sale and a great price?

A professional stager should have some training from a reputable school or trainer. They should have experience. Maybe they are someone with a degree in design (although that knowledge is different than what is needed for home staging).

3. Allow Someone Else to Pick Your Home Stager for You?

Has your realtor said they will find a home stager for you? How much do they know about staging? Maybe they can recommend a good stager for you but I would do your own research and make phone calls. I say this because I get calls all the time from realtors for their clients and all they seem to care about is price. That is mistake number one and not helping you.

4. Not Reviewing the Stagers Website, Portfolio and References?

A professional always has a website. And it should look good and highlight their work in a beautiful portfolio. If it doesn’t, how will your house look when it is done? If they don’t have a website, I would not even consider them. No, A Facebook page does not count:)

They should have great testimonials. Many of them.

They should have an online portfolio. When you look at the after pictures, you should think,  “I want to buy that house”!

5. Let Your Friend with “Good Taste” stage it for you?

No, no, no, no. Just say no.

Decorating is not staging. Stagers use decorating as a tool to take what they know about market conditions, your target market, worthwhile changes that will give you a great return on your investment, and more to emotionally connect to buyers.

I am a professional Interior Designer and know that knowledge tells me little about home staging. Luckily, I am also trained as a home stager. That is why I know what a difference there is between them.  It is not about your decorating style or taste, or that of your friends, It is about the buyer. That is a whole different thing.

Get a Professional Home Staging Consultation

Get a professional home staging consultation today and find out the key things you need to know to sell fast and for the very best price!

But first, check out my training, portfolio, testimonials and pick up the phone and call so you know the value you will get for your money.

Color can help you sell for More- Or Less

Get a Professional Color Consultation Today.

Did you know that the right paint colors can help you make more money on your home sale? Or, reduce the price buyers are willing to pay?

Buy Now

---

 

Gift Cards

Give a home staging gift card.

Download my Brochure

Terms of Service  |  Privacy Policy  |  Disclaimer

Prices subject to change without notice.

Call 907-362-0065 today

 info@northernlightsstaging.com

 

 

 

Of course, you wouldn’t. At least I hope not! When you are selling your home, just like going to an important job interview or getting ready for a first date, you need to make a great first impression. And you don’t have much time to do it. People have a short attention span. It is what it is.

Get ready for the market with these tips to help make a great impression fast.

1. Make the outside look just as inviting as the inside

When you drive up, if things are not neat, clean, and do not look well-cared for then the buyer will imagine the house has not well cared for either.

Imagine you drive up and see children’s toys,  an un-mowed lawn, wild shrubs that have not been trimmed, broken fence posts. Do you want to see the inside?  The thought probably scares you.

 

Make sure you have great curb appeal.

• Mow the lawn, trim the shrubs, rake the leaves, shovel the snow.
• Put away all children’s toys, projects, and yard tools.
• Make the entrance look great with an eye-catching color on the front door, a new welcome mat, and some flowers or art near the door.
• Repair walkways, steps, and railings.
• Make sure garbage cans are not visible.
• Make sure everything is clean and swept. A good pressure washing can really help make things look new.

2. Create Space-Eliminate Excess Stuff

A key thing buyers want is space to put all their stuff.  They do not care to see your stuff. Only envision their stuff. Will their stuff fit, will it look good with the current paint job, and is there enough storage for their copious amounts of stuff.

Your stuff is a distraction. What you keep out for staging should be about highlighting the best features of the home, including the space, for buyers. It is no longer about your stuff. Time to break up with the house.

It is worth going through every closet and cabinet and taking out about 50% of your stuff.

And please, do not put boxes and boxes of your stuff in the garage. Buyers want to see the space you have to offer there as well.

 

3. Reduce Worry

As soon as a buyer sees an issue….a broken handle, a cabinet door that does not work, a light that won’t turn on, a water spot, a hole in the wall….they wonder what else is wrong with the house and start looking for problems.

The magic spell of emotional connection to their dream home is broken.

Then they start thinking of all the weekends they will spend working on the house instead of enjoying it and how much it will cost to fix, which you can be sure they will imagine being more than it will cost.

Take care of these problems before listing. Fix paint chips, small and large repair problems, peeling paint or wallpaper. Make sure all the electrical outlets have covers and matching ones at that. Take care of leaks, odors, and anything that needs repairing.

4. Let Color Make Money for You

A good coat of paint can go a long way in making things look fresh, new and making a connection with buyers.  There is a balancing act between appealing to the greatest number of buyers and not having the house appear cold or boring.

Color can help you sell for more or turn buyers off. A color expert can help you select colors that will increase your sales price. Don’t just pick a beige or white and call it good. It will cost you.

 

5. Make the house memorable with art and accessories

There is a fine balance between being neutral enough to highlight the home rather than the objects within it and creating a space that is memorable and interesting enough to make an emotional connection with buyers.

Home stagers are experts at creating this balance. It is very different than decorating or designing for a homeowner. It is all about the buyer.

Strategically placed and carefully selected art and colorful accessories can create focal points in areas you want to highlight and create the magic buyers remember.

Art should be colorful, to scale, and definitely not political, religious, or controversial in any way. So please, forget about the animal heads.

Get a Professional Home Staging Consultation

Get a professional home staging consultation today and find out the key things you need to know to sell fast and for the very best price!

Color can help you sell for More- Or Less

Get a Professional Color Consultation Today.

Did you know that the right paint colors can help you make more money on your home sale? Or, reduce the price buyers are willing to pay?

Buy Now

---

 

Gift Cards

Give a home staging gift card.

Download my Brochure

Terms of Service  |  Privacy Policy  |  Disclaimer

Prices subject to change without notice.

Call 907-362-0065 today

 info@northernlightsstaging.com

Pin These