Skip to main content

Four Qualities to Look for in a Home Stager (before you hire one)!


Even though the Groundhog predicted six more weeks of winter on Groundhogs Day, spring will be here before you know it!  If you plan to put your home on the market, you may be considering whether or not to hire a home stager.  Statistics posted by the Real Estate Staging Association (RESA) show that staged properties sell 50% faster and for 6-10% more money than other properties. 
When you decide to hire a home stager to decorate your property, you need to make sure you’re investing in the right person.  After all, you’re trusting someone with the sale of your largest asset – your home – so you have to be careful.
First, you should make sure that the home stager has been professionally trained.  However, a common mistake is to look for “credentials,” since none exist in the home staging field. 
Second, what kind of success record has the home stager had with their staged properties.   You may want to look at their website or portfolio, and ask for their references.
Third, you should not be focused on how much the home stager is charging.  Saving a few hundred dollars in fees and getting bad advice could cost you thousands of dollars.  Professional stagers can expect to earn between $100-200 for an initial consultation (in the Md., DC, Va. area).  If you request a written report of recommendations, then the fee will be higher.  Rates will vary depending upon your geographic location and the stager’s experience, but you shouldn’t hire someone just because he or she charges a ridiculously low rate.  As with most things in life, you get what you pay for J
Finally, look for a home stager who knows the real estate market and, as well as how to decorate. A home stager should be familiar with the local real estate market, and they should be familiar with all the ingredients that make a property appeal to prospective buyers.
I am sharing this advice with you after spending five years in business as a home stager and as a certified interior decorator for many years.  
If you have any questions about these tips, please contact me at www.AGoodeStartDecorating.com

Thank you and Happy Decorating!

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Make Your Rooms Feel More Spacious

If you're like me, I don't like to walk into a room and feel that it is closing in on me - this probably means that it is crowded with too much furniture and accessories - or just "stuff". I love an open, spacious feeling in a room - even if the room is small. Whether it is in a house, an apartment, condo or dorm, decorating small areas can be challenging. One of my "fans" has asked me to address some solutions to the crowded feeling. In response to her request, I've enumerated some decorating tips below that may help with those rooms and areas that are smaller than we'd like. Some of my suggestions are merely optical illusions which attract the eye and center it on the focal point. The end result is a room that feels larger than it is and much more spacious. One thing to remember: dark colors usually make a space feel more intimate and cozy while light shades make a room feel more open and spacious. If you want that spacious feeling, choo...

Staging Can Help You Sell Your Home

It’s almost spring and the time of year that you may be considering whether or not to put your home on the market. If you’re one of those homeowners, I’m sure you’ve been thinking about your options. Unless homes in your area are selling fast and furious, home sellers today need to seriously consider staging their home to get a quick sale and a high return on your investment. Today’s real estate market is uncertain, so you want your home to stand out from the rest! Hiring a professional home stager would be a very good investment to ensure that your home will show well and appeal to a prospective buyers. So, unless you have some training in real estate property staging, I encourage hiring a professional home stager. What’s the difference between a home stager and interior decorator? Interior decorators decorate to please the home owner’s taste; home stager’s decorate to please a prospective buyer’s taste. Decorating to sell your home will help and selling vacant homes will need ...

2021 Color Forecast

Color Forecast This just in- Pantone’s Colors of the Year for 2021 are Ultimate Gray (17-5104) and Illuminating (13-0647). These two independent colors highlight how different elements come together to support one another.  “The union of an enduring Ultimate Gray with the vibrant yellow illuminating expresses a message of positivity supported by fortitude. Practical and rock solid, but at the same time warming and optimistic, this is a color combination that gives us resilience and hope. We need to feel encouraged and uplifted; this is essential to the human spirit,” Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute. Another trending Pantone color for Spring/Summer is A.I. Aqua. It boasts an intense color saturation that works well in digital formats as well as fashion and design. The inspiration for this color is nature, the sparkling crystal-clear waters of the Caribbean; it is sure to make a splash in your home. But Pantone’s choice is not indicative of the oth...