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Setting the Stage
With clutter packed away and all the surfaces shining, homeowners should go through each room arranging furniture and configuration to best present the space. Also, each room should clearly look like what it's designed to be. "Make each room what it is," suggests Schwarz. "If it's a dining room, make it a dining room." Consider the focal points of each room, and arrange those focal points to accentuate space and function. In bedrooms, for example, the bed is the focal point. When a potential buyer stands in the doorway to look inside a bedroom, the bed should not block the view of the room or make the room look small. If certain rooms lack the necessary furniture to make them what they are, the homeowner might consider borrowing or renting furniture for staging purposes.
Another investment worth making is in paint. Neutral and light colors will make a room look big, while dark walls shrink the size of a room. Furthermore, off-kilter colors and color combinations can make for a bad first impression of a home. The small investment in time and money to paint the walls can make the difference when it comes to time on the market and selling price.
Hiring a Professional
The home staging business is a fast-growing industry, and there are many who call themselves professional home stagers. Accredited staging professionals are typically members of the International Association of Home Staging Professionals and can be found by searching by ZIP code on both organizations' web sites. When hiring a professional home stager, homeowners should ensure that the professional is certified, as well as protected and insured. "Homeowners should call and meet two or three professionals," says Schwarz. "Home staging is about commitment, and homeowners should know that everyone involved is committed to the job." Home stagers can be hired to perform a range of staging services, from simple consultation to advise the DIY-stager to a complete "enhancement," where the stager might bring in his/her own props, furniture and artwork as part of the staging process.
Additionally, more and more realtors are becoming staged-home-savvy. Many are choosing the ASP certification, while others are educating themselves on the ins and outs of the practice. When choosing a realtor to help sell the home, homeowners should inquire into staging experience and ask about rates. Although the cost to have a home professionally staged will vary by market, homeowners should expect to pay anywhere from $1,000 to$3,000. "Homeowners need to remember that they are not just paying for the props or the advice—they are paying for the actual time it takes to stage the home," says Schiller.
Whether you hire a professional home stager or use the funds toward a DIY staging job, home staging is a worthwhile investment that will almost certainly sell your home quicker and increase your return on investment.
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Text by Benjamin Hardy
© 2007 BobVila.com
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