Staging

What is Staging?

In talking to real estate agents about listing your home, and in your online research, you’ll see a lot of information about home staging.  What is it, and do you need to do it for your home?

Home staging – the process of removing and adding items and furnishings in a home, as well as some interior design functions to enhance the home and present it better to buyers.

What’s involved?

Depending on whether you’re doing it yourself, or you’re hiring a professional stager, there are a number of things that can be done.  Whether they’re needed or not for your home will depend on who is doing the staging and your home:

  • Removing personal items
  • Removing some furniture to make rooms appear larger
  • Adding some furnishings to make rooms more appealing
  • Working with window treatments & lighting for a brighter look
  • Adding artwork and decorative items
  • Adding simulated appliances, desks and computers

Staging the Vacant Home

If your home is vacant, a stager would probably recommend that you add furnishings, or faux furnishings to make it looked occupied, as empty homes usually don’t show as well.  They have resources for rental furniture, and even fake appliances and computers just to show the buyer what the home will look like once they’re in it.

Removing personal items is usually something that sellers find annoying, or at least they wonder why it’s necessary.  First, there’s the de-cluttering aspect, presenting the home with less “stuff.”  However, a lot of personal stuff, like photos on the wall, knick-knacks and more, present distractions to buyers.  You want them looking at the home, not your stuff.

The good news about staging is that it can be as minimal as cleaning up, or as broad as completely furnishing a vacant home.  You can do as much or as little as you want, and a lot of it is common sense and you can do it yourself.  Knowing what will be best for your home starts with talking to your agent.

We sell houses, and we do it every day.  We’ve looked at thousands of them.  And, in working with buyers, we also know what gets their attention, and what distracts them from the task at hand, selling your home.  We’ll look your home over, and we’ll give you some advice.  Tailor your staging to your budget and desires for the best presentation of your home to buyers.