The benefit that home staging offers is all over the news, internet and television. Savvy real estate agents are enlisting home stagers in the sale of their listings and home sellers are seeking out home stager to get their home into tip top shape before even calling a listing agent.
A common misconception is that staging is expensive - that it costs too much - without taking the very real benefits into account. A home staged by a Professional Home Stager has distinct advantages from both the homeowner's and the Listing Agent's point of view. For the homeowner, staging can result in a faster sale, thereby saving them money on the carrying costs (mortgage, maintentance, insurance, etc.) and allowing them to move on to their next home that much sooner. Staging can help generate a higher sales price, by allowing buyers to see the home's potential instead of seeing it only as someone else's home. Also, the longer a home sits on the market, the more likely a price reduction will be necessary in order to get the home sold.
For the listing agent, that faster sale translates into less money outlay for marketing, hosting open houses, etc., and less time spent showing the house. A staged home shows better on the MLS and in collateral marketing materials and gives prospective buyers a sense that the home is move in ready. Buyer's agents are more likely to show a properly prepared home beacuse they know it is more likely to be attractive to their clients.
At the very least, before you put your home on the market, start with a Comprehensive Home Staging Consultation. For less than $500, depending upon where you live, a professional home stager will do a thorough assessment of your home making note of any items that need to be repaired or cleaned, gauging the level of clutter and making recommendations regarding furniture placement. They will also discuss paint colors that can give new life to a room and make your home warm and inviting. An experienced home stager will have a rolodex full of handymen/women, painters, landscapers, cleaning services, moving and storage companies, etc. to help in preparing your home for sale, if you need them. You will then be presented with a written report of the consultation which you can use as a road map to do the work yourself, hire subcontractors to do some of the work, or hire the home stager to complete you project and make your home picture perfect.
If your home will be occupied during the time it is on the market, a home stager can help you arrange your existing furniture and accessories so that the architectural highlights of your home are featured. They will also arrange your furniture to make the rooms feel larger and give improperly furnished rooms purpose. Many home stagers have an inventory of accessories they can stage in your home to further enhance your home's appearance.
Before and after photos of an occupied home staging in Arcadia, CA.
If your home will be vacant, a home stager can bring in rental furniture from their own inventory or from a furniture rental company. They will over see proper placement of the furniture along with accessories and artwork. The finished product will look like a model home,charming and full of suggestions about what life could be like if they lived there.
Before and after photos of a vacant home staging in San Marino, CA
As a value added bonus, many home stagers will also provide the listing agent with professional quality photos of the home after staging for use on the MLS and in other marketing materials. Posting photos of your home after staging is one sure way to get more potential buyers through the front door. Photos of staged homes look move in ready and more appealing than other homes on the MLS that have not been staged.
Yes, home staging costs money. All valuable services do. But if a home seller or listing agent wants the best possible outcome, they should consider the cost of home staging as an investment in a faster sale and a better price.
Moving Mountains Design Home Staging is a full service home staging company serving Los Angeles, Pasadena, Arcadia, San Marino, South Pasadena, Hollywood Hills, Los Feliz and Silverlake. We were recently featured in the Sunday Los Angeles Times Real Estate section in an article about the benefits of staging a home. Call the Los Angeles home staging company with the experience and track record to get your home sold faster and for the best price. Call us at (626)441-8975 or visit our Los Angeles home staging web site.
Copyright 2008 Moving Mountains Design Home Staging and Michelle Minch. All rights reserved.
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2010 RESA Professional Stager of the Year
Michelle has staged hundreds of Los Angeles homes, many of which have sold with multiple offers, above listing price.
She works with home sellers, listing agents and asset managers to prepare homes for sale throughout Los Angeles.
Moving Mountains Design provides vacant home staging, occupied home staging, color consultations, corporate and executive relocations, move organization, redesign, and interior design. We also stage model homes, REOs,foreclosures and auction properties for real estate investors and asset managers.
For more information about our Los Angeles home staging services, contact Michelle at (626)385-8852 or by email.
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Click here for more information about home staging in Los Angeles and how we can help sell your home faster and for the best price
Michelle: Great Post. I love the part "Yes, home staging costs money". Home Seller that are not willing to invest staging are taking a great risk in marketing their home.
I agree with Terri - Great post, Michelle.
Proper placement of furniture and the right accessories can truly set a home apart from the others on the market. Your before and after pictures are an excellent example!
Kathy
Michelle, great summary of the many advantages of staging for both the home seller and Realtor. Your examples certainly help prove your point.
Terri: People who won't invest in home staging are probably not ready to sell. Thanks for stopping by.
Hi Kathy: Thank you. I am always amazed at the difference moving the furniture can make. It takes a trained eye to know what works best to set the room off.
Michele: Thank you. There are so many advantages, it is difficult to list them all.
What a well written and comprehensive overview of Professional Home Staging and with exceptional examples to support your points!! Well done.
Hi Pat: Did you forget to log in? Thanks for your kind comments. I try...
HI Michelle! I see this and many well written, excellent posts and cannot believe this is not featured! Like your exceptional staging-this is an exceptional post! Thanks for sharing!!
Wow, Kathy, thank you so much. Thanks for reading and commenting.
My pleasure Michelle!
Great points Michelle! I liked that you also highlighted the additional cost savings to the Realtor when they will have to spend less on marketing etc. because the home will likely sell faster when professionall staged! The consultation ALONE should be a MUST DO for every homeowner who is ready to sell in this Real Estate market. No question! Regards-Kathleen G
The benefits of Staging a home is very useful for all the people. It is nice idea to arrange our furniture to make the rooms larger and keep our home beautiful. it also saves our money.thank you
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olathe
Addiction Recovery California
Kathleen G: Home staging can be a real money saver as well as helping the homeowner and REA get the best price. And I agree, everyone should have a consultation. I haven't seen a home yet that didn't need to be tweaked.
Olathe: Thank you for stopping by and adding your thoughts.
Hi Michelle,
I totally agree that one of the best things a seller can do the first time out is (at the very least) get a home staging consultation. It's well worth the investment. You've once again made excellent, informative points that a smart seller will hopefully heed. Keep singing sistah stager. The choir is behind you!
Karen: A home staging consultation is well worth the investment. After a consultation, a seller will know exactly what needs to be done, and in many cases, who can do it for them if they choose not to do it themselves. Not only does it save money, it saves time, and gets the show on the road.
It looks like you know what you are doing. Nice presentation.
Thank you Steven. I appreciate your kind comment.
Always a fan of your work, beautiful job. It's really hard to believe that there is still a lot of education that needs to be done out there. Thanks for the great post. Hope to meet up with you someday!
Michelle and Joe
Thank you Michelle & Joe. Education of the public is key to create an understanding of how important home staging is. Thank you for commenting and thanks for the nice compliment!