Consumer Statistics

U.S. Housing and Urban Development reports that a "Staged" house sells, on average, for 17% more than a house that is not staged. According to a report by the Christian Science Monitor, March 2006, staged homes sell for 7.4 percent more and in half the time. Whichever statistic you agree with, it's obvious that staging your home for sale can make you more money.

Home Staging

Although it's not a new concept, staging your home is an important part of getting it sold--and for top dollar. Traditionally, homeowners themselves have been responsible for making their homes presentable for showing, but with homes costing more and competition getting stiffer as the real estate market softens, that trend is changing.

If you're hoping to get a quick sale and a good price for your home, especially if it's in a premium area, you may want to consider hiring a home stager to help. They're knowledgeable at preparing houses for resale and can provide expert advice on the things that will help you accomplish your goals. A home stager will generally help eliminate excess clutter, arrange furniture attractively and efficiently, and offer suggestions on curb appeal, since enticing buyers into your home is the first step toward getting it sold.

Traditional wisdom says that buyers make up their mind about a home within the first ten seconds after stepping through the front door, but even that figure may be a bit optimistic. Most of the time, buyers form an impression, positive or negative, the moment they pull up to the curb or into your driveway. That leaves very little room for error.

Home Stagers

To locate a home stager, check your phone book, ask for referrals from friends and neighbors, or check with a real estate company. For expensive homes, some companies will even bring in a home stager as part of their service to their sellers.

To decide if a home stager's services will be cost effective for you, ask for an estimate. Most will visit your home and give you one free, and it's usually a quick process. Then, unless something unusual and unforeseen is encountered, their estimate will be relatively accurate. As with any service, it's worthwhile to get several estimates, because they may vary considerably. Some will give you a flat rate, while others estimate jobs by the hour. Ask how fees are determined and when payment is expected. The higher your home's asking price, the more you can generally expect to pay for a home stager's services.

In some cases, home stagers will even rent furniture to make your rooms more attractive, but your home will normally have to be in a fairly high price range before that type of service will be cost effective. However, the growing popularity of home stagers suggests that their services are generally worthwhile, both in quicker sales and higher sales prices.

Copyright © 2006 Jeanette J. Fisher

More info on your stop foreclosure information search:

Get Free Foreclosure Advice and Free Refinance Quotes
Get your free on-line foreclosure refinance quote and free advice from foreclosure mitigation specialist in minutes. Compare real offers from top national subprime and hard money lenders... more...

Set the Stage For Your Own Home Selling Success Story
There's a new wave of home shows on TV these days and the focus is on getting a house seen and sold quickly and for top dollar. These shows feature all the elements of a good plot; drama, comedy, suspense, bad guys, victims, good guys, and always it seems a happy ending. The drama unfolds with the ... more...

Home Staging Is Raging
The trend to stage homes began on the West Coast back in the 1970's and slowly spread to the East Coast in the 80's and 90's. The service went mainstream with the popularity of the staging-based TV shows such as ?Sell This House!? and ?Designed To Sell.? Now staging has become as important to ... more...

Houston Real Estate - Staging a Home
When listing a home for sale in the Houston real estate market, you might want to first consider the importance of staging your home. Staging is a real estate must in the competitive marketing of homes for sale. Staging a home is about more than cleaning it and adding a bit of paint to the walls. ... more...

The Art of Being Objective
Do people really want to hear the truth or do they have their own reality when it comes to things of a personal nature? Most people couch the truth because of the possibility of hurting another's feelings. But sometimes, the truth is what we need. This is especially true when it comes to selling ... more...