When it comes to staging your home for the best results you really should know about choosing the right home stager. First of all, what does a home stager even do? Certainly, a great home stager should create a “WOW Factor” that will knock buyers off their feet and make them want to buy the home because they fear they will lose it if they don’t act now. That’s a pretty tall order to expect but important when choosing the right home stager for your project.
The purpose of Home Staging
The purpose of the home staging is to make your very lived-in home appeal to the largest number of buyers. Whether a home stager is offering advice on painting, replacing or cleaning carpeting, or merely removing certain items that might distract buyers, the whole idea is to facilitate a faster sale and to sell the house for the most money possible.
You see, the way you live in a house and the way you stage a house are two very different ways. I learned home staging from the lady who created the concept in 1973. It’s an art and a science. And every artist is different so two home stagers could stage the same room totally differently. It’s a matter of opinion – and taste.
One thing I learned when being trained as a home stager in 2006 was that there are 10 techniques to use when staging any room. They were the basics of my home staging course and one way I set myself apart from other home stagers. It’s my secret sauce! I can always tell when looking at other homes that have been staged that those techniques I learned weren’t used.
Before and After Home Staging by Overland Park Home Staging
Home Staging is an art and a science
Staging is not decorating…it’s un-decorating. It’s un-layering and then adding back in to create the right look for the room with the right pieces of furniture and accessories.
Each home stager has their own style and way of doing things. I like to see things in place to make sure they look good. I always compare my home staging to buying a dress without trying it on…it looks great on the hanger but not on you. To me, home staging is the same. I want to “see” how the whole room looks after I’ve rearranged it. As I said, it’s an art and a science. It comes down to balance and choosing the right things to use. I always have an idea of where the furniture should be placed but I want to see it there also so each piece has the right angle and sister pieces.
Choosing the right Home Stager for you
When hiring a home stager, here are my top 4 tips:
- Ask to see their portfolio or website of before and after photos
o Do you like what they’ve done for others?
o Are their photos appealing to you?
- Do you see enough differences in the photos to say “WOW”?
- If you are working with a Realtor who is bringing in a home stager, ask who it is and do your own research
o What is your Realtor paying the stager to do?
o What is the process?
o What will you be expected to do as part of that process?
- Ask your Realtor if you can hire your own stager if you’d rather do that
o Do your homework and choose someone whose style you like
o Remember, your stager is setting the stage for your photoshoot, how your house will appear online and how many showings you will receive. For that reason, your home stager will determine how much your home will sell for, how many offers you’ll receive, and make the entire process faster and easier.
Most stagers can and will make a room look better than it is just by de-cluttering or depersonalizing the space. The key to home staging is in the rearrangement of the furniture and accessories. That one step alone will make or break a room. Is it the right balance for the room? And does it flow well? It’s the yin and yang! That’s what creates the WOW Factor when selling a home.
What to expect when hiring Melinda Bartling as your Home Stager
I understand how important it is when choosing the right home stagers. When you hire me to sell your home, I will stage each room to look the best it can be. I will bring in extra accessories if necessary. I will loan you furniture from my storage inventory if needed. I spend an average of 4-6 hours on each of my listings before they ever come on the market. Time well-spent upfront pays off in faster sales for you and for the most money possible.
Check out my website and look at what I can do for you to create your home’s best look! You do want more money don’t you?
If you’re considering selling your home and want to find out about my home staging services, please call me at (913) 515-3250 or learn more about my home staging process here.
