 |
| |
|
| Clearwater Beach Real Estate Florida |
|
|
| |
| |
HOME STAGING |
 |
What is “Home Staging” and How Does it Help Sell My
House?
by Lori
Matzke
“Home staging” is not a new term, but for many homeowners
and real estate agents the concept of “professional home
staging” is shedding new light on how to promote a home
in the real estate marketplace. In past years, homeowners
were left to their own discretion as far as preparing for
home showings. Though they could occasionally rely on an
agent for instructions, more often than not real estate
agents were just as perplexed at working out the details
as the homeowner.
While agents are experts in the field of selling and closing,
many are not design savvy. Agents usually know
exactly what factors can help sell a home. It’s just not
always easy to get a home into selling condition in a timely
manner without some sort of experienced assistance.
Professional home stagers are practiced in the art of
preparing a home for resale. They work with the “flow”
of a home, eliminate clutter, edit and arrange furniture,
and even assist in enhancing curb-appeal. With the
aid of a professional home stager, your house can make a
notable first impression on potential homebuyers.
As the real estate industry often stresses, the first
impression is the key factor in selling your home. Typically,”
says Jan Van Horne of Coldwell Banker Burnet Realty in Eden
Prairie, Minnesota, “a potential buyer has made up their
mind ten seconds after they step in the front door.
They were already forming an opinion as they pulled into
your driveway!” That really doesn’t leave too much room
for fault.
“To achieve the greatest possible outcome,” Jan adds,
“a home should always be presented at its best the first
time around.”
You find and select a professional home stager much like
you would find any other professional service. Ask around
and get referrals. Check with your real estate agent. A
number of larger real estate companies offer access to a
listing of professional home services in your area. These
individuals and companies have often already been pre-screened
by the real estate agencies or their agents.
When you contact a home stager, ask for an estimate. Most
home staging businesses will be happy to give you a free
estimate and it is usually a quick process. Keep in mind
that this is only an estimate and estimates can be a bit
off. However, unless something unforeseen takes place
between the estimate and the actual job itself, an estimate
should be fairly accurate.
Get several free estimates and make some calculations.
Just like any service, pricing in the home staging industry
can vary over a wide range. Some charge an hourly rate and
some will charge you a set fee for the entire
job. Be sure to ask how they determine their fee so that
you can make an educated decision. Also, factor in the condition
of your home, the average amount of time homes have been
on the market in your area, and the asking price of your
home.
Asking price can play a huge factor in what a homeowner should
be willing to pay for staging services. Some professional
home stagers bring in rented furnishings, driving the price
up considerably. Some simply charge too much to make it
pay off. A lot of home stagers seem to forget that
their clients are planning on moving out of the house very
soon. Most home sellers are not willing to invest a huge
amount of cash in a house they are planning on leaving behind.
Find out up front what the stager is planning to bring
in and at what cost. Though expert services do come at a
price, the cost should balance with the expected benefit
of a higher selling price. As a rule, the higher the asking
price of the home, the more one can spend to have it professionally
staged.
In some instances, it makes sense for a real estate agent
to contribute to the cost of professionally staging a home.
“As a real estate agent,” says Tony Cirelli, a Minnesota
Re/Max agent from Apple Valley, “I have to look at profit
margins. I analyze current market trends and what will be
spent on advertising before dropping any cash into staging.”
Pat Cirelli, Tony’s wife and partner, agrees. “For
the most part, an agent should be able to determine
if a home is in need of this type of service, and if
it would be of benefit or not. If you know it would be in
the homeowner’s best interest and if you know that something will
need to be done before the home is listed, it might
be wise to set aside an amount of your marketing budget
for staging. If it’s a reasonable fee, it is usually a worthwhile
investment. It could certainly make all the difference in
your showing.”
Click
Here to contact a HOME STAGING Professional
in your area for a FREE consultation |
|
 |
|
