HOME STAGING SERVICES & COMPANIES
Real estate staging companies that call themselves experts in home sale prep and staging are abound. Realtors use them when they have a home on the market that needs to be 'enhanced' in order to sell quickly and for the maximum profit. In some cases, the Realtor and the homeowner share the cost of the home staging. If the homeowner doesn't agree, and the Realtor feels strongly that it's necessary in order to sell the home, the Realtor may want to consider taking it out of their broker fees. Homeowners that are trying to sell their home without the assistance of a Realtor may find that staging a home to sell is the best investment they could make in order to get the home moved off of the market quickly, and therefore will hire a house stager. And a common practice in today's softer housing market is the use of property staging by homebuilders and developers. Once an interior design firm has professionally decorated a development's models, when it comes time to 'freshen' up the models or spec homes that need to sell, they may call upon a home stager for interior redesign services.
There are many professionals and companies that offer home staging services. If you're considering a redesign by a home stager, there are many options to choose from whether you just have one room or the inside and out of the entire home that needs attention. Here's a general overview of the types of services offered when staging your home for sale.
Consultation
One of the first steps that a house staging professional will make when assessing your home is to provide a consultation. In some cases, this may be the only service that the homeowner or Realtor will commission, in hopes of being able to save money by taking the recommendations and doing the work on their own. A consultation will most likely involve a thorough walk through of your home, providing recommendations along the way regarding furniture placement, color schemes, lighting, clutter, depersonalization, etc. As part of this consultation, the home stager may provide you with a follow up print out, itemizing the recommendations offered, as well has advising on the areas of the home needing the most work (upgrades or actual repair) and those areas that should really be focused on as the high points of the home. In some cases, this follow up report is an additional fee.
One-Room / Partial Staging
Not every home will require a full-blown revamp of the layout and design to make it ready for sale. In some cases, there's only a room or two that require some interior staging. A different paint color and some strategic furniture arrangement using existing furnishings may be just enough to do the trick!
Full Home Staging & Enhanced Curb Appeal
A lot of what goes into staging homes is focused on eliminating clutter and creating organized spaces by rearranging furnishings and accessories in a way that best showcases each room. Assessing the lighting and colors of each room, as well as sometimes removing furniture from the home are also areas that are given consideration. If your home is also in need of some help in the 'curb appeal' department, the home stager will also evaluate the exterior of the home and make adjustments to the outdoors as well such as new plants, pottery, etc.
Staging for Vacant Homes
When staging homes to sell that are currently vacant, the professional home stager will turn to companies that offer rental furniture for all of the furnishings and accessories. Depending on the home seller's budget, this may involve fully furnishing the home, or simply creating small 'vignettes' that help to showcase the general purpose of each room. For instance, in the study/den, they may just place a leather reclining chair and side table with books and a lamp.
Whatever your needs may be, the budget for commissioning the help in home sale prep and staging will dictate how much you can invest in these services.