Teri Woods asked:


Designing a home to sell takes special skill in that the interiors must be designed, specifically, to appeal to all potential buyers. To accomplish this one must learn the skill of “attention to details”. As a stager, I always start with a full inspection of the “hard” surfaces of the home. Paying special attention to any repairs that need to be addressed. Hard surfaces are all aspects of the home that are stationary. Flooring, dry wall, windows and fixtures. Moving on to the cosmetics of the home we outline items that must be edited. Next we make note of upgrades that will bring the homeowner a greater profit and enhance the appearance of the home. Upgrades usually consist of new counter tops, carpeting, paint and etc. Once all of the these issues are addressed we move to the actual “staging” process. Staging a home to show in the market is an absolute must! One must know the concept of balance, function and scale as well as styles, color coordination and the application of “focal points” for each room. Professional Home Stagers have the appropriate training in design and staging to ensure that a home is perfectly designed to appeal to all potential buyers taste. Everything is done for the home in the “staging” process. Furniture placement to tablescaping with accessories, hanging art and lighting. Proper staging will appeal to all of the five senses. Sight, sound, scent, touch and taste. All potential buyers that enter into the “staged” home should connect with the home emotionally. Most often they do and this is where multiple offers come into play or an offer that exceeds the asking price. At Home Stages Designs we cater to perfection. Our goal is to “set the stage” for a top dollar sale! We offer individual training ebooks to assist the home seller or home stager at our website. We also offer our Complete Home Staging Training on CD-ROM for those with the desire to enter into the Home Staging industry. No previous interior design degree is needed with this course as we include the basic interior design training you will need as well as our business manual to assist you in the staging process and to develop your own company. We offer certification with the training course so you will not need additional training. This training is all inclusive and will get you started in your own Home Staging business fast. Come visit our site today! We would love to assist you! www.Homestages.com

Home Stages Designs/Home Staging Resource Professionals

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Home Staging

Jerry 71 asked:


The living room ceilings are very tall (12-15 ft). Should the palm trees be about 8 ft tall or should they almost touch the ceiling? Any other thoughts you might have will be appreciated. The staging is for a house for sale and I am the seller.Thanks.
The house is being professionally staged and the realtor and stager are having a disagreement. I just want the straight scoop from the ppl in the yahoo community!

Home Staging

Alice Chan asked:


Copyright (c) 2009 Alice Chan

We all know that Home Staging is the art of decorating a home to sell quickly and for top dollar. It is the most proven way to get the highest selling price for a property as you prepare it for sale.

An important thing for both Real Estate Agents and Home Stagers to remember is that before you start the staging process, you need to do research about whom is most likely going to buy the house, otherwise known as the TARGET MARKET.

Staging is not just about hanging up some art, sticking a tree in the corner and adding pretty pillows to the sofa. This seems to be the misconception sometimes.

Haven’t we all received phone calls from potential customers who tell us, “Oh, there’s not much to be done. Just a few accessories will do the trick”. That’s someone who doesn’t truly understand the psychology behind Staging. It’s part of your marketing plan and should be very strategic.

By knowing who the target market is, you will be able to design a lifestyle around that to appeal to that specific group of potential buyers and the real estate agent can design a marketing plan specifically to attract those same people.

So next time you’re commissioned to transform a property into a marketable showcase, ask yourself (or the real estate agent):

- Who are the prospective buyers?

- What do they like?

- Do they have kids?

- Do they have pets?

- Do their parents live with them?

Here are 5 reasons why you should know who the buyers will be:

1. You can cater the property to them.

2. You can draw immediate attention and instant appeal.

3. You can fix up the property faster and more economically.

4. The house will sell faster.

5. The sellers will save time and ultimately, money.

To elaborate on who the prospective buyers is, you want to know the following:

- Where are they from?

- What is their background?

- What is their ethnic heritage?

Scope out the neighborhood and get to know the neighbors so you learn what type of person is likely to move into the neighborhood. Generally speaking, there is a commonality amongst neighbors.

Visit competing homes for sale to see what those homes have to offer to give you a better sense of the types of upgrades that may or may not be needed. Notice the likes and dislikes of the neighborhood.

Are all the yards well maintained? Are they privacy seekers? Is there a sense of community? It’s important to take their lifestyles into consideration so you can design the right way to market the property to that type of person.

Is this community mostly filled with starter families? If so, staging bedrooms for young kids would be a good idea. Otherwise, if the neighborhood consists mostly of older kids, you’ll need to design more sophisticated spaces.

Are they huge sports fans? Capitalizing on a homey family room with a BIG plasma TV would be ideal for that type of neighborhood.

Is it in a golf community? Perhaps creating a study with a golf theme is just the thing you need or maybe a coastal or beach themed space in a water community or designing a floor plan that takes advantage of fantastic views.

If you’re ever in doubt about how to create buyer appeal that caters to a specific target market, visit new home developments in your area and see how they have designed their model units. Developers spend a lot of time and money doing market research about who their potential buyers will be and relay that information to their model home designers.

The style and décor needs to match the neighborhood, the home, and most importantly, the target market. For example, if it’s a 2-bedroom, 1-bath condo in the city or a more metropolitan part of town, the likely target market is a single person – a bachelor or bachelorette or even a young couple.

The ideal buyer is most likely someone in their 20s. Their lifestyle is going to be very carefree because there are no “family” considerations. Their style is probably going to be more contemporary and edgy. The second bedroom could be staged as a home office because that’s probably what it would be used for. Staging it as a guest bedroom or a nursery is going to be less appealing.

On the flip side, if it’s a 4-bedroom, 2-bath, single family home in the suburbs, this is a classic family home. The potential buyer or “target market” is going to be a couple with a growing family. Their lifestyle is going to be very family-oriented so the family room and kitchen areas are very important as this is where they will be spending most of their time. The décor should be more relaxed and family friendly.

You’ll need to work with the real estate agent to know who the potential buyers are and deliver the perfect house to them. Figure out what they want versus what they need. Remember, it’s not about you or the seller; it’s what the buyers want that will sell the house.

You need a focused design plan to create the results the seller wants. When they learn that your services are more strategic and designed to help them achieve their goals, they’ll be more inclined to refer you and want to work with you. Your goals should always be to position yourself as a value added service, not a frivolous expense.



home staging

Ballerina asked:


We are staging a room in our home that we are selling as a sitting room and were thinking about renting furniture. Rentacenter does not have prices on their website, and we were looking for a ballpark number before we drive out there. We are in PA.

Home Staging

In the last few years, home staging has become an increasingly popular method of preparing a home for sale. However, home staging involves far more than the cleaning and minor repairs required to put your home on the market. The process of staging a home is actually an in depth dressing of a home to make the property seem as appealing as possible to prospective buyers. Home staging professionals use a variety of methods to help homeowners sell their properties, incorporating both amenities already inside the home and a number of special products. When preparing to sell your home, you may want to think about some of the home staging methods outlined here to help you find the right buyer.

At its most simple, home staging is about setting the right mood for prospective buyers. By decorating and arranging a home’s interior to present an ideal way of life, buyers are assisted in visualizing themselves in your home. Whether you undertake the process of staging your own home or decide to consult a professional, there are a number of different “props” that may be used around the home. For example, to add a vibrant sense of life to the home, many home staging professionals recommend using different types of potted plants and arrangements of flowers and fruit. Throughout the home, they tend to utilize soft, luxurious fabrics – such as satin, lamb’s wool and silk – to create an atmosphere of comfort. This process can also extend to the exterior of the property, where patio furniture can be added in the backyard and colorful flowers or unique accessories outside the front door.

Many home staging professionals come from interior design or art-related backgrounds. Hence, when working on staging a home for sale, these professionals utilize a number of visual tricks to capture the attention of potential buyers. For instance, furniture is always arranged very carefully to simulate the ideal living space. In living rooms, home staging professionals often use loveseats and ottomans in lieu of large couches to create the illusion of added space. Likewise, mirrors are often placed throughout a staged home to make the living area seem larger to potential buyers. In areas where you hope to focus a buyer’s attention – like a hand built stone fireplace or a remodeled kitchen – staging professionals can place unique artwork or accessories to catch the eye.

One of the most important steps in home staging is the exchange of your personal decorations with more neutral furnishings. Beyond replacing family pictures with more design-friendly items, a successful home staging will attempt to eliminate any idiosyncratic tastes and represent a living space that has broad appeal. Though this process may feel like a slight on your family’s home, you should hardly take offense. This commonly used tactic simply helps potential buyers view the property not as someone else’s home, but as something they can call their own.

Most real estate experts claim that home staging is especially important when the home is empty. Without any furniture or amenities, even a home for sale in the most attractive area can make potential buyers feel uncomfortable. If you are trying to sell your home and have already moved out, you may want to consider working with your agent to stage the home’s interior. With the assistance of your agent and a home staging professional, you could quickly transform a lifeless house into dream home.

In the end, home staging is about making the most of your home’s potential. If the staging of your home is completed effectively, it is also possible that your home may receive better offers from potential buyers and spend less time on the market. By minimizing the flaws of your home and making the living area seem larger, brighter and more appealing, home staging may be one of the most important steps in selling your home quickly and at the right price.



By: Greg Gagnon

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home staging