Does the Average Home Owner Know When To Call in a Home Stager?

With all the HGTV shows ~ such as Spice Kitchen, Get It Sold, The Stagers ~ does the average home owner know when to call in a professional home stager? 

Or does the average home owner think home staging is nothing more than packing away some personal items, putting lemons down the garbage disposal, and lighting some candles?

Well, if home staging is done correctly it will be all the above and so much more!  Home staging is a relatively new concept in many areas of the county and it is still misunderstood. 

Home staging is the process of de-personalizing a home and making it "buyer ready" so it appeals to the largest potential buyer audience possible using proven design techniques that highlight the home's best architectural features.  Home staging, also know as real estate staging, is not home decorating but rather an art that utilizes a home owners existing furniture, lighting, and art work to draw a potential buyers eye to the positive aspects of your home.

With the average home buyer being between the ages of 30 to 48 and expecting a "move-in" ready home, home staging is no longer a luxury and is a necessity in this economy.  94% of potential home buyers are turning to the Internet first to search for a home; here again home staging needs to be done prior to the home's digital pictures are posted online for everyone to see.  94% is an extremely high number and  home staging really should be left to the professionals so an optimal result is achieved.

So, does a home owner know the right time to call in a professional home stager? 

Well, the wrong time is when your home has been sitting on the real estate market for six months and your Realtor has suggested you lower your asking price.

The wrong time is after your home's pictures have been posted on the Internet MLS and you are not receiving any responses from potential buyers.

No one gets a second chance to make a first impression and when you are talking about real estate, the only way to generate new interest in your home is to drop your price to attract a different group of potential buyers.

The right time to call in a professional home stager is before you place your home's pictures online!

A professional home stager can perform a home staging consultation, create a customized Action Report, and then help you implement all the required changes to ensure your home will show well online and at its' current location.  Your online presence is very critical in your home's real estate marketing.

Three things sell a home in today's real estate market:

1.)  Price - the price of your home.

2.)  Location

3.)  Presentation - this is where professional home staging comes in.

Before you sell your home, a professional home stager can tell you how to invest your resources so your home shows well and stands out against the competition. The latest statistics show that over 80% of Realtors believe in or recommend home staging. This is a win-win for everyone.

-Kate, Kate's Home Staging and Redesign, serving Rockland County & Orange County of New York and Passaic County, New Jersey. www.kateshomestaging.com