Managing those first impressions a key factor in selling a house ...

Within the past couple years, the concept of home staging ? adding a splash of color to the dining room, removing that tired buffet from the dining room, ensuring the kitchen carries the aroma of fresh baked bread ? to help sell residential real estate has reached the public consciousness.

In response, home staging professionals have started to pop up in the Corridor, raising a basic question for home sellers and real estate agents: When is it OK to stage the home for sale yourself, and when should you call a pro?

Here are some insights offered by professional stagers and real estate agents.

Example No. 1 ? When a home is far from being market-ready, but the owner seems to think it is.

Not all homeowners keep up with interior decorating and design trends. So their home?s outdated finishes and decor might not seem important to them.

Jodie Fredericks of Coldwell Banker Real Estate Professionals in Iowa City offers staging as part of her basic service. She?s heard other agents talk about homes that could really use a third-party?s advice because the seller wouldn?t be amenable to their own suggestions.

?I can definitely see merit in using an outside stager,? Fredericks said.

Discussions about a home?s staging needs with the seller definitely require sensitivity, Fredericks said. It?s important to emphasize that the requirements of marketing a home are entirely different from those for living in a home, and aren?t a reflection on the owner?s tastes.

Before staging (Courtesy Stage 'N Style)

Example No. 2 ? When the homeowner thinks they can do it themselves, and the real estate agent lacks a staging background. Sort of like that saying about someone on trial choosing himself to be his own layer.

?When a homeowner decides to stage it themselves, I have never seen it go well,? said real estate agent Amy Starr of Skogman Realty, who does a lot of home staging for her clients.

That?s because homeowners are much too close to the situation and can?t view their house through the eyes of a potential buyer.

And the same living room, after staging. (Courtesy Stage 'N Style)

Example No. 3 ? When time is of the essence.

One of the big benefits of staging is that it sells homes faster.
This can be key for homeowners who cannot afford to continue paying the expenses of the home, perhaps because they have already moved into a new house.

?The house sells faster, for more money,? said Berta Semaan, who is a Skogman Realty agent in addition to having her own staging business, which she started about a year ago.

Shirley Jost, an Iowa Realty real estate agent in Cedar Rapids who started her Stage ?N Style in 2007, recalls a $469,000 home that she staged after it had been listed for 11 months. It sold within two weeks, Jost said.

The changes were accomplished inexpensively by moving some leather furniture from the home?s basement to replace the existing living room furniture, Jost said.

Example No. 4 ? When the material resources to stage a house are not available to the owner or the real estate agent.

Some stagers keep a ready supply of tasteful furniture that have been selected to be current with decorating trends.

?If you do it yourself, you?re going to have to rent or buy it,? Semaan said.

The owners would end up paying more out of pocket than they would have to pay to have it staged, she added.

When rooms are in need of painting, it?s not uncommon to find a homeowner willing to undertake the task to reduce the expense of hiring a contractor.

That may be OK if the homeowner is an experienced and detail-oriented painter, Jost says, but she usually feels better about bringing in a professional painter with whom she?s worked.
That?s because a paint job that is sloppy or amateurish can leave a room looking even less compelling than before it was painted.

Semaan said her service typically takes a full day, and costs about $200 to $400 for that day, depending on what?s involved.

Jost noted a major job can run $1,700.

Some of the big-cost variables include whether the house needs professional cleaning or painting.

Cleaning, a top priority, can often be undertaken by the homeowner, Jost and Semaan agreed.

The best time to stage a house is typically before the home is listed for sale, according to Fredericks, of Coldwell Banker Real Estate Professionals. That?s because staging efforts can be directed at enhancing the look of the home in the listing photographs.

In staging homes, Fredericks noticed that the staged rooms can look completely different in photographic images than in person. She tries to design the staging initially to present the house best in photos ? it can be modified later for in-person viewing.

While decluttering the house is often one of the big challenges in staging, vacant homes don?t show well, either, Semaan said. Prospective buyers can?t easily visualize themselves living in an empty house.

That said, Jost does not recommend staging every room in a house, even though the entire house should be decluttered. She said staging should focus on the main areas of interest to buyers ? the vestibule, kitchen, master bedroom and family room or living room.

One way homeowners may evaluate stagers is by their professional certifications. Jost has a HSR staging certification from Home Staging Resource of Encinitas, Calif., while Semaan is accredited through the International Association of Home Staging Professionals.

Elements of staging

1. Decluttering: Removing clutter and extra furniture that detract from the appearance of a home.
2. Depersonalizing: Removing personal effects such as collections, photographs and trophies that could make the home feel foreign to a prospective buyer.
3. Neutralizing: Toning down unusual decorating tastes such as bold wall colors that don?t have broad appeal.
4. Arranging: Designing and laying out furniture and home accessories to show how the home?s space can be used and display it attractively.
5. Cleaning: Removing stains, dirt and odors to make the house more appealing.

Source: http://business380.com/2012/02/26/managing-those-first-impressions-a-key-factor-in-selling-a-house/

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