Home staging is a critical step before putting your home on the market for sale, yet it’s value is often underrated. Understanding the value starts with answering the question – what does a stager exactly do anyway? So let’s demystify. A home stager is a professional who specializes in preparing a home for sale in order to make it more appealing to potential buyers. The goal of home staging is to showcase the property’s best features, create an inviting atmosphere, and most importantly, help potential buyers or renters envision themselves living in the space.
Common Tasks of a Home Stager:
1. Decluttering and organizing: The stager will assess the home and recommend removing personal items, excess furniture, and clutter to create a cleaner and more spacious environment.
2. Furniture arrangement: The stager may rearrange furniture to optimize the flow of the space and highlight its functionality. They may also bring in additional furniture or accessories if needed.
3. Décor and accessories: The stager may add or replace decorative items, artwork, rugs, and other accessories to enhance the overall aesthetics of the home.
4. Repairs and maintenance: The stager may suggest minor repairs or improvements to address any visible issues that could detract from the home’s appeal.
5. Lighting and ambiance: The stager may adjust lighting fixtures or recommend changes to create a warm and welcoming atmosphere.
6. Exterior enhancements: Curb appeal is important, so the stager may offer suggestions for improving the home’s exterior, such as landscaping, painting, or minor repairs.
Who Pays For Staging?
Covering staging costs typically falls under the responsibility of the homeowner/seller of the property. In most cases, the homowner’s realtor will identify and facilitate the hiring of the professional stager as part of the marketing plan to achieve the highest sales price.
In some cases, however, real estate agents may cover the home staging costs as part of their services and recoup these expenses through the commission earned from the sale of the home. However, this arrangement varies depending on the agreement between the homeowner and the real estate agent.
Click here for a free copy of my pre-listing checklist, “Preparing Your Home For Sale, A 22-Day Game Plan“.
To find out more on how I work, including how your staging costs can get covered, give me a call anytime at (202) 952-3392.