Next to great photography, staging is the single most important marketing tool in a real estate agent’s toolbox. Staging allows potential buyers to truly be able to envision the “lifestyle” that could take place within a home. For most people, purchasing real estate is an emotional transaction, they often experience an emotional trigger when they “feel” that a property is right for them and their family, and that emotional reaction of “this is home,” is what leads to a decision to make an offer on a property. Effective staging allows a potential buyer to want to look, linger, “kick the tires” as opposed to come in for a 10 second glance, before retreating back to their vehicle.
Hiring a Professional Stager
While the basic elements of staging, such as decluttering, depersonalizing and neutralizing, can be easily done by a homeowner, infusing the skills of a professional stager will go a long way in helping a seller secure top dollar in the shortest amount of time (days on market). Professional stagers not only have a trained eye that allows them to know and understand the best way to market your property, they also typically own a large and diverse inventory that they have available for rent as part of their professional services. When looking to hire a professional stager, be sure to look for those stagers in your local market as well as those who may be listed in the national resource directories for industry organizations such as RESA (the Real Estate Staging Association).
The Investment in Staging
For most Americans, their home is their single biggest asset. While someone may have worked for a company for a long time, investing in retirement vehicles such as a 401K or IRA, the equity one has in their home is typically their biggest financial asset in terms of invested dollars. To secure the most amount of money from that asset (equity) one must realize that once they place their home on the market for sale, that it is no longer their home, but a “product” on the market for sale that will be compared with other products. In other words, a home buyer is not looking to just see home A that is in their price range, but they will also want to see home B and C that are around the corner that are also in the same price range as well. Staging helps to showcase a property in its best possible light.
Cathy Hobbs, based in New York City, is an Emmy Award-winning television host and a nationally known interior design home staging expert and short-term rental/vacation home designer with offices in New York City and The Hudson Valley. Contact her at info@cathyhobbs.com or visit her website at cathyhobbs.com