I began a long comment on Kimberly Wester's excellent blog post The Most Effective Use of Your Marketing Budget.  But when my ranting comment was threatening to blabber on longer than her original post I thought I should cut it short and rant on my own blog. 

Kimberly's post is a must read and really explains the smart investment of hiring a Home Stager.  One of her points that struck a nerve with me is the "artfully creative" real estate descriptions that sellers use to attract buyers.  I realize no one would nor should describe their property as:

Dark cave that hasn't been updated since the day it was built in 1946.  Comes complete with original grease from decades of cooking covering most of the kitchen walls. Dog stained green (brown?) shag carpet adds a pervasive smell throughout the house.  Outdated pine wood paneling creates a dark, depressing ambiance.  Don't miss the family gallery covering every inch of the hallway (upstairs and down) and the thoroughly creepy oil painting of Grandpa at the spinning wheel over the fireplace.  Feel free to pet the animals, none bite as they are all stuffed.

I could go on (and on and on) as this is based on an actual open house I visited in my neighborhood.  In my experiences of house shopping I came to decode many of these descriptions:

• cozy cottage=claustrophobic nightmare
  
• warm rooms=dark pits
  
• unique floorplan=choppy mess
  
• pride of ownership= strange decor- mushroom accented tile or creepy doll and taxidermy collections easily fall in this description.
• original wood paneling= dark, outdated, oppressive walls that need to be painted or removed.

While technically true, "artfully creative" descriptions are deceptive and once buyers arrive to view the property for themselves it is inevitable that they will be disappointed.  Instead of sugar coating them, isn't it better to address these issues?  I'm sure agents try to steer sellers into making these improvements but it can be a touchy situation for agents and overwhelming for sellers.  A Stager can act as a buffer to handle the delicate situation and can guide sellers through the process.  Stagers provide a plan for sellers as well as resources and contacts for getting the job done.

Your homes condition and decor may be fine to you as you enjoy your home while living in it, but sometimes they are not high-points for showing and selling.  It is difficult for anyone to view their own home objectively, but by utilizing the design savvy of a professional Stager you will be able to fix these liabilities and capitalize on the homes potential now.  The small investment in hiring a Home Stager can allow you to capitalize on your house's potential now instead of leaving that potential for the buyer (if there is one).

Ok, I feel better...