HOME STAGING IS A MARKETING AND MERCHANDISING TECHNIQUE THAT UNLOCKS THE HIDDEN EQUITY OF A SELLERS HOME!!!

But finding a qualified home stager can be very difficult. Most decorators have expanded their business to include home staging.  Home staging isn't about decorating, after all, decorating is what we do to personalize our homes.  Remember a home is where we live, as soon as the sign goes up out front, our 'home' is now a house.  Because: "A home is where we live, a house is what we sell..." Barb Schwarz Founder/CEO Stagedhomes.com!

I personally started as a self-annointed home stager after many years in the visual merchandising industry.  At some point I realized I needed the accreditation for marketing purposes.  Thinking that I would be bored (and frankly during the three day training, I sometimes was bored) I attended the class.  This training showed me the time proven techniques of home staging that have completely changed my company.  It's also dramatically affected the results for my clients.  I now happily post my 2007 results on our website!  When I did my first 'staging' it went into a bidding war seven days after the staging (it had been on the market for six months prior to the staging).  Maybe it was beginners luck, but I repeated that performance 12 times last year.  This year every single project I've worked on has started receiving bids within 14 days of the staging - and this is supposed to be a slow market!

So here are some places to find qualified home stagers:

ACCREDITED HOME STAGERS CAN BE FOUND AT http://www.stagedhomes.com/, OR THROUGH http://www.hsr.com/ (HOME STAGING RESOURCE).  There are other resources for qualified home stagers, but in the industry these are considered to be the most successful training programs.

QUALIFIED HOME STAGERS WON'T JUST MOVE THE SOFA HERE AND THERE, OR PLACE PRETTY TOWELS IN THE BATHROOM.  QUALIFIED HOME STAGERS EVALUATE YOUR HOME'S POTENTIAL WITH AN ASSESSMENT OR A CONSULTATION.  THE PROCESS BEGINS AT THE CURB, AND CONTINUES THROUGHOUT YOUR HOUSE (EVEN THE GARAGE!) AND INTO THE BACKYARD. 

AT THE END OF THE CONSULTATION, MOST QUALIFIED HOME STAGERS WILL HELP TO CREATE A STAGING 'TO DO LIST'. THIS WILL HELP THE SELLER TO PRIORITIZE THEIR STAGING DOLLARS, AND TO ORGANIZE THE CHORES INTO EASILY ACCOMPLISHED GOALS.  FROM THERE, THE STAGER, THE SELLER, AND THE REALTOR WORK TOGETHER TO CREATE A STAGING PACKAGE THAT MAKES FINANCIAL SENSE. 

OBVIOUSLY, WE'D ALL LIKE TO SEE FRESH PAINT, NEW CARPET, REMODELED KITCHENS AND BATHROOMS IN ALL OF OUR LISTINGS, BUT THAT ISN'T ALWAYS POSSIBLE.  MOST PROPERTIES DO HAVE SOME PROBLEMS, BUT THEY ALSO HAVE SOME ADVANTAGES. HOME STAGING MAXIMIZES YOUR ADVANTAGES AND MINIMIZES YOUR PROBLEMS, SO THAT BUYERS ARE ENTICED INTO PLACING BIDS.

STAGING WORKS!

TOM SCANLON ASP/IAHSP

HOUSTON HOME STAGING

832.260.3151