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Staging is Something You Should Be Doing While You're Still Living In Your Home!

By
Home Stager

Staging is Something You Should Be Doing While You're Still Living In Your Home!

A comment I hear from almost every seller on my Staging Consultations is that they are hesitant to spend money on a home they’re going to be leaving.

 

I get it! However, if you want to protect the investment you have in home stagingyour house, it’s important that the condition of your property reflects your asking price.

 

That said, this thing called Staging is something that all homeowners could and should be doing while living in and enjoying your home.

 

For example…

Paint

If it’s been 10 years or more since you painted, it’s time to take a look at the exterior and interior. Maybe the hot pink bedroom your daughter begged for can be returned to a less eye-popping color, especially since she is no longer living at home.

And no, you don’t have to paint every wall white or boring beige.

You’re still living in it but why not enjoy a fresh look!

Update

Why in the world wouldn’t you invest in new kitchen countertops or hardwood floors while you can enjoy them? Instead, I see many homeowners who do these updates just before they sell.

Why not let your family enjoy the newly updated kitchen or the renovated pool area?

Repair

Everyone, well, almost everyone, has items on their To Do list that they’ve been meaning to fix but haven’t. Work and our lives, in general, get in the way.

Why wait until you’re putting your home on the market to repair the jacuzzi that hasn’t worked since last year. Don’t you want to enjoy it?

And the screen you have over the deck that was damaged by the last hurricane?  Why wait?

The carpet that was damaged by your favorite 4-legged friend can’t stay hidden beneath the rug. You’ve been dying for hardwood floors. Why not enjoy them now!?

This cannot be stressed enough...Staging isn’t just moving a sofa here or putting the pillows over there. It’s not just about repositioning your furniture.

Staging is marketing. Home Staging is Home Styling.

Staging is making sure that your buyer will see the liveability of your house and fall in love with all of its possibilities.


Why wait?  Start staging your home now!

 

Posted by

Kathy Streib
Retired Home Stager
and Interior Redesign

In Person Consultations in Texas
for Houston & Harris Counties
and
Virtual Staging Consultations
for all states


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Easy-to-Do Styling Solutions
Whether You're Selling
or Want to Fall Back in Love
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Comments(46)

Nick Vandekar, 610-203-4543
Realty ONE Group Advocates 484-237-2055 - Downingtown, PA
Selling the Main Line & Chester County

What wonderful advice for any homeowner. We often say it is important to live in a home as well so do the things early that you will enjoy. Now we all just need to apply that to our own homes as well.

Jan 12, 2018 10:02 AM
Grant Schneider
Performance Development Strategies - Armonk, NY
Your Coach Helping You Create Successful Outcomes

Good afternoon Katy - I could not agree more.  Enjoy your staged home now.

Jan 12, 2018 10:08 AM
Elizabeth Weintraub Sacramento Broker
Elizabeth Anne Weintraub, Broker - Sacramento, CA
Put 40 years of experience to work for you

Once a year I walk through my home and make a list of things that need to be fixed or repaired or updated. Then I put the list somewhere, get busy and look at it again the following year. Eventually I call a person to take care of it.

It would be nice to stage my husband's office, LOL, but he'd have a heart attack and die right on the spot.

Jan 12, 2018 10:48 AM
Ron and Alexandra Seigel
Napa Consultants - Carpinteria, CA
Luxury Real Estate Branding, Marketing & Strategy

Kathy,

We did that recently in anticipation of out of town guests.  It was fun to do it and a big benefit to us.  A

Jan 12, 2018 11:09 AM
George Souto
George Souto NMLS #65149 FHA, CHFA, VA Mortgages - Middletown, CT
Your Connecticut Mortgage Expert

Kathy you make a lot of good common sense suggestions in this blog.

Jan 12, 2018 11:56 AM
Brian England
Ambrose Realty Management LLC - Gilbert, AZ
MBA, GRI, REALTOR® Real Estate in East Valley AZ

I agree with this and I would certainly want to make things as easy as possible for myself when the time comes to sell.

Jan 12, 2018 12:52 PM
Francine Viola
Coldwell Banker Evergreen Olympic Realty, Olympia WA - Olympia, WA
REALTOR®, In Tune with your Real Estate Needs

After moving furniture around for the holidays for fit the Christmas tree, this is certainly a time for a refresh and a reboot.  I have a repair list that I need to tackle in my own home!

Jan 12, 2018 02:55 PM
Debe Maxwell, CRS
Savvy + Company (704) 491-3310 - Charlotte, NC
The RIGHT CHARLOTTE REALTOR!

It is SO nice to have the renovations/staging done before moving - they will have the opportunity to love living in their home for a bit longer and have a renewed kinship with it too!

Great post, Kathy! Happy Friday!

Jan 12, 2018 07:20 PM
Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400
HomeRome Realty 410-530-2400 - Pikesville, MD
Sell Your Home With Margaret Rome

You get to pay for you home while you are living in it or when you go to sell it. May as well do the updates and enjoy prior to selling!

Jan 12, 2018 08:22 PM
Jeff Dowler, CRS
eXp Realty of California, Inc. - Carlsbad, CA
The Southern California Relocation Dude

Kathy

It certainly makes sense to not do it all at the last minute - more aggravation and more money - and enjoy it along the way. And who really wants to live with a lot of needed repairs...although w certainly see it

Jeff

Jan 12, 2018 09:47 PM
Tim Maitski
Atlanta Communities Real Estate Brokerage - Atlanta, GA
Truth, Excellence and a Good Deal

Hosting more parties also helps get things done.  Have you ever seen how things get cleaned up before you have people over?

Jan 13, 2018 06:26 AM
Alan May
Jameson Sotheby's International Realty - Evanston, IL
Home is where the hearth is.

Boy, you're preachin' to the choir.  I can't tell you how many times I've seen sellers update/upgrade their homes at the very last minute... just to sell it.  They don't get any enjoyment out of the upgrade.. .and they still have to pay for it.... so why not do it while you're still living there?

Jan 13, 2018 06:50 AM
Linda Metallo DiBenardo
RE/MAX Impact, Lockport, Illinois - Lockport, IL

Sometimes sellers decide not to sell after they get some staging and updating done.   

Jan 13, 2018 09:38 AM
Richie Alan Naggar
people first...then business Ran Right Realty - Riverside, CA
agent & author

I married a stager without knowing. The house is decorated throughout the year with the Holiday in play themes. Everything is kept clean and orderly making it a literal model home. My wife is a genuine home-maker. She earns her ooohs and ahhhs from all who visit. I deny her nothing as she is so deserving of all

Jan 13, 2018 11:13 AM
Sybil Campbell
Fernandina Beach, FL
Referral Agent Amelia Island Florida

When I hosted the baby shower for my daughter a couple of years ago, someone said, "This house looks like it should be on HGTV"!  What a great compliment that was!

Jan 13, 2018 06:17 PM
Mary Yonkers
Alan Kells School of Real Estate/Howard Hanna Real Estate - Erie, PA
Erie/PA Real Estate Instructor

Kathy Streib Great ideas! A few years ago, we did just that. We changed the floor plan in our living & family room and repainted a few rooms.  Love the new look & feel of our home. 

Jan 15, 2018 05:02 AM
Lynn Pineda
eXp Realty - Boca Raton, FL
Real Estate Promises delivered in SE Florida

What good points Kathy Streib - enjoy the updates and staging to your home while living in it - makes perfect sense!

Jan 16, 2018 02:27 PM
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Jan 19, 2018 03:55 AM
Sonja Patterson
Keller Williams - BV - College Station, TX
Texas Monthly 5-Star Realtor Recipient for the Hou

Great tips Kathy!  I replaced old carpet with wood floors and repainted some interior rooms about 3 years prior to selling our last home.  How we enjoyed the upgrades BEFORE moving! :)

Jan 19, 2018 04:34 PM
Dorie Dillard Austin TX
Coldwell Banker Realty ~ 512.750.6899 - Austin, TX
NW Austin ~ Canyon Creek and Spicewood/Balcones

Good morning Kathy,

Will re-blogged this post and so glad he did. I've always said a home is a work in progress and pick a project a year to make improvements. Don't wait to sell to play catch up for 15 years of not investing in your home!

Mar 29, 2023 06:22 AM