What to do and what not to do before the consultation.
One of the questions I am often asked by an agent or seller is what to do 
to prepare for their consultation.
The time spent can be from 1 ½ hours to 2 or 3 hours depending upon the size of the home and just what needs to be done.
So, you’ll want to make the most of your time as well as your investment.
10 Tips to Make the Most of Your
Home Staging Consultation.
1.Relax
It’s scary having a stranger come into your home to critique it. However, the Home Stager is there not to judge your choices of wallpaper or paint. We’re there to help you get your home sold and make it as easy and cost effective for you as we can.
2.Schedule a time when you can totally focus on the consultation.
If you’re taking time off from work as in your lunch hour, your focus will be on getting back to work.
Don’t have such a tight schedule that you’ll be looking at your watch instead of what the Stager says.
3.Remove any distractions that will prevent you from focusing.
Pets and children come to mind! If you can, schedule your consultation when the children are in school or when you can get a sitter.
If your pets will want to interact with you and the stager during the consultation, find someone to take them for a walk or, if you can and if they’ll tolerate this without barking, place them in their kennel.
This sound hard but it’s important that you’re able to focus on what the stager is saying.
4. Speaking of distractions…
You may want moral support during your consultation but if you must, politely ask them to observe only.
Hand them a notepad and pen and ask them to take notes for you, but that’s all.
5.Suppress the need to paint before the stager comes.
There have been too many times when I arrived at a consultation only to have the seller tell me (with a big smile on their face) that they’d painted everything white!
You may not need to paint or if you do allow the stager to suggest colors that will appeal to your buyers.
6.It’s ok to clean and put things away.
Yes, by all means, go ahead and clean your home and pick up just as you normally would.
We don’t want to tell you to remove your dirty laundry from your utility room but it’s our job to point these things out. We can’t assume anything.
All of us have viewed homes for sale that had unmade beds and dishes in the sink.
7.Don’t go overboard in editing.
The flip side of too much is not enough. If you’re not sure about extra furniture you have, let us help you decide.
8. We know you’ve watched the Cable staging shows but…
Let us do what you’re paying us for. Who hasn’t seen the staging shows but remember, that’s television. Every home is different and every consultation will be different.
9.Have a notepad and pen handy.
Take notes! While a written consultation is available from some stagers, it is best to take your own notes.
10. Remember this…
Regardless of what we say, this is your home. Our suggestions are based on our knowledge and experience but ultimately, you decide what will work for you and your budget.
Get the most from your home staging consultation by following these 10 tips!
Still not sure what to do? Contact Room Service! Home Staging!
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