Frequently Asked Questions

August 4, 2008

I watch the TV shows, and I think I can stage my property for sale myself, why should I hire a home stager?

The property for sale is your home, and as you will have many personal likes and dislikes, and emotional connections to your home, it can be difficult to look at it objectively and transform it into a house for sale - a product.
The Open Door Staging team of professional home stagers can objectively view your home as potential buyers will, and ensure that it appeals to widest audience of buyers.
To effectively and efficiently transform a home into a new product takes experience, practice and buyer perspective. Our team’s experience and results speak for themselves.
We have access to all the furnishings and accessories to ensure that your property has the “Wow” factor.

My home is ‘fine the way it is’. It is clean and uncluttered. Why do I need staging?

A clean and uncluttered home is one of the first steps when staging a home, but it is not the only requirement to make the best first impression.
Home staging ensures that your home’s features are highlighted to enable buyers to visualize themselves living there.
It is your home and you have tailored it to your suit your family/lifestyle, home staging allows us to present the property to appeal to all potential buyers so that they can envision themselves moving their furnishings and themselves into the property.
A clean and uncluttered home alone may not be enough to make that best first impression on a buyer. Buyers can only see the home the way it is, not the way it could be.

Before.

“Fine the way it is”

After

“Staged and Market Ready”

I have been told that a vacant property will show better than a furnished home?

Have you ever visited a model home? There is a reason why they are furnished and accessorized completely. Builders know that vacant model homes will remain on the market much longer than staged homes.
Industry studies report that less than 10% of buyers are able to visualize what the home could look like and see its true potential. Over 90% of buyers make their decisions based primarily on what they see and feel when they visit a property.
Over 25% of properties for sale in Broward county (Jan 2008) are currently vacant. Staging your vacant property for sale puts your property ahead of over 25% of the competition.

Can I afford to stage my property for sale? I have heard it can be costly.

The Open Door Staging team knows how to work within your budget. You set the budget and we prioritize our staging efforts to maximize the impact on potential buyers.
Experience has proven that the average price of staging your home will be considerably less than the first price reduction on your property.
The cost of a home sale consultation is comparable to other necessary real estate services, such as home inspections or appraisals.
At a minimum, sellers should consult with a stager to find out what needs to be done to provide their home with a refreshing and appealing look.
In this competitive market, can you afford not to stage when your competition is?

What should I look for when choosing a home stager?

Ask to see the home stager’s portfolio of work. Make sure that they have before and after pictures of projects they have completed, not photographs from a class they took, stock photography or someone elses website.
Look for someone with a design background and local market knowledge, rather than someone with easily obtained initals after their name. There are many hourly course that claim to teach staging online.
Work with a full time professional home staging company. You are selling one of your largest assets, make sure that it is handled by professionals rather than part timers.
Research the home stager on the internet, look for their name and their company’s name. Are they referenced on several sites? Do they show up in internet searches? You want the stager that understands marketing. Is their website a reflection of their staging abilities?
Do they have a home staging blog? This can be a great source of insight on their approach and how they work.
Do they carry their own liability insurance when working at your property? Ask to see a copy.
Ask for home stager recommendations from friends, family, neighbors and or real estate agents.
Interview three home stagers before your make your decision.
Make sure you are given a well presented and clearly written home stagign consulttion, bid or contract. If you don’t understand something, or something that you discussed is not in writing, ask for clarification.
Ask the stager where they will get their furniture and accessories. Make sure that the furniture and accessories that they will be using are appropriate for the style of your home, and not just what they happen to have in their personal inventory at that time.
And lastly, do they answer their phone and return your calls promptly?

Is it important for a home stager to have their own furniture warehouse?

Most professional home staging companies will have a store of furniture and accessories used to stage properties.
The size of the warehouse is less important than the quality and availability of required furniture and accesories. When staging a property, having access to the specific furnishings to match the property and buyer profile is most important, not the furniture that just happens to be available in the warehouse that day.
Home staging companies should be able to demonstrate their access to the required furniture and accessories either in their inventory or through established partner relationships.

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