Cost of staging a home?

[BlueSkyHoliday]

Are the pieces more suited to a master bedroom? I wonder if left there (sounds too large for the room it's in) that may work.

Our house will probably be marketed as having 'two master bedrooms' because what we did with our son's room was to remove the wall between two adjacent original bedrooms to make one large (16x24) one (this was originally a 4-bedroom colonial, and we made it into a 3. The two smallest bedrooms were 12x16 each.). So there is actually more than enough room and to spare for all of the pieces. All of the rooms in this house are fairly large (that's what will make choosing our next house a bit difficult -- we're used to having a lot of space). The (original) master bedroom is 18x18. The third bedroom (guest room) is 14x16.

Our son's furniture suite is one of those dramatic modern mica things -- lots of shiny black, gold trim, and glass. His room was designed around it (wool carpet, window treatments, track lighting) while all of the other rooms are very traditional. For instance the guest room is blue and white -- pickled oak floor, very country with white plantation shutters. The master bedroom is also very traditional, so the only room in the house where our son's furniture would look appropriate is in his room.

capecodcathy, thanks for your advice also. The reason we don't want to start anything with our sale is because we don't know how long it will take us to find what we want in our new location. We have some very specific requirements and so far it seems as if they are going to be hard to meet. Luckily we won't HAVE TO move until the beginning of June 2008 and if worse comes to worst my DH can rent an apartment for himself until we find what we are looking for (the move is in connection with his work) and spend the weekend here. We'd prefer not to have to do that longterm though.

The realtor we'll be using has already seen our house many times (as we're friends socially) and assured us that "absolutely nothing needs to be done to it". So at least we have that one less thing to worry about. However, we haven't told him that some rooms will be empty and some not, because we don't want to get into a discussion at this stage of what is best for us personally (lifestyle) versus what is best for the market. We assume that HE is assuming the house will be listed as soon as we find our new one (whenever that may be), because that seems to be standard practice for most people.

[wCat]

Hi Bluesky.......sounds like your more confused than you were at the beginning of this thread!

I have my BA in Interior Design, but also have staged homes and I consult for real estate properties for sale. "Staging" is sort of a catch all term now for "getting your house "show-worthy". I'm an accredited staging professional, and can tell you that there are many levels and phases of staging. I prefer the term "showcasing".....because your aim is to show off the "property"....not your belongings.

Your realtor probably has a good idea of how your house will show, but it's best to know the competition before you decide to stage or do anything to "showcase" your home. You are wise to be thinking of this BEFORE you list....because it does take some thoughtful planning. I have had some nightmare experiences where houses sit on the market for months before the "light bulb" goes on and the home owner or realtor think of showcasing the house.

My first question to you would be.....what is the competition like in your area for your square footage and price range? Is it a sellers or buyers market in your area? If it falls into the latter, then you need to take a microscope and go over everything in your house. Factor in age and location, and you need to understand what you'll be up against in the market.

Next....start packing! Get everything unnecessary put away, off the walls, shelves and OUT of the closets. Now's the time to clear out distractions from the product....YOUR HOUSE!

When you get past that phase.....go outside and take a good long look at your curb appeal. Do you like what you see? This view of your home is the first chance to make a good impression to potential buyers. Tree trimming, light landscaping, clearing dead brush etc so you can SEE what you are selling is critical. A fresh coat of paint on the front door and power washing any dingy driveways or sidewalks always helps.

When you get to the nitty gritty of what to stage, think of what will sell your house. From what you are saying about your son's furniture does not sound like you are putting your house first. You just flat out don't want to move it unless necessary. Toss that idea out of your head and list it on Craigslist.com if you want to get rid of it. Often buyers on CL will come pick it up if you specify.

Since you said the rest of your house is in good condition, and you want to do a partial staging.....then you need to stage the rooms that SELL the house! Living room, master, dining room......and small vinyettes in baths and the kitchen will be the most important areas. You want to "suggest" a use for the room....don't "decorate". People like to see some furniture to get a perspective of how their furniture will look. Visit furniture stores and see how they have furniture "groupings" so you can see the effect without going overboard.

The idea of fresh flowers and fresh fruit and candles are great for open houses ONLY....but maintaining that through your listing is a burden that is unnecessary. Find real looking greenery or flowers for some sparkle here and there. Many furniture rental places have accessories and plants too.

Other points.....make sure the house is white glove clean and arrange to have it kept that way. Dead flies in window sills and cobwebs that build up are a sign of neglect and that they house has been on the market too long. Keep it a "living" space.....a feeling that someone can walk in with their furniture and set up home.

If possible....open blinds and shutters and drapes to maximize the space and enhance any views. Dark and shut in homes are like graveyards....nobody wants to move there.

Lastly....make sure it SMELLS GOOD! Not overpowering Pine Sol clean....just fresh and not musty or smelling of pet stains. Noses are powerful real estate detectives!

Staging/showcasing your home is really up to you! Don't wait for the realtor to suggest things. But don't hesitate to ask them their advice. A realtor with experience will know if you're going in the wrong direction. In most markets, the homeowner pays the staging professional, and rates vary from coast to coast.

Good luck to you! Write me if you have any questions. I'll be glad to help!

[Axiom]

I made some calls regarding staging around here not too long ago. Talk about a huge range of prices and services available!

The least expensive option I found was a one hour walk through with verbal suggestions, the price went up if you wanted written notes, and then WAY up if you wanted them to actually do the work. Some places I talked to based their price on the size of the house, others on the asking price. You could go from having them just rearrange your things, to having them bring in a few items, to having them furnish the whole house.

From what I could tell the whole house option is generally used by builders (model homes) or high end properties, as it can get very expensive; and yes, they did say that in addition to the design fee, you paid a monthly rental on any and all furniture/accessories.

We asked our realtor for suggestions, watched a few sell this house type shows and did our own thing.

FWIW, I don't really like the idea of having some rooms furnished and others not. Personally I think a few well placed pieces of furniture can make a big difference.

Good Luck!

[wCat]

Originally Posted by Axiom

I made some calls regarding staging around here not too long ago. Talk about a huge range of prices and services available!

The least expensive option I found was a one hour walk through with verbal suggestions, the price went up if you wanted written notes, and then WAY up if you wanted them to actually do the work. Some places I talked to based their price on the size of the house, others on the asking price. You could go from having them just rearrange your things, to having them bring in a few items, to having them furnish the whole house.

From what I could tell the whole house option is generally used by builders (model homes) or high end properties, as it can get very expensive; and yes, they did say that in addition to the design fee, you paid a monthly rental on any and all furniture/accessories.

We asked our realtor for suggestions, watched a few sell this house type shows and did our own thing.

FWIW, I don't really like the idea of having some rooms furnished and others not. Personally I think a few well placed pieces of furniture can make a big difference.

Good Luck!

This is one of the most frustrating and confusing part of "staging".....pricing the job! This is a growing industry with a lot of talented people who can help.....along with a lot that don't know what they are doing.

Pricing is all over the map.....even within one city. If you should hire or even call a professional stager, get references AND pictures of before and after. Many keep stats on the houses they've sold.....from time of staging to sell date. That average varies across the country according to the real estate market. Work with your Realtor and know what an average listing time is for your area. The last I heard was the "national average" was about 90 days.
I live in a sellers market right now (about to change some)....and 6-8weeks has been about the average here.

Some people do want to do the work themselves, but still want a consultation. Some want and need written instructions but still want to do it themselves. Some homes require more than de-cluttering, rearranging and cleaning. That involves more redesign and more experience from who you hire. There really is no "one" fix all that covers every listing. Each property needs to be assessed individually. Don't always go for the cheapest quote. You sometimes get what you pay for. Often new stagers will stage a house for free or at a low price to get business referrals. Nothing wrong with that as long as their not knocking out walls and painting things purple!

[BlueSkyHoliday]

Thank you all for the replies! It does seem like 'staging' is probably not what we need. Because we'll have physically moved to our new home just before we list our current house, 'clutter' will not be a problem (not that it is now -- DH and I are both neat-freaks in the extreme).

We may just have to do something about our son's furniture before we move -- although we were afraid the utter lack of furniture might make the room seem too large and cavernous.

I suppose we could do that and just leave all the bedrooms empty. That would leave only the family room and the dining room with furniture in it.

It would be either that or renting furniture for all of the other rooms.