St. Louis Real Estate

Help! St. Louis Real Estate sales are very competitive. Buyers have a huge pool of inventory to preview for selecting their “dream home”. Sellers need to use every marketing tool available to stand above the competition. Home Staging can be the edge that you need to get your home SOLD.

HOW TO HIRE A REAL ESTATE HOME STAGER
By Interior Designer & Home Staging Expert Natalie Pinson

Real Estate Staging is the art of preparing a home for resale. A staged home will illuminate the focal points and make a notable first impression. If done well, a staged home will create more open spaces while highlighting a homes strengths and downplaying its weaknesses. It enables buyers to easily picture themselves relaxing, raising a family or entertaining in their potential new home.

Who is qualified to do this service and how does a typical home stager work?

Interior Designers
Interior Arrangers
Home Stylist
Professional Stagers

should all be qualified to do this service. It is important to ask what their background is and what their typical jobs involve. Some Interior Designers do not want to get involved in staging because it is a different mindset and there are different industry partners. While the traditional business model of an Interior Designer is largely based on profits from the mark up of furnishings which are resold to the client, a Home Stager is overwhelmingly service oriented.

Real Estate Staging services vary greatly. Some clients prefer to work with larger “well known” businesses for peace of mind or reputation. If this is your choice, be sure to speak directly to the designer handling your project so there is no confusion or misrepresentation. Independent stagers or designers often charge less but may have less availability. Some clients prefer to work with individuals or small businesses for a more personal touch. Whether you choose a well known company or an independent designer, as long as they are a professional in the field you are sure to be pleased. Home staging usually takes a day or two, a lot of expertise and a little bit of money to make a huge impact in your life! It is important that you have a good rapport with the professional you hire. Although this person is there to help, you may not like all the suggestions that are given. You must be open to what they are saying and know that they have the sale of your house at heart. It may be hard to understand why your’e asked to box up your precious moments collection, remove family photos or put your husbands favorite recliner in the basement. If the person is a professional in the field, they will be leading you down the path of SALE, not immediate comfort. You must trust them! Once you are clear about your own goals and expectations you will be able to hire an Interior Designer, Home Stylist or Home Stager that will match your particular needs.

Here are five great questions to include when interviewing a “professional stager”.

What are the fees involved in staging my home? Does the professional charge an hourly rate or a room rate? If a company charges an hourly rate ask for an estimate of hours to complete your project.
What is the scope of services included in these fees?
Will the furnishings actually be rearranged on the day of the staging? If so, is there an additional cost for movers or moving assistants?
Does the professional expect you to be present to work collaboratively or will you be asked to leave for the day?
If your property is empty or sparsely furnished, does the professional have access to furniture and accessory rental? Who pays for this and what are the monthly fees? (Typically there is a 2 month minimum on rental items.)

A Stager will charge a flat rate per room or hourly fees which makes the service very viable for transforming your home for resale. Besides the hourly or room rates, Home Stagers may also partner with furniture rental company’s. Depending on your space – especially if the property is empty – you may also incur additional cost if you need to rent furniture and accessories.

A good Interior Designer or Home Stager will want to see your property before quoting you a firm price. Some people like to have their Real Estate Agent available as well. It is very important for everyone to be on the same page, and an initial walk thru will help. Many times there are outdated features, structural issues or traffic pattern problems (how walls or furniture are placed in the home that make people walk through a certain way) that need to be addressed. Sometimes a new sink, removing a wall or adding a counter can really make a difference in the resale process. It is a good idea to have a consensus. . . “What changes can be made to help your house sell fast and for the most amount of money?”

Natalie Pinson has a B.S. in Interior Design and has worked in the field for over 12 years. She has helped numerous home owners and Agents “showcase” their property, while creating a “designer look” that buyers want. For questions, pricing and consultations call Natalie @314-961-5888 Or email @ nataliepinson@stlouisrealestatevoice.com

Tags: Home+Staging, St.+Louis+Real+Estate, Real+Estate+Blogs, Interior+Design, Real+Estate+Marketing

This entry was posted on Wednesday, July 11th, 2007 at 1:42 pm and is filed under For Sellers, Real Estate News, Unrepresented Seller(FSBO). You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.