Ask Phyllis!

Is Home Staging Necessary?

Dear Phyllis,

  I met with a real estate agent who wants me to move my furniture out of several of my home’s rooms so a stager can bring in rented furniture. This seems like a lot of trouble and I am not sure that it’s really necessary. I want to sell my home but I don’t think I want to put that much effort into it.  What are your thoughts?   

MAF

Dear MAF,

   While professional home staging is not always worth the expense, there are some instances when home staging greatly impacts your bottom line. Not every home needs to be professionally staged with rented furniture and this is where you should be able to count on your real estate agent for direction.  Ask your Realtor® why she is suggesting that you bring in rental furniture?  Buyers have different expectations depending upon the price of your home.

   For those home sellers who don’t need/want to bring in rental furniture, but want to spend some time and energy on sprucing up their home for sale, check out these quick and easy tips for home staging on a budget.

•  Clean your home from top to bottom.  It’s not that expensive to hire a professional to wash the windows;  your return on investment will be phenomenal!

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Declutter, donate, sell, eliminate. Go through your belongings and then go through them again. 90% of my clients tell me they brought “stuff” to their new home that they ultimately threw away.  Rent a safety deposit box for your valuables and move them before your home goes on the market. Remove all of your refrigerator magnets. As identity theft is rampant remove all financial information.

• A pop of color.  Remember real estate beige? Neutral is still a wise choice but a pop of color brings life to any room. Add colorful accessories (pillows, throws) or paint an accent wall to bring instant vitality to any room.

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Fresh flowers or a bowl of fresh fruit are simple inexpensive ways to bring life to the kitchen and other rooms in your home.

Your Realtor’s job is to make recommendations on increasing your bottom line. How little or much you do is your decision.