Effective Home Staging Proving Crucial in Swaying Buyers in Competitive Housing Market


Home staging experts say there are ways to succeed while other home sellers are struggling.

RISMEDIA, October 18, 2006—When it comes to selling your house in an increasingly competitive home market these days, the old real estate adage "location, location, location is taking on new meaning. Staging the optimal location of the furniture and items in the seller's home usually makes a difference between sale or no sale. Home staging experts say there are ways to succeed while other home sellers are struggling.

"Edit, reduce clutter, and rearrange existing furniture," says Dana Dickey, vice director of Interior Redesign Industry Specialists (IRIS), an organization for professional interior redesigners and home stagers – http://www.WeRedesign.com  www.WeRedesign.com >. Dickey's comments describe what industry insiders have termed "staging." Staging, the process of preparing and cleaning a home to make it more marketable to potential home buyers, is something that has gained national popularity in recent years. "It's a fairly simple process," says Dickey. "It's also cost-effective. Homeowners I work with are amazed at how the look of their home can dramatically improve with just a little assistance."

Meeting Homeowner's Needs
IRIS trains members to tailor their staging services to meet the needs of individual homeowners based on the homeowner's budget and desired level of assistance. Some homeowners have no problem with organization, for example, yet need assistance with the exterior of their home, to create more curb appeal. Others seek professional assistance for re-organization of furniture and decorating. Whatever the task, the goal remains the same.

"We want to give each home that 'wow' factor," Dickey says. "Especially in today's housing market, in which home buyers largely make their final decision based on emotional factors, it's important that a house make a good first impression."

In addition to the increased speed at which a home sells, staging can also help homeowners boost their asking price. Many professionals focus their attention on two rooms in particular: the kitchen and the bathroom. Due to the high level of traffic through both rooms, each tends to collect clutter and becomes a source of hidden messes.

"It's not that people don't want to pick up," said Dickey. "It becomes a situation where the homeowner just naturally looks past something without even noticing it." She explains that professionals act as objective observers, seeing decorating possibilities and unwanted clutter that a homeowner might not otherwise see.

Popularity Equals Competition
The recent national popularity in staging services seems to have sprung from the popularity of television shows such as HGTV's "Designed to Sell," A&E's "Sell this House," and TLC's "Clean Sweep." While Dickey acknowledges the competition that her business faces, she is reluctant to compare it to the competition that homeowners face when selling a home.

"It can be brutal," says Dickey of the housing market. "That's why we offer our service -- to let people know that the smallest detail can mean the difference between a quick sale and a depressingly long stay on the market. We're here to give their home the edge on the competition."

For more information and tips on home staging go to: www.WeRedesign.com.

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