How to Save the Home Seller Money When Staging Their Home

There are a number of different opportunities we can offer when staging a home. Here are a few:

Offer Key Room Staging - I offer this service and have had great success with staging the "key rooms" in a vacant home. Key rooms are typically kitchen, living room, dining room and master bedroom/bath.

Don't over-accessorize. Not only will that cost the seller more but more importantly it has the potential to distract the buyer. My personal objective when staging the home is to compliment the features the home has to offer as well as to show-off the space. I'm at risk if I were to over-accessorize.

Shop Wisely and Shop Often - Here's a great example. A couple of months ago, Pier 1 sold off a huge amount of inventory to Big Lots. Big Lots proudly announced their purchase of the inventory and advertised 40% off. At the same time Big Lots announced their "sale", I also received an advertisement from Pier 1 announcing they too had a big sale. Given that Pier 1 is 4 miles away, I first headed there to see what they had to offer. I'll make a long story short: I purchased a rug at Pier 1 for 75% off. I left Pier 1, went to Big Lots and found the same rug I just purchased for 40% off.

Consider offering Vignette Staging: I'm going to be honest on this one. I personally do not offer vignette staging. Why not? Because my objective with each and every staging project I handle, is to allow the prospective buyers to envision living in the home. Vignette staging of a living room with a single chair and perhaps a lamp doesn't have the same impact as a living room staged with all the right pieces. I understand and respect those stagers who've had great success with staging vignettes so for that reason, I've added it to the list.

Here's a recent project (staged last Tuesday):

Home Stager In Atlanta "Before" Picture

Staging can and does make a difference! The process doesn't have to be complex nor does it have to be costly.

For those seeking home staging services within the Atlanta area, contact Georgia Interior Solutions, LLC at 678 522 8392 or visit our website at HomeStagingAtlanta. We proudly offer a variety of staging options at affordable rates.

Posted Saturday Jul 21

(07/21/07 07:45AM) — John Mayne & Associates

Beautiful work! I wish I could find a stager here locally with the same ethic and results!

(07/21/07 08:14AM) — Kathy Nielsen, Atlanta Home Stager

Thanks, John, for your kind words!

Kathy

(07/21/07 12:29PM) — Stephanie Heron-Weeber - Dressing Rooms

Kathy - you make some very good points - it seems everyone wants to stage on a small budget and these ideas will help keep the costs down. Your photo proves that you don't have to fill a room with accessories for it to look great - and I love the way you managed to get both rooms in the one photo. Very nice.

Stephanie

(07/21/07 02:09PM) — Terry Haugen STAGE it RIGHT! 321-956-2495

Hi Kathy, you said it well. Shop often. I have tons of what now are extra props, but ya never know what you will need from job to job. I too got in on the Pier 1 75% off and got tons and tons of cool stuff. I'm always looking for that bargain, as we should all be doing. It takes the stress out of a staging when you know you don't have to add 8 hours of shopping on top of the staging itself. I love your pics. One day I'll learn how to make my pictures look good enough to post :-)

(07/21/07 03:41PM) — Lori Hakeem

Great tips, Kathy. Most clients are budget conscience and these are great tips to maximize the results without breaking the bank.

(07/21/07 06:53PM) — Julia Fedak,Canadian Staging Professional(CSP)

Very nice staging, Kathy..simple elegance.

The advice you give is pertinent..........especially the "key room" staging. My only concern with it ...is feeling like the home is "not finished". How do you address the other rooms???

Julia

(07/21/07 10:07PM) — Michelle Minch Home Staging Pasadena & Los Angeles, CA

Kathy: Another great job and another great blog. I am learning a lot about blogging from you. Thanks.

(07/22/07 06:16AM) — Kathy Nielsen, Atlanta Home Stager

Thans, Michelle.

Julia - The key room staging includes the "living" areas and excludes the secondary bedrooms. Most buyers can visualize how and where they'd place their items in these bedrooms so... the fact that they are not staged doesn't pose a problem. Also - I leave it up to the home seller to make the final decision.

Lori - I have found the same to be true here as well.

Terry - Thanks for your kind words. Personally, I was disappointed with how the picture came out as it's too dark. I'm considering going back over and re-taking some of the pics. There's nothing better than having "great" after pictures.

Stephanie - I try and get as many rooms as possible in the picture as it's a great way to get exposure for the listing pictures.

Thanks everyone.

Kathy

(08/02/07 04:15PM) — Patricia Ebrahimi - Home Staging the Washington DC Area from Rockville MD

Kathy, I think the picture is terrific. But, if you're not happy with it, try opening it with Microsoft Picture Manager and either clicking auto correct or playing with the brightness and contrast slides.

A benefit I found in NOT staging secondary bedrooms is that it allows buyers to "see" a child's room, a nursery, an elderly parent's room, or a home office in the emptiness, whatever is on their list of needs. People do have the capacity to see what they want to see, sometimes, just not the whole house.