10 Home Staging Questions Every Home-Seller Should Know the Answer To

For a homeowner, the process of selling your house can be incredibly daunting. Even with a trusted realtor on board, there is no guarantee you’ll be able to sell your house at or above asking price, let alone quickly (there’s nothing worse than getting stuck paying the mortgage on a house you no longer want). Home staging can make the entire home-selling process less stressful and more profitable. We know the home staging process can present a lot of unknowns and we want you to be comfortable asking those questions. Here are 10 home staging questions every home-seller should know the answer to.

10. What exactly is home staging?

Home staging is the act of preparing a house for resale. It can be as simple as rearranging what you already have in your home, or can involve bringing in new decorations to highlight the space’s greatest features and intrinsic home-like quality. Any real estate agent will tell you: the first impression is everything. Home staging will present prospective buyers not with just a house, but a home that buyers can see themselves making their own immediately.

9. How do I know if I need a home stager?

Anyone trying to sell their home can benefit from home staging. Regardless of market conditions, neighborhood, or original asking price, the goal of selling your house is to make a profit.  A great home stager has the experience and expertise necessary to take your listing to the next level.

8. What are the benefits of home staging?  

People are driven to buy by their instincts and emotions. Home staging presents the prospective buyer with an ideal home. One that they can imagine themselves living in right away, rather than a house that needs work, money, or effort. With home staging, you can maximize your home’s value. Most staged homes sell for listing price, if not more. Presenting buyers with their pre-crafted dream home can incite a bidding war–an ideal condition for the home-seller!  

7. How do I know if I can afford home staging?

Many people assume that home staging will cost the same as an interior re-design, and often, it is remarkably less. White Orchid Interiors, for example, works to accommodate a range of budgets and needs. Using brand-new real estate technology, White Orchid Interiors can offer you a free home staging estimate based on the area in which you live. You can receive a free estimate right now, just by typing in your zip code!

6. Why should I spend more money on a house I’m trying to sell?

This is an investment. You are putting a little money in now to receive a greater reward when you close on your home sale. Those who use a home stager are able to list their house at a higher price and often receive more than asking price upon closing.

5. Can I just de-clutter and do a minor redecorating myself?

It is rare that a home seller can look at his or her own home objectively. A house (and all the things in it) are rife with memories and emotional attachments. While de-cluttering is certainly a step in the right direction, it is helpful to have a second and objective pair of eyes to help you in the areas where you need it most.

4. Does home staging just mean bringing in new furniture or will I have to repaint?

In the end, the decision is up to you as to how far you want to go to re-dress your home. Repainting may be recommended by the home stager–depending on your current color and/or the date of your most recent paint job– but it is not required to put the house on the market. Generally, home staging requires the rearranging and, often, redecorating of furnishings and housewares.

3. Where will all my belongings go during home staging?

Often, a home stager will incorporate the homeowner’s existing furniture, artwork and other decorations into their new design plan, so finding a place to put a house-worth’s of belongings doesn’t have to be a worry. The furnishings that aren’t a part of the new design concept, however, can be stored in a small storage facility nearby or an easily accessible POD storage unit.

2. When should I hire a home stager?

Bringing a home stager on board should one of the first things you do — often times even before you hire a real estate agent. Home staging can significantly affect the asking price of the house; you want to have your home looking its absolute best before you bring anyone else in.

1. How do I know which home stager to hire?

Your home stager is going to be spending a lot of time in your….well, home. He or she should be someone you are comfortable having around. It helps to do your research! Talk to former clients and ensure your home stager has a good consumer rating. If you want an exceptional home stager you can trust, look no further than White Orchid. Or, read our post outlining the 5 Keys to Picking the Perfect Home Stager.  

Stress-free home selling

Home staging is a perfect way to alleviate some of the stress that comes with the process of selling your home. Staging your home can often mean fewer open houses disrupting your schedule; more offers so you’re not stuck with an unwanted mortgage; and higher sale prices so you can feel more secure about your future. With these question – and answers – in mind, you should have the confidence to move forward with an expert home staging professional.