I'm getting ready to sell my home this Spring, and I want to hire a home stager. The problem is that I don't know if I can afford one, and even if I can I want to do as much of the work myself as possible. How do I go about this?
Thanks!
Dan
Dear Dan:
First of all, you most likely can afford a professional stager. In fact you can't afford not to hire a professional stager in this difficult market. But since Spring is busy season for Professional Stagers, you should start shopping for your stager sooner rather than later!
There are many things that you can do to prepare for a professional staging. The first of which is to start clearing out your closets, garage, attic, kitchen cupboards and basement. Toss what you don't need. Box up and if possible, store the things that you want to keep but don't use on a regular basis. Also, put anything personal away. This includes family photos and religious items.
Add to that deep cleaning. Get the rugs professionally steam cleaned, wash the windows, touch up scuffed or chipped paint. And put away anything that you don't use on a daily basis. This is also a good time to go through your medicine cabinets and throw away expired prescriptions and OTC items, because potential buyers do open medicine cabinets and linen closets.
Once you've had a Professional Stager in to spec your project, they will be able to tell you what other things you can do to keep the price of the staging to a minimum. But just remember that the return on investment makes the financial cost as well as the work you put into it well worth it!

Comments