The art of home staging can make all the difference when selling your home! Statistics have proven that a staged home will sell faster and will obtain a higher price than a similar home with no staging efforts! Staged homes sell 50% faster and for about 7% more than non staged properties.This does not have to be a costly process. Sometimes just a few changes can make a big difference. An empty home can be transformed with even minimal furniture and decorations. Sometimes a coat of paint or just removing, adding or rearranging furniture can make all the difference! Most home buyers are looking for a house with curb appeal so don't overlook the outside of your home. “If they drive up to a house with old faded paint and old windows, the buyers automatically drive on by. The old saying ‘Don’t judge a book by its cover’ falls on deaf ears with most buyers.” I offer a free in home consultation to help you decide before you invest work or money into your home!

What is Staging? Staging is "the process of preparing a house to be sold. Staging can be as simple as moving furniture around - or as elaborate as hiring an opera singer to perform. The scale varies, but the purpose is the same - to sell the house."

- New York Times, July 26, 1998.

History of Staging The precise beginnings of staging are unknown, but it is likely that the concept migrated from its proven use in selling new model homes to its current application in the home resale market. Staging became popular in the early 1990's when the real estate market was sluggish and listing times were long. Frustrated realtors and home sellers turned to formal staging to create the look and feel they needed to attract a broader range of buyers. As the market improved, realtors and sellers alike recognized that staging could give them a marketing advantage over non-staged homes, whether in a strong or weak economy.

What's involved Staging can range from simply removing clutter and rearranging furniture to totally redecorating and re-furnishing all the rooms in a home - generally through the use of rented furnishings and accessories.

Costs of staging vary depending on the level of service required. Some home sellers simply pay for advice from professional stagers who charge an hourly fee. Other sellers and realtors prefer to have professional stagers do all the work and arrange for all necessary furniture rental and decorating and repair services. Staging on this scale could range from $500 to over $25,000 depending on the size, condition, and asking price for the home and the time it is on the market.

Benefits of staging Staged homes tend to sell much faster and often for substantially higher prices than comparable homes that have not been similarly prepared for sale.

Here are a few reasons to: Never Sell an Empty House!

People don't buy houses-they buy homes: Buyers often are drawn to a warm feeling of home that furniture and accessories provide.
With no furniture there is no sense of size or purpose: Empty rooms are not inviting and hard to determine what size furniture will work within them. Also some rooms are difficult to know what the intended purpose for the room is. It can be a dining room or family room or den, etc? Only 10% of buyers can visualize the potential of a room.. If it is designated it at least gives the buyer the initial use and often will spur ideas of possibilities.
When rooms are empty buyers focus on negative: It is much easier to notice a not so perfect paint job or crack in the wall when the room is empty. There is simply nothing else to focus on!
Two mortgage payments are expensive! A vacant home typically takes twice as long to sell and usually sells for less! Don't take this chance is staging a home is within your reach.

How To Set the Stage

Less is more - pack up photos, clear desks, hang up clothing and use closet organizers.
Paint the interior of the house and the front door.
Replace worn, stained carpeting and cracked floor tiles.
Wash the windows.
Arrange towels in bathroom racks and put out fresh soap.
Keep fresh flowers in vases.
Remove some furniture to open up the rooms.
Decorate the patio or deck with flowerpots.
Landscape.
Supplement or replace existing furniture and accessories with rentals to achieve a desired appearance.

Call Irvine Real Estate Broker Mary Burke at 949-275-6544 for your no obligation in home consultation to prepare your home for sale. Preparation is key to compete in today's changing market! Don't list your home without this step! Remember, an experienced realtor is your key to a smooth and successful transaction!

Click here to visit OpenHouseInteriors : Specializing in Home Staging for Home Sellers

Nothing can take the place of direct contact so please feel free to contact me either by phone or e-mail with any questions you have about the community of Irvine, Orange County Real Estate or to schedule an appointment to discuss your real estate buying/selling plans...

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If you are unable to find what you are looking for or would like personal assistance in finding your new home please feel free to Contact Mary.As an Irvine real estate specialist, I can help you buy or sell a home in Irvine
Mary Burke REALTOR® LifeStyles Realty E-Mail Mary Burke Direct 949-275-6544	Distintive Homes for your LifeStyle!