How to Spot a Top Home Staging Company
Like your realtor or insurance agent, your home stager needs to be someone you can trust. Ideally, they’ll have years of experience in the industry, too. A hobbyist may have some good ideas, but real staging success usually comes from the experts. Working with a professional home staging company will help ensure that you get the quality you want—plus all the insights about designs that work best for your market.
The Professional Difference
In the design world, having passion isn’t enough to make the cut. Your staging company should be operating with the right inventory and a solid team to help get everything in its place. Often times, a DIY or hobby stager won’t have the scalability you need to make every room on your staging list really shine. They may have some helpful tricks for reorganizing your furniture, but you’ll likely need a few more strategic pieces to really wow your prospective buyers.
The logistics of managing the drop-off, set-up, and tear-down of any staging project can be complex, so you want a company who’s made a habit of efficiency. Make sure the entire process feels as streamlined and hands-free as possible. If you aren’t confident in your stager’s ability to coordinate these details—say, if they’re late to a meeting, or take days to return your call—there’s probably a better option out there.
Good staging companies will already have the budget and inventory to cover the types of pieces your home needs. Of course, every project is different. If you need special items to fit your home’s rustic theme or something more modern, your stager should already have the right items on-hand. Seeing a wide variety of design styles, layouts, and price points in their portfolio is a sure sign that you’re working with one of the best stagers in your area.
Talking About Results
Staging helps market your home, but that doesn’t mean that having a couch in the living room will bring in offers. There’s an art and a science beyond the staging tactics. If the staging isn’t done right, it might even make your home look worse!
When interviewing your staging company or checking for quotes, don’t be shy about asking for some success stories. Listen for key phrases like “only 2 days on the market” or “above asking price.” Getting key data about their happy clients is great for your decision-making process. You’ll feel better about moving forward with a stager that really knows what they’re doing—and has your best interests at heart.
Also, try to ask around for more information. If you didn’t already find your home stager by referral, take a peek at their company Facebook page or other reviews online. This will help give you an idea of the company’s overall vibe. During the consultation, it’s a good sign if they start talking about your target market, your home’s demographic appeal, and other things that get into the psychology of your buyer. Your stager should be a key player in selling your home. It usually helps if they know how to use the lingo of your real estate agent.
Setting the Right Tone
At the end of the day, though, it all comes down to going with your gut. If you’ve already done your homework, know the company has a good reputation, and you’ve flipped through some of their past home projects and like what you see—you’re probably in good hands. How do you respond to their portfolio photographs? If you see the value in the homes they’ve worked with in the past, you’ll be able to get a glimpse into how your own prospective buyers will feel when they start reviewing your listing’s pictures online.
Like most services, it also comes down to how you’re treated. Are you receiving timely responses? Have all of your questions been answered in a straight-forward way? Dealing with professional service will help make your staging process (and hopefully your selling experience) as pain-free as possible. Even the smallest details can make a big difference, especially when buyers are trying to decide whether or not to check out your home in-person. Making every room feel cozy can help you sell your property in record time!
Staging with Home Matters
We love working with sellers at Home Matters, and we always make a point to treat every project with care. Our designers’ work even received a Best of Houzz 2017 award for most popular design portfolio! You can also check out our Facebook page for the latest projects.
How can we help you get the most value out of your home? With professional staging, you can trust that every room is shown in its best light. Please give us a call today at (317) 774-7025 to get started on your quote or consultation—we’d love to hear from you!