Selling your Home? 7 Tips to Hiring a Professional Home Stager

The old adage "first impressions are everything" truly applies when selling real estate. In general buyers decide within the first 30 seconds of entering a property whether or not they are interested. That is why home staging is so important as it allows the home to presented in the best possible light in an effort to wow prospective buyers.

When hiring a professional Home Stager, there are several things to keep in mind:

1. While some Home Stagers claim to be "accredited" there is no independent organization that grants such accreditation.

Some Home Stagers have essentially purchased their "credentials" by taking a weekend course open to anyone. There are no exams or criteria for being "accredited" other than paying for a course. And unfortunately, these courses often give their students a portfolio of before and after photos to claim as their own work.

2. Ask for references and photos of projects the Home Stager has actually worked on.

If you are planning to sell your home for $200,000 or more the Home Stager you hire should have a track record of homes he or she has staged. Have they worked on houses in your price range and in a variety of styles? Do they have reliable suppliers that they can refer you to? If you have a limited time frame before your house hits the market, you especially want to know if the person has had experience working under a deadline.

3. Try to determine whether the Home Stager is recognized as an expert in the field.

Are they quoted by the media? Do they speak at events? Have any of their projects been featured on TV or in print? Do they teach courses or publish articles on the subject?

4. Home Staging is more than decorating or de-cluttering.

Real Estate Staging is more than just "decorating" or "de-cluttering". It is merchandising a home's best features, downplaying its flaws and understanding the psychology of what makes a person fall in love with a home.

5. Real Estate knowledge is critical.

Before you hire a home stager, find out how much they really know about real estate.
Have they bought and sold their own homes in a variety of market conditions? Do they really know what it takes to turn a house into a "hot property"?

6. The Home Stager should understand that preparing to sell your home is a very stressful time.

As with any major life change, preparing and selling your home can be very stressful. Undoubtedly, many fears are triggered.

* Which real estate agent should I list with?
* Will the house be ready on time?
* Are we making the right decision?
* What if we get stuck owning two houses?
* Where can I put all this stuff?
* What will the home stager think of me when she sees this mess?
* Why didn't I decorate before now?
* Who can I get for repairs, gardening, painting and cleaning?
* Do all my rooms need to be furnished?
* How will I cope with showings?

When you hire a professional Real Estate Stager, part of their role is calming these anxieties and answering your questions. Before hiring anyone, ask yourself if the person seems organized, calm and in control and if he or she listens to your needs.

7. Avoid being a penny wise and a pound foolish.

Beware of hiring a Home Stager based on price alone. You may save yourself a couple of hundred dollars only to lose tens of thousands of dollars you could have earned if your home was staged properly from the beginning.

If you are in the market to sell your home, one of the best decisions you can make is to use the services of a professional Home Stager. But before you hire anyone, ask lots of questions. You will be working closely with this person during the project, and this is your chance to see if you will feel comfortable working with him or her.