Could she be the Mario Andretti of Home Staging?

One of the best parts about being in the home stager industry is watching how people react when I tell them what I do. When I tell people I'm a professional home stager their typical response is…”Wow! You’re just like those people on HGTV!” It’s great to see home staging become more and more recognizable, and helping people understand the value of proper home staging is part of my commitment to the staging industry.

It’s true, more and more people now know about home staging, but sometimes I like to compare it to Mario Andretti --- Most of us know how to drive a car, but not all of us can be race car drivers. The point being is everyday driving and race car driving are two very different things. So when you look at home staging in this fashion, you may discover that knowing what staging is, and actually understanding how to properly stage a home, are also two very different things.

Now I’ll be honest; there are various tasks that home sellers can do completely on their own to prepare their homes for sale. Tasks like cleaning, painting, and yard work can be done fairly easily, but the truth lies in this…

Most people can not be totally objective when it comes to their own homes. This is why hiring an experienced professional home stager is a valuable investment for today's home sellers.

Sellers (and Realtors) can greatly benefit from working with a company like Perfect Place Home Staging because...

As a professional stager, I look at a home through the eyes of a critical buyer. This allows me to see things that someone who lives there simply can’t.

I understand what buyers want to see in homes of different price points.

I continually use my problem solving skills to quickly determine what needs to be done, and then recommend the options that will address those needs on time and on budget.

I’m experience in dealing with all sorts of decorating dilemmas, so Realtors don’t have to worry about how to handle them. They can simply leave it to me.

I can typically recommend trusted painters, cleaning people, contractors, and other service professionals that may be needed to help ready a property for sale.

I know how to bring a room together quickly, and I’m accustomed to staging with furnishings that the seller currently owns, or I will find needed pieces for them to either rent or purchase.

The task of selling a home combined with the demands of everyday life can be very stressful. Home sellers and Realtors choose to work with me because I aim to make preparing a home for market significantly easier and less stressful.

Bottom line --- when it comes to the real estate race, home staging can help get you to the finish line! Here's to seeing you in the Winner’s Circle!

Why stage your home to sell? The answer is at the grocery store.

As a professional home stager, I hear this question from time to time…
"Why should I stage my home to sell?"
"Why would I put work into a house I plan to leave?"

To best answer this question, I want you to think about just how visual our world really is. Let’s face it; we all take notice of how things look. We can’t help it. It’s part of our nature. This makes presentation very powerful because it influences the choices we make everyday. Whether it’s our clothes, cars or even our significant others… looks were most likely part of what drew us to them in the first place. I’ve noticed this about myself even when I’m at the grocery store. As I walk down the aisles comparing one item to another, I find myself time and time again drawn to products in nice eye-pleasing packages. That’s exactly why those nice looking packages were created. To get me to notice them, desire them, and of course buy them. Companies invest millions of dollars in creating just the right look for their product packaging. Believe me, their money is well spent. One look at my stuffed shopping cart proves that their investment works! These companies understand that the right overall look and feel will not only get their products noticed, but also build desire for them too… “I like what I see, so I want what I see!”

Now imagine this whole presentation scenario in terms of selling a house. It becomes clear that home staging is basically product packaging for real estate. Your house is the “product” and staging is the valuable investment in proper “packaging”. A home that is staged properly has the look and feel of a great place to live. It’s all about building desire for your home, and just like the packaging in the grocery store, Staging Works!

The Curious Case of Home Staging

Recently I was approached by my local library about presenting a community program on the topic of home staging. As a professional in the staging industry, I feel very strongly about educating the public on the importance of staging, so of course I was more than happy to sign on for the job.

To best convey my staging message, I put together a visual presentation which contained key points on what home staging is, why it’s important, and some of my before and after project photos. On the evening of the presentation I arrived at my “classroom” early. I wanted to get the laptop and projector up and running and also spend some time with the librarian who coordinated the program. Needless to say we had little time to visit because according to my host, people started showing up for my presentation unusually early. By the time my program started the room was full and ready to go. Many people brought notebooks with them and intently jotted down the key points I shared. As my before and after photos started to appear on the screen, the whole tone of the room began to change right in front of me. All eyes were fixated on the screen and the smiles on their faces said it all. It’s true, “a picture says a thousand words” because before I knew it hands started going up all over the room! It seemed like everyone had a question and I was so happy to watch the energy of the room grow more and more exciting.

As the evening came to a close, I thought about all the different people that attended the program. Women and men, young and old, married couples and singles. It was a community potpourri… all curious about home staging and how it could help them and their unique situation. I have to admit, I gave myself a pat on the back. I knew I had succeeded in delivering my staging message. Everyone left with my clear positive message ringing inside them… Staging is a powerful marketing tool, staging is a worthwhile investment, and most importantly staging works!

New Beginnings

It's a new day for America! Today Barack Obama is sworn in as President of the United States. As I sit and type this blog entry, I watch the inauguration coverage on TV. I can't help but think about how far my country has come, all the new challenges we as a nation face, and the start of an exciting new chapter in American history.

Since today is about new beginnings, I decided that today would be the perfect day to start my new blog, The Perfect Place Home Staging Review. Here at the "PPHS Review" I will share my viewpoints, stories and stuff on Home Staging. Home Staging is a valuable marketing tool for today's real estate world, and as one of just a few professional Home Stagers in Southeast Wisconsin, I want not only to have a voice in the growing industry, but to also make an impact on it as well. Like many blogs, I want the PPHS Review to be about sharing.... Sharing helpful information, insightful stories, and of course a place to enjoy a laugh or two.

For all of us and in all sorts of ways, Today is a New Beginning. Here's to great things to come!