Staging your home can help you earn the most money possible when you sell it. Staging, or “setting the stage,” refers to the process of preparing a residence for sale. Putting your property in its best possible light is the goal of staging, which entails remodeling, rearranging furniture, cleaning, and other esthetic methods. The aim is to increase the likelihood that a buyer will make an offer. In this article, we explain what home staging services are all about and how much home staging companies charge. We also added a list of the best home staging companies you can choose from to make it easier to sell the property you wish to sell.
What Is Home Staging?
It takes longer to sell a house and usually doesn’t sell for as much if it has a cluttered or worn-out appearance. This is where professional home staging may help. It entails getting private homes ready for sale on the market. Home staging, according to real estate experts, isn’t only about making a house seem nice; it’s also about making it feel less like a home and more like a blank slate where a new family can make memories.
If you want to sell your home, you may need to get rid of personal photos, rearrange your furniture to highlight its greatest characteristics, and paint the walls a neutral color before decorating with fresh flowers or other art. Effective staging draws attention to the best qualities while hiding any weaknesses. Staging a home is a common practice among real estate agents and home sellers. As a result, they are able to sell their home for a profit.
Homes that have been staged often sell more quickly, according to research done by the National Association of Realtors (NAR). Approximately 62% of real estate brokers concur that staging shortens the time a home is on the market. There are three ways to stage a home for sale:
- You can decide to stage the event on your own.
- Consult a real estate professional for assistance.
- Hire one of the best professional home staging companies to handle the preparations for you.
The final choice requires a thorough consideration of the company chosen. The home staging companies will take a look at your home as it stands right now and give you advice on how to make it more appealing to buyers.
Best Home Staging Companies
Choosing from the best home staging companies will surely help with the sale of your property. Here is a list of the best home staging companies you can go for:
#1. Showhomes
In 1986, a group of real estate agents came up with the concept of “showhomes” as a way to help them sell empty properties more quickly and for a higher price. They furnish empty, uninviting houses and make them desirable places to live. The first franchises were established in 1994. Currently, it has established partnerships with a number of external financing providers who can help with the franchise fee, initial investment, equipment, and inventory.
They have assisted over 30,000 homeowners and their real estate agents in the sale of properties worth over $10 billion. The company provides a more personalized service by assigning a house manager to each client who is responsible for maintaining the property in “show-to-sell” condition. The home manager’s services would include paying for and maintaining the home’s utilities, including water, gas, furnishings, artwork, and accessories, as well as ensuring the safety of the property. It is sure one of the best home staging companies you can go for.
Pros
- One of the largest home staging companies in the US
- Has more than 35 years of experience
- Provides up to $5 million in additional insurance coverage
Cons
- Independently owned franchises may lead to inconsistent experiences
#2. Meridith Baer Home
Home staging expert Meridith Baer and her staff have earned such a stellar reputation for transforming ordinary homes into lavish mansions that they are in high demand among A-list celebrities. Meridith Baer is a home staging specialist who understands what it takes to make a house appealing to potential buyers. Her company’s headquarters are in California, but she also manages branches in other states.
There is a long list of satisfied customers who have used Meridith Baer Home to sell their houses swiftly and for higher prices than they were originally listed for. They stage everything from high-end mansions and condominiums to modest residences and commercial spaces. Their resume is remarkable, and they’ve facilitated the swift sale of billions of dollars worth of real estate, but their services don’t come cheap. Even so, it’s money well spent to hire experienced stagers who can make a house so appealing that it sells in less than 30 days at or above the asking price.
Pros
- Stagers can cater to any design style, from eclectic to traditional to coastal, so customers are not limited to one aesthetic
- In-person interior design and design consultation services available for more permanent home decor improvements
- Extensive portfolio of homes that have sold in under 30 days and over the asking price
Cons
- Prices may be higher than other companies
#3. Stuccco
Stuccco is an online home design company that serves a wide range of customers, including do-it-yourselfers, real estate agents, interior designers, and retailers. Send them photos of the house you want staging if you intend to sell it. They create photo-realistic images of fixtures and furnishings, take them away, and alter architectural elements including walls, cabinets, ceilings, floors, and landscapes. These finished photographs can be used for advertising purposes, helping you sell homes more quickly and for a higher price.
The company claims that using its renderings instead of hiring a human stager speeds up the sale of a home by 88% and increases the selling price by 20%. Stuccco promises to return your edited property photographs in no more than 24 hours. If you’d like them to make any changes to the images, you can send an email to the appropriate parties and let them know. They offer free picture retouching of staged shots until you’re satisfied with the results. A request for changes, however, must be submitted within 60 days.
Pros
- Get any room virtually staged or designed within 24 hours
- Cost-efficient
- Stage exteriors
Cons
- Staged photos cannot be revised after 60 days of purchase
#4. Barion Design
Companies like Barion Design, an early adopter in the field, may help stage a home digitally for less money than traditional staging now that so many buyers are shopping for homes online. The founder of Barion Design, Ilaria Barion, introduced the concept of virtual staging to the world in 2005, when it had previously been unheard of. A forerunner in the field of virtual staging, she saw its potential early on and shifted the focus of her company there. Her business has a nationwide reach thanks to the flexibility of virtual staging. The founder of Barion Design developed the now-standard practice of replacing real furniture with digital versions for use in virtual interior design.
When compared to competitive virtual home staging companies, Barion Design stands head and shoulders above the others. The client receives photographs and places an order following the consultation. Their design staff is able to create more lifelike visuals than other virtual staging businesses, and they offer individualized consultations. While these services are novel and flexible, they can be costly for homeowners, particularly those with larger properties. It is one of the best home staging companies you can opt for. Their photorealistic computer renderings are unrivaled in price, but worth every penny.
Pros
- Consultation service is more customized than other virtual services
- Cost is charged as a flat rate per photo so homeowners can decide how much they want to spend
- Graphic designers use multiple software programs to create the most realistic images
Cons
- Flat-rate pricing means that the service is costlier for larger homes
#5. Impact Home Staging Experts
More than six thousand homes in Bloomfield, Birmingham, Rochester Hills, Royal Oak, Troy, and other areas of Michigan have been sold with the help of this company’s home staging services. Impact Home Staging Experts construct a staging strategy that sells your home for the highest price in the shortest period of time by utilizing every design element and market data. They use what they’ve learned about subtle and obvious ways to appeal to the sentiments of potential customers.
They have everything under control, from the layout of the rooms to the pieces of furniture. Their decades in the industry have given them the ability to increase profits for homeowners in Macomb, Wayne, and Washtenaw Counties.
Pros
- Best for small and midsize homes
- Professional and responsive staff
- Excellent value for the service
Cons
- Pricing varies by location
#6. PadStyler
PadStyler provides an inexpensive and convenient way to get the advantages of professional home staging photography. It can be costly for homeowners to stage their homes, especially if they need to buy new furniture or accessories or pay for more traditional services on an ongoing basis. PadStyler provides these services because it uses a 3D visual marketing platform that is both photorealistic and convenient for the consumer. They are an inexpensive option for home staging because they are not restricted by geography and may serve clients anywhere in the country. Fans of the show “Property Brothers” might even recognize PadStyler.
PadStyler can give virtual staging in both current and classic styles in around 12 hours. To make sure their clients are happy, they offer free revisions and a money-back guarantee. The main negative is that they cannot interact with a real person. Email and instant messaging services present the possibility of misunderstandings. Despite this, it is still a less expensive option than the standard method of house staging.
Pros
- Unlimited free revisions and money-back guarantee so the customer can get the result they want
- Tends to be more affordable than traditional staging
Cons
- No customer support phone number is available, so users are reliant on email support and live chat
Home Staging Companies in Los Angeles
The following are some of the home staging companies in Los Angeles:
- Stage To Amaze
- Stage of Mind
- The L.A Staging Company
- Viano Decor
- Scribe Staging
- PandaPawer Living
Home Staging Companies in New York City
The following are some of the home staging companies in New York City:
- 3D World, Inc.
- Interior Marketing Group
- Wilson Associates
- Purvi Padia Design
- McMillen
- Sara Bengur Interiors & Shop
- Studio Riggleman
How Much Do Home Staging Companies Charge?
Have you been asking yourself “How much do home staging companies charge?”. The average price of home staging is $675, as reported by the National Association of Realtors. However, the size, location, and value of the home, the specific home staging services you seek, and the necessity for supplementary furniture, décor, and other goods all play a role in determining the final price tag. Staging can cost as much as 3 percent of the sale price of your property, according to some real estate professionals.
Consider the following expenses if you plan to stage your property on your own:
- Tools and materials for home renovations.
- If you plan to organize and store your belongings, you’ll need storage units.
- All new home furnishings.
- Arrangements of flowers.
- Equipment for washing.
If you need any new home furnishings or decorations, you might want to check out some local secondhand stores. Only the most important rooms, such as the living room, the kitchen, and the master bedroom, should be staged.
What to Consider When Choosing One of the Best Home Staging Companies
The following are things you need to consider when choosing from the best home staging companies:
#1. Training and Experience
The first factor is the level of training and experience they possess. Most professional home staging companies will seek and obtain certification. Basics like color theory, lighting principles, the value of negative space, and other design motifs are covered in certification programs. Home stagers are trained professionals who know how to present themselves and operate well in the business world. Some professional stagers attend schools like Staging Diva, the School of Home Staging, or the Academy of Home Staging and Design to hone their craft. Since there is no regulatory body overseeing the sector, it is important to go beyond only training and experience when deciding on a professional. Find out how long the organization has been offering design services.
#2. Designs and Portfolios
Looking at the company’s portfolio is very important when deciding on which of the best home staging companies to go for. High-quality photographs that showcase the stager’s expertise in working with a variety of design types should be included in the staging portfolio. It’s also a good idea to see if their portfolio features staged homes in your price range. If your home is worth a million dollars, for example, you should hire a stager who specializes in luxury properties.
#3. Services
In addition to experience, the home staging services a stager offers should be considered before hiring one. It’s more important to use one of the best home staging companies rather than an interior decorator. Some house stagers may double as interior decorators, but you should verify that staging is their primary business emphasis. Interior designers frequently pay close attention to the preferences of their clients. Home staging companies, on the other hand, focus on highlighting a property’s best qualities by enhancing its existing decor. Home staging services may involve moving furniture around, storing some items elsewhere, repurposing others, renting some accessories, and using other techniques to prepare a home for sale. Although home stagers share certain common goals and strategies, knowing what to expect from your specific package is essential.
#4. Regions Protected
The service area of a home staging professional is another factor to think about. The home staging firm that has caught your eye may be amazing, and you may be eager to pay for their home staging services in spite of the fact that you are located outside of their service area. Make sure the house staging firm you’re interested in actually works in your area before contacting them.
#5. Turnaround Time
How long do you anticipate staging your property to take? There are several variables to consider. The consultation is an important first step that can take anywhere from 1.5 to 3.5 hours or more to complete. The consultation will consist of you and the stager looking at the areas of the house that will be staged and talking about what you hope to achieve. The home stager will examine the exterior of the house and provide recommendations to enhance its visual appeal. After the consultation and walkthrough are finished, a price quote will be provided and an installation date will be set. It could take a few weeks for the staging business to get to your job if they are very busy. However, it should only take a few hours if the house is already equipped, and a couple of days if it is empty.
#6. Reviews and References from Happy Clients
Finally, when looking for a home stager, it is important to check references and read internet reviews. Your real estate agent is a fantastic resource for information like this. A good recommendation could come from family or friends who have recently utilized home stagers to help them sell their houses.
Benefits of Home Staging
There are a number of positive outcomes that can result from home staging. One benefit is that it facilitates purchasers’ mental imagery of themselves living in the house. It’s easier for potential buyers to visualize themselves living in the space when it’s devoid of clutter and personal photos that may otherwise be displayed. Seventy-seven percent of buyers believe it’s simpler to envision a staged property as a future home, according to a study by the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR).
The term “move-in ready” is used to describe a property that has been staged to give the impression that it does not require significant maintenance or upgrades before a new buyer might move in. A recent survey found that 71% of homebuyers wanted a property that was “move-in ready.” You may have an easier time selling your property if buyers get that idea, and Staging can help with that.
Last but not least, house staging facilitates the selling process. It’s more appealing when shared on social media, printed on posters, and shown in other visual marketing mediums, and it looks better in listing images (which can play a large role in today’s home-shopping process). Therefore, residences that have been staged tend to sell more quickly. NAR reports that 62% of realtors believe staging affects how long a home stays on the market.
Before You Hire One of the Best Home Staging Companies
The aforementioned factors are important, but there are a few more things you must do before choosing one of the top home staging companies. For this reason, it’s important to verify that the home staging company has appropriate insurance coverage. To get an indication of how long it might take to sell your house, you should also inquire as to how long the properties they have staged have been on the market before selling. Your stage budget is an additional factor to think about. After this, you can seek quotes, conduct interviews with potential providers, and ultimately make a decision.
How Do I Get Leads for Home Staging?
Make some phone calls and set up coffee dates or quick phone chats with potential staging clients. Meet potential real estate agents by visiting open houses. Hold an open house with a friend where you’ve done some staging. Give talks to your local Realtor’s Association regarding staging.
What Should You Not Do When Staging a House?
- Do not leave the house empty.
- Leaving personal photos on walls.
- Not making an effort with tidying.
- Don’t go overboard on holiday decor.
What Makes a Good Home Stager?
Home stagers with confidence in their skills are more likely to succeed. They are confident in their ability to turn any house into a marketable investment. They have a positive attitude, are well-organized, and are always ready for anything. They’re doing what they love and making a living at it by following their dreams.
Final Thoughts
Staging your home may boost its marketability, helping you sell it faster and for more money. Home staging is useful if you need to sell a house quickly or if you want to maximize your profit. If you’re trying to sell a property in a highly competitive market, making sure it’s unique, stunning, and unforgettable will help.
Talk to a real estate professional in your area if you have any doubts about whether or not staging is in your best interest. They can evaluate your home and give suggestions based on current market trends and the tastes of potential purchasers in your area. Also, consult one of the best staging companies to help out with it.
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