Hiring a pro to primp your house

I am not to sure what to say, the stagers came in and wanted to do cheap cover up things to fool the buyers into seeing what they wanted them to.... I felt this is like a magic show, and almost guilty ... Do you really need to try and fool folks into buying your house???? or is honesty a better choice?????

One of the things stagers forget is the roof, one of the first things a buyer sees..if it has moss or black ajgae streaks, not only is a negative for the buyer but can send a warning to an inspector.
It is easy to remove, and will not harm landscaping if the correct products are used. Have a roof cleaning firm go to www.wash-safe-canada.com, purchase the Eco safe cleaning products and take care of the roof with no danger to plants, pets or people.

Doug is right. When I've looked at a house, I look at the structural stuff first. Is the roof good, is the basement dry and uncracked. At the wall/windows where I can live with them. Is the plumbing in good shape, are there enough power outlets?
These are things that are expensive and bothersome to fix.
Wall colours, decorating choices, not so much. A tape measure gives you a more accurate view of a room's size, rather then eyeballing the furniture.
I've seen a bunch of those staging shows, and it all seems foolish. If I saw a house that was otherwise fine, except that the walls were Pepto-Bismol pink, I might ask for a paint allowance on the price but I'd do the same if you'd gone for a 'neutral'. And I''m not in the least interested in whether you have pillows and fresh flowers.

I am a Realtor in London and while SOME buyers are able to see past dated interiors and hideous wall colours, there are MANY who cannot! Some people just don't have the imagination to look at a home that needs cosmetic updating and see the potential. And there are some that want a home to be move in ready and don't want the hassle of painting a single wall!
I think staging has it's uses. If you live in a city where the market is super-competitive or a market that is slow with excess supply of homes for sale, and you need your house to set itself apart from the competition, I'd say go for it. Or for a family who is perhaps selling the home of an elderly relative and the house needs to be brought up to a more current style, then it's a great idea. Does the average home owner need to hire a stager when selling their home? I wouldn't think so. Check the internet...buy some home decorating magazines. You'll get some great tips. Or ask your Realtor for some suggestions. As a seller, you need to just step back and try and view your home with a more objective and critical eye and put yourself in the shoes of someone walking in to your home for the first time. Try asking friends and family for some constructive criticism of your home as well. You may be surprised at what they say. It might be something as simple as rearranging the furniture in your home for better traffic flow or changing out a dated light fixture.
But if decorating is not your forte, seek help, either from your Realtor or a professional stager.

A waste of money. Stage your own home yourself. What does it take to clean and primp? Are we really that lazy and or unskilled?

I do not think a seller has to pay to make their home "seller friendly" especially in these days when there is no money for extras. Use common sense and declutter (watch Oprah or look through some of her magazines) - an empty clean house shows far better and is easier on the eye than a cluttered one.

As a professional home stager (owner of Image Home Staging, mentioned above), I would like to address a few issues that have been brought forward.
Firstly, staging is NOT meant to cover up any defects in a home; in fact, any problem areas are addressed by us during a staging consultation. It is also recommended that a home inspector be brought in by the buyer, as well as the vendor, for a thorough structural inspection.
A good staging is more than ‘primping’ - it will enhance a home’s best features, address lighting/clutter/traffic flow/ furniture arrangement, etc. and neutralize the space so it is easier for buyers to imagine themselves and their furnishings in the property. The goal is to create a move-in ready house that appeals to the general public. It is difficult for most homeowners to view their own home the way potential buyers do. Most home sellers are emotionally attached to their furnishings, have gotten used to the way things look and no longer ‘see’ the flaws which were meant to be addressed a long time ago. A professional stager acts as an objective third party and brings a trained eye to help prepare and market the property effectively.
Finally, it should be noted that the investment of a staging consultation generally starts in the range of $200, not $600, which amount can easily be recouped in the sale price.

Joanne Paquette
Image Home Staging
www.imagehomestaging.com

Boy are these comments narrow minded!! It wasn't that long ago that no one had heard of a Home Inspector, but now would anyone not utilized one?? Staging has been a huge part of the real estate market in California for 35 years. We're just now on the edge of the market here in Canada. If you've been in many homes for sale, you'd see just how bad they are. Not only in out dated decore, but also in something as simple as decluttering and cleaning up. Many houses I've been in, already on the market, are so desperately in need of a "make over", but the home owners honestly don't seem able or willing to do what's required. It's not magic or misleading potential buyers . . . it's just good common sense which sadly is lacking in many sellers!! Of 2000 real estate professionals surveyed in 2008, they reported that home staging had more that paid for itself with an average return on investment of 349%! I'd say that's money well spent.

Remember the old marketing addage - 'sell the sizzle not the steak', unfortuntely staging seems to be necessary for a lot of people.

Sellers do Painting, flooring, & Oorganizing closets, etc... However, experienced stager would add value to a house. Perfect example is of a 2 bdr Condo on 633 Bay Street sold some time in Sep/2009.. See the pictures of previous listings of the same property( failed to sell earlier). Later, after staging..sold above asking..Yes. It did cost money to consultant, enhancements & changes, but it brought value.

We staged our house and it sold in a tough economy in only ONE day for $50,000 more than we had paid for it 12 months previously (just $3K short of our asking price after negotiating on a new furnace even though the old one worked well). We honestly did not want to move but no choice due to job relocation. Our ex-neighbours tell us that the buyers have set up their new home exactly as we had it even down to our exact furnishings. We worked hard to transform a drab house in to a stunner. The previous owner had painted everything suicidal grey ... ugh it was so awful and depressing. Fresh warm paint changed all of that. We gave the landscaping a dramatic makeover and our flowers and shrubs blossomed with TLC. We felt fortunate that we could see the potential in that house and it was a lot of hard work inside and out. There are lots of things you can do ... even better if you undertake the projects yourselves and save money on labour. The stager put the finishing touches and was really wonderful to work with. Some sellers just don't have the flair or time to do it themselves. It's a relief when you need to sell quickly and your house sells right away. When you think of the money you have to pay in mortgage payments and property taxes when your home is just sitting there on the market then staging makes sense and saves time, effort and money in the long run. Hope this advice helps someone.

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As a certified stager, I prepare a home staging report for real estate agents and or owners for a low fee for the Quebec Outaouais Region. The report describes everything to be done in every room to stage it for a quick sale.
The challenge is to work with was is there which I strive for and to make people realize that as you must wash your car before you put it for sale, you must also prepare your home for the market.
Watching design shows is helpful but not enough. In general, people do not see the flaws in their own home so I teach people how to stage their home.
Homes sold quickly once recommendations were implemented. Staging works.

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Mitch