What do you need to do before meeting a home stager?

The Creative Home Podcast | Episode #195

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Now you hired a home stager but wonder what do you need to do to get ready for the meeting? In this week’s episode, I will tell you what you can expect from me as a home stager and what I expect from you as a homeowner. 

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What do you need to do before meeting a home stager?

You hired a home stager to come to your house (or meet you virtually). But now you wonder, is there something I need to do before he/she comes over? Do I need to clean up? Do I need to pack up some things?

Don’t worry, it’s not complicated but some of you may worry about it. I am here to tell you that as a home stager, I am here to help you get through all those questions.

1| Cleaning up for the home stager?

Let’s start with cleaning up. Most of my clients don’t clean up and that is perfectly fine. In fact, I would rather see what you have to work with versus an empty house. It’s easier for me as a home stager because I can reuse items around your house and sometimes use them in different rooms. I can also see past the clutter and mess so it does not bother me.

 2| Be ready for some changes from the home stager

If you hired a home stager, you know there are going to be some changes. As a home stager, my goal is to help you sell your home. That means there are going to be a few changes. If you have not listened to episode #191 How do you stage your home when you’re empty nesters , I highly encourage you to go back to that one. In it I talk about the moving mindset. Even if you’re not an empty nester, there are a few tips in there to help you get into the mindset of getting ready to move.

3| Be open to new ideas

I’m talking about painting, removing furniture, packing things up etc. You may not realize the need for some of the changes because you have lived in your house and we tend to get blinders after a while. We don’t see the clutter, the color, the excess because you’ve lived with it for so long.

I had one couple where the real estate agent paid for the consult and I came into the couple’s home to give them room by room staging suggestions. Since the agent paid for it, the couple did not have a vested interest in changing things. They were opposed to the changes I suggested and didn’t want to remove anything. Their home sat on the market for 6 months and eventually was taken off the market. Meanwhile other houses nearby were sold.

What are some of the things I suggested? Their house was stucco but it was in Virginia which is not a common siding. Inside, the house was decorated in southwestern style like it belonged in Arizona or New Mexico. I asked them to remove the southwestern decor and replace it with landscape pictures, mirrors or large face clocks to neutralize their decor. They didn’t like those suggestions because it was not part of their home style.

However, as a homeowner, you need to look at it through the eyes of the buyer. Not everyone will like southwestern decor especially in Virginia. If you’ve heard me say this before, staging is depersonalizing it and neutralizing your home so that more buyers will love it. Decorating is when you add your style like southwestern decor, roosters on the wall or showing off the sports paraphernalia.

Again, we are trying to help you sell your home and we as home stagers know what helps sell a house. So be open to new ideas. Ask your questions when you talk to a home stager.

4| Have some tools available 

Gather some tools for your meeting. Items such as a measuring tape, furniture sliders to move heavy items (if you don’t have a second set of hands) and a small ladder. These will help as we discuss changes that need to happen during our consultation. If I come over to your house, I have these tools with me so you don’t have to have them. But if it is an online consult, make sure to have these items nearby.

5| Pay for the consultation with the home stager

Depending on your situation, you may have to pay before the meeting or directly afterwards. If you are booking it online, you may have to pay for the appointment ahead of time which is what I am currently doing for virtual meetings. If I do them in person, I ask for the payment directly after the consultation. If you need additional help after the consultation, such as finding accessories or go shopping on your behalf, we would discuss those payment options.

So if you are contemplating hiring a home stager to help you sell your house and you’re still not quite sure what to do, send me a message on Facebook. You can find my business page @bluediamondstaginganddesign and I would love to answer any questions you have.

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