Staging FAQs

Absolutely, how you decorate your home to live in and how you decorate it to sell are very different. The decorating choices you make for your home may suit your taste and lifestyle, but they may not suit those of potential buyers and may not show off your home’s best attributes. When you make the decision to sell your home you must begin the process of detaching yourself from it. Even the most beautiful home needs to be de-personalized so potential buyers can imagine themselves living in it. Your home is now a commodity to be sold and it must appeal to a broad audience of potential buyers.

Homebuyers are typically looking for bright, clean, spacious homes with great flow. Many buyers have difficulty picturing themselves and their belongings in a home if it is cluttered and has outdated decor. Fresh Living can make the small changes that will have a huge impact. Cleaning, de–cluttering, de-personalizing, organizing, and some re–positioning of furniture is needed in every home, and these adjustments can have an enormous effect on how the house is viewed. Every home owner considering putting their house on the market should call us. We can help!

That depends on what needs to be done to make the house look its best. Some staging jobs can take one day to a few days. However, if there are rooms that require painting or repairs and renovations need to be made then it could take a few weeks depending on how quickly these upgrades can be completed. The end result will always be a beautiful, inviting home ready for the competitive Real Estate market.

Fresh Living begins the Home Staging process with a consultation that provides an objective look at your house. We tour the house and make detailed suggestions on what changes or repairs may need to be made. We also discuss timeline, budget, and priorities with you. Once a strategy is agreed upon, we begin transforming your home. Trades are brought in to quote on work that needs to be done; we assess the furniture, artwork and accessories that are available to us and do the necessary shopping; and in a very short period of time, your house is made ready for the real estate market.

Home Staging DOES work. It will help you to sell your home faster, and for more money. First impressions mean EVERYTHING when it comes to selling homes. Staged homes on average experience a 3% minimum increase in final sales price, versus non-staged homes. [Source: www.stagedhomes.com]

98% of the houses staged have sold over the asking price. [Source: HGTV’s ‘Designed to Sell’]

Average number of days on the market for staged homes was 13.9 versus 30.0 for un-staged homes. Average difference in selling price over list price was 6.3%. [Source: 2004 survey by Joy Valentine – Coldwell Banker Broker – based on 2772 homes in 8 cities]

63% of buyers are willing to pay more money for a house that is move in ready. Men (41%) are more likely to place a premium on updated décor than women (30%). [Source: 2005 & 2006 Maritz Research Staging Polls]

77% of people view homes first on the internet. Be sure that your home shows above the rest, by staging it first! [Source: 2005 National Association of Realtors ® survey]

A staged home will sell, on average, 17% higher than an un-staged home. [Source: US Housing and Urban Development]

Sellers who spent $500 on staging recovered over 343% of the cost when they sold their home. [Source: Homegain.com]

Rarely, because people understand that in order to get the job done, we need to be able to discuss the home objectively and work on its problem areas. After all, that is why people hire us. We are not judgemental but aim to be constructive and positive. Most of our clients, when they see the transformation of their home, see exactly why home staging makes such a profound difference in selling.

Preparing a house for the real estate market is different for everyone. Some people love to be involved in the home staging process while others prefer to go on holiday during the work phase. You can have as little or as much involvement as you like. We understand that when you have a full schedule, the whole process can seem overwhelming. It is our mission to make the transition as seamless as possible for our clients. We take care of it so that you don’t have to!

Your home is your greatest investment so you want to make sure that it is in the best possible condition before putting it on the market. Our goal is to ensure that your house sells quickly rather than lingering on the market. Homes that sell in the first month get the best offers…so when we get your home sold in less than a week you will get the highest offer(s) possible. The cost of home staging is often less than the first price reduction on an un-staged home. You may also want to consider the emotional toll of a house lingering on the market –the stress of your house not selling at all or eventually selling for less; and the strain of keeping your house in immaculate shape for multiple showings and Open Houses. The stress reduction alone can make Home Staging well worth it.

We can’t guarantee that your home will sell within a week, but we will do our utmost to advise you on what needs to be done to transform your house into the best possible product for sale. In many cases, our clients enjoy what we have done to their home so much that they hire us to decorate their new house or even their office.

We are familiar with such cases and it’s not too late to call us for a consultation. Fresh Living will help you organize a strategy to get your house sold quickly!

Yes, because it is hard for buyers to get a sense of the space without furniture in it. Without furniture the focus goes to negative details such as odd-shaped rooms, lack of architectural detail, or inadequate size. Furthermore, empty spaces tend to feel cold and uninviting. With staging we can create a warm inviting home that buyers can start to imagine living in.