What is a home stager? A home stager helps prepare your home for the real estate market by redecorating and redesigning, and giving your home a fresh look. Forty-seven percent say when you find an excellent home stager, buyers visualize their future home.
Choosing a home stager means asking about their education, credentials, seeing their portfolio, and inquiring about insurance.
Here are some tips to help you find the right home stager.
A Home Stager and Education
When you interview someone for a position, one of the first questions you might have is, “Where did you go to school?” Selling your home fast is essential to you, and you want to know where your home stager attended school, because they will have the educational knowledge to get it done!
Ask about the types of classes they took and how long they enrolled in school. Did they get a degree? Perhaps they received a degree in interior design or a certificate as a home stager.
When choosing a home stager, asking about their education is critical. Being comfortable with their educational background can help you make a more informed decision and give you peace of mind.
Ask About Credentials
Choosing a home stager with solid credentials will make you feel confident about your decision. Professionals like to tout the credentials they get from different industry organizations, and you should ask about that list!
Many home stagers may get credentials from RESA, the Real Estate Staging Association. The nonprofit teaches home stagers about the latest ideas and trends in the industry. Home stagers can get up to date on what’s new and popular when you want a fast home sell by offering classes and meetings.
The International Association of Home Staging Professionals, or IAHSP, is another group that credentials home stagers. Like the RESA, they offer continuing education classes and host an annual conference for their membership.
When you want to find a home stager, think about the proper credentials when making a hire.
See Their Portfolio
What is a home stager? Home stagers are artists. A home stager comes to your home to rearrange furniture or paint the walls.
A portfolio is a sample of someone’s work, whether a writer, artist, or a home stager! A good portfolio can give you (the client) an excellent example of the idea of their decorating style and taste.
Today, a portfolio doesn’t have to be in a book or a collection of photographs. Check to see if they have a website or other social media page. Many home stagers will choose to put their work directly online for anyone to see.
Look for good, high-quality photographs! A good home stager will ensure photos contain great attention to detail with bright, vivid colors.
Social media pages may also include video testimonials of clients, which may give you a better indication of their work.
Timing
When you want a fast home sell, timing is everything. You want a home stager to be in and out of your home quickly, so it doesn’t spend many days on the market. Selling a home has many moving parts, and the less time your home is ‘for sale,’ the more money in your pocket.
Be sure to ask the potential home stager about the timing of the process. How long will it take to paint or move furniture? How long will it take to get items from a warehouse into your home?
Knowing the answers to these questions gives you a better indication of the process and how long a home stager will be in your home. Be sure that the company you hire can deliver on the promise of a timeline you both agree to.
Working with a real estate agent comes with enough questions, and making sure all parties involved can work together is essential. You want your home sold quickly and efficiently!
Client Testimonials
One of the best ways to decide is to ask a previous client about their experience with a home stager. You can ask for a list of prior clients and give them a call!
Be sure to check online reviews, where people might be more honest about their experience. People will be very honest about what they liked and didn’t like when it comes to your potential home stager.
Check Their Insurance
Having the right insurance when hiring a home stager is critical. You want to make sure your home stagers carry with them the proper insurance paperwork while they are making improvements to sell your home. If you don’t, you could be left with a problem while selling your house.
A home stager will move furniture in and out of your home, and they might also paint walls or floors. The process might also involve rearranging items that are already in your home.
What if something breaks? What if someone gets hurt? With many people likely coming through your home, you want to ensure your home stager has workers’ compensation and liability insurance.
Your Gut Feeling
Sometimes your gut feeling can tell you the most. A situation just may (or may not) feel right.
Perhaps when you talk with the home stager, you get a good vibe about their personality, work ethic, or even their initial plans for your home. Your gut feeling can often tell you why you should hire someone for a job.
As they say, “You never get a chance to make a first impression.” Sometimes your gut feeling can help you judge that first impression when you make a decision.
Choosing a Home Stager
Choosing a home stager can help you sell your home fast. There are many things to consider, including education, credentials, portfolio, timing, testimonials, and insurance. Also, listen to your gut feeling about your decision.
Let us help you get the most for your home when you put it on the market! Working with us and a home stager can increase your profitability.