Home sellers today look to every available avenue to help sell their homes. Every single home stager is able to tout at least 10 benefits of staging your home – I would like you to know a few things that staging is not:

1) Home staging is not a guarantee for a specific number of visitors.

2) Home staging and the home stager are not miracles workers.  Home Staging is a piece of the real estate puzzle and only works when all the pieces are in place.

3) Home staging does not cover up blemishes, stains or structural issues.  It is unethical for a professional stager to do this – so please don’t ask.  If you have issues, take care of them prior to staging. Consider a pre-sale home inspection.

4) Home staging does not take the place of disclosures or inspections.

5) Home staging is a service provided by humans for humans.  It’s an emotional process that allows buyers to connect, linger and visual themselves living there.  It’s not cut/paste, black/white or as easy as it looks.

6) Home staging does not guarantee that a buyer’s furniture will fit in the space or look right.  The furniture/accessories displayed are for example only and should be treated as such.

7) Home staging is not decorating. Yes, there is a difference.  Decorating is personalizing a property to the home owner’s likes and tastes. Staging is depersonalizing the property and making it appealing to anyone who walks through the door.

Like your REALTOR, home stagers do not get paid as much as you think.

9) Home staging is a marketing tool – not a gimmick.

10) Home staging is not optional – think about it – whether using the services of a professional or not – most home sellers know to make their beds before leaving for the day.

Your comments and opinions are appreciated.  Thank you for reading. – Calie