What is a Home Stager and Do I Need One? By Serena Carter

So you’ve decide to sell your home. Sitting down in your living room and looking around you see the evidence of a life lived in your home. All your memories and stories are seen in pictures, art projects and mementoes. You know you need to depersonalize, and perhaps declutter, but you have no idea how or where to start. This is where a professional stager can help.

There is often a misconception of what a home stager does. Most people have only seen stagers on TV showing up to put furniture in vacant homes. While stagers do help with vacant homes, they can also help sellers who are still living in the home. A home stager will help you learn what is decorative and what is clutter.

No one likes to think of their home has cluttered. I know…it’s hard. But the truth is that no one is going to love your things as much as you do. The professional stager can walk through your home and help you edit where necessary. They can offer ideas to update your look with simple changes. Often removing a few pieces of furniture can open up a room and help it appear much larger…something buyers like.

A professional stager can make the tasks of preparing your home for sale less overwhelming. Their services range from a brief consultation to full service. If you’d rather leave it to the expert, they can bring in a team of licensed service companies to take care of everything. They can arrange for moving and storing furniture, painting, gardening, handle repairs and even upgrades.

Any seller can benefit from consulting with a professional home stager. There is a reason that new home builders have beautifully appointed model homes. They know that buyers can visualize their lives in that environment and will pay for more the property than a vacant home. Your home can also enjoy these benefits with a stager. You will prepare your home to sell for the highest possible sales price by bringing the idea of “curb appeal” inside.