Home staging assists sellers

When it comes to selling your house in an increasingly competitive home market these days, the old real estate adage "location, location, location" is taking on new meaning. Staging the optimal location of the furniture and other items in the seller's home usually makes a difference between a sale or no sale. Home staging specialists say there are ways to succeed while other home sellers are struggling.

"Edit, reduce clutter, and rearrange existing furniture," advises Dana Dickey, vice director of Interior Redesign Industry Specialists. Chicago. This is what industry insiders have termed "staging"--the process of preparing and cleaning a home to make it more marketable to potential homebuyers. "It's a fairly simple process," notes Dickey. "It's also cost-effective. Homeowners ... are amazed at how the look of their home can dramatically improve with just a little assistance."

Interior redesigners tailor their staging services to meet the needs of homeowners based on the individuals' budget and desired level of assistance. Some have no problem with organization, for example, yet need help with the exterior of their home to create more curb appeal. Others seek professional aid for reorganization of furniture and decorating. Whatever the task, the goal remains the same. "We want to give each home that 'wow' factor," Dickey explains. "Especially in today's housing market, in which homebuyers largely make their final decision based on emotional factors, it's important that a house make a good first impression."

In addition to selling a home faster, staging can help boost the asking price. Many professionals focus their attention on two locales in particular: the kitchen and bathroom. Due to the high level of traffic through both places, each tends to collect clutter and becomes a source of hidden messes.

"It's not that people don't want to pick up," offers Dickey. "It becomes a situation where the homeowner just naturally looks past something without even noticing it." Professionals act as objective observers, seeing decorating possibilities and unwanted clutter that a homeowner might not spot otherwise.

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