Buying and selling real estate is a huge investment. To make the most of your investment, time and effort is required to convince potential buyers your home is a desirable place they can call home. You would rely on your real estate agent to help you determine your asking price, assist with all legal matters and arrange viewings of your home. But about preparing your home for the housing market? This is a very important step in the selling process as a successfully staged home typically sells faster and is usually sold at a higher price than a property with no time or effort put into it.
There is no industry standard for home staging, this is why it is important to do a little research before hiring a home stager. Some questions to ask about their educational background:
• Do they have any formal training? Where did they take their training? Formal training shows they are dedicated to the industry and know how to properly stage a home for the correct target market.
• Who was their trainer? Did they have their own staging business?
• Did they receive a professional designation from their training? Some Canadian designations are: Certified Canadian Staging Professional (CCSP), Certified Professional Home Stager (HSR), Home Staging Expert (HSE), Professional Real Estate Stager (PRES), International Staging and Redesign Professional (ISRP).
• How did they earn this designation? Did they earn their designation with a passing mark or by participating in the course?
• What did they do before they were a home stager?
• Have they taken any other additional education on home staging or refreshed their knowledge as the industry changes?
Their pricing and services are also a key element in helping you choose a stager:
• What services do they offer? Will they stage your home as well as provide a consultation? Will they coordinate tradespeople if required? Do they offer re-designing services for your new home as well?
• How much do they charge? What is included in that charge? Remember, you get what you pay for.
How have they successfully staged other properties:
• A picture speaks a thousand words, do they have a portfolio?
• Do they have any references from past clients?
Once you have taken all these points into consideration, it’s up to you to make the final decision on who will help you prepare your home for the housing market. Good luck with you sale!
