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Replies (24)
- 2 Big 2 Fail
- Contributions:0
Go to IKEA and stage the house yourself for a fraction of the price.
- Rachel Kauffman, "prkauffman"
- Contributions:179
then i'm stuck with lots of ikea furniture! ew..
- 2 Big 2 Fail
- Contributions:0
You can use the IKEA furniture for future houses you stage. Personally, I think that staging is a con game and does not work.
you can rent furniture too. A lot of stagers do that if they don't have their own stock. You'll pay for it either way.
- PJ Sassifras
- Contributions:1225
Call local decorators and see if they'd be willing to stage the house for free with the understanding they're company name would be in all of the ads for the home (free staging in exchange for free advertising). Some of the homes around here have done that and they don't stay on the market long. They also give the purchase price with or w/o the furniture. I would give you an example of a listing but, like I said, they don't stay around long.
- Kimberly, "Neat Freak"
- Contributions:192
I agree with GW - buy the furniture and stage yourself. You can sell it on craigslist. That's how I purchase furniture, I do a search for "staging" and "staged" - I've gotten some great pieces.
If you go this route, check out: Ikea, TJ Maxx, Ross (I hate this store, but sometimes people get lucky), Marshalls, and (if you have one) Stupid Prices.
Here's a link to a website that gives staging before and afters to give you some ideas: www.centerstagehome.com
Good luck!!!
- Kimberly, "Neat Freak"
- Contributions:192
And don't forget craigslist too; just think, you'll be recycling :)
- Team Bonisolli, "teambonisolli"
- Contributions:88
Renting or leasing furniture for a 23-2500SF home with 4BR/3BA runs about $950/mo for middle of the road stuff at a rent-a-center or similar and you have to do it for a minimum of 3 mo. You can buy some sharp pieces for that price.
Unless the rooms are odd shaped, etc. and you really need furniture to show how the room will live, I would leave it empty.
- dinydeek1
- Contributions:363
Kimberly- Great link to the before and afters! Lots of good and cheap ideas- and endless pics!
I agree about Craigs- I have picked up some great items and sold some great items- however, some of my experiences have been" interesting" I had someone tell me that no they had never had cats (family member is deathly allergic) but when my husband happened to look up at the window as we were leaving- there were 2 kitties peeking at us!
Also some very talented photographers out there! We have been fooled a few times!
www.backpage.com is similar to craigs- also www.freecycle.org is wonderful- as I de clutter the house I have tons of this and that I need to part with- much is too good to pitch and I post it for free and someone comes and gets it- I actually the most amazing desk for free that way- it keeps it local and easy-great for moving out...
- . . .
- Contributions:3384
There is a guy that rents from a relative of mine that does home staging; I never asked the pricing. The advantage is he just moves the furniture around as houses sell; no reason to buy more or liqidate it. He rents a U-haul truck for moving the furniture.
Only problem is that when it is not in a house for sale, it is cluttering up the property of my relative...
As everyone in my family has collected way too many pieces; I would rather just select some to leave behind until the property sells... In doing dramas, I learned a long time ago that furniture for "show" does not have to be perfect; it just needs to coordinate and give the impression.
And looking at store room displays tells the same thing; they will put out a few nick-knacks; but never really fill the space as it is actually going to be used. You see the same thing in the print ads and television ads. Give an idea; then leave the rest to imagination. It is only to be an outline sketch. The key is proper accent lighting to focus the viewer's attention.
- MindyAllen
- Contributions:68
I use a home stager that charges $125 per home and $250 per home if a longer, in depth itemized list is needed. They will also bring in furniture and rearrange for an incresed price. That's here in Madison, Wisconsin.
Mindy Allen, ABR, Realtor
Keller Williams Realty
- Double Domes
- Contributions:78
I spent some time trying to stage my unique double geodesic home with just a few pieces from my storage unit and it did not look right. My realtor lined up a couple of stagers to meet with me and look at my home, and one of them was helpful but expensive, the other sent me a bill for $75, and I got literally no input from her, I also felt mad that she did not tell me that she charged to come to my home (she was there for 10 mintues). In a nutshell I ended up staging/furnishing my home with stuff from Pier 1, Ross, TJ Max, and Walmart. I decided upon quality furniture (Pier 1) that I would want to use in my next home (in case the buyer doesn't want it), and purched the nic nacs and silk plants from other less expensive places. Looking back I am glad that I did not hire stagers since I would have paid them more by now ( in rent of furnishings) than the total cost of furnishing my home, and I get to keep the items or use them as incentive for buyer.
Money wise I took advantage of a big sale on the furniture, opened an account with the vender, and transferred the entire balance to a low rate card just before the "no interest time period" expired. This is one way to do it if you decide you need to purchase furniture, and you may have a low rate card available.
I do not think that homeowners in this market should gamble money that a professional stager will result in a sale, rather you know your home the best and if you have no money just subtract stuff from your home and slowly add only small touches. Artwork and plants and pottery go a long way to spice up a room and you can use the pieces that you have.
- Fydell
- Contributions:514
It depends on how much furniture you want but $600 to $800 a month with a 3 month minimum probably would cover it. A lot of people are just furnishing the first floor on a 2 story home - that seems to be enough to give the lived in look.
Would think any home stager has access to companies that rent the furniture.
They are very often listed as furniture leasers for executive rentals
- designbymarla
- Contributions:14
I'm a home stager. I got into the business after viewing homes for sale and seeing all of the easy things that people were not doing that can make their home more saleable. I agree with some of the earlier posts. If you have the talent and the vision, you can stage a place on your own. However, sometimes people can not view their own home with an objective eye. They need a professional to come into their house and make suggestions for improvement. The price of staging varies depending on if you want just a consultation or if you want a vacant home filled with furniture and accessories. My walk thru consultations start as low as $150.
- va_homeowner
- Contributions:59
I recently had my home professionally staged, here's a few tips that might be helpful to you:
1. Prices vary widely, you'll have to shop around. My stager charged $75/hr for her time. Ask to see a portfolio of their work, and for references.
2. The purpose of staging is not mere interior design -- it's the art of preparing your home so that prospective buyers can visualize the property as their own. There's actually a science of sorts to the placement of objects and the use of color, which can help draw people's attention to certain areas and features of the home. A properly staged house will also tend to draw visitors inward, giving them the desire to see more of the home. Make sure you find a stager that understands these principles.
3. I found it best to avoid rental furniture due to the very slow market. The statistics show that staged homes sell more quickly and generally at a higher price, but like anything else in life there are no guarantees. To prepare for the long haul, I purchased what I needed -- a lot from Craigslist, and some pieces brand new. Even if you sell off the new furniture at a 50% loss after the house goes, it's often still cheaper than renting. The longer your house sits on the market, the more cost-effective purchasing is over renting.
4. Don't argue with the stager. Remember, the stager has a perspective on your home that you don't have, and you're staging your home for show, not to your personal taste. If the suggestion is to paint your bathroom a pastel blue, just do it. My stager had me paint the powder room in my home a reddish-brown, kind of like a clay pot color. I cringed at the thought (I'm a beige kind of guy). After painting it, I think it looks awesome.
- mina36
- Contributions:3478
Hmm.. VA, I have to disagree on one point. You make interior design sound like the poor cousin of staging.. I think it's the other way around. ID IS the science of color, light, object placement. While they are obviously in the same family, ID is the big brother here. Anybody can call themselves a stager, but if you are going to call yourself an interior designer, you'd better have the credentials and degrees to back it up.
- va_homeowner
- Contributions:59
Mina, what I learned is that there is a difference between home staging and interior design. Interior design skills are utilized in the practice of home staging, but home staging is different. Interior design is generally used to make a home more appealing to the tastes of the owner. Staging utilizes interior design techniques to allow potential buyers to better visualize the use of space and how they would live in the home.
- mina36
- Contributions:3478
Ok :)
- designer08
- Contributions:47
Mina, I have done staging for my own properties and that of friends. Remember, its more than just renting or buying furniture. Its all the little touches that make the home have a polish look. That is, buying or renting the accessories. I have used Cort Furniture in the past, I find they have nicest furniture and they are reasonable in their fees and provide a good service. Staging does help, but what helps the most is price. You can have a beautifully staged home, but if it is too expensive, it will sit there. But if you price it right, and stage it professionally, will sell fast. Staging only accellerates the sale. I have found that to be my experience, with staging.
- mina36
- Contributions:3478
I took exception to "mere" interior design, that's all. I mean no disrespect to the staging industry or its participants/adherents.
- Bette Defarm
- Contributions:4697
- Annika Berke, "Ischgebibbel"
- Contributions:11
I am a professional stager and use a furniture rental company that specializes in hA is one of my favorite stores. Hire a stager, let him/her put a plan for furniture together, go over the quote and follow the stagers recommendations for purchasing accessories.If I have something in my inventory that goes perfect into my clients house I let them rent if from me for a very small fee.I recently staged a 1600 sqft vacant home and the quote for the furniture was $ 500/month. Which is actually really good. The whole house was furnished. I purchased all the accessories and charged the client only $ 25/ month for all of my accessories.I think if you find the right home stager, set a budget before having a consultation and know that staged homes always look more appealing to buyers. I am not sure if all stager operate this way but I pride myself in making staging affordable but yet still produce quality work. I also offer partnerships for Agents so they can pay $ 199 for a two hour consultation with a detailed room by room report that the home owner can follow if the funds are not there to hire me to do the staging. I am also working on a deal with a major moving company in order for my clients to have somebody and somewhere to store their boxes while the home is on the market. Nobody wants to look at a pile if boxes in a garage or basement. We want to show of every inch of your home. By the way Interior Design is creating a space is a reflection of the home owner, things they like and so on. Staging is the total opposite. We have to de personalize and neutralize. But well done it will look appealing and fresh. No personal pictures, no funky colors, no dated fixtures, no clutter, no dirt and grime and most importantly no unfinished projects around the home. A stager should know which enhancements to make and which ones to stay away from. We have to know how much ROI you will get on enhancing your kitchens and Bath's and so on. By the way Kitchens and Bath's sell houses!!!!!
- Annika Berke, "Ischgebibbel"
- Contributions:11
Oh and I never charge for a consultation! You get two hours with me and I never had a client not hire me after the consultation. You gotta spend money to make money. I have also had a client that bought all new accessories and used my shopping services to make sure she was purchasing things she can work with in her new home. It worked out great because she was able to control how much she is spending and I worked with what they already had and her new accssories. Plus, she learned a lot in the process
How much for home staging??
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- 0.0/5.0
- (no reviews)
Contributions:179Hey guys.. does anyone have an idea of how much the home staging companies charge?? My partner has an empty builder home that is amazing.. but needs some furniture to not look so sterile.. but we wondered if they charged by the room? per month? or what the dealio was..
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