Staged homes sell more quickly

Surveys show that staging pays off. A recent Homegain.com survey showed the average return on investment for people staging a home is 342 percent.

Hart offers consultations to consumers and REALTORS®, realizing that in today’s economy, not everyone has the money to pay for a stager. On Hart’s web site, there’s a 10-page checklist for consumers or REALTORS® to use as a guide to help stage a home.

“I’m conscious of the economy and I want to work with everyone at every price point,” Hart said. “I want to be part of the team that helps people successfully sell their homes.”

And the success stories of staging continue to mount. Hart recently consulted on the stagings of a high- and a mid-priced home and both sold in one day. “I recently had a consumer who called after her house had been on the market for nine months,” Hart said. “She did everything I suggested and the house sold after two showings.”

Hart said too many home improvement television shows make it seem like it costs a lot to stage a home. “It doesn’t cost a fortune to stage a home properly,” she noted. “Good staging directs the buyers’ eyes to the features of the home, not to the staging. “

Hart has developed what she calls a virtual staging program where consumers can send her photos of their properties and Hart will evaluate them, critique them and offer a consultation to the consumers to help stage the home. It’s an affordable price point for consumers to get expert advice, Hart said.

“I see my job as helping consumers get their house ready to sell,” she added, “not to make money renting furniture.”