Home Staging: The Winning Way to Sell Your House for More Money

This is an excellent source for professional home staging or for sprucing up your own home.

I found this book to be very helpful in making my decision to stage my home. Some of the ideas are such a big help and easy to follow.

This book is an easy way to get to understand the power of Home Staging. You get a great insight on how to Stage your own home for sale, but the focus of this book is mostly the author explaining in layman's terms how the real estate market works and how your home has one chance to make a great first impression. And the author clearly explains that "how we live in the house and how we market the house are two different things". The before and after illustrations were helpful. The book explains that by Staging, you make your home appeal to the most buyers. I had to laugh out loud at some of the examples in the book that sounded like she actually was writing about my own home. Mostly about putting away all of our prized possessions and family photos we're all so proud of... And the Staging checklists were especially useful. This book should appeal to anyone who is thinking about selling their home. But I think it also makes a good case for anybody who is thinking about starting a new home based career in Home Staging. There is a real need out there and I think that the author is onto something.

I am serious: you need to read this book. I had a friend sell a condo in Northern California. The area was booming in real estate, and she had a lovely, large condo. Still, she staged her house and she estimates she got more, lots more, for her house than she would have ordinarily. Staging isn't necessarily cheap; if you need to replace carpets, paint and rent furniture, it's going to cost a bit. But the price difference especially in a competitive area will be well worth it. The book has a table on refurbishment costs and their relative payback. But more practically, the book has ideas that don't cost a whole lot except time; for example, clear your basement of junk and set up a tableau of "possibilities" for the space. Go find an inexpensive indoor-outdoor green rug at an outlet store. You could put that and a rented poker table in a bright section of even an unfinished basement to suggest how to use the space. The author suggest boring but essential tasks like "paint your bright colored walls neutral beige even if you love the color" and replacing your worn carpet with neutral beige carpeting or berber. Beds should be made up to look like hotel beds; fold back the covers to show the pretty sheets. And do I need to mention the author tells each home seller to clear out closets, cupboards? It's a pain but it's also your gain. And somehow waving a copy of this in front of the stubborn member of any family who won't cooperate is more authoritative than just nagging about it. Naturally, clutter has to go. The book recommends how to arrange the stuff you do have and what to do to make each room more inviting. If you don't believe the author, take a tour of any new construction houses in your area. Go see the furnished model and then look at an empty model house if possible. One will appeal to you and one will not; yet both houses may be almost equal in value. This is why selling an empty house may not be the best idea. If you are a real estate agent, get a couple copies of this book. It will really help.

If you want to know the inside secrets of selling your house quickly and for top dollar, read this book. If the task of Staging your whole house is too daunting, hire an Accredited Staging Professional. Staging is well worth the return on your investment!