08
Mar

Why to Hire a Stager for an Occupied Listing

When you hear the word “staging,” many things come to mind: model homes, luxury properties, rental furniture–and while staging includes all of those things, it is also an important service for the everyday seller. Staging consultations are a great way to start off a listing. At iSearch Decor, we meet with clients at their home to do a walk-through of the property before it goes live on the MLS. 

Let’s be real, a majority of sellers are living in their homes while they are listing it for sale.  Photoshoot, open houses, showings… sellers and their listing agents want to be sure to have a clean, attractive listing for all occasions. Living in a listed property can be a bit hectic; there is this pressure to have a picture perfect home at all times. The sellers personal furniture, decor, and everyday items are on display throughout their listing. With a staging consultation, iSearch Decor conducts a walkthrough  of the home and provides a comprehensive list of tasks to accomplish to make the home listing ready. Tasks for the seller will include everything from painting, having windows washed, and rearranging furniture, to removing religious items and taking down family photos (plus everything in between!)

We have found that it is beneficial to agents to allow us, as a third party company, to come in and offer up these suggestions to sellers. Not only are we professional stagers that consult on thousands of properties, but we are saving the agent some potentially awkward conversations about removing and rearranging their personal items. This allows the agent to maintain a good working relationship with the seller without any tension.

Now let’s get into the details, each staging consultation typically takes 30-60 minutes, depending on the size and condition of the home. During this time, the consultant will walk the property and take detailed notes of recommendations room by room. Throughout the home, we focus on creating an open, bright, clutter-free atmosphere to welcome potential buyers into. We instill to each client that we want the house to be in tip-top shape for the MLS photos, and try to maintain that standard throughout the listing to the best of their abilities. The way a home looks for the photoshoot is so important, especially since the vast majority of buyers are searching for their next home online. Cluttered, busy photos are not going to resonate well with anyone scrolling through–it’s hard to see past the mess or actually be able to appreciate the home when the sellers’ stuff is everywhere.

Does this process sound like something that would benefit your seller or future seller? Head to our home page and click “Schedule Staging Services” where you can input address, client contact info and any relevant information. We will take it over from there and reach out to your client directly to schedule the consultation. Within 24 hours of the appointment, both agent and seller will receive a typed copy of all staging recommendations. We hope you’ll think of iSearch Decor for your next listing!