How long does it take to stage a home?
The amount of time spent in home staging depends on the size, layout, number of rooms, extent of renovations (if there’s any), etc. of a house. Sometimes it can take a day, or weeks to complete the necessary changes needed to do in your house.
Your home stager will provide you with the timeline, plans, budget, and materials needed during the staging. He/She will also tell you the features of the house that need emphasis, and the furniture and appliances that need to go. Carefully consider the plans of the stager so you won’t get lost in the way. Knowing the step by step process can keep you from worrying and asking questions repeatedly.
To know everything about home staging will make you appreciate the outcome more. While waiting for your house to transform, here are the things that you can do:
- Find a temporary storage space
This space is for your personal belongings, old furniture and appliances, family photos, and other stuff that can distract buyers once they go about your home. Buyers should not feel that the house still belongs to you, because it can hinder them from imagining it as theirs. It is the job of home stagers to always balance things in parts of the house that needed it.
- Clean
A general cleaning must be performed. This means you must make sure that all corners of the house are cleaned. Closets must be arranged in such a way that it won’t look clogged to make it seem spacious. Walls free of hand marks. New sets of bath towels, curtains, sheets, etc.
- Check for minor renovations
Before discussing plans with your home stager you must perform your own inspection of the house. Check for leaks, holes, dents, etc. So, when you get to speak to the stager, you know the specific locations in the house that need to be fixed.
- Create an inventory
List the things that will stay and the things that will go. This is to prevent you from losing track of your things, especially your expenses. Make a separate list for all the materials and furniture that your home stager provided.
- Keep track of your expenses
This does not compromise the trust between you and your chosen home stager. It’s nice to know where your money goes. Make your own list of expenses so you can watch the actual cost of the labor and materials used.
Home staging requires a lot of patience, but with the help of your home stager, he/she can help you minimize the worries you have. Maximize your communication with your professional stager and/or realtor as you go through the process to avoid misinformation. Trust them and be confident that they will devote their efforts in designing and styling your property.
While they are doing their work observe the changes in your house and compare the ‘before’ and ‘after’ appearance. Once it’s done, you may invite friends to see the changes. Ask for their opinion so may somehow know how will other buyers think as they tour around the house.