SUCCESS

If the words home  aren't familiar to you, you're probably not in the real estate or interior design profession. Just what is home staging? To be precise, it's a process of making changes to a home through the use of furnishings, decorations, landscaping and other means, to make it most appealing for potential home buyers.

More simply put, it's "putting the freshest face on a home."

Staging homes has been a technique used for a while now by savvy real estate professionals to make a house more appealing so that it sells quickly and for maximum returns. And there's good reason for doing this. Staged homes sell more quickly because they present the home's best face, it's greatest potential, to prospective buyers. All it takes is a look at some before and after photos of staged homes to see the difference.

The enhancements offered by those skilled in staging a home for sale can be remarkable. Yet, the changes don't have to be major or break the bank either. Staging a home for sale might mean something as simple as changing the color of a room, or as subtle as adding some plants, fresh flowers and framed artwork.

Why Home Staging Is Important

If you haven't gotten the gist of home staging yet, it's probably best described as making a home appear as clean, fresh and appealing as possible. If you're trying to sell a home, that becomes extremely important.

Why is that?

Beyond the obvious reasons, studies show that home-buying decisions are made within 15 seconds upon entering the house and sometimes even before getting inside. That's the power of first impressions. We've all felt it before -- the feeling that says that this home is the "right spot" (or definitely isn't).

Tips For Staging A Home

Regardless of where you go for home staging advice you'll find some common themes. One of them involves the elimination of clutter.

Did you ever notice that none of the photos in any of those home design or remodeling magazines show any clutter on the countertops or around the rest of the home for that matter? That's because a non-cluttered space looks more appealing, and that's consistent with how people view an inviting home.

Another common home staging strategy is improving the home's curb appeal. You know how it goes -- some homes simply ooze a warm invitation, almost reaching out to you as you drive up. Others are like a common face in the crowd with nondescript features. Then there are those that turn you off immediately, simply by the way they look. Adding some flowers, clean shrubbery and landscaping and perhaps appealing colors can quickly turn the ho-hum home into one that's much more attractive.

Arguably one of the most obvious yet dramatic tips is furnishing an unfurnished home. Empty homes are equivalent to empty-soul homes, looking more like a "house" (read that as, four walls and a roof) rather than a "home".

Publisher's Comments

Who's this Publisher guy and what does he know?

I can personally attest to this last point because I enjoy going on those new 'parade home' open house reviews. I've been in numerous newly-built homes, some furnished and some not. The feeling that a furnished home evokes compared to an unfurnished one is remarkable. Not only does it help me visualize how it can be lived in, it hits me at a more emotional level, which is really how a lot of buying decisions are made.

If you're selling a home that has no furnishings, I think most home staging professionals will tell you to get it furnished. That doesn't mean you have to buy new furniture either. Home staging also involves the use of rented furnishings too.

Finding The Right Professionals

No one says you have to have a professional stage your home, but those trained in the discipline know what to look for to make the right kind of improvements. Using the basic tips will help but finding the right subtleties on putting that look over the top might be best suited for those with experience.

Even if you're not intending to sell your home, a home staging expert might be a good resource who can simply make your home look it's best, with fresh ideas and insights.

And then again you might not even need need professional staging help. Just paying attention to some simple home decorating tips can ensure that the home looks updated, warm and inviting, and that's what staging a home is really all about. If you want some ideas for home decorating, check out DreamHomeDecorating.com. It's a great source for insight on decorating ideas for virtually any room in the house.