Do Your Own Home Staging. Tina Parker

      After selling real estate for several years, I found myself searching for new ways to set myself apart from other agents. I tried different marketing tools before deciding to attempt the new and still fresh method of home staging. Home staging was, and still is, misunderstood by many agents. After several interviews and meetings with prospective home stagers, I happened upon Tina Parker. I was immediately drawn to Tina and her enthusiasm towards her work. She was the only stager that I got a genuine feeling of competency from.

      I have often entered a home and felt that the house was beautiful and showed extremely well, and yet I would still feel that something was missing and be unable to pinpoint the issue. Tina’s innate ability to convey her knowledge of home staging concepts to both myself and home owners allowed me to uncover and resolve these issues, and therefore market properties to a wider range of clients. These homes often sold closer to their list prices with reduced time on the market. By staging a home prior to listing it, sellers can have a positive impact on the market immediately, as opposed to taking a “let’s see what happens” approach. The latter marketing blunder often stigmatizes a home and allows initial prospects to slip away.

      The best home stagers can not only picture how the room will appear the most attractive, but can also create a lifestyle for prospective buyers. Homes will be judged by how they look and how they feel, which means that both are a part of setting its market value. The market value of a home is set by the buyer. Most home owners expect top dollar for their home; however, they are not willing to put in the time, effort, or money needed to make the property marketable. Many will take the initiative to paint and decorate the home to their tastes, but will ultimately choose the wrong colors and furniture placement. Individual styles vary, so it is invaluable to draw on the resources of someone who studies the market and knows what buyers are looking for. Home staging will keep your home fresh and ahead of the competition.

      I have used Tina’s services consistently and with great success for the last few years. She is very creative and insightful, and can make the smallest of rooms look large and the darkest of rooms look bright. I have always said, “You have one chance to make a first impression.” After using Tina’s services, I realize you can stage your home to make the best possible first impression.

      This book is an invaluable resource for anyone selling a home. It is an investment that you will not regret.

       Sherry Shaddock

      Introduction: How Home Staging Chose Me

      I am naturally a creative thinker, who constantly comes up with solutions to challenges and ideas for how to do things better. I cannot help it. There are four or five ideas developing in my mind at any given time!

      My ability to create was nurtured as a young child; I started learning about scale, color, texture, balance, and composition at the age of five. I primarily used pencil or charcoal to draw people and landscapes in intricate detail, but I also used sculpture, etching, and painting as creative outlets. Throughout my life I’ve applied these skills to various experiences in order to see both the details and the big picture.

      Although I chose an education in marketing and have worked in various industries, my passion for home improvement and interior decorating led me to use my creativity throughout the years to solve challenges my friends and family had in their homes. I jumped at opportunities to use my talents and gain valuable knowledge of home decor through various experiences working with and helping others. It wasn’t until I owned my own homes, however, that I really thrived on the before and after results of home improvement and began to use these skills to make a considerable profit.

      I am excited that the act of getting a home ready for a quick sale now has an identity. Home staging puts to use my creativity, talent, passion, education, and work experience; some of which includes interior decorating, home improvement, target marketing and consumer demographics, consumer relationship management, and graphic design. All of these factors have come together to successfully support and develop my home staging business, which I started after I acquired my Certified Staging Professional designation in April 2006.

      The opportunity to take a product such as real estate and develop it into a hot commodity to sell in today’s intelligent marketplace is exciting. Every property is different and provides various challenges that require me to develop creative solutions. Every project requires strategy, creative process, enthusiasm for challenges, and the desire to help sell each property as though it is my own. Home staging and I are a perfect fit.

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      Maximize Your Chances for Success: Make the Most of This Book

      In 2007 I put the ideas and concepts of this book into action and sold my home within three days, for 98 percent of the asking price. The best part of my experience was the confidence I felt when it went onto the market. I had peace of mind; I knew it would sell fast, and I found the whole process relatively easy and stress free.

      This book is designed specifically with you in mind: the average, busy, working person. I am married and have two active young boys, I volunteer, and I run a successful business — so I know what busy is too. I provide reasonable advice on how to best prepare a home for the market. I don’t tell you to do anything I could not do myself. This book contains everything that I advise clients, including creative ideas, solutions, and suggestions for how to acquire the basic skills required to carry out the work.

      My approach to preparing a home for sale has always been a combination of proven staging techniques and target marketing strategies. After all, you are selling a product. You don’t need to be a professional to stage a home, but you do need to be a little bit creative. If you have physical restrictions, no access to help, or challenges (as described later in the book), you may want to seek assistance from professionals. It won’t cost you any money if you figure in what you’ll save if you hire them.

      This book will also give you all of the information, tips, techniques, and checklists that you need to bring your house up to today’s high market expectations. You can copy and modify the checklists provided in the appendixes, and use them as you follow this book. You may find it helpful to organize everything in a binder so you can keep track of what you need to do during the process of selling your house and moving to your next home.

      The Sequence of Events in the Home Staging Process

      There is no way for anyone to write out a complete priority list to help you with the complicated task of prepping your home for sale, because there are so many variables that can change or may be unique to you and your family.

      The best way to make this transition as stress free as possible is to make an effort to be flexible. Flexibility is the key to overcoming any challenges that may come your way. The following priority list is put together to offer you some guidance and to help you navigate through the staging process:

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