Ask Ann: Home staging team can work magic

Have you seen a large box truck driving through your city with the phrase StagingMagic on its side? If so, it was probably headed to a nearby neighborhood to stage another home to sell.

According to the International Association of Home Staging Professionals and the National Association of Realtors; 2015 Profile of Home Staging, professionally staged homes sell faster and for more money. In fact, StagingMagic, the proprietary staging service of Ann Hoke and Associates Keller Williams, goes a long way toward helping homes we list sell 46 percent faster and for more money.

So what is staging? In simplest terms, staging is a process that repositions existing furnishings and introduces new ones into the home; creating an ambience that will appeal to as many prospective buyers a possible.

Have you ever walked into a home that felt “just right?” Sure you have — and that should be the goal of every home that wants to maximize its value. Staging plays a big role in meeting that objective.

For years, our team has offered free staging for homes that we list. On average, we spend about $1,500 per home to provide this customized service to our clients.

Make no mistake — real staging consists of much more than a “free” hour or two of market-ready consultation. Our team invests several hours and hundreds of dollars in readying a house for sale at no cost to the owner.

We begin by developing a list of action items that are necessary to make the home market-ready. Although the recommendations are included as part of the staging process, the actual cost of the home improvements are paid by the homeowner.

This may include removing clutter, home repairs, cleaning carpets, updating countertops, fresh paint, and other similar items. It is critical that selected improvements are in style with current trends (including any accent colors or finishes).

After the market-ready preparations are complete, the staging team skillfully works their magic on the home. They will reposition small furniture and other home accents to generate a stronger buyer interest.

Usually they will introduce texture into uninteresting spaces by adding plants, candles, pillows, stone or other accessories to add personality and warmth.

Rather than ask the seller to buy items to stage their home, our team will supplement the in-home furnishings with a selection of small furniture and accessories. These items are loaned for free from our 10,000 cubic foot StagingMagic warehouse.

So the next time you pass by our StagingMagic truck, you should know where it’s going — to stage another home that will soon be listed to sell faster and for more money.

Ann Hoke leads the award-winning residential real estate team at Ann Hoke & Associates Keller Williams. For more information or comments, contact her at 615-397-4024 or AskAnn@AnnHoke.com.