Staging a property

[Samantha J Foy]

Hi, 

I have done a few flip houses and I have staged them minimally with a few items like towels, baskets, flowers inside etc.  I think I would like to move into staging the living rooms and the primary bedroom. Do you have any pointers on moving into this space? Anyone purchase the furniture themselves? Do you feel like it is worth it? I'm wondering if my market warrants the staging expense. Thanks!

[Shannon Mogilinski]

We stage every house every time...If you have an area that may cause questions 'Can a queen bed fit in here' or 'Where do I put the TV' or 'How do I center up the room'...staging is crucial.  It enhances the hard work you have put into the property and can distract from sore spots.  That said, I always stage BUT like many other comments around flipping, your point to the market is relevant.  I sell between $500 to just under a million dollar homes.  If I were selling $250k-$450K in MY market (Chicago suburbs) I would still stage if the budget allowed but lower ARVs can have smaller budgets.  In that case, do minimal touches--if nothing else I mentioned applies.  I wholeheartedly believe in a GOOD on-trend staging co. (I use Chicagoland Staging) and would not do it if the furnishings were anything but on-trend.  My comment on doing it yourself, i.e. buying furniture, is that besides the logistics, every space will have different needs most likely.  Putting a sofa that is too small or too large in your space will not be beneficial. You may find, as I have, that the first decision to stage is the hardest but when done well data supports a quicker sale and more showings.  We would agree.  Also, in this hot buying market for the last three years, I only need the first month and my listing pictures.  After that, you can always de-stage if needed before you sell. Best of luck