You don’t have to spend a lot of money on hiring a home stager. If you are willing to do the work a home stager recommends yourself, then a few hundred dollars investment in a home staging consultation can result in thousands of dollars of return in selling your home and/or thousands of dollars in savings on mortgage, maintenance and taxes as the home could sell sooner than if it had not been improved prior to putting it on the market.

Recently, we received a call from Nancy E. Love, Associate Broker and team member of the Elaine Clayman Group at Brown Harris Stevens to do a home staging consultation at a studio apartment in Brooklyn Heights, New York.

She convinced the homeowner to stage his apartment before putting it on the market by giving him this choice:

“You can stage the apartment and get a higher price or leave it as is and I can aggressively market it at a lower price. However, when you saw the model apartment in the building in which you bought your new apartment, you fell in love. That’s what we want buyers to do with your apartment.”

So, Designed to Appeal came in and spent two hours at an investment of only $300 and left the homeowner, Jack LaFata, with a list of things to do and to purchase. Some homeowners ask us to do all or some of the work, but Jack wanted to do all of it himself.

So he had the apartment painted, decluttered and put things in storage and went shopping for new bedding, throw pillows, a rug and other items. He spent about $1,950 on this and $80 per month in storage, so his total investment in staging, including the consultation, was only 0.7% of the list price.

And it paid off. The results were dramatic as you will see in the pictures below and he should be proud of himself.

Jack received a full price offer during the first week at a private showing, but this ended up not going to contact. He then received an executed contract less than 40 days from the time the apartment went on the market, at 95% of asking price.

Here is what the homeowner had to say about the home staging consultation:

“Donna’s insight and assistance were invaluable in getting my apartment ready to sell. The apartment feels light and airier now, more comfortable, better flow, more coordinated, inviting, and much less cluttered (I don’t even remember what I used all that clutter for to begin with) I wish I’d have thought of staging the apartment earlier for my own enjoyment.”

And here is what the real estate agent had to say about the results:

“We have an accepted offer at close to the asking price. Thank you for your expert staging! We wouldn’t be here without your professional help. Much gratitude and praise (from a long time skeptic of professional staging).”