[IMG]http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/i/1/_/10_questions_for_barb_schwarz_professional_stage_7 66314588/4.gif?f=3dcb3160-01dc-11dc-32a2-0019bbc55f7f&s=AewyNia7NTvDvhaDemju5DEsbnVsbCwwLDA *[/IMG] 10 Questions for ... Barb Schwarz, professional stager
In this installment of 10 Questions for . . . , Associate Editor Kimberly Janeway interviews Barb Schwarz, staging guru and CEO of Stagedhomes.com. Schwarz explains staging and how it helps to sell houses.
Who coined the phrase ?home staging??
I invented the industry 36 years ago. I had an interior design business and then went into real estate in the early ?70s and was shocked at the way the houses looked. I started thinking about decorating houses to sell them. I used my theatre experience to set the scene. Staging is preparing your home so that the buyers can imagine living there with their own things. But most people have too much stuff and they don?t think to put it away. I?ve taught more than one million realtors and decorators about staging via my seminars.
But don?t potential buyers like a house that?s neat but lived in?
Just because you lived in a home one way isn?t the way you sell it. A home becomes a house, then a product to get top dollar. That?s why you do the staging?so the buyer doesn?t look at the stuff, but looks at the space.
What does a stager actually do?
First, I chat on phone with the potential client and then visit the home. I bring my credentials and pictures of my work. I take notes and photos and then I?ll write a proposal. I work on full homes, vacant homes. I have inventory for rent. Usually in lived-in homes you don?t have to buy or rent anything. Staging includes cleaning, packing up stuff, rearranging and moving furniture from one room to another, displaying art, and maybe even painting rooms.

Packing up stuff? What happens to the stuff?
The homeowners might have to get portable storage or box it up and put it in storage and get rid of it for now. Or they can have a garage sale or give things to charity.
Tell me more about staging. What are the steps?
1. Get it clean (stager arranges this or owner does it)
2. Make it clutter-free (seller or stager does it)
3. Use color wisely. Put soft colors, neutrals, on the walls and floors. This expands the size of the room. No red bedrooms, no purple. Put the punch in accessories.
4. Compromise. When you can, put the money in something that?s in poor condition, such as replacing a vinyl kitchen floor that?s in bad shape. But if the bathroom counter is pink, diffuse it and go retro by hanging black hand towels, putting up a new white shower curtain, and painting the walls white.
5. Creativity. Staging is not about spending money. I can stage homes with a ball of rope and a pair of clippers. Angle the bed so that it opens walls and makes the room look bigger. Use nice sheets and pull back the bedspread to show off the sheets.
6. Communication. What is each room communicating to the buyer? Do we have to change the message? Is the room calm, peaceful?
7. Commitment. The seller has to be committed and say they can do this and not be afraid of changes.


How long does staging take?
I work with a team of 6 to 8 people and we?re done in a day. A vacant house also takes a day; a condo, half a day. Painting would be done before we stage.
How much does staging cost?
A consultation fee is about 0 to 0 for a detailed written plan for the customer to do. But if the stager is doing the work, the average cost is ,800, not including renting or buying inventory. Staging is about investing in your investment. Based on a survey we did, 94 percent of staged homes are selling on average in a month or less, while non-staged homes are on the market for an average of 165 days.

Kitchens are a focal point of most homes today. Should old, unattractive appliances be replaced when trying to sell a home in a down market?
Old working appliances aren?t the problem, the problem is when they?re filthy or the color is wrong. If they?re in working order but the color is wrong, have them painted professionally. If the appliance is really grungy, get a new one.

What?s the biggest mistake homeowners make when trying to sell their home?
Not putting the stuff away. Take the bulletin board down with the bills on it. Get all of those photos off the refrigerator. Go through the house and divorce yourself from being a seller and become the buyer.
How do I find a terrific home stager?
Look for a person who tells you how they work. The stager should share their portfolio, have insurance and references for you to call, take credit cards, and give you a legal agreement for the work that?s to be done. Go to the International Association of Home Staging Professionals and type in your zip code to find a home stager. An ASP is an Accredited Staging Professional. An ASPM has a master designation.* Look for those, they have more education.
Essential information: Learn what our experts have to say about buying or selling a home in a rocky real-estate market.
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