Why Stage To Sell when someone is going to live in the house while it is on the market?

You have straightened and cleaned your home. It looks better than it does when company is coming. Day to day you are keeping it straight and clean.

Why should you consider taking the time and absorbing the expense of bringing in a Stager?

Because of human nature.

Because your house is your Home. Gradually, over the time you have lived there, the furniture arrangement, the colors and the decorative items have been tuned to your use of Space and your Lifestyle.

When potential buyers walk up to the front door and into your house, they see you, your family, your Lifestyle.

And that is going to make it difficult for them to imagine themselves living in this place where you so obviously live.

Stagers are trained, and have the experience, to remove just enough of you to make the house feel welcoming to the largest, most generic number of potential buyers possible. And we are trained, and have the experience, to leave just enough of you that those same buyers will feel they know, and like, you.

For example, let's assume you have a collection of porcelain bird figurines. You have tiny birds, you have big birds, you have the State Bird of all fifty states. In all, you have 107 bird figurines. There are birds in every room in your house. There are hummingbirds on the kitchen and bathroom counters, goldfinches on the coffee table, chickens peek out from behind books on the shelves, buntings flock on the dining room table, a life-sized eagle with spread wings and gaping beak stands in front of your fireplace, birds cluster on the occasional tables you purchased just to display your lovely collection.

And, it is lovely. Your guests really enjoy exploring the flocks. You feel good every time you walk into a room and see the birds. Your home is Staged To Live and those belong.

But, all those birds do not work in a house that is Staged To Sell. Because it is human nature to stop, examine, and understand large groups of small things, potential buyers are going to look at the birds. The visual space taken up by the bird figurines will make buyers feel the room is small. Buyers will not be able to imagine themselves living in the house because most of them cannot imagine living surrounded by bird figurines. Yes, on one level they understand the birds will not be there when they live in the house. But, because there are so many birds, buyers will have difficulty imagining them gone.

Buyers are going to start anticipating bird figuines as they enter each room. They are not going to see the room because they are hunting for birds.

When I Stage your house, I am going to suggest most of the birds need to be packed away. I may keep a grouping of three birds out to decorate your mantle. Another small group of birds may find a home on the dresser in the master bedroom. Potential buyers are going to notice, but not be distracted by, the small groupings. Buyers will understand you love and collect bird figurines. So, they will feel they know a little bit about you.

Once the bird figurine population has been reduced, I am also going to address those extra occasional tables. Those tables take up both visual and physical space which, again reduces the perceived size of the room. Some of the tables may fill empty space in other rooms. Some of the tables may need to be stored out of sight.

Potential buyers are going to see and appreciate the Space in the room. They will be able to imagine themselves living in the house. You are going to move closer to a sale.

Oh, and yes, it is sad, but that wonderful life-sized eagle...the one protecting the fireplace...is going to startle, intimidate, or distract some buyers. It needs to be put out of sight until it can again fly free in your new home.