Home Staging: The Winning Way To Sell Your House for More Money

by Barb Schwarz

The way you live in a home and the way you sell it are two different things. That's the premise of Staging*, a concept that teaches you to look at your home through a buyer's eyes and make adjustments to improve its appeal and value.

In any real estate market, Staged homes sell faster or sell for more money--or both. With Home Staging, you'll learn how to play up your home's strong points and improve its presentation. By rearranging furniture, trimming overgrown bushes, painting a room, and clearing out the clutter, Home Staging will help you spotlight your property for a fast, profitable sale.

Filled with organizing tips and checklists, plus before-and-Staged photographs that dramatically show how Staging can transform your home inside and out, Home Staging has all the answers you'll need when looking to increase the sale price of your home.

*Staging is a federally registered trademark of StagedHomes.com

Genres: Nonfiction

240 pages, Paperback

First published February 10, 2006

Reviews

[Katherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting book and very valuable suggestions to anyone who may need to sell their home. This book describes the best way to put away all your personal belongings, photos, knick knacks, clutter, etc. and plan your home to look as neutral and inviting as possible. The book includes proof by showing the numbers and the financial successes of cleaning, organizing, painting and doing repairs to your home before offering it to a realtor or the public. What's more, the before and after photos will inspire and motivate you to have a successful sale.

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

She had a few good tips for getting your house ready to sell, however most of it seemed pretty common sense to me - such as get rid of as much clutter as you can, movie it now because you're going to have to move it later, keep the lights on and the windows open, etc. The photos she provided for examples and inspiration were incredibly outdated.

[Jennifer · Rating 1 out of 5]

Barb Schwarz may have invented home staging, but her strategies seem to be stuck in the past. Although her basic advice, declutter and clean everything, is sound, the photos in the book seem like they came from the 90's, not 2006, when the book was published. I believe her when she says that she's had buyers fall in love with paper plate headboards and raffia tied towels, but I keep wondering when those looks were considered appealing. (Actually, after the first few pages, I skipped the testimonial chapter.)

Part of the book is a sales pitch for why you should stage your house, preferably with a stager she has trained, and hire a realtor listed on her website. She also pitches the idea of "staging for life," ie paring down and living in what looks like a model house. Since staging is all about depersonalizing your house, I find that idea almost depressing. I understand the reasons to stage your house to sell it, but living in a home, for me, is all about having it reflect who I am and how my family lives.

If you want a truly helpful book on home staging that goes beyond "clean and declutter," I recommend Starr Osbourne's Home Staging that Works.

[Aimee · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book is over 200 pages, but reading the last 15 pages should tell you what you need to know. Not much new information here, given the popularity of HGTV. The author's story is interesting, but I would have liked more discussion on addressing odd spaces, and more pictures to highlight her creative solutions.

[Laura · Rating 1 out of 5]

I will save you the trouble of reading this book.
Here's what she suggests--clean your house before you try to sell it, fix things that are broken, get rid of clutter, and if it smells bad, eliminate the source of the odor. That's it folks! Watch Designed to Sell on HGTV instead.

[Trish · Rating 3 out of 5]

Non-Fiction; Home Improvement
2.5 stars

[Duane Leon · Rating 2 out of 5]

A lot of common sense stuff for a good realtor. Much better information on the internet.

[Sharon · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not much info that doesn't seem obvious. Clear the clutter, depersonalize, and imagine what others would see.