Home Staging That Works: Sell Your Home in Less Time for More Money

by Starr C. Osborne

In this game-changing book, author Starr C. Osborne shares secrets that staging consultants don’t want you to know for yourself, which will help you save money during the sales process and maximize the value of your home. As one of America’s most successful staging experts, Osborne knows what staging tricks cause buyers to fight over a property. Home Staging That Works provides specific recommendations on what to do, keep, chuck, fix, paint, replace, avoid, update, show, hide, highlight, and more. You’ll learn how An amazing 91 percent of real estate professionals say professional staging is the way to go. Complete with photographs of real-life before-and-after transformations, Home Staging That Works offers strategies for each room in your home as well as conceptual approaches to bring the parts together beautifully and make the right buyer fall in love.

Genres: Nonfiction, Design

224 pages, Paperback

First published March 24, 2010

Reviews

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

What sets this book apart from other staging guides, and many hgtv shows, is the insight that buyers are younger than sellers, and that you can market your house more effectively by knowing what appeals to that younger generation. Simple and brilliant way of framing the issue. I had never thought of staging in those terms before, but upon reading the first chapter, it was obvious to me who the potential buyers are in my neighborhood.

Starr Osborne does devote chapters to thorough cleaning and decluttering, but it is her knowledge of what the different generations are looking for in homes that makes the book worth reading. She gives lists of dos and don'ts for outdoor spaces, paint choices, artwork, furnishings, and room usage. Definitely, I will be implementing these ideas before I put my house on the market.

[Jamie Hatch · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although it had some good ideas, it isn't a fool proof plan. Somethings are too generalized and others not detailed enough. I'm not sure some of the ideas work in all markets. For example, I HATE homes that need lamps for basic lighting, and she recommends capping all ceiling lighting unless its over a table. After that recommendation, I had to take everything else with a grain of salt. I'm from generation X and few if any of the characteristic she labeled for my generation fit me, so it made me wonder how well she pegged other generations, and if it was really worth trying to hit that market.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Informative, but not the book for someone with a modest home. To follow all of the staging techniques recommended wouldn't be worth the cost and effort for the return on investment. I'm not selling my home - the book just caught my interest. I've done a couple of cheap recommendations already just so my home is nicer to live in.

[Shari Craddock · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little dated but many helpful and timeless tips

[kristin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very practical

Many books I've reviewed try to sell you on the importance of staging with some pointers. This book gave the reader specific, step by step instructions, and suggested tools, to stage the house yourself.

[Beth Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an excellent, easy to read guide to getting your home ready to sell. I found her theories about the different generations of buyers very interesting. If you are thinking of selling your home, this book is well worth your time, in my opinion. Lots of practice ideas here.

[Liz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Had some good advice which we will definitely take to heart but of course some of the information is dated, especially relating to staging for different generations.

[Erin Galvin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Has some good information, but is a bit dated

[Patty · Rating 2 out of 5]

It would have been far more useful if it was better organized and geared towards a reader that doesn't have time. Dear author: Practice what you preach and know your audience before you write a book just as you suggest for people staging their homes.

The book had some good tips, but it was an organizational train wreck. There was content on how to stage each room sprinkled throughout the book. Plus, you had to read through paragraphs of text for information that would have been easier to use if it was called out in billeted lists. Seriously, don't give me a novel on staging. Give me easy to use action items and short blurbs on why it's recommended--nobody has time to read your story about how to stage. I kept finding random nuggets of information that I would have missed if I had scanned the book.

Also, don't tell me to visually balance a room with the furniture/paint color and call that good information. If I knew how to do that, I would be an interior designer. SHOW me with before and after pictures.

[Cindy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely a thorough and convincing book about preparing your home for sale with added profit (she claims $600,000 in one case). The last chapter, a synopsis of what to do if you only have 2 weeks is notable. However, the amount of money one needs to stage according to these standards is significant so it is written for homeowners who have hundreds of thousands if not a million or more invested in their homes. It can be toned down, however, for those with homes under $500,000. Well worth the read.

[Trish · Rating 4 out of 5]

Non-Fiction; Home Improvement
4 stars

This book is great for understanding the use value of staging to sell. It helps you to disengage yourself from the emotional attachment to your 'home' so you can sell the structural space of your 'house.'

It is divided into do-able steps and places emphasis on the things that buyers will be looking at when considering your house for purchase.

I enjoyed this book and would recommend it.

[F.S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

A truly useful book on home staging - lots of great ideas. Some interesting points about generational differences in what's looked for in a home. Even if you're not thinking of selling, you can use this book to figure out how to improve your living space for yourself.

[Lizlemon70 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great resource for sellers and real estate agents who want to give their clients staging recommendations. Lots of great ideas, but as other have mentioned, to do everything would be too costly for most people. This will stay in my library and I will recommend to my seller
clients.

[Julia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good timeline for cleaning/decluttering and helpful (if generalized) ideas about what different generations of buyers are looking for in a home.