When people think about home staging, the first thing that comes to mind is decluttering. Yes! You must tackle the household clutter, but what does it really mean?

Looking at what buyers and sellers are saying about staging gives us valuable insight into the growing importance of staging on the marketing of residential real estate.

Sellers who begin early can make the right decisions about what to do, and more importantly, what not to do, in order to maximize their return on investment.

Back in November of last year, my husband, Chris, and I achieved the long-desired dream of owning an investment property on the coast.

Décor can be trendy or dated, taste specific, or non-existent. Learn how staging creates a look that appeals to a broad audience, evokes a feeling of wanting to live in the space, and does not detract from the fixed elements of the home.

Have you ever walked into a house and thought the wall color was weird or didn’t make any sense? Beige walls can turn pink, gray walls can turn purple and cream can turn lemon yellow.

The news surrounding the real estate market is all over the place these days. Is it a buyer’s market now? They say it isn’t. Is it still a seller’s market?

One key to success in the short term rental business is to properly design and photograph your property. I recently helped a new investor with a mid-term rental set up.

Realtors who coach sellers to invest the time and effort into staging will sell homes faster and for more money. It’s always been that way, even when homes sold no matter what.

I have a few other loves in real estate and my newest journey, into short term rentals, has been an adventure. As they say, “everyone’s doing it” and I’m here to tell you that it ain’t for the faint of heart. It’s land-lording on steroids with a twist because it’s hospitality too.

Finding space for all the things we do at home and storage for all our belongings can be an exercise in extreme creativity or result in a messy, cluttered home.

“I spoke with the home repairs guys yesterday for the living room ceiling issues we discussed. He said he wouldn’t fix it since it’s just aesthetics…YIKES!

During the coming soon period, buyers can do their research and drive by the house, but they cannot go inside until the home is listed as “Active.”

Many have no idea that their home has an odor until someone tells them. And it’s not their fault. If you live with it, you don’t notice it. The same goes for our clutter and dust.

The real estate market is unprecedented right now and if you are lucky enough to own a home, you may be considering a move to take advantage of the equity you suddenly have.

Video and photography have changed every industry, as well as our everyday personal lives. Sometimes technology changes everything quickly, like in the past 18 months, and sometimes we are a little slower to adopt. Video, and video chat services are integrating into new areas of our lives every day.

After meeting with thousands of homeowners, one thing I know is that the primary bedroom almost never gets the same decorating love and attention as the living spaces and the kid’s bedrooms. That isn’t to say that homeowners don’t all WISH for a special retreat at the end of the day, so, stage that bedroom! You are creating a lifestyle for them.

Homeowners feel so confident in their ability to sell quickly, many are skipping the staging in favor of getting their home on the market more quickly, knowing that the home will sell regardless of what it looks like. Sure, but…

The decision to skip staging leaves the homeowner’s equity in the hands of the buyer, not the seller.