Unless a trusted friend or realtor has recommended a professional home stager, you will likely have to find one yourself to help you sell your home at the best possible price.
Although it might seem overwhelming, the whole process can be made a lot easier if you know the right questions to ask potential home stagers. Here are some questions you should always ask before you hire a home stager.
1. Do you have any current references?
You will want to obtain some current references and actually call them. You want to hire someone who knows what they’re doing and has done staging work before. If they’re new, you will want to know who they learned from, and if they have had any clients. Ask the references if they were happy with the staging and if they would hire the home stager again.
2. Do you have a portfolio?
When it comes to hiring a professional stager, pictures are a great way to see what kind of work they’ve done in the past. Someone who’s been in business for longer than a minute should have before and after photos for all the homes they’ve staged. They should also be able to explain why they moved or removed certain items, and why they have added what they did. Always make sure that the photos you are shown are actually of the stager’s work.
3. How do you structure your fees?
Each home stager is different and may charge by the room, hourly, or job. Find out ahead of time how they will determine their fee.
4. Are there any other fees involved?
You don’t want to be surprised at the end of the job to be handed a bill for extra expenses. Always ask if there are additional fees for prop and furniture rental, travel, and any other expense the stager might accrue. Get everything in writing before you hire someone.
5. What do you need me to do before you arrive?
The answer to this question will depend upon the home stager. You might have to do nothing, or they may ask you to box up and remove everything personal. When you’re paying by the hour, it’s best for you to do as much as possible yourself.
6. Do I need to be present for the staging?
Some stagers want the owner to be present while others don’t want the homeowner there. Of course, if you don’t feel comfortable leaving someone in your home while you’re not there, tell them that. It’s your home. If that person doesn’t like working with the owner present, you might need to find another stager.
7. How long will the process take?
This answer can be hard to estimate ahead of time, but most professional stagers with any experience can give you a rough guess of how long it will take. If your house is large or you have a lot of things to box up, it could take a while.
8. Are you insured?
Anytime you have someone in your home to move your possessions around, you want to know they have insurance in case of damage. You should ask for their insurance policy and call the company to verify it is current.
9. If you can’t stage my home, can you recommend someone who will?
Some stagers only stage vacant homes, while others only do consultations where they tell you how to do the staging yourself. Ask before you hire. If the stager cannot do the job for you, ask if they can recommend someone who can, or if you plan to do most of the work yourself, you can ask the stager if they recommend paint colours, curb appeal improvements, or interior updates.
