Staging is "the process of preparing a house to be sold. Staging can be as simple as moving furniture around - or as elaborate as hiring an opera singer to perform. The scale varies, but the purpose is the same - to sell the house."
- New York Times, July 26, 1998.

History

The origins of Staging® began as early as 1976 when an innovative Real Estate Professional named Barb Schwarz from Bellevue, Washington, recognized the challenge that existed for real estate agents of how to help the sellers best prepare their homes for sale. Barb began educating sellers on how to "Set the Stage" to get the property sold for the top dollar and in a shorter amount of time. Barb coined the phrase "Staging®" for the first time and holds the Federally registered US Government trademark for Staging®. Since those early experiences, Barb has educated agents all over the world about Staging® and offers a certification program for real estate professionals to become educated on how to best help their clients stage a home. You can learn more aboutBarb Schwarz at www.StagedHomes.com.

Although it's origins were in the late 70's, Staging® increased in popularity in the early 1990's when the real estate market was sluggish and listing times were long. Frustrated realtors and home sellers turned to formal staging to create the look and feel they needed to attract a broader range of buyers. As the market improved, realtors and sellers alike recognized that Staging® could give them a marketing advantage over non-staged homes, whether in a strong or weak economy. Staging® now is established in several cities around the country, most notably in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Washington, Miami and New York.

What's involved

Staging can range from simply removing clutter and rearranging furniture to totally redecorating and re-furnishing all the rooms in a home - generally through the use of rented furnishings and accessories.

Costs of staging

Costs of staging vary depending on the level of service required. Some home sellers simply pay for advice from professional stagers who charge an hourly fee. Other sellers and realtors prefer to have professional stagers do all the work and arrange for all necessary furniture rental and decorating and repair services. Staging on this scale could range from $500 to over $25,000 depending on the size, condition, and asking price for the home and the time it is on the market.

Benefits of staging

Staged homes tend to sell much faster and often for substantially higher prices than comparable homes that have not been similarly prepared for sale.