What to Look for when Hiring a Professional Home Stager

So you're thinking of getting your home staged before putting it on the market but you're unsure of whom to choose. As a Professional Home Stager serving the Central Florida and Orlando area who has worked with many clients I can tell you what they were looking. Read my checklist to equip yourself with the right questions for both yourself and the Stager.

Checklist for Hiring a Professional Home Stager:

The list below suggests that you've found some potential candidates. If you haven't simply do a google search on "home staging" or "home stager" including the city and state you live in. Depending on where you live, you should find a few to choose from.

1.If you found them online, did they have a professional website? This is key. Anyone in the decorating, staging or design field understands the importance of a clean site that provides all of the necessary information clients may require. Some may or may not provide pricing and that is okay. With staging pricing always varies per home based on square footage, location, and general flow of the home and of course if it is vacant or occupied.

2.Did the stager(s) come recommended to you by a trusted friend, realtor or another Home Stager who perhaps wasn't available? You might have been doing a search and found them yourself and that is fine. A referral is a great way to go if you can get one. My business is built largely on the recommendations of previous clients and realtors who I have worked with and who were happy with the results.

3.Were they Courteous and Professional on the phone? Like any business professional they should exude professionalism on the phone as well as in person. They should be able to provide you information on their services and confidently speak on pricing and how they operate.

4.Do they have a portfolio? It is important to see some of a stager's work before hiring them on or even setting up a consultation. Remember the portfolio is a sample of their work and like your home, it is likely better shown in person, than in small photo. Ultimately though you are looking for the before and after transformation and an obvious, positive difference in the home. Be wary if a Stager does not have a sample of their work. This either means they are not proud of any of their work or worse-they are a new to the business and have not done any work at all.

5.Did they present themselves well? Well all have bad days now and then but did they come dressed professionally to the consultation? Were they put together and tidy? After all you want this reflected in your home! You want a hard worker with an eye for detail. Having said that they don't need to be head-to-tie in super trendy clothes or designer labels. Stagers are real people, the idea is that the present the right image-clean, neat, organized and committed to sell your home.

6.Do you feel comfortable with them? So now you have decided to meet for a consultation. Do they give you the warm fuzzies? Do they listen to your needs, understand your budget and your timeline? Do they sound confident and do they explain why they would change various areas of the home? It is as important to know why something needs to be changed, as it is to know what needs to be altered. Would you trust them in your home with your belongings?

7.Testimonials Speak Volumes- Does your stager in mind have any testimonials on their website? While not every client will wind up providing a stager with a testimonial there has to be some proof of their work. Many of my clients move out of state or get busy and I keep hearing " I promise to send one your way!" without ever receiving. If they don't have a client testimonial perhaps they have a realtor testimonial for a home they sold? Ask for someone that has promised to give them a good referral and follow up by calling them.

8.What is the Stager's Stats? How effective was their staging effort? Some homes regardless of staging can sit for longer periods due to their location next to a highway etc however you need to have some indication they can get your home sold in "2 weeks" or that the home sold for "98% of asking price". These are good signs that the staging is effective and their clients are satisfied.

You are now armed to go out and hire the right organizer! Feel free to ask them questions about how they got into staging, or what their background is. If they are anything like me, Staging chased THEM down! Passionate about design and décor and well as real estate this business made so much sense for me. A born organizer (literally!) who started this business with the intention of helping clients get free from clutter and stress I found myself staging and now Florida Home Staging is a preferred home staging company in Central Florida!