10 Questions To Ask When Hiring A Stager

Did you know that all home stagers are NOT created equally? Home Staging is an unlicensed industry, meaning that ANYONE can call themselves a "home stager". Here are some questions you should ask when interviewing potential home stagers to ensure you find the right PROFESSIONAL for the job.

1) Do You Have a Portfolio?

Make sure you are seeing actual photos of their work and not stock photos. This will allow you to see how the stager handles different styles of homes, what quality of furnishings they use in vacant stages, and see the before & afters of owner occupied homes.

2) How long have you been in business?

Separate the experts from the part-time dabblers/novices. Staged Above has been staging for 6+ years in the four-state region and we have helped sell millions of dollars worth of real estate. Stagers with experience have withstood the test of time and will have referrals and testimonials.

3) Can you share several referrals or testimonials?

You wouldn't purchase something, even at a low price point, off of Amazon without first reading the reviews. Staging shouldn't be any different, be sure to find out what their clients are saying about them! 

4) What training do you have?

Home staging is an unlicensed industry, meaning ANYONE can call themselves a home stager. The Real Estate Staging Association (RESA) offers membership to those who have completed an ethics course, abide by the RESA Code of Ethics, and operate under a business license. In addition to RESA, HSRA (Home Staging & Redesign Association) and ASP (The Accredited Staging Professional) also offer different certifications.

5) How do you determine what style to use?

Does your stager have inventory in different styles readily available to match each architectural style and demographic? You don't want dark, heavy traditional furniture in your modern home. You also want to make sure your home is staged with the potential buyer in mind. You wouldn't want young, hip, family decor in a 55+ Community. The stager you choose should have access to a wide variety of furniture and knowledge of the market/area where your home is located.

6) What are your results?

Hire the BEST stager in your market - the one who gets results. An experienced stager should know the stats for their own company, as well as those of the home staging industry. How many days on market for their staged homes vs. days on market for the local board of realtors.

7) Are you Insured?

A professional stager will have liability insurance. This type of insurance will protect you from any potential damage that could happen to your property during staging. If you aren't sure that your stager holds the proper insurance coverages ask them to provide you with a Certificate of Insurance.

8) What are your rates?

Your stager should be able to provide you with their rates and a contract prior to staging the home.  This will clear up any questions and make sure that everyone is on the same page. Keep in mind that the cheapest is usually not the best.

9) How will you help market my home?

Staged Above's professionals are trained to strategically market your home by placing furniture, color, and accessories to highlight the home's assets. We understand the psychology of the target buyer in your area and know what will connect with them and prompt a buying decision. Staged Above isn't here just to stage your home, we will be with you throughout the entire selling process. Your home will be promoted across our wildly followed social media platforms during the entire duration on market. We also partner with our Realtors for Open Houses and Brokers Opens! 

10) What services do you provide?

There are a wide variety of services offered by home stagers. The most common are Owner Occupied Home Staging and Vacant Staging, some stagers also offer redesign services. You should always inquire if they own or rent their staging inventory. Find a stager who is an industry professional, knowledgeable, up to date with trends/training, and who offers you the best service you are looking for.