Has anyone used a Home Staging company? Advice and recommendations please

[FreckledLeopard]

My property is on the market. Tenants have just moved out and the place is empty. The photos we have on Rightmove, I don't think do it justice. Link is here

I really need to sell and am considering using a Home Staging company to come and 'dress' the property, furnish it and hence make it more marketable.

Has anyone used one of these companies? Any notion of what it might cost and any recommendations?

[specialsubject]

I'll save you some money here... (and I think I remember this place from a while back...)

the bedrooms are the issue as they look tiny.

for the bedroom with the fitted wardrobe - put in a double bed IF it is still possible to get round it. IF there is room, add matching bedside tables and lamps.

for the other one, do the same - at the moment it is obvious that with the wardrobes as they were, it would be a struggle to open the doors. So make that room also look like a feasible double.

the other rooms - perhaps less fussy curtains and a better bathroom photo.

kick your agent; the size of the bedroom into the wardrobe is a stupid measurement. How big is it really? And everyone knows that 'deceptively spacious' means tiny so get rid of that phrase.

no charge. :-)

[Islagiatt]

My two-penneth! have thought about setting up business of staging a home, but we know what thought did!

Pic 1 - Don't know from first picture what property I'm supposed to be looking at. I assume its the bit in the middle, and the entrance is the little porch to the right?

Pic 2 - would suggest I get all three garages.

Pic 3 - Would expect this to be of the entrance hall and floorplan shows stairs which would emphasise that this is a maisonette and not a flat. (Also floor plan shows a big landing upstairs next to bedrooms and this isn't shown either)

Picture of bathroom (presume from upstairs? why is is the first internal photo?) - needs some colour and 'stuff'. Would suggest a shower curtain with some colour in it then pick this up with a couple of towels, soaps, etc. flooring looks a bit outdated - maybe update flooring.

Pic 4 - downstairs loo - taps looks old, flooring etc and is the wall colour peach? If you can't redo then - paint, new taps, new flooring and something on the walls. Don't need to spend $$$.

Pic 5 - kitchen - why was the picture taken from within the kitchen and not at the door - looks tiny. Remove curtains and put up blinds. If you can retile the walls or think about adding some colour. Can't see flooring but new flooring can make a huge difference.

Pic 6 - Wardrobes look out of place and are odd which distracts the eye. Why is there a mirror half way up a wall? Update colours, new bedding, new blinds/curtains.

Pic 7 - ^^ as above - put a bed back between the wardrobes and move the twin beds into the other room. Pick a colour - get new bedding and lamps and curtains.

Pic 8 - Why is all the furniture pushed into one corner? Need to add some colour - new cushions, new curtains, lampshades.

I don't think there is anything seriously wrong, just as you say, needs some dressing. I think you can do it and then get the agents to redo pictures and will sell in no time (hopefully).

[yawningbear]

I don't think you need to use a company but it does need some changes to be made.

I'd agree that with the external pics it is hard to know what is yours. The bedrooms do look tiny and cluttered when they probably aren't that small.

I would take out most of the furniture, wardrobes, single beds etc and have two doubles with lovely bedding but not worry too much about having lots of other furniture. The teddy bear definitely needs to go.

The kitchen curtains look dated and it needs some accessories. Either put some kitchen things in from your own home or buy some that you will want to use once you have sold. Replace curtains with a blind perhaps. Also lampshades are making it all look dated. The bathroom photos are the worst I think, especially photo two. The bathroom needs some attention and new photos taken definitely.

If anywhere needs painting, do it in white and add in some house plants maybe. Keep it simple. I think it could look lovely but it does need a little bit of TLC. Hope that helps and good Luck with your sale.

[yawningbear]

Meant to say, I would just push the singles together and dress as a double, no one will know.

[FreckledLeopard]

The property now, though, is empty. It's all in a good state of repair and more photos of hallways, landings etc are going to be done.

It's more a case of what I do about it being empty now that the tenants (and their brown/beige furniture) have left, and more photos are needed? I don't live that near (about an hour and a half away) - is it worth me hiring a van, buying furniture cheaply from gumtree or freecycle, 'dressing' the place and then trying to sell furniture at the end (when it sells)? Or, would it just be easier (and not much more money) to out-source it all, get people in to 'dress' and 'stage' the place and give it its best chance of selling?

[cavell]

If you get people in to "stage" the place, you will still end up paying for the accessories used (e.g. new towels, bedding, toiletries, kitchen props). Depends how much money you have to spare, but I would think it worth driving over for a day to sort it out. And I wouldn't be thinking of buying new furniture, but more of removing and/or rearranging what is there already.

[cavell]

Sorry, didn't read your later post properly - the flat is completely empty now?

Hmmm... I would just make sure it was spotless and partially "dress" the bathrooms and kitchen. E.g. new towels, nice handwash, perhaps some pretty storage jars for the kitchen and a couple of pictures to brighten it up.

[ArabellaBeaumaris]

So now the tenants have left there is no furniture & it is empty? I would go for the home staging company tbh - depends how important money versus time is!

[Alwayscheerful]

Your property is a blank canvas, there is no need to furnish or use a home staging company but you do need to go and check all the walls and touch up any of the magnolia paint and ensure the property is spotless.
The curtains are fussy and dated, go to Laura ashley or Dunelm and replace with something classic. Try TK Max for contemporary lampshades or light fittings. Make sure the kitchen is spotless and the sink is shiny. Buy nice fluffy towels and new tea towels and a few kichen accessories. Throw away any clutter the tenants have left behind, then get the agents back to take new photos. Remember you are selling a lifestyle and I think that you should try and aim for buyers wanting a low maintenance, contemporary property which requires next to no work. I had no idea which property was for sale.

[yawningbear]

I hadn't realised the property was now empty when I posted. I still wouldn't bother with a staging company but I would do as Alwayscheerful suggests.

[Cosmosim]

I would have a measuring tape and typical sizes for x type of beds, sofas etc. maybe even outline the mattress areas in masking tape.

It is very hard to picture how big the mattress / bed will be for most people.

Our old place looked huge without furniture, our new place looked small without furniture and we couldn't believe after our stuff was in that it somehow looked bigger.