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Home Staging That Works: Sell Your Home in Less Time for More Money

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I am a professional home stager who is constantly researching for new information. This is a good, basic and informative piece for someone relatively unacquainted with the process. No "wow" thoughts here for anyone who has watched much television or has experience in the business.

As an interior designer and stager, I always read the new books on staging and design. Home Staging that Works was well done and with an interesting twist--target market buyers by age and their likes. However, while I like the concept, I am not sure it is always possible to know what age group is planning on buying your home, so this could be a tricky approach.

That said, Starr Osborne has plenty of practical and good advice to share. She states that we must create the home that buyers want and that you should know who you are staging for.

An example of the target marketing:baby Boomers. According to Osborne, Baby Boomers:
*Want what the Jones' have
*Want plenty of bedrooms separate bathroom for kids
*Want a home office space
* Want a dining room
* Want big houses

The purpose of staging, Osborne says, is to remove the seller's personality and to create a great first impression.

She talks about the importance of cleaning and repairing. Also important is she tells us to talk great photographs of the house, because most people shop for homes on the Internet and that will either draw them in or turn them off.

I do recommend Home Staging. I also recently readAs an interior designer and stager, I always read the new books on staging and design. Home Staging that Works was well done and with an interesting twist--target market buyers by age and their likes. However, while I like the concept, I am not sure it is always possible to know what age group is planning on buying your home, so this could be a tricky approach.

That said, Starr Osborne has plenty of practical and good advice to share. She states that we must create the home that buyers want and that you should know who you are staging for.

An example of the target marketing:baby Boomers. According to Osborne, Baby Boomers:
*Want what the Jones' have
*Want plenty of bedrooms separate bathroom for kids
*Want a home office space
* Want a dining room
* Want big houses

The purpose of staging, Osborne says, is to remove the seller's personality and to create a great first impression.

She talks about the importance of cleaning and repairing. Also important is she tells us to talk great photographs of the house, because most people shop for homes on the Internet and that will either draw them in or turn them off.

I do recommend Home Staging. I also recently read Sell Your Home Fast in a Buyer's Market: Secrets from an Expert Green Feng Shui Staging Designer and think that the two books together will help sell your home even faster, because Sell your Home also includes tips on adding green features, Feng Shui and more cutting edge approaches and think that the two books together will help sell your home even faster, because Sell your Home also includes tips on adding green features, Feng Shui and more cutting edge approaches

It seems silly to me to plan your staging around what age bracket you think, in advance, your home will appeal to or be sold to. While it is a novel approach, it is also a foolish or risky one unless the home resides in a senior citizen's complex where only seniors can buy in or some such place. Sellers would be much better off staging for the masses not for a sub-group within the masses. To suggest otherwise to consumers is not in their best interest. The first 4 reviews of this book were likely written by friends or relatives of the author.

As a prospective buyer, I have toured numerous homes in our area and have been greatly disappointed with the cluttered, tired looking houses that are currently on the market. Each and every one of these home sellers could benefit from reading Starr Osborne's book, regardless of their budget.

Ms. Osborne's practical writing style was a pleasure to read, and I found her suggestions for appealing to the different generations of buyers fascinating. She covers everything from decluttering, to selecting paint colors and landscape plants, as well as what to fix and what to clean. She even gives a formula for figuring out if you have "Too Much Sofa Syndrome." I have yet to see so thorough a book on staging.

The most interesting thought that I took away from reading the book was as follows: "Prospective buyers are probably selling their own home because of some imbalance in their lives...A home is a tool for achieving balance, and it is also a manifestation of the owner's balanced or unbalanced life. Remember that your prospective buyers are searching for balance, and style your home so that it offers a vision of a balanced life." That is what home staging is about, in a nutshell. Excellent book.

We found this book really helpful. The author, Starr Osborne, has a nice writing style (she's funny, for one thing) and sets out a room-by-room "to do" list divided into easy "bites" so that the job doesn't seem so mystifying and/or overwhelming. We especially liked the way she pinpointed how to stage for your target audience, whether you expect to sell your property (in our case, my in-laws' house) to boomers, Gen Xers or even younger buyers. She also includes practical hints and tips on, e.g., how to clean grout or the best paint to use if there's nicotine residue on the walls (Killz!). A very helpful, practical guide.

If you thought that selling your house was a simple matter of cleaning up the backyard and hanging out a for-sale sign, "Home Staging That Works: Sell Your Home in Less Time for More Money" will shock you. And it may just make your home sell for far more than you anticipated.

Starr C. Osborne specializes in getting homes ready for sale, teaching owners to view their property the way a buyer would, and to present the home in a way that appeals to specific demographics.

She emphasizes ways to make the home feel comfortable and appealing, attract buyers over the internet, de-clutter, clean and repair, and highlight its best features.

Advice ranges from how to win over a teenager to the sales idea to picking the right boxes, choosing the best paint colors to appeal to different age groups, clearing away garden clutter, upgrading a bathroom, getting rid of overly personal items and much more. Much of the advice is just common sense, but covers attributes of a home the average owner may have gotten used to and forgotten they were ever a problem.

This is a good book to keep at hand, even if not all the advice will work. Trying to stage a home for a specific demographic, for example, may be out of reach, but cleaning up, picking good colors and making the home more visitor friendly works no matter what the age group you're pitching to.

Selling your home can be nerve-wracking, especially in today's tough real estate market. To protect your biggest investment, you can't afford to put your house on the market without HOME STAGING THAT WORKS: SELL YOUR HOME IN LESS TIME FOR MORE MONEY. This fantastic, user-friendly guide by Starr Osborne, owner of one of the country's most successful staging firms, unlocks the secrets to preparing your house for sale - without the expense of a professional stager.

Staging is the fine art of making your house its most appealing and it's essential because potential buyers will make a split-second decision about whether THEY could live there. Staging is part psychology, part re-decorating, helping you present a home that is clean, uncrowded, neutrally decorated and inviting to a new owner. Tricks-of-the-trade range from easy ("no magnets on the fridge") to unexpected ("no paperbacks on the shelves") to subtle ("three sources of light in every room"). And those who think slipping an apple pie into the oven will do the trick are sadly mistaken: it's a staging no-no: "no smell is a good smell"!

Not only can this book help you sell your house faster and for more money, it can help anyone make their home to make it more comfortable and livable. A fun read and a five-star must-buy!

I am a Philadelphia realtor, and I am a believer! Star did an incredible job staging a home for one of my clients. The homeowner was reluctant. He wanted a premium price. I told him that the cost of staging...several thousand dollars to bring in a lot of furniture and accessories...was cheaper than the first price reduction if the place did not sell. Star did an amazing transformation! Her vision made the most of every room. It was a small house but when it was staged, you could see that there was enough space. The gorgeous pictures on the internet drew lots of buyers! Every buyer was entranced. The staging turned out to be a true bargain. A few months later I found the exact house by the same builder in a better neighborhood that sold for $40,000 less! It amazes me that sellers are still hesitant to paint and stage!

A home is more than just a place to sleep; it's potential. "Home Staging That Works: Sell Your Home in Less Time for More Money" is a guide to home staging, displaying one's home as the full potential. When a buyer walks into your home, they don't just see how it is, they see what it can be with the right design. Presenting one's home as a home, and not just an empty building, is an easy tactic that most realtors agree is the right strategy. "Home Staging That Works" is a choice pick for anyone looking to sell their home.