SETTING STAGE FOR SALES

By John W. Goodwin Jr.

Prepping homes to move fast is big business

Staging has become more common in the Mahoning and Shenango valleys.

Lisa Dickson, owner of Stage It 2 Sell It, has been in the interior decorating business for several years and is now in the business of staging homes for sale. Her staging work is featured in the newly released book, “Home Staging For Dummies,” by Christine Rae and Janice Saunders Maresh.

“I thought this was very exciting and an honor to have my work included in the book,” she said. “The reason it was included in the book is because in 2007, I won the 2007 United States Innovator of the Year title for the work shown in the book.”

Home staging is the act of preparing a private residence before it goes for sale. The goal of staging the home is to sell it quickly, and for the most money possible by attracting the highest amount of potential buyers.

Dickson said staging differs from interior design in that decorating is to one’s particular tastes, but staging removes the owner’s personality from the home and allows potential buyers to see their own vision.

According to Dickson, staging started with affluent people in Hollywood and other parts of California, but has slowly gained popularity across the country and is steadily growing in the Mahoning Valley.

“The trend is really taking off, especially with the difficulties in the market. People are going to do whatever is necessary to make the property move,” Dickson said.

“Staging has evolved into a really scientific operation with lots of study on buyer behavior and other things in the industry. A lot of people think that if a house looks good and is decorated, it’s staged — and that is just not the case.”

When Dickson or any person in the staging industry steps into a room, everything becomes significant. The color of the walls are an issue. The placement of furniture must be perfect, and lighting is a science in itself.

As an example, Dickson points to her work featured in the book.

Readers first see a family room left as most people would leave it, decorated but not staged. A turn of the page shows the same room after staging has taken place.

Dickson said staging is not an easy concept and she is not concerned that featuring her work in the book will give away any secrets of what she does.

“Because staging is so involved, the book does not replace the need for a professional,” she said. “It’s like buying a book on plumbing and you have never used a screwdriver before. You are still going to need a professional plumber.”

Patty Massare, real estate broker with Century 21 in Canfield, said even those homeowners determined to prepare their home for sale could use some coaching from an expert in home preparation.

“One of the most important things about staging is the cleaning-out part. Sometimes it takes a stager to convince the owner to go in and clean things out so everything looks fresh and new,” she said. “It’s a tough market and buyers have a lot more choices. You need your home to stand out.”

For those who think staging may not be cost effective, Dickson said having a home staged always costs less than the first drop in price a homeowner is forced to make because the house is not drawing enough interest. Her cost varies by the job, the rooms and other factors, she said.