You can find a home staging professional near you by searching for pros online. Start by reading their customer reviews to find out if they have a good track record. Also, read their online profiles to find out what they include as part of their services. For example, do they offer advice or services for: 

• Decluttering?
• Rearranging furniture?
• Painting?
• Updating finishes?
• Flooring improvements?

On their profiles, you should also find photos of previous home staging projects they worked on. Look at those images so you can judge whether the pros provide high-quality work. 

If you’re convinced there are a few home stagers who are reputable, qualified and good at what they do, contact them and ask for free estimates. 

Home staging is the real estate strategy of decorating your home to be as marketable as possible to your target demographic. Home staging is done by interior decorators and other design pros hired by the homeowner or realtor, prior to putting a house on the market. Think of it as setting the stage for potential buyers to fall more easily in love with their future homes — and to spend top dollar to get them. It’s likely to be worth the investment: The Real Estate Staging Association reports that staged homes spend 90 percent less time on the market than those that are not staged. Home stagers can also be hired even if you’re not going anywhere. Stagers can consult on new layouts for your current home, much like an interior decorator.

Home staging can take place while you still occupy the house you plan to sell, or when the home is vacant. For an occupied home, the home stager will clear out clutter, rearrange furniture, and bring in decor and furniture as needed to create the perfect environment. Usually an occupied home has far too much of the current owner’s personality stamped on it, which makes it hard for prospective buyers to envision themselves living there. A home stager should neutralize and beautify the space. In vacant homes, a home stager will bring in furniture and decor so that potential buyers don’t walk into an empty house, which can be equally hard to imagine living in as a cluttered, occupied home.

Nationally, the price for home staging ranges between $750 and $1,500. The price varies based on how many rooms in the house need staging, whether furniture and decor are needed or the stager can work with the client’s belongings, whether the home is occupied or vacant, and the sale price of the home. Occupied homes typically cost less to stage as they are already furnished, and can require less time and resources than staging an empty house. The main tasks when staging an occupied home are rearranging and decluttering. Staging an empty house can be more expensive as furniture and decor need to be trucked in, requiring transportation, physical labor and potential rental fees. Here are some examples of average home staging costs:

• 2-hour consultation: $200, includes DIY tips and guidance.
• 1- to 2-hour consultation and design session: $250, including written report.
• Additional design consulting: $65 per hour.
• 8 hours of staging an occupied home: $800.
• Hands-on staging involving moving furniture, hanging and moving art, and decluttering.

• Starting price for staging a vacant home could be $2,200.
• A home stager may charge 1 percent of the home’s selling price.

Home staging can generally come in two forms: virtual staging and physical staging. Real estate photographers and other graphic design teams can take photos of your empty house and photoshop in furniture and artwork, giving the impression of a lived-in home without the need for physical furniture. Physical staging is simply placing rented furniture from a staging company inside your home. This can include artwork, rugs, furniture and other items like decorations and kitchen gear.

Staging a home attracts buyers and can increase your chance of selling. The reason for this is that it helps potential buyers visualize how the rooms will look and feel instead of having to imagine furniture in an empty room. This makes the home feel warmer and more inviting. The National Association of Realtors reports that home staging had a decisive effect on 40% of home buyers.

When staging your house, there are several mistakes to avoid. For example: 

• Don’t choose furniture that’s too big.
• Don’t base your staging only on what’s trendy and popular. Instead, choose a style that’s somewhere between modern and traditional. 
• Don’t overdo neutral tones — throw some color in. 
• But don’t overdo bright colors and bold patterns.
• Remove heavy window treatments or other darkening materials.
• Add lights where there aren’t enough (it’s hard to have too much light). 
• Don’t feel the need to only place furniture against walls. You can place it several feet away to create walkways and gathering spaces.

Find a home staging professional in your area who can help you avoid common home staging mistakes.

Some of the best home staging tips include: 

• Choose a simple aesthetic. 
• Make sure your home smells nice by utilizing candles, diffusers or flowers.
• Place bright pops of color here and there to complement neutral tones (but don’t overdo it). 
• Thoroughly clean your home (consider hiring house cleaning services)
• Give every room as much natural light as possible, supplementing with soft white LED light wherever needed. 
• Make sure your furniture isn’t so large that it “shrinks” your rooms.
• Remove your personal belongings (e.g., family photos, diplomas, etc.) so buyers can picture themselves in your home.
• Don’t forget your home’s exterior — give it some curb appeal.

A home staging professional in your area can help you transform your home and appeal to buyers.