Home staging for open houses

[dwford]

Who stages the house for an open house? If so, where do you get all the furniture, etc..

[Debbie]

I do. Or, should I say, I would've. I got an open house coming up next week. If I had it my way, it would've been staged. What happened, you ask?

Rent A Center has this "Staging Special". This special includes a refundable deposit of $600.00 for Livingroom Set (1 couch, 1 loveseat, 1 coffee table, 2 end tables, 1 lamp). Plus, a refundable deposit of $400.00 for Diningroom set (1 small table, 4 chairs). Plus, a refundable deposit of $700.00 for Bedroom set (1 queen size bed with mattress and head/foot boards, 1 dresser with attached mirror). Same refundable deposit for the 2nd bedroom. AND---there's a weekly rent fees for each and every furnitures. Imagine the "Are you *#*$)@^ crazy?" look on my face.

Went three doors down to a place called "National Rental". Thank heavens they don't do that kind of "Staging Special"! Just a normal weekly rental. I checked the prices---looks good. So, I picked them out. Ordered them. Whipped out my debit card. Salesperson says "No can do". I whipped out my Visa card. Salesperson says "we don't accept cards. Only checks or cash". Hmmm. Okay. Next I knew Salesperson said "we need four references and here's the application". What? No credit check on my bank references? No credit score check accepted? Salesperson said "No, ma'am. All we need is four personal references". Okay, strange way of doing business. Provided references. Salesperson said I'm approved. Well, hallelulah!

"One problem, ma'am" said the salesperson. What? "Because you are a brand new account, you are only allowed to take one room set". Guess what my reaction was.....

Debbie

[TommyOH]

Let me say I have never "staged a house", so this may not be alot of help. I have seen on tv (flip this house) a few times where they will stage a high price home. I don't know how they get the phone numbers, but I do know they call companies who stage the house for them. They provide the furniture and all.

Hope that helps?

*I just found a site for you. This page lets you search for a staging person in you area. Hope it's ok to post the link.
http://www.stagedhomes.com/asps/asps.php

[dwford]

I was thinking for going to a discount furniture store that sells package deals, to get a living room and dining room. But what do I do with it when I am between houses? I'd hate to have a storage unit expense. Renting furniture seems like a waste of money.

[Debbie]

Exactly my thoughts.....

There's another problem if you choose to buy and hold furnitures. Stored furnitures will attract rodents. EWWWW!

Renting furnitures is a waste of money. BUT---they deliver and retrieve furnitures for free. PLUS, if you are a loyal customer for at least 6 months, you can have as many furnitures you need for staging purposes. Gee, if I had known that, I would've rented a lamp for a week, repeat with a different item every month for a week for six months. This way, by the time I need all of the furnitures I want/need for staging purposes, I wouldn't be perturbed with them at this time.

If there's no other alternatives such as the "Staging Company" thingy, what's to do?

We could use our furnitures, rent the truck, haul up furnitures, stage them, haul furnitures again, bring them home----NOT!