March 2013

You’ve loved your home, raised your kids here, enjoyed so many years being comfortable…but things have changed. The kids have long gone, the house is too big, the yard-work is too much and it’s just simply time to move to a more suitable living situation.

You look around, take fresh notice of all the “stuff” that you’ve accumulated over the past decades and you just want to flop in your easy chair and get lost in a book. Overwhelmed is the word.

This is such a common scenario many of us face. The good news is that we don’t have to face it alone. There are many professionals offering many levels of services and fees who are trained to help you make this enormous transition much easier than if you faced it alone.

But who do you call – Stager or downsizer? Let me give you some definitions first.

Downsizer

This is the person who offers a range of services to help you determine what items you will take with you when you move. They also help you determine what you will do with the rest. This can range from selling valuables at auction, giving other things to family or goodwill, or disposing of items that simply need to be hauled away. The level of services offered range from just a consultation (from which you carry out the suggested plan of action) all the way to hiring them to do everything for you as per your wishes of course.

Stager

This is the person who has been trained to help you prepare your home for sale in such a way that their expertise will enhance your chances of selling your home quicker and definitely for more money. When I enter a home that’s on the market, I can immediately tell if a home has been properly staged as compared to one that has not. Competition for buyers’ interest is stiff in the real estate market. Sellers must step up their game as much as they are able, in order to present their homes in the best light possible. Stagers are a key factor in putting you at an advantage. This is why, as part of my REALTOR® services, I include a free consultation with a stager to give my clients the competitive edge over their competition.

If you find yourself in that overwhelmed state, step #1 is call a downsizer. I can recommend several. Step #2, hire a REALTOR® who includes a free consultation with a professional stager. You’ll soon be on your way to enjoying a lifestyle living in a home that is much more suitable to your currents needs and desires.

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