The truth behind staging: will it help you sell your house faster, at a better price? – Daily News

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“We lived in a Texas tract home and I went to see the model home for that tract. I copied what they did,” she said. “I’ve always liked interior
decorating and now I enjoy the best of both worlds, staging and decorating. Very few people live in their house the way they would have to
do to show it. I tell people what they might not want to hear, but need to hear.”
Selling a house involves marketing, merchandising, psychology and design, she said.
A house that “shows” well and is priced well will sell, and sell quickly, according to the experts. And timing can be everything. First
impressions count, even from the moment a potential buyer drives up to a house. When a house first goes on the market, it usually receives
a lot of interest from real estate agents and the buying public. That’s the time to strike. Once that first wave of interest passes, time can
become an enemy for a seller.
Homeowner Kathy Hoffman-Crudge said staging has been a dream, which she hopes will translate to a quick and profitable sale for her
1,000-square-foot home in Monrovia. The asking price for the three-bedroom, one-bathroom Craftsman bungalow is $569,000. The house
has been on the market for a couple weeks, but Hoffman-Crudge said she’s still glad it was staged.
“In putting our home up for sale, we were looking for ways to enhance the potential out of our little house,” said Hoffman-Crudge. “It is a
cozy home built in 1896 with little rooms and a slightly awkward floor plan. We have rented it over the last eight years and have found that
tenants fall in love with the place. We hoped that staging the home would help others see how cozy the house can be.”
She hired Lassetter to work her magic in the vacant house.
“Vacant houses take twice as long to sell,” Lassetter said. “Many people think that an empty room lets potential buyers see what the room
could look like, but empty rooms actually make the space look smaller.”
She brought in room furniture to match the charm of the home.
“What you want to do is eliminate as many of the negatives as possible and point out all the good things, all the possibilities, about a house,”
she said.
Within a matter of days, Hoffman-Crudge said Lassetter was able to work her magic on the unique house.
“She filled each room in the house with comfort and style,” Hoffman-Crudge said. “Besides the beautiful furniture, she added many special
touches like books, candles and pictures on the walls. We are very happy with the result.”

Scott Wolf