Find the right real estate stager

Buyers in some areas complain about walking into an open house and finding dirty laundry in bedrooms. In places like the San Francisco Bay Area, so many listings are well presented for sale that sellers who don't stage their homes are at a disadvantage.

Occasionally, a home shows beautifully as is and needs little work to get it ready to sell. A listing in the hills above Oakland, Calif., came on the market last year without the aid of a professional stager and sold for the asking price within a week. The house had just been renovated and the sellers had great taste. Their furnishings and paint colors were perfect for the house.

Most sellers need to put more effort into preparing their homes for sale if they want to sell successfully. Some of this work can be done on their own, like decluttering, painting and sprucing up the yard, if they have the skills, time and are so inclined.

Many sellers will benefit from hiring a stager, which is a decorator who specializes in preparing homes for sale. Finding the right stager is important. You want to hire someone who will give your home a look that will sell it for the highest price possible.

HOUSE HUNTING TIP: One way to get familiar with different stagers' work and style is to visit Sunday open houses. Usually stagers display their business cards at the property. If not, ask the agent holding the house open if it was staged. If so, ask for the stager's name.

Most professional stagers have Web sites where you can find out more about them and preview samples of past staging jobs. Your real estate agent is a good resource. Some real estate agents have a favorite stager. If your agent has had success working with that stager, that could be an obvious choice. You're looking for results. A stager who has a good track record in your area is someone to seriously consider.

If you live in an area where staging is not popular, ask your agent for the name of an interior decorator to consult with about how best to arrange your furniture and artwork. Make sure, before you pay for a consultation, that this person can also select colors for you if your home needs painting. ...CONTINUED

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