'Stagers' helping homeowners get ready to sell

Saturday, September 6, 2008

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This lovely home is for sale, and a home stager is helping it look its best.

BAY NEWS 9 -- With thousands of houses in Florida in foreclosure, an opportunity has opened for businesses that make for-sale homes more appealing to prospective buyers.

More and more homeowners are turning to stagers to add an extra touch to sell their property.

Both homeowners and banks are using stagers to capture the emotions of prospective buyers.

"When they walk in and feel the house, that means that they've connected with it," said Teresa Rojek of Rojek Home Services, a home staging business. "And that starts the process for them envisioning their family there and thinking about the offer they might want to make."

Rojek said 70 percent of her properties are vacant homes.

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"There are six homes for every one buyer that's out there looking," Rojek said. "So the homes have to stand out, and we see more strategy being used in staging."

But homeowners, banks and investors aren't the only fans of staging. Charities also find their services valuable.

Non-profit groups are turning to volunteer stagers to update painting, furniture and fixtures.

"By not having to pay for the cost of decorating we can use it in other ways to help the families," said Donna Young, the director of Ronald McDonald House in St. Petersburg.

Starting Monday, stagers across the globe will come together to give their free time to help non-profit groups. Volunteers will make upgrades to Ronald McDonald Houses, nursing homes, schools, and women's shelters.