Why Property Managers Love Home Stagers (Interior Design)

There is a reason successful property managers have so much respect for home stagers: it works.

Although home staging is traditionally used to sell properties, staging advice is just as effective for rental units. If you’re thinking about renting your property, consider hiring a home stager to spruce up the rental unit using effective interior decor principles.

The Psychology of Home Staging

The reason home staging is so effective for rental properties is human psychology. It’s all about leveraging the power of visualization to engage tenants and make it easier for them to visualize their stay at the rental unit.

Many landlords wonder if staging is necessary for renting. They may think the value of their property, in terms of features, upgrades, and location, is far more important than its presentation to potential tenants.

The truth is that home staging is essential to rent a house for higher rental prices.

Professional home stagers draw from years of experience and knowledge to make careful decisions related to interior decor. They use colors, furniture, and accessories to create a universal appeal.

Home Stagers and Visualization

Home aesthetics are an art and a science that connects the prospective tenant to the rental unit emotionally prompting them to sign on the dotted line.

The process usually starts by profiling prospective tenants. How will they live in the rental unit? What lifestyle do they prefer? Once a home stager gets more psychographic and demographic insights, they can then strategically set up the space making the rental unit feel spacious and bright.

The decisions they make prompt the eyes to focus more on the focal units of the rental unit while minimizing the negatives.

Creating a Focal Point

Furniture isn’t all that important to the home staging process. On the other hand, furniture placement can make or break that emotional connection with the prospective tenant. Home stagers usually brainstorm ideas for furniture pieces to complement the focal point in each room. This focal point is likely to become the center of attention in that particular room.

Furniture units, whether accent chairs, ottomans, or loveseats, are strategically placed near a room’s best features to enhance them and draw attention away from any negatives. Home stagers also optimize furniture placement to improve traffic flow and highlight an important focal point.

They leverage tried and tested interior design rules, such as the ‘rule of three’ (based on the theory that arranging items in groups of three is more appealing), forcing the eye to move around the space.

It’s No Longer About Bland and Neutrals

Home staging has come a long way from simply neutralizing a home with neutral colors and clearing out accessories to remove the previous occupant’s personality. These days, home stagers use every trick in the book to spruce up a home and create that uniform look.

They will install the right amount of accessories and furniture to create that lived-in look for a universal appeal to the tenant. Home stagers use their creativity to strategically place pieces that are flawlessly decorated.

Never Underestimate the Exterior of a Home

Redecorating a home's exterior includes a rafter of measures, depending on the type of home and budget. These include:

● Trimming the trees

● Mowing the lawn

● Adding plants and flowers

● Adding seasonal decorations (such as pumpkins and wreaths)

● Repainting the exterior of the rental unit if needed

● Decluttering (putting away the excessive furniture, trash cans, grill accessories, toys, and others)

● Removing dead leaves

● Cleaning the gutters

● Upgrading the light fixtures

● Accessorizing the exterior with attractive furniture pieces

Your Home Staging Options

Property managers have two options when it comes to home staging. They can use the DIY route (which could be a hit and miss) or hire a professional home stager to do it for them. The option you choose depends on your specific goals and budget.

The DIY Route of Home Staging

How hard can it be? After all, home staging is all about rearranging key furniture pieces, decluttering, removing personal artifacts, and adding new throw pillows?

In practice, home staging is one of those tasks that is easier said than done.

It includes a rafter of changes in home design and repairs that could overwhelm the average property manager or homeowner. But if you’re up to the task, you might do a good job - in theory.

The Home is a Canvas for the Home Stager

Home stagers have the skill and ability to use their knowledge of interior decor to create that all-too-important emotional connection between the rental unit and the prospective tenants.

What are your thoughts and opinions about home stagers? Are they overrated? Do they actually work? Let us know your opinions in the comments below!