Home staging increases curb appeal

Home staging is a process that helps buyers see a home in its best light. Lori Lawry of Set the Stage Home Staging prepares a home to sell faster and for more money.

Lawry is an accredited staging professional who is available to help home sellers prepare their homes for sale in Carson Valley, to Lake Tahoe, to Reno.

"The primary goal of staging your home is to make it appeal to the most amount of buyers possible," said Lawry. "To compete with the competition, the home must be priced right and look better than other products in its market."

Home stagers de-personalize and de-clutter the home to allow the buyers to picture themselves in it. For example, family pictures or rooms crowded with furniture could be distracting.

"The buyer only knows what they see, not what it's going to be," she said. "In today's market, buyers are looking for homes that are move-in ready."

Lawry sets the mood and styles an occupied or vacant home, inside or outside. She said home staging isn't just about interior decorating, it's a great marketing tool.

"In a competitive market, it's a necessity to make your home stand out," she said. "Sellers can use staging to their advantage."

The first step of home staging is a walk-through. Lawry can make a bid on what it would take for her to get a home ready to sell or gives a more detailed consultation for those who would like advice on how to prepare their homes for sale themselves.

After Lawry stages a home, it's entitled to be listed on the Web site, stagedhomes.com.

Besides staging homes for sale, Lawry stages homes to live - so that people can enjoy the house they are living in. She does home make-overs, offers color consultations and personal shopping services.

"I always did staging and decorating for friends and in my own home," she said. "After working for 14 years as an office manager for an orthodontist, I was ready to be creative."

Lawry works with her fiancé Realtor Bret Duster who is also an accredited staging professional. Call Set the Stage Home Staging for an appointment at 901-6516.

What: Set the Stage Home Staging

When: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Call for an appointment: 901-6516