A - The cost of staging is Far Less than your first price reduction!  Actually, staging is not an expense at all; staging is an investment because it helps to sell your home faster and for more money than an un-staged home.  We now have Pre-Priced Per/Room Package Plans Available. This may be a good choice if you only need a few rooms staged, or if you need to get a quick price on your staging project without an in home inspection and price quote. We can also work on an hourly basis, or we can come out to your home, see exactly what needs to be done, and give you a custom quote (this is usually the best option). This usually results in a better price for you because we are able to provide a more personalized service this way. If you would like to know more about this, please see question number two, below! 

If you are purchasing a pre-priced per/room package plan, you may choose different staging levels for each room that you wish to have staged.  Our Services and our Rates Pages also have more information about these specific package plans and what they provide.  You may use our on-line Price Calculator to find the exact cost to stage your home under our per/room package plans.  These prices include all accessories for up to 60 days. If your home is on the market for more than two months, we charge a small and very reasonable monthly accessory rental fee starting in the 3rd month.  However, keep in mind that most staged homes will be sold within this time frame.  Furniture rental is in addition to the staging fees in these plans.      Click To Hide.

A - Most home owners/sellers have an idea about how much they feel comfortable with in allocating a budget for staging. We realize that not everyone is rich and we want to try and accommodate everyone, as best as is possible. Tell us how much you can afford to spend to have your home staged and we will work with you to try and stay within that budget if at all possible. You should try to set a "reasonable" budget though. Remember; accessories such as bedding, dishes, throw rugs, plants, artwork, Etc., can all be costly. These are things that we bring into your home and they are a very important part of the staging process.  We don't require that you pay the full purchase price for accessories, we include them at a fraction of the retail cost and they are on loan to you during the staging term, but there is still a cost to account for.. Also, we must pay out expenses for labor, transportation, taxes, Etc. There should be a budget that allows for furniture rental too, if your home is vacant or if more or different furniture is needed in your occupied home. Some stagers will quote any LOW price so they can get you hooked and get your business - but realistically, your home isn't going to get much staging done on a budget of only three or four hundred dollars. "Real" and "effective" staging requires a realistic budget.

What's realistic depends on many different factors; how big your home is, the amount and type of furnishings that are needed, the style, type and value of the home, the amount of work that's going to be required to do the job, the time needed to do the work (which can influence how many people are needed for the project in order to meet time deadlines), Etc. Lite staging, with no furniture, will cost less but will probably not be nearly as effective unless maybe it's a very small living space that is being staged. Lite staging is especially suited for small condos, like studios, for example.. But a home of 2,000 SqFt. can easily cost several thousand dollars, and larger homes even more. If your home is a million or two million dollar plus property, the types of furnishings that will be needed in order to make your home live up to buyer expectations will be higher end and will cost much more than the cost of furnishings for a home that is only valued at two or three hundred thousand. Also, remember - we are in "Hawaii" and the cost of living is higher here than on the mainland. Everything costs more here - bedding, plants, all the accessories we use are more expensive in Hawaii than on the mainland and so our prices must reflect those higher prices in order to make ends meet. Yes, staging costs less on the mainland, but this is why. These are all things to keep in mind when thinking about a reasonable budget for staging your home. .

It basically all comes down to this - we are usually the most successful when we are able to actually look at the home, evaluate it, and than negotiate as to what our recommendations are, what the sellers budget comfort level is, and than we finally come up with a staging plan and arrive at a price through that process. This is what usually works best.       Click To Hide.

A - This is a difficult question to answer because our work is highly customized and we try our best to select furnishings that fit the exact style and character of each home that we stage.  More expensive homes generally require more expensive furnishings, so costs can vary substantially depending on the home.  A lot depends on how many rooms we need to furnish, how large the rooms are, the availability of the furniture at the time of the staging project, where we acquire the furniture, Etc. 

To give you some kind of a ball park idea of costs though - a typical 3 bedroom 2 bath home of around 1,200 to 1,500 SqFt. will often times come in at around $700 to $800, and occasionally range upwards to maybe $1000 a month in rental fees. It is worth noting that on the outer islands rental costs are somewhat lower than on O'ahu, although availability is also lower and furniture can be more difficult to find.  Larger, more expensive homes, especially multi-million dollar properties, can easily range into several thousand a month.  If we do an in home evaluation of your property we can help to set a budget that you can live with.  There is room for a great deal of flexibility in this area.      Click To Hide.

A - As soon as possible! We understand the urgency to have your home looking spectacular for every showing because first impressions mean everything. Ideally, your home should be staged prior to going on the market and definitely before your first open house or Realtor caravan.      Click To Hide.

A - Sure, this can certainly be done. Ideally, however, a home really should be staged before it is listed for sale. Realtors will verify that the most critical time for selling a home is during the first two weeks on the market. This is when you will see the most amount of interest in your home. This is also when the Agent Tours or Broker's Open Houses take place. It's the time when you make your most effective First Impressions!  You want to make sure your home looks its very best right from the start, so that Buyers and Realtors can SEE and not just Imagine your homes potential. If you wait about staging, you may wind up giving a lot of negative first impressions out to both potential buyers, and to realtors, thus doing substantial harm to your marketing efforts right from the very start.  It is difficult to easily recover from this so it is to your benefit to do it right, from the beginning.  In the end, actually - Staging Is An Investment, Not An Expense. --- You almost always wind up loosing money by not staging.
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A - No, even if damage has already been done by not having already staged your home, Staging is always a good idea and will still give you benefits that will help in selling your home faster and for a better price. It is not unusual for homes to be Staged after sitting on the market for awhile. It's better to Stage before your home goes on the market, but, unfortunately, this happens a lot. , if your realtor doesn't do it first, we may ask you to take your home off the market for a few days, so we can professionally Stage your home and in order to give you a fresh, new start. You may also want to follow up with a new Agent Tour and an Open House as well.      Click To Hide.

A - Staging works. Even if you don't get the expected results right away, staging is never bad.  Yes, it does cost money, but that money comes back to you several fold.  Staging is not an expense; it is an investment that makes you money by decreasing the time your home spends on the market and by increasing your homes selling price. The worse thing you can do is nothing. And, it never hurts to clean, de-clutter and pack early. It just means you're ahead of the game. But for proof that Staging really does work, take a look at the statistics, and watch the videos here on our site. If you do your research, you will certainly find that there is no doubt about the validity of staging and what it will do for your home, and for you.      Click To Hide

A - If you market your home correctly, now is not a bad time to sell your home at all.  It's true that we are in a slumping market and the economy is not good, but if you really want (or need) to sell your home, staging is an "investment" that will help you tremendously.  What you should really be afraid of is doing nothing.  When you put your home on the market, it has to be prepared for the selling process, and that preparation has to be done correctly.  This is exactly what staging accomplishes for you, and it's what we do, and something we do very well.  Many homes are setting on the market for months upon months with no activity or workable offers right now, but others are selling within very reasonable time frames - 30 days or less!  The main difference between the homes that continue to sit on the market, unsold, and those that are selling quickly, is the way they are marketed and "merchandised".  Staging is all about merchandising your home and it's a critical part of the marketing process.  Staging, in today's market, is more important than ever because it gives you a competitive advantage over other homes that are not staged. In an overloaded real estate market that is packed full of and overflowing with inventory, you need this advantage to come out a winner.  Staging creates the right impressions, and generates the emotions that are necessary to bring about a quick sale at a good price.  You really don't have to wait that long for your home to sell, and to realize a fair price.  People are always looking for homes to buy.  If you manage to grab their attention and their hearts, so they fall in love with your home, then you will have a sale.  Staging positions your home to sell quickly and for more money. Make use of the tools that are available to you from Paradise Home Staging and you will do just fine.      Click To Hide

A - No - simply getting rid of the clutter and cleaning is not good enough.  Staging goes well beyond this point.  Staging is not just about getting rid of the clutter and cleaning.  Although those are two very important tasks that need to be done, staging is also about creating strong emotional appeal and fabulous, lasting first impressions.  Staging is about implementing special techniques to highlight and emphasize your homes benefits, space, ambience and potential.  When done properly, staging greatly enhances curb appeal and the overall look and feel of your home.  Most homeowners, and even many realtors can't accomplish this on their own - they need help.  To get it right, it takes some professional training and experience, plus a whole lot of talent and aptitude, and that's why you hire a professional stager.  Professional stagers do this for a living and therefore they tend to be very good at what they do.  At Paradise Home Staging, we love our work and we take pride in the results that we produce.  This is why you can be assured that we will do everything possible to meet your needs and to make you a happy client 

Another critical consideration in staging is the fact that most homeowners, who are living in their home, are unable to detach themselves from their own personal feelings and beliefs about how the home should look and feel.  Homeowners are almost always not able to be objective and not able to see their homes from the perspective of the potential buyer.  In order to do this effectively, one of the strategies of staging is to depersonalize the living space.  In order to do this, you truly need a 3rd party, who is unattached and who has professional experience in preparing homes as a merchandisable product.  Yes, that sounds kind of cold, but the results of staging will not be cold and when the goals are met, staging is very, very effective.

The average home owner has a difficult time accomplishing what a Professional Stager can bring to the table and contribute to the marketing process.  It is this expertise, talent and skill that brings great value and benefits to the home seller and to the overall staging project.      Click To Hide

A - Staging is an Investment that helps to greatly reduce your homes time on the market.  It's also an Investment that helps you to realize the best possible selling price.  Honestly, I can't personally think of any better reasons than those two, but there are more.  Consider that for every month your home is on the market you are encountering more costs to keep and maintain the home - think mortgage payments, utility bills, association and maintenance fees, Etc.  And if you are military and being transferred, or have other reasons why you are on a tight time schedule and need to move on, it can be critical to sell your home quickly.  By staging your home, you give yourself the best shot at selling as fast as possible.  The many benefits and the value that you get from staging, not to mention the extreme probability of a far better selling price, is likely to pay for our staging services many times over and put money in your pocket at closing that you would not otherwise have.      Click To Hide

A - Definitely Yes.  It is a proven fact that homes that are furnished sell much faster than empty homes.  Empty homes simply look and feel cold and uninviting - they do not make the positive first impression or invoke the warm emotions that a professionally staged home can create.  One of your goals, as a home seller, is to position your home in such a way as to present an environment where your potential buyer absolutely falls in love with your home.  You can convert lookers into buyers by making them want to stop looking because they know and feel, in their hearts, that they have finally found their new "home".  Do this and you will have a quick sale, and you will be well on your way to your next home.  Professional Staging is the answer to accomplish this task.

Another compelling reason to stage your vacant home, and this is a problem that you truly need to overcome, is that hardly anyone is able to visualize a totally empty space in terms of how it might look with their belongings setting there in front of them.  According to statistics, 90% of all homebuyers fall into this category.  For most people, It's difficult to think in terms of what will fit here, and what will fit there, when there is no perspective or frame of reference for comparison.  Staging solves this problem and helps people to picture themselves living in the space, and it helps people to see the potential of a home in a clear and finite way.

Finally, a vacant home can sometimes indicate desperation to sell, leading the potential home buyer lowball their offer.  This is a situation you never want to fall into and staging will stop this problem dead in it's tracks.      Click To Hide

A - Yes, absolutely.  We would love to work with your agent, as a part of your selling team!  Your agent's job is to market your home to potential buyers and to close a sale.  Our job is to get your home ready for that process.  In many cases, we are introduced to home sellers through real estate agents, because they know the tremendous value of staging and that staging really does work.      Click To Hide

A - Yes, of course.  We would be delighted to work with you and to provide our services for you and your clients.  Please feel free to contact us about your needs, or for an in office presentation.  We have many services that you may find beneficial.      Click To Hide

A - It depends on the size of your home, the number of rooms to be staged, our current work schedules, and the exact nature of the specific work we are doing.  For example; a vacant home does not require de-cluttering, but an occupied home usually does. The process can take as little as a day, and as much as 5 or more days for larger homes and homes that require a lot of cleanup.  We will have a much better idea of the time required when we come out to see your home for the first time.  It is a good idea, though, to be sure and allow some time for the staging process.  It is always best to schedule and plan ahead.
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A - For homes that are occupied, we do our best to utilize as much of the existing furniture and other items that are in the home as possible.  There is a limit to how much that can be in the home in order for it to be properly staged though, and some of your items may not be appropriate for the goals that need to be achieved during the time your home is on the market.  So we will make recommendations for things that need to go into storage, to be put away, Etc, and for things that should be left out and remain.  And we will also bring in items, as needed, in order to achieve the look and feel that we are after.  When we bring in additional items, what we bring will be determined, in part, by the staging package plan that you sign up for.      Click To Hide

A - Yes, we now have Pre-Priced Per/Room packaged staging plans, where you can choose the specific rooms that you want to have staged.  If you are not staging your entire home though, you should pay close attention to which rooms that you do stage.  The living room, kitchen and bathrooms are all very important.  Keep in mind; when a perspective buyer walks into your home they immediately, within seconds, will form an opinion about your home.  The very first thing that your potential buyer sees is extremely critical! Your home absolutely must give an excellent first impression.  However, you must also keep in mind that even the best first impression can be damaged, or totally destroyed. This destruction can happen in an instant, if that same potential buyer sees something in the home that changes their initial impression and feeling.  There's nothing like walking into a totally cold, empty looking room to make this happen!  Remember, "people buy with their feelings and emotions, more often than not.  So if you leave some of your rooms empty, or cluttered, or otherwise "un-staged", you run a very high and real risk of completely undoing what you worked so hard to accomplish in staging your other rooms.  You can very easily turn an otherwise convinced buyer into a non-buyer simply by leaving portions of your home un-staged.  For this reason, we STRONGLY discourage you from only staging a small portion of your home while leaving the rest without staging.  It is always idedal to stage your entire home!

Some rooms can get by with less staging though, so you can mix and match our staging plans and save money that way. For example;  Kitchens are very important, so, if you have the budget for it, our gold plan will produce the best results.  But for a small bathroom, or a small second bedroom, you might do just fine by going with the our Bronze lite staging plan with fewer accessories.  Master Bathrooms are important, and they are usually larger then other bathrooms so you might want to at least do Silver staging in that room, or Gold for a nicer look.  The use of furniture only comes with our Gold Plan, so that plan is best for a living room, master bedroom, dining room or family room.  Please give us a call if you need help with this and we can make suggestions and help you to figure it all out.  It's really not as complicated as it might seem at first.  We've worked hard to create a system where you can find out what it will cost, quickly and easily, and where you have different choices and options in order to match the budget that you have to work within.      Click To Hide

A - Homes that are occupied by tenants are generally bad prospects for staging.  The reason is that you need absolute and total 100% cooperation from your tenants in order to successfully stage your home and see the project all the way through from start to conclusion.  Your tenant does not have the same vested interest in your properties sale as you do.  In fact, a tenant might actually perceive the selling of the home as a negative for them.  "Will the new landlord raise my rent"?  "Will the new owner allow me to continue living here"?  "What might change or happen when the home is sold and a new owner takes over"?  These and other thoughts may come to mind for a tenant facing a change of ownership.  You will also be asking your tenants to do a number of things that may be very inconvenient for them and that might intrude into their daily living activities.  Open houses, a continuous parade of perspective buyers and Realtors viewing the property, the need to put personal effects and belongings away, or possibly into storage, the need for the house to be clean and tidy at ALL times, and other factors, may all lead to a really unhappy tenant while the staging process is underway.  Most people, who are renters, won't much enjoy living in a home that is being "merchandised" and on the market for sale.  Staging is a wonderful tool for you, the seller, and it brings you great benefits, but your tenant is likely to see it in a very different way.  Having your home un-occupied, rather than rented during the staging process is probably your best bet.  Even if you do loose a little rent, the gains from staging will likely be far greater than the loss.  Also, in most cases, we will not enter into a staging contract for a rental while it is occupied by a tenant.  This applies to both long term, and to short term vacation rental properties.  Having your home non-renter occupied during the time it is staged is to your benefit and in your best interest.      Click To Hide

A - For home staging packages, we charge 60% of our staging fees up front at the time of contract signing, or if you pay your fees online.  This fee must be paid before we can begin any work.  The remaining balance is due when we complete your project.  Do it yourself consultation fees require full payment in advance.  In home evaluations, when needed, in order to provide a price quote, require a $100 deposit. However, 100% of this deposit will be applied to your total staging fees if you sign a staging or design contract with us.  For shopping services, when we are picking up accessories and other items that the client intends to purchase, and for commercial and design services, and when we are working on an hourly basis, arrangements for payment will be made on a case by case basis before the services are rendered,      Click To Hide

A - You may pay us either in cash, certified check, or by credit card or electronic check via PayPal.  PayPal is our preferred method for payment.  In some cases, we will accept personal or business checks, but most of the time we are unable to do this and we reserve the right to refuse to accept checks from any person or business at any time and for any reason.      Click To Hide