Home Staging: Five Questions To Ask Before Hiring A Home Stager

Compared to D-I-Y (Do It Yourself) home staging, hiring a professional guarantees a profitable and speedy sale. From upping the value of the property to taking the stress off the homeowner’s shoulders, more and more people are enlisting the help of these experts in beautifying their own residences. Finding the right partner takes time though. There are profiles and portfolios to check, recommendations and reputations to consider and questions to ask to ensure that they are certainly fit for the job.

What To Ask A Home Stager Before Hiring Him

Here are some of the top things you should know when you interview a potential home stager.

1.       What is his specialty? Stagers’ skills vary depending on the types of residential properties they are going to stage on. Can he relate to your family house or does his forte focus on condos instead? See his past works and weigh his expertise.

2.       Can he bring additional promotional ideas to the table? A good stager can go beyond the design and décor aspects. He should also be interested in the whole package, the marketing side of it included. Find out if he has additional promotional strategies to suggest that will capture and hold the interest of your target buyers.

3.       How well does he know the market? He should also be paying attention to the rise and fall of the industry. For instance, if you are selling a condo in the Philippines, how knowledgeable is he on the Philippine real estate market? Can he attain a high-end décor that requires minimum expenses yet make it affordable to prospective buyers? Can he give you a competitive edge so you can get the most offers? How well-adapt is he on the latest news and trends? For all you know, he tends to lean towards classic and traditional designs which may or may not be suitable to your preferences and public needs.

4.       How much time does he usually consume to complete a project? Ensure that both of you agree on the target time frame, and that your schedules will meet and deadlines are properly set.

5.       What are his rates? Make sure that it is reasonable given your location. Does he give discounts or extras and bonuses for first-time clients? What is the scope of his services? Sometimes, there are instances when some would charge per hour for consultation alone. Does his fee include reports and resources? Determine the payment method and scheme. Ask him what happens if you are not satisfied with his work. Does he have some sort of a guarantee clause in his contract?

Tips For Becoming An Effective Real Estate Agent

When looking to buy a real estate property, getting a real estate agent is often the most efficient way to do it. There are lots of lands and houses for sale in the Philippines and most of them are sold through these real estate agents. However, because of the high number of real estate agents offering houses and land for sale in the Philippines, it is very important to have an edge over the others.

To be able to set yourself apart from other real estate agents, you need to be effective and efficient. Below are some tips to help you become this kind of real estate agent.

• Connect with your clients. Although of course, you are offering your services for a fee, it will go a long way to make sure that you connect with your clients. They will appreciate it if you make them feel that you are not just out for the money you will potentially make with a sale. Treat them as partners with you acting as their guide in the field of real estate. Take the time to explain various things to them, particularly contracts and legal documents.
• Be honest. The relationship of a real estate agent and a potential buyer is based on trust and so you will have to be honest to your clients if you want them to trust you. Do not make false promises and avoid misrepresentations.
• Go techie. In this highly technological world, it pays to be a “techie”. Do not limit your business to the real world. Instead, bring your career online to be able to connect better with your clients. Make use of various means of communication such as email, social networking, chat messages, and the likes.
• Be patient. It takes a lot of waiting to purchase real estate properties. All the paperwork associated with buying and selling real estate can sometimes take time to finish so a lot of patience is necessary. You will have to deal with a variety of people and personalities so it is always best to learn how to patiently wait for things.
• Stay updated. The real estate market is also a very dynamic field. What you know now may not be true or applicable a month or less than a month from now. To be constantly relevant to your clients, you have to stay on top of things when it comes to real estate news. Constantly read real estate news both offline and online.