In home selling, stagers say looks are everything

In home selling, stagers say looks are everything
Local designers spruce up houses to help speed sales, increase value
BY TAMMY MCKILLIP
Correspondent

HOLMDEL - Ask any Realtor, and they'll probably tell you that selling a home in today's competitive market requires more than simple curb appeal. With the tremendous increase in available homes over the past three years, what was considered a "boom" seems to have gone bust, and together with all-time low interest rates, today's saturated market has put buyers in control at the negotiating table.

Where there's a need, the market develops a niche. Enter Staged Homes New Jersey, the Holmdel-based branch of a national home design phenomenon that specializes in creating a lasting first impression on home-browsers and buyers.

"The real estate industry today is tough," said Gail Meyer, of Holmdel, vice president and treasurer of Staged Homes New Jersey. "You need marketing tools to help you. We don't just put a vase of flowers on a table. We take a critical look at the house from the exterior, from curb appeal to the interior of the home. We focus on maximizing the highlights of the home."

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