1. Are Home Staging and Interior Decorating the same thing?

No.  Home Staging is different from decorating in that the goal is different. Home Staging is a process with the specific goal of selling your home, in many cases faster and for a better price. It is more like decorating for the “new homeowner”. Decorating is more about creating the environment the current owners want to live in.  One of my clients said it well..."Staging is about clearing the way so your house can accept a new owner."

2.  How long does the Staging process take?

An average staging job takes about 1 to 2 days to complete.  But every job is different
and the time can vary depending on the home’s size, the number of rooms to be Staged and the amount of work to be done.

3. What is Ottawa Homes Organized.com?

Ottawa Homes Organized.com is the official website for Home Staging services within the Ottawa area.  OHO also provides Professional Organization Services.

4. My Real Estate Agent has instructed me on what to do to prepare my house for sale, isn't that enough preparation?
that enough preparation?
Agents have great advice to offer to the home seller; however they also know that it’s
just not always easy to get a home into selling condition in a timely manner without some type of experienced assistance. Staging is a MARKETING TOOL and the most effective use of marketing dollars.  It is not a gimmick, it is not just for high-end listings.

5. When you clear out my rooms, where does the extra furnishing go? When you clear out my rooms, where does the extra furnishing go?
If budget permits, a rental storage unit is a wise investment for a temporary solution to
the “storage” problems that some home owners may have. Otherwise, we will put items in the garage, a storage shed or anywhere else that we can find a place to keep them out of sight.  A Garage Sale is a fun and great way to get rid of some of those things you no longer need and make some extra money for new things that you’re going to buy for the new house.  

6. Can Ottawa Homes Organized paint or clean my house? Can Simply Staging paint or clean my house?  
We are experts in “Staging” your home, we are not licensed to paint or clean so it’s
better to have the experts address these issues since they can do it faster, better and for less money than we possibly could.  It is essential to have the house cleaned before the Staging process can begin; we have a resource of local and licensed contractors that we can recommend for this type of work.

7.  Does your services include both inside and out? Does your services include both inside and out?
Yes.  It is important to begin the Staging process on the outside of the house; we call this “curb appeal”.  This is the first view that the potential buyer sees, therefore we will include the outside in our Consultation and/or the Staging Service.  If the outside needs a small amount of work, we will do it, but if it’s a big job our recommendation would be to have a landscaping expert do the work.  It’s better to have a licensed professional who can do it faster, better and for less money than we possibly could.

8. Which service is for me if I'm on a very small budget?

I offer a Consultation and you do the work. This is a less costly alternative and is for the “do-it-yourselfer” type, since the homeowner does the work.  Ottawa Homes Organized will provide a step-by-step detailed report with enhancements and/or change recommendations for preparing the home both inside and out. It is then up to you to do the work yourself.

9. What does a “Consultation” consist of and how much does it cost?

A consultation is when a Professional Home Staging Expert (HSE) will come to your home, evaluate it, and submit a detailed room-by-room report of what needs to be done. It is relatively inexpensive, as our consultations are priced quite competitively. Each consultation will take about 1-1 ½ hours, and is NOT the same as a  “ Home Staging” session. During a consultation, the Professional Home Staging Expert (HSE) will spend time walking through all the rooms of your home making detailed notes on the homes positive and negative selling aspects. They will include elements like: outdoor curb appeal, flooring elements, lighting considerations, wall coverings or colors, repairs, as well as noting first impressions, focal points, and flow. A final room-by-room assessment will be provided, in detail, with specific suggestions for enhancing the appeal of your home.

10.  Why would I need to hire you to provide me with a Staging service when I’ve seen those TV programs that show the homeowner what to do?  I know I can do the Staging work myself.

A Home Staging Expert (HSE) is trained specifically in Staging techniques. We are experienced and can do it faster and with less money than you might think.  We will see your house through the buyer’s eyes, and provide an unbiased and objective opinion which someone who has lived in a house for any number of years can no longer see.  In addition, the selling and moving experience can be a very stressful time for most, but by having a group of professional and experienced home selling experts such as a Realtor and a Stager working to sell your home quickly and for top dollar, you can be confident in knowing that your selling experience will be a positive and successful one.  Don’t take a chance by not doing this right the first time.    

11.  Why is my agent recommending that I hire a Stager?

Your Realtor is a dedicated professional who wants to help you sell your home quickly
and to get the highest offer that your house can bring.  Since Staging is still a relatively new marketing technique in the Ottawa region, your Realtor is providing you with an option which you may not have been aware was available to you.  Staging is gaining acceptance as one of the more inexpensive options available to a homeowner, one that adds instant value to your home’s selling price.  Staging compliments the homeowner and Realtor’s goals for selling a house.  Hiring a professional home stager has great benefits to both the agent and the seller.  Agents and sellers are usually overwhelmed, and home staging reduces their work; thereby alleviating stress.  In less time than you’d think, the home can be completely transformed and ready to be shown.  The seller can continue with their normal routine and have one less thing to worry about.


12. Isn’t “Home Staging” expensive?
I’ve heard that Staging can be expensive.  Is it?
Not when you compare the cost of Staging to what you could gain in return.  Please review the “services and fees” section for a breakdown of costs.. For an average three-bedroom, one-two bath house, I keep my fees low, about $949, which includes the consultation and the staging service, by simply being creative and using the seller’s own furnishings. I offer competitive prices for my Home Staging Services and can point you in the direction of contractors, if need be. I do have props that I can bring in, if necessary, and will discuss these fees with each seller on an as-needed basis. There is a rental fee for usage; the seller is not expected to pay for the prop itself. If you should decide, the props are available for purchase.

An average Full Staging job is approximately $949.  When looking at this price alone, it may seem like a lot, but when you consider the facts, it’s really a small price to pay. Independent studies show that Home Staging Experts (HSE) can bring as much as 3% to 10% above the asking price and in some markets, much more.  Take a $500,000 home, and 3% to 10% above asking price translates into $15,000 to $50,000 more in your pocket simply by staging your house.  

 13.   How long do I need to have my house Staged for?

It is recommended that the house remain Staged until the sale is complete.  Only then is it certain that the home will no longer have to be put back on the market.  It would be a costly mistake to have to put the home back on the market without the benefit of Staging.

14. My home looks presentable, it is decorated very tastefully, it isn’t offensive and is clean. Why should I bother with staging?

Even a tastefully designed home needs staging.  The potential buyer may have trouble
seeing beyond the home owner’s personal items, too many distractions and the buyer’s focus is drawn away from what is most important, the actual house itself.  With this in mind, it is important for the homeowner to market their home to appeal to as many people as possible.  At times, it is difficult for the home owner to be objective when deciding what to do for preparation, this is why it is an advantage to have a Stager come into the home and give an unbiased and experienced opinion.  

15.   My home’s been on the market for quite some time, should we reduce the price and then have you come to Stage our house?

No, definitely not.  Let’s Stage the house first.  The price to Stage is less than having to reduce the selling price.  In fact, I have had several occurrences where a house had been on the market for a longer than average time and had been reduced in price.  After I was able to stage the home, it looked so good that both the Realtor and Seller agreed to increase the price back to the original selling price.  Staging really can and does make that much of a difference!

If you have any other questions, or would like to get started and schedule a consultation, please contact Ottawa Homes Organized at (613) 878-5872 or by email. I would be so happy to help to show you what my services can do for you and your home- Kelly Filoso, certified HSE, Professional Organizer, and founder of Ottawa Homes Organized.