My husband forwarded an interesting article to me yesterday, that left a bit of a bitter taste in my mouth.  It generally stated that staging was unethical in the sense that some larger Staging Businesses were in the business of hiding flaws and issues in homes creating a false sense that these homes were problem free.  These practices anger me as they really give the Staging Profession as a whole, a bad wrap!

I have trained with two separate entities, and both associations taught us not to hide issues within the homes we work in.  Personally, I could never 'hide' a serious issue, as a homeowner myself, it would anger me to no end if we were to find something seriously wrong after the fact!  Staging should NEVER be a substitute for a Building Inspection, no matter HOW perfect the property presented itself!  I would hope that any realtor who is working and looking out for theirclients interests would recommend, or insist, on a Building Inspectionby a reputable Inspector in their area!!

There will always be skeptics, and those skeptics keep the majority of us honest.  Staging can be, but does not have to be, a MAJOR investment prior to selling your home.  With some minor repairs, general clean up and purge, and a few hours of a Home Stagers time rearranging the furniture, your property will show beautifully and stand out above the competition!  Spending the extra time and money on your property will reward you with a higher return on your investment, also helping to sell your property faster and letting you get on with your plans.

If a Real Estate Staging Professional enters your home and begins to recommend hiding issues, call someone whose ethics are in check!  If issues are revealed during a home inspection that were obviously attempted to be hidden, the chances of a deal going south is much more probable.  Be upfront with potential buyers and their trust that 'what you see is what you get' will win over 'what else is wrong?', every time!