In a perfect world, military homeowners have impeccable timing when selling their homes and PCSing to their new installment. However, what the recent real estate market and mortgage industry has taught us is that military realtors and homeowners cannot expect the selling process to run its course without some hiccups.
Military members and their families face added challenges while going through a Permanent Change of Station (PCS). One of these struggles involves selling a home before they have to report to their next military base. Fortunately, there are services available to help homeowners and military realtors in their mission to make a home more welcoming and visually pleasing.
Companies such as CORT offer furniture rental and staging assistance, making them a great solution to making your listing more appealing to potential buyers.
Why is Home Staging Important?
Stylistically arranging furniture and decor to look more appealing for real estate photos is one of the best ways to improve your chance of the home getting offers. Military families often have all of their personal belongings and furniture moved to the new installation before their previous residence is even sold.
As such, renting furniture to stage your home on your own or working with a home staging expert is a convenient way to give an empty home a more sellable personality. Just because a house doesn’t have a current occupant doesn’t mean it can’t still feel like home to a potential buyer!
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Start Your Home Staging Company Search
You can begin by conducting an online search for “furniture rental near me” or “home staging companies near me” to generate a list of nearby businesses. You’ll save shipping costs if you’re able to connect with a real estate furniture rental company local to the home you want to sell.
By speaking to the top companies in your area, you can gather quotes to compare. This can also help you decide if you want to pick rental furniture individually or select packages to help you stage several rooms.
Pricing for various furniture and decor styles will vary depending on their popularity. Remember to select the style of furniture and accents that best suit the architecture of the home and match what buyers in your area typically appreciate and expect.
Home Staging Cost
Home staging and furniture rental costs will depend on your geographic region and the items you choose. Typically, professional stagers offer full packages between $300-$600 for a consultation and then an added $500-$600 per room per month to furnish the home and keep it maintained for walkthroughs and showings.
If you prefer a DIY furniture rental and home staging experience, you can expect to pay around $100- $300 per month per room for items. Fortunately, not all rooms need to be furnished, which will save you money in the long run.
Don’t forget that the longer a house is on the market, the more money you’ll spend on furniture rental fees. Figuring these costs into the price of the home may help alleviate some of this financial burden. Once you compare home staging and furniture rental costs, you may decide if selling the house without staging at all makes more financial sense.
Ask the Right Questions
Doing your research on home staging and furniture rental companies before a single side table is loaded into the moving van will help prevent any unwelcome surprises. Consider asking these questions to ensure you and your chosen staging company or furniture rental company are on the same page.
Furniture Rental Company Questions
- Does the company provide fast and safe delivery?
- Is delivery and pick-up included in the pricing?
- Are there extra fees for moving the furniture up or downstairs?
- Can you extend the rental period if needed, and what are those costs?
- Does the company have positive reviews and testimonials on sites such as Yelp or HomeAdvisor?
Home Staging Company Questions
- What reassurance can the company offer that the staging will contribute to the home selling?
- Does the home staging expert have a portfolio of proven results?
- Does the home staging expert have positive reviews and testimonials from past clients?
- What does the process and timeframe look like for staging a home?
- What does the pricing structure look like, and are there any additional fees or costs you need to know about?
- What is your process for managing rental furniture throughout the time the home is being staged?
These questions will help you determine if home staging and furniture rental align with your budget. Moreover, they will assist you with figuring out which companies match your needs and expectations, and which should be passed over.
Other Furniture Staging Resources
With numerous nationwide furniture rental companies to choose from, CORT is a great resource to look towards for helping you with your current and new home. The company’s options cover any home from wall to wall, from living rooms to bedrooms, kitchens to home offices.
You can even rent housewares, electronics and decorative pieces! Don’t forget to include patio furniture to make outdoor spaces more inviting. You can start browsing home items available on the CORT website.
Once you have an idea of the items you’ll need, see if one of CORT’s Move-In Ready Packages is right for you. Whether you need a bundle of pieces for an array of rooms or simple items for a smaller space, these package deals include professional styling to make any transition as easy as possible. The company even has special furniture packages for military members going through a PCS move!
7 Furniture Rental For Staging Tips
Want to try your hand at staging your own home? Need some advice on how to show off your property to potential buyers? We’ve got some expert tips to make the most of any interior with staging furniture!
1. Less is More
To make a house attractive to more buyers, it has to look homey — but not too homey. Minimalist styling will appeal to a broader range of tastes, and fewer pieces of furniture will improve the “flow” of a room, allowing potential buyers to visualize their own paths within the space.
This is not the time for clutter! So, remove as many of your personal items as possible from tables, countertops, and side tables. This will allow the new residents to put their own spin on personal collections.
2. Start With Larger Pieces First
Couches, tables, desks and beds are all focal points in a room. However, too many furnishings can make even the largest living spaces feel cramped and small. Use accent pieces sparingly and mindfully.
If the space allows, arrange furniture in ways that draw eyes toward construction features or away from flaws in the wall or flooring. Create a focus on the spacious and airy ambiance of a room, and steer the focus away from the smaller, distracting features of the space.
3. Use the Rule of Three
Let’s talk decor! Typically, odd numbers are more eye-pleasing when it comes to décor arrangement. Think candles, glass figurines, etc. Having just three items in any set allows you to keep a collection to a minimum while having some variety in size or color.
One good option is to position pieces in a triangle, sorting by height with larger items toward the back of the display. Or, you can have them descending by size. Play around with your knick-knack arrangements until it feels right, and don’t forget to keep these types of decorations to a minimum!
4. Mindfully Use Color
Your own personal tastes may favor one particular hue, but a tsunami of aquas and bright pinks may not be another person’s cup of tea. For your largest design pieces, choose neutral or natural colors that exude calmness.
Then select one or two complementary colors for smaller, eye-catching accents. Throw pillows, curtains and even paintings are an easy way to add a splash of color to an otherwise unsaturated palette. Consider bringing in a friend for a second opinion about if your color palette is too overboard.
5. Brighten It Up
Whether you have big windows or dark corners to work with, lighting can literally brighten the mood in any space. Be sure to dress windows practically but attractively, and provide warm light sources in areas that lack natural illumination. Dimmer switches and energy-efficient bulbs are extras that are highly desired by home buyers.
6. Incorporate Nature
A dash of green, whether through arranged cut flowers or healthy houseplants, brings a breath of freshness to any room. Stick to minimalism when considering the kind of greenery, color, and shape of a planter or vase. Artificial flowers and plants are a good option to save time and energy, but go with the most realistic options you can find and afford.
7. Call a Home Staging Expert
If quickly arranging a full home of furniture seems too daunting or too time-consuming a task, many staging-furniture rental companies can do the actual physical arranging for you. If it is within your budget, consider hiring a home staging expert to help you with this tedious task. After all, you have enough to worry about with your PCS!
Explore More AHRN Resources
Whether you are a military home buyer, seller, renter or a military relocation professional, AHRN is a great resource! Specializing in connecting individuals with military housing resources, AHRN is celebrated by many regardless of their involvement in the real estate industry.
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