Staging to Sell

Home staging is the art of enhancing your property in order to maximize your profit potential. Staging is an essential, effective marketing tool for any home in any market and is proven to make a faster more profitable sale.

Apostle Art has staged and consulted on over $25 million dollars worth of Real Estate. We understand the psychology of buyers, the sensibilities of sellers and the desire of homeowners. Our expertise, impeccable attention to detail and industry resources have been an integral part of what has defined Apostle Art as a leader in Real Estate staging in the Poconos.

Our staged homes gain a tremendous advantage over the competition because we know that serenity sells. We know how to create a calm, welcoming environment that entices buyers to stay.

Success Stories

Testimonials

Statistics

FAQ's

Home Staging is becoming a standard service in today's real estate market. Why? … because it works. Staging is more than just a good idea or good TV. Staging is an essential marketing tool that is statistically proven to help properties sell faster and for more money.

"94% of ASP Staged Homes sell on average in 1 month or less."
ASP Home Staging Statistics

In 2007, 100% of homes staged by Apostle Art sold on average in 21 days.
Apostle Art Staging Statistics

Professionally staged homes sell for 6.9 % more than unstaged homes and spend 50% less time on the market.
ASP Home Staging Statistics

According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, staged homes netted 17% more profit than un-staged homes.
Study by US Dept, HUD

The average return on investment in Home Staging is 478%.
2003 Homegain Survey

Vacant homes can take 2 to 3 times longer to sell than comparable staged homes.
ASP Home Staging Statistics

With figures this impressive, it’s no surprise that more and more home sellers are turning to professional Home Stagers to prepare their home for the real Estate market. Staging is not an expense…it is an investment with a high return.

 

Click chart to view Click chart to view

Rolling Hills

After only 4 showings, the sellers of this home received multiple offers. The first buyer said, quote, "I didn't want to leave!" The higher offer came from a couple who were very interested in a comparable home priced $20,000 less but offered above asking price on this property within a few hours of seeing it.

Sleepy Hollow Estates

These creative homeowners considered staging themselves but decided that hiring a professional made more sense. They called us in before they listed, we staged and the homeowners were thrilled when they received a full price offer the first day on the market!

Wigwam Park

This seller was skeptical that anything could help sell his home after 18 months on the market and 30 plus showings. One week after we staged, a buyer upon seeing the property online, told his realtor, "If the home looks half as good in person as it does in the photos, I'll buy it... and he did!

Country Club of the Poconos

This homeowner was frustrated after loosing a sale during the final walk through. When the house was emptied, the buyer noticed large holes in the delicate faux finish. The home was re-listed and sat with no buyers. We came, repaired the holes, flawlessly, touched up the paint, staged and the home sold immediately!

Fairway Drive

This builder was encouraged to stage by his realtor after trying to sell this vacant home for over a year. The rooms looked deceptively small until we staged and buyers could see how the spaces worked. Within a few weeks
the house was sold!

Chestnut Hill

The owner of this vacant home tried to sell their property through auction with little results. We staged, we recommended a top realtor and took care of all the details while the homeowner was living in another country...the home was sold within 19 days.

Island Drive

An investor bought this property to flip with the hopes of getting a quick return and high profit. He was not disappointed when the moment we finished staging he had the interest of the neighborhood and sold the home in one day for almost full asking price.

Kara Lane

The builder of this spec home called us in after trying to sell this vacant property for almost a year. Within 12 days after we staged he had a signed contract in hand. He said, quote, "We will definitely call you in first when we do the next one!"

Our clients have experienced the value of our services time and time again, but you don’t need to take our word for it...

"Apostle Art took our vacation home and turned it from a dated, lived in cabin, to a modern, clean and sleek property ready to market. Its new stylish appearance garnered immediate interest and quickly brought us a sale after eight unsuccessful months on the market. Thank you, Apostle Art!"

 - Christine Schroeder


"We are creative individuals with art backgrounds and thought we could stage our house for the market. Now, we are so glad that we decided to hire a professional. Valerie and her Apostle Art Team are talented artists with a strong dedication to their work and close attention to detail. Working with Val to prep my house for staging required me to pack, organize and remove things that would have eventually needed to be done anyway. The small investment in her services has really paid off. With both Valerie and a super Real Estate Team our house sold in less than one day! ...Thanks Apostle Art!"

 - The Naudaschers


"I had an offer in 12 days, and signed contract no more than 3 weeks after Apostle Art staged our spec home that was sitting on the market for almost five months. The staging really showed the potential of the home. I plan on staging again before I list the next one. "

 - John Coates, Investor


"Wow! ...Great Job! I love the look…I wish I could pick up the house and move it with us!"

- Sandra Marvin


"My house had been on the market for months and months without even a nibble of an offer when my realtor suggested staging. To be honest, I was very skeptical at first. I had seen shows on TV where homes were staged, but never considered my home in need of staging in order to make it sell. Once I spoke to Valerie at Apostle Art, she alleviated all my staging fears and I contracted her services. Obviously, that was the best decision I made, I could not believe how she made my home seem so much more spacious... And yes, I finally received an offer and was able to sell in this continual sliding real estate market because of Valerie’s expertise. All I can say is thank you Valerie for your exceptional eye for detail and professionalism in helping me finally sell my home."

- Dee Robinson


"We appreciate all you have done...you have been fantastic and gracious."

- Don & Juliet Mabrey


"We want to thank Apostle Art for doing a wonderful job staging our home. Our house in the Poconos was on the market for ten months without any offers. We then moved out of state leaving it vacant. Valerie and her team came in and completely transformed our property from empty space and bare walls, to a warm inviting environment. They even staged the front porch! My realtor was truly amazed at the transformation! Valerie kept us involved in the process and offered professional advice. She sent us before and after pictures and we were shocked at how great the house looked! Apostle Art staged our home in October and we had three offers and a signed contract by November 2nd! Again, thanks for everything."

- Rodney & Persephone Knight


"Valerie is one in a million. I recommend her and Apostle Art wholeheartedly and without hesitation. Apostle Art is the company to use. We were happy with everything that they did for us, from painting to cleaning, from staging to fixing. We felt blessed that she handled everything for us, and we felt blessed that she had such a positive attitude in taking care of all our staging needs."

- Sally D.


"WOW! Is this my house? It is truly phenomenal…I would have never imagined it could look this good. Thanks for all your help!"

- L. Torregrossa


"Thank you, so much for the opportunity to meet with you, you are quite talented and have beautiful things to accent any home with. I can really see why your staged homes are going from sitting to signing! We love the color you picked for the living and family room so much that we wish we had you over when we first moved in... Thank you again for all of your help."

- Rachael & Mick Jacobs


"After a year of trying to sell our home in the Poconos, we finally had a contract shortly after Apostle Art came to stage our property. Valerie was amazing! When we had a need, she was there to take control and get it done… Quickly and efficiently! This was greatly appreciated since we had already moved out of state. We needed trees to be cut down; Valerie got it done for us. We needed painting done; Valerie got it done for us. We needed a plumber; Valerie got it done for us. Let me reiterate, WHATEVER we needed, Valerie got it done for us!!"

"Apostle Art made the task of staging our house and getting it ready for a new buyer easy and stress-free. They worked with us on every aspect, going above and beyond what was expected. Valerie’s sincerity, honesty and spiritual values made us feel most comfortable. We trusted her completely!"

- Nick Deliberato

"Valerie and her husband, Fabio did a wonderful job preparing my new townhouse for "move- in" day. Val was extremely helpful in choosing wall colors to compliment my decor, while Fabio expertly and efficiently applied the paint. Val and Fabio are a pleasure to work with, and I would not hesitate to recommend Apostle Art for all your home service needs."

- Betty Reed

"We hadn't had time to paint in 17 years, and our walls had become cracked and water stained.  Our house needed repainting, but neither of us wanted to bear the burden or bother.  Alas! Valerie and Fabio came, saw the problems, and listened to our needs.  Together, we devised a timetable that worked for all of us.  The result…  Perfection!  We are completely happy with their work."

"Now that Apostle Art team has painted our house, we will never attempt to do it ourselves again!  Apostle Art understands the needs of the homeowner: fast, thorough service at an affordable price.  Thank you for going above and beyond."

- Dr. and Mrs. Luongo


What is Home Staging?

Staging is the process of preparing a home for sale so that it appeals to a wide range of buyers. Staging highlights the positive selling features while downplaying the less marketable ones giving your home a huge advantage over other properties on the market.

Does Staging really work?

Homes that are professionally staged are proven to sell faster and for more money than comparable un-staged homes. *"94% of ASP Staged Homes sell on average in 1 month or less." Check out our statistics and Success Stories pages to learn how we have helped sellers achieve incredible results in this competitive real estate market.

My house is already decorated, why do I need to stage?

Decorating expresses the homeowner’s personal taste. Staging focuses on the buyer. What you love may not be what sells in today’s market. Unlike interior decorating, Real Estate Staging is about creating appeal for a wide range of tastes and preferences. Staging is about merchandising much more than it is about décor.

Why can’t buyers just look past the décor
and envision themselves living there?

Only 10% of buyers can visualize a home’s full potential. Cluttered or unappealing rooms leave a negative impression that buyers find difficult to ignore. Staging paints a picture of an engaging lifestyle that is comfortable and carefree. While most begin their home search based on logical criteria it is the emotional connection they feel in the home that ultimately drives their decision to buy.

Why should I hire a professional stager… can’t I do it myself?

You can stage your home yourself but it would be much like trying to cut your own hair…you can’t see the back. Homeowners are emotionally and financially invested in their homes making it impossible to view them objectively. Having the guidance of a trained professional who has the experience of helping countless sellers sell will ultimately save you time and make you money.

Why can’t my realtor just tell me what to do?

While Real Estate agents have typically offered advice to sellers they are often reluctant to jeopardize the listing by suggesting too many changes. They may recognize the benefits of staging but have neither the time nor expertise to help you get it done. A professional stager works as a team with your agent and will be upfront about how to prepare your home to get you top dollar.

When should I stage my home?

The best time to stage your property is before you put it on the market. Buyers and agents are always looking for new listings and you want yours to be the one to catch their eye. If you are already on the market and your house is not attracting enough potential buyers, staging is a great way to stimulate interest in your property and get you sold.

My house is not getting any showings so how will staging help?

Once your property is staged, we carefully photograph each room capturing the best features of the home and provide these to your agent for marketing. “89% of buyers are now searching online for their next home.” Your updated photos will shine over the competitions and entice potential buyers to come see the property in person.

My home is not high end so why should I bother to stage?

Apostle Art believes that every property should be staged in order to fully realize the equity invested in the home. Any property can benefit from staging regardless of price. We offer several levels of staging to accommodate homeowner’s budgets so that everyone can take advantage of our knowledge and expertise.

Can staging help when the real estate market is so soft? 


When there is an abundance of homes for sale and fewer buyers to purchase them, staging will be the key factor that differentiates your property from others. The greater the inventory, the greater the need to capture the attention of buyers as well as realtors who can show your home repeatedly. Staging will help you sell faster and for more money in any market.

Isn’t it better to leave rooms empty so they look larger? 

Vacant spaces actually appear smaller than those that are staged properly. Staging shows the purpose and scale of a room while creating a warm and inviting environment. Photos of empty rooms are uninspiring and do nothing to entice buyers to view the home in person. Professionally staged homes sell 2-3 times faster than comparable vacant homes.

Do I need to do anything to prepare for a consultation or staging?

Nothing needs to be done prior to our initial visit. Unlike buyers, we can look past a person’s clutter and furnishings and certainly aren’t expecting perfection. We are there to help you get a clear action plan for preparing your home. It is better to know what the priorities are before wasting time on less important projects.

How much does staging cost?

Pricing will vary based on the types of services needed for your particular situation. We always give our professional opinion of what should to be done to properly prepared the home and then prioritize a plan based on your specific needs and budget. Real Estate Staging is an investment not an expense. Statistics show that staging related improvements can yield up to 508% return on investment.

We would be happy to discuss our fees and services with you personally.
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© Apostle Art 2011   •   683 Clearview Drive   •   Long Pond, PA   •   18334
570.972.7939 | valerie@apostleart.com