When you're having a summer picnic or a holiday party, you sweep the patio and wipe down the porch furniture or light candles and primp the house by putting the pile of mail and magazines in a cabinet and other "stuff" out of sight.

Considered one of the biggest sales ventures any of us will make in our adult years, why would anyone possibly think that getting ready to sell their home should deserve anything less than the picnic setup or the holiday party planning?

Melissa Hess, a professional interior designer and real estate stager with 18 years of experience, said, "Staging isn't just a professional service but very personal one." Think of staging a home for sale as putting your property's best foot forward. Sweep, wipe, light and hide, then take it a step further.

Hess brings with her an innate sensibility that helps her to maximize a property's selling potential. "My job is to make it appealing to the widest audience of buyers," Hess said.

There is a very clear distinction between a stager and a Realtor. The Realtor has to talk price and business details, while a stager comes to a project with the sole purpose of maximizing the property's selling potential. as an eye for what makes things sell."

Jerry Lehman, a real estate agent with Coldwell Banker, wholeheartedly supports the use of a stager by the seller because it has proven to produce quicker sales with higher profits.

"I find that Melissa delivers a personal and comprehensive service that produces results," Lehman said. "If people follow through with all of the suggestions from the Realtor and stager, I have found that homes sell more quickly."

Hess has found that to be a successful stager, it's important for her to have a very keen understanding and awareness of the region. "I get to know how people live in an area. A key component is to totally move away from specific tastes, trends and styles," she said.

"You don't want to eliminate any potential buyer," Lehman agreed.

Hess noted that a recent study by the Real Estate Staging Association (RESA) has shown that a staged home spends 85 percent less time on the market, and 65 percent of buyers pay more for homes that are move-in ready. "The investment in staging a home the first time around," said Hess, "is far better than a forced price reduction later."

Real estate is a highly competitive market, and the inventory is much more abundant right now because of the economy and there are fewer buyers, according to Hess. She said, "Smart sellers are realizing the same thing the builders realized a decade ago. It used to be builders and contractors who were staging their homes. Builders were smart enough to realize that a buyer needed to be able to visualize himself in a property."

PROCESS

Despite what many folks think when they hear interior designer or staging professional, it's not a service that caters to the wealthier clients, according to Hess.

The homeowner should do as much of the work as possible, Hess said.

"I do my best to use the clients' dollars wisely and economize the staging process," said Hess, who encourages them to roll up their sleeves and get busy with whatever they can do.

Hess has found that after a consultation, the homeowner often will bring the stager back for some or all of the services he or she can offer to get the property to its absolute best condition.

Hess starts with an assessment stage for an estimated $150. She walks through the property with the homeowner, taking photographs and notes. This is when the nuts and bolts suggestions are developed, and the creative wheels start to churn. She gives both homeowner and Realtor a written assessment.

Lehman includes the initial consultation by the stager in his listing package. Many times the suggestion of staging is presented to the seller by the real estate agent. The idea, however, is that the entire relationship between the seller and stager is a separate venture and treated as such. Lehman finds his sales success improving as sellers contract with stagers. Lehman also uses the before and after staging pictures on his online listings to reach more buyers.

PHASES 1, 2 AND 3

Phase One of all projects starts with having clean and fresh surfaces. Part of the cleaning process means getting in there with good old-fashioned elbow grease, painting dingy walls and other elements, and maybe even switching out light switch plates. Even if a house is unoccupied, it can't look neglected. Cobwebs in the corners and rust stains in toilets and sinks are not OK.

A complete de-cluttering and de-personalization is Phase 2 in Hess' staging process. "I've found that a homeowner cannot successfully stage their own home. They have trouble being objective. A homeowner will decorate according to their personal taste and call that staging. Showing off the square footage and best floor plan isn't easy for a homeowner to do," she said.

A focus on updates and upgrades is Phase 3.

"Bring a property current by changing out dated lighting fixtures, old hardware and possibly even replacing a worn, soiled carpet with a parquet floor. This is where a homeowner needs to decide where the money they have to market their home will best be utilized."

Hess encourages clients to work from her list and do as much of the cleaning and repairs themselves to save money. At this point in the sales process, she said, it's time for homeowners to call in favors from friends.

Stagers, such as Hess, come to the table not only with an eye for seeing what a room can look like but also with an arsenal of knowledge and relationships with area services and contractors.

"We make a very emotional connection to our homes, and because people are so busy, they are not looking for fixer-uppers as much anymore," Hess said. Buyers want to see a home they can imagine living in.

OCCUPIED VS. VACANT

When using a stager and his or her decorating skills, the whole house doesn't need to be tackled. If funds dictate that only certain rooms will be staged, Hess suggests making sure the kitchen and bathrooms look livable and are spotless.

Obviously, curb appeal is key to invite a potential buyer to the front door, but the impact when stepping through the doorway is critical. If a stager brings in furnishings, the use of those props is contracted for blocks of time. Lehman noted that, in most cases, his staged houses have sold within the first 30-day period.

When working with the homeowner's existing furnishings, Hess makes it her goal to enhance existing belongings with staging props. She tosses any preconceived placements and looks at spaces and furniture layout to best showcase the square footage of the house and features such as fireplaces, nooks or accent walls.

Sensors are elements that touch the potential buyer's senses — elements such as the cozy glow of soft light fixtures, the crackling of a fireplace or the breeze from a ceiling fan can make buyers feel at home. Plants give a room life, as do varied textures of window treatments, pillows, candles and throw blankets.

Accessories can make the staged spaces more authentic and lived in. An open book on a side table or dinnerware and a centerpiece on a dining room table complete a look.

Hess likes the analogy of a stager and a quality restaurant server. "They do their job so well that you never even know they were there." Clients are part of the open house process after Hess has staged their home. She works with her sellers and explains the importance of attention to detail.

She said that not only do sellers fine-tune their homes for display by adjusting the window blinds and turning on ceiling fans, they know what personal belongings to temporarily eliminate to remove distractions from the staged area. Items like dog crates, as well as their occupants, and personal photos are removed from the setting for the few hours that potential buyers are streaming through.

"We live differently today. A whole new kind of consumer and homeowner has emerged and home no longer means what it used to mean. There has been an explosion of goods and services for the home decorator. These changes have made it possible for the homeowners to raise the bar and live at a higher level," Hess said.

And Forbes magazine recently reported that the catch phrase, "the largest selling factors for a home are location, location, location," has changed in order of importance to price, staging and marketing by the Realtor, according to Hess.

For more information on staging, Hess can be reached at melissastages@gmail.com.

rmcroberts@lnpnews.com