Staged for Success with Realtor® Jolene Hardy

There are so many decisions that need to be made before selling your home. When to sell it, who to hire to sell it, and what price to set. Another question that might need to be answered is: “Should you stage your home?” One of our John R. Wood listings may answer that question for a lot of our sellers out there. Jolene Hardy, Realtor® with John R. Wood Properties went to school for interior design and is a member of ASID (American Society of interior designers) as well as a member of RESA (Real Estate Stagers Association). She brings her love for interior design to her real estate business. Jolene’s listing at 6351 Tidewater Island is a great case study for home staging after being listed with a different brokerage for over a year. Once listed the owner took her advice on updates and staging their house was under contract within 35 days! Jolene offers staging solutions not limited to her own listings, “I also do Interior design: remodeling, consultation and went to school for Interior design about 15 years ago: studied at Pellissippi State University in Knoxville, TN.”

Watch the FOX4 Out and About in Southwest Florida feature on Jolene Hardy and Jolene Design

A 2016 RESA report found that 90% of staged homes spent less time on the market. Most people have trouble visualizing a space’s potential, whether that’s figuring out how to lay out an empty room or trying to ignore oddly arranged furniture, clutter or decor that’s not their style. The majority of home buyers can’t easily look past what’s in front of them to appreciate a room’s potential. Staging helps eliminate the buyer’s guesswork.

Example of Some Before & After Pictures of 6351 Tidewater Island

Buyers need to be able to mentally visualize themselves and their things living in your home rather than the existing owners.

Home staging has become an increasingly formidable force in helping owners sell their homes more quickly and for more money. The overall goal is to help prospective home buyers emotionally connect to a space. Today, home staging isn’t limited to just high-end properties. It has become a norm for homes at all price points. While staging may seem like an additional inconvenience and expense, the investment can pay off.