The houses that sell fast today are the ones that WOW buyers.

At Rocky Mountain Home Staging, we know what it is like to be a home seller in today’s market.
“Sellers don’t know their own power when it comes to selling their home for top dollar. They have total control over the presentation, the packaging, how the house looks and feels – all the things that buyers can fall in love with. These are what bring the offers. They also often control the price too. Still it’s amazing how many sellers would rather walk away from $40,000 than spend $3,000 preparing their home to sell. However, savvy sellers can use this to their advantage since so few people are willing to do what it takes to get the best results.”

Founder, Sara Garden bought her first house when she was 20 and recently sold her sixth home. None of the houses were investment properties; none of them were flips. All of them were her primary residence and she lived in them while they were for sale. Some of her houses sold for well over asking price in a matter of hours and some of them, well, let’s just say they didn’t. Sara is intimately familiar with the challenges of selling. And with a real estate broker grandfather, and a mom who is a realtor, helping people make money on real estate is a family tradition.

Sara founded Rocky Mountain Home Staging to help sellers have the best possible chance of multiple offers and a fast sale. Sara has done it numerous times herself. Even with a cursed money pit of a house that failed inspection 8 or 10 times. Her motto is “If you are going to sell, sell it right.” These days that means going beyond tidying the clutter, and doing some packing and cleaning.

Times have changed. Gone are the days when sellers could clean the house, paint a wall, plop out some flowers and throw some cookies in the oven.

Selling for top dollar today is far different than it was even four years ago. Treating the sale of your home like a product packaging competition is the fastest way to great results. And Sara knows a thing or two about marketing; bringing 20 years of marketing experience, including running her own marketing firm, and an MBA to her staging business. “Why people buy is critical. Buyers purchase aspirationally, we help them envision a wonderful future life in the home.” This targeted approach is one taken by the new generation of home stagers, those who understand marketing, buyer psychology and design psychology and use these tools to the seller’s advantage. Understanding space, color and furniture arrangement are all important but the most critical aspect of home staging go way beyond decor. “Believe it or not, your house can be decorated beautifully and still not be buyer ready. Because how you live in a home is not how you sell it.”

Sara also worked at Ralph Lauren, one of the world’s premiere lifestyle companies. Selling your house is about helping the buyer to envision the lifestyle that they will have there. Sara says, “Staging goes way beyond just making your home pretty, it should make your home memorable. The buyer can imagine having a wonderful life there.” Creating lifestyle triggers for a targeted buyer is exactly what makes home staging effective. Home owners do not decorate this way no matter how great their taste is. Rocky Mountain Home Staging strives to go beyond that contrived “staged” look to create real experiences for buyers.

Sara has looked at hundreds of properties over the years as a buyer and knows first-hand the difference that staging can make.

“I really wanted to start staging after a recent look at properties. Sellers don’t know their own power when it comes to selling their home for top dollar. They have total control over the presentation, the packaging, how the house looks and feels – all the things that buyers can fall in love with. These are what bring the offers. Price gets the buyer in the door for a showing, but how the house shows, how it makes them feel – that’s what compels them to make an offer. Real estate is most people’s largest investment and most sellers need to squeeze every last drop of equity from their property. It takes less money than people think. Good preparation is especially critical now.” Preparation can be the difference between getting full asking price in 30 days or sitting on the market for months.

Sara is a certified HSE (Home Staging Expert), an HSR (Home Staging Resource) graduate, as well as an APSD (Association of Property Scene Designers) Home Stager, Stager Pro and APSD Certified Trainer.

In addition to the work she has done on her own homes and her years of marketing experience, she completed hands-on training with four professional stagers and has taken current courses with RESA-PRO and other national training providers. She is also a voracious reader who has consumed hundreds of books on staging, design, real estate, home improvement and decor. Sara is an ardent believer in lifelong learning and staying current in your craft. She is a member of RESA, the Real Estate Staging Association, dedicated to advancing excellence and professionalism in the home staging industry. She is also an affiliate member of the Boulder Area Realtor Association (BARA) where she is on the Young Professional Network council. Sara says, “At Rocky Mountain Home Staging we are committed to the principles of integrity, honesty and results. We work hard to exceed the expectations of our clients in every interaction. Selling made easier is what we are all about.”

If you are ready to get those offers rolling in within the next 30 days call Sara at Rocky Mountain Home Staging at 720-295-0720, email us or visit our services page for more details.