Waukesha County Home

Impression From Page 1 house is going to sell immediately," Monroe said. "Sometimes the case depends on where the house is located and also how updated the house is." The goal of staging, she said, is to "try to elevate the home to show it at its best." With vacant properties, the research shows only about 10% of the popula- tion is able to visualize what it could look like if furnished, according to Monroe, who noted that updated furniture and decor can effectively mask other aspects about a prop- erty that are not updated. As to sellers with a fur- nished property, a stager can help bring a fresh set of eyes and an objective perspective to the market- ing process. Knitter noted that even as a professional stager, she still might miss the personal items that could distract a buyer around her own home if she was preparing to sell. "I think it is helpful to have someone come in. You really want to make sure you're depersonaliz- ing," she said. As to color schemes, Monroe recommended sticking to neutrals. "Try to eliminate shock- ing bright colors," she said, with the exception of "maybe a nice spa-like color" in the owner's bed- room. Throughout the house she said "unchanging color from room-to-room is the most soothing on the eye." Both Knitter and Mon- roe are each certified in home staging and although it is a physically demanding job, both said they enjoy seeing the results of their efforts. Making a space go from "empty to beautiful, that is really rewarding," Monroe said. HOME APRIL 2021 4 "Try to eliminate shocking bright colors." – Amy Monroe, Becoming Home, LLC A view of the living room in a vacant property before staging. which is shown on page 1. With vacant proper- ties, research shows only about 10% of the population is able to visualize what it could look like if furnished, according to Amy Monroe, co-owner and lead stager of Waukesha area company Becoming Home, LLC. Submitted photo

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