House flipping is back on the rise as the housing market continues to go up in metropolitan cities like Atlanta, GA. Currently in Georgia, there are hundreds of homes being flipped. When it comes to real estate investors, you will find that the most effective flippers operate in teams. Having a great team is essential in a flipping business since so much goes into finding a good deal, completing a timely rehab, listing the home, and securing a buyer. On a real estate investor’s team you will typically find contractors, a realtor, attorneys, a lender, and one of the most valuable members that is often overlooked, the a Home Stager.

Why do house flippers need a home stager? Home Stagers can help ensure that the house flip doesn’t result in a flop due to unplanned carrying cost and is essential in one of the most important parts of successfully flipping a home: SECURING a buyer fast!

Home Stagers come in and showcase the property by bringing in on trend furniture and accessories that will help buyers visualize living in the property. Prior to staging they complete demographic research on the buyer, which helps the staging build an emotional connection with the buyer leading to a faster sale.

Many rehabbers feel like home renovations alone should sell a home, but home staging brings out the best features in those home renovations. The two work seamlessly together to present a premium product on the market that buyers are willing to pay more for.

Staging also results in stellar photographs that attract more buyers to come view the home. Take a look at the before and after photographs of a house that was on the MLS without staging vs. being staged. Can you guess which photo drew in the most buyers?

With so many real estate investors targeting the same areas to flip, staging may be the one thing that gives your rehab the competitive advantage over others in the same area.

The home pictured above is a ranch style home in Decatur, Ga that was a fix and flip recently staged. Prior to being staged, the home was listed on the market for over 15+ days with very little interest using the vacant photos. During the time this home was listed, there was another flip listed for $20,000 dollars LESS with more square footage in the same neighborhood. The investor knew that he was going to have to increase his marketing efforts to compete against the lower priced flip. He had never tried staging his flips, but decided to give it a try to see if it would work.

The result….he ended up with a signed contract in approximately 3 days after the staging!  Staging did the trick to push the house to SOLD.

And guess what? The rehab that wasn’t staged is still sitting on the market while the other investor is incurring steep carrying cost.

Are you a real estate investor in the process of building out your team? Don’t forget the home stager, they could save you thousands!