How to choose a home stager

Seven things to check before you hire a home stager, from portfolio and reviews to certification and what is included in the quote.

The right stager helps your home sell faster and for more. The wrong one costs you money and time. Here is a simple checklist to find a professional you can trust.

1. Look at the portfolio first

A stager’s past work tells you almost everything. Look for before and after photos of homes similar to yours: same property type, similar price bracket. Strong stagers show their work proudly. On our directory, many profiles include before/after sliders so you can judge the transformation yourself.

2. Read the reviews

Verified reviews from past clients are the best signal of what it is actually like to work with someone. Pay attention to comments on communication, reliability, and whether the staging helped the home sell. A consistent four-and-a-half to five star rating across several reviews is a great sign.

3. Check their certification

Home staging is unregulated in most places, so a recognised certification is a useful filter. We highlight stagers certified by the Home Staging Institute, an accredited credential you can verify. Certification is not everything, but combined with a strong portfolio it is reassuring.

4. Match their specialty to your property

Some stagers focus on vacant luxury homes; others are brilliant with occupied family houses or short-term rentals. Use the property type and service filters on each city page to shortlist stagers who do exactly what you need.

5. Understand what is included

When you receive a quote, make sure you know:

Which rooms will be staged
Whether it covers furniture rental, and for how long
What happens if the home takes longer than expected to sell
Whether a consultation fee applies and if it is credited against the project

6. Ask about timing

Good stagers get booked up, especially in spring. Ask how far out they are scheduling and how quickly they can turn a home around once you are ready to list.

7. Compare two or three

Request quotes from a few stagers and compare them side by side. Our compare tool lets you save your shortlist and line them up by rating, price, and services. Then choose the stager whose work, reviews, and approach give you the most confidence, not just the lowest price.

Ready to start? Browse stagers by city and request a quote from your shortlist.