real estate staging: Today.... I Became .... an 'Angler'
- 06/18/08 11:18 AM
I have seen it done many times. I have very rarely thought it made sense. Don't get me wrong, sometimes it does, but I have seen it done so many times and so seldom needed to do it that I figured it was something I would never be. You know, an 'Angler'. Stagers who put furniture and beds and area rugs on an angle. Seriously, in the 3 years I have been staging, I have only put a bed on an angle twice. Truth be told, the first time I was helping another stager with a job and she insisted on it. … (31 comments)
real estate staging: The Mystery of Vacant Listings - Which Room is Which?
- 05/11/08 11:57 AM
I have heard it said many times that the cost of staging is not a worthy one when it comes to vacant homes. Staging has been described as just another way to fleece a builder - or an agent, and a waste of time and effort, especially in this market. Below are some photos of a home I recently staged. Had the seller decided against staging, these are the photos that would have been placed on the MLS. Can you tell me which room is which?
Place your guesses for rooms 1 through 4 below and I … (10 comments)
real estate staging: Was it a Risk Worth Taking?
- 12/01/07 09:10 AM
You will never guess what I did today. I staged a builder's model with out their permission. Yep, that's right. I did it and it was fabulous. This morning I met one of my partner agents at a builder's model to pick up some accessories that I had left at one of her listings that recently sold. She was at the model covering for the listing agent who was out of town. She had five hours to kill, so we figured if I picked it up there I could keep her company for a while until a buyer stopped in. She told me the … (21 comments)
real estate staging: Relocation Companies Are Making HUGE Marketing Mistakes
- 10/23/07 06:16 AM
A few weeks ago, I prepared a bid and short report for a relocation company. The house was a very nice two story, very well built, nice layout and in a good neighborhood. It did have some minor issues, but none that couldn't be easily remedied, hence the short report. So short, I didn't even charge them for it. The house had just a few drawbacks - lack of any outdoor living space in the backyard (all other homes within eyesight of this house had stamped concrete patios), an open concept layout that confused buyers as far as furniture placement and it … (33 comments)
real estate staging: The Most Important Step You Can Take When Showing Your House
- 10/21/07 11:48 AM
Recently, I received a phone call from a fellow stager in a different part of the state. She was flustered over the fact that she was dealing for the first time with a home at a higher price point and a very intimidating top producing Realtor.It seems the property in question could do with a good cleaning - several children and cats also occupy the home - and she made haste in letting them know that the home would have to be cleaned (and kept clean) if she were to stage the listing. The Realtor was very offended that she would … (21 comments)
real estate staging: You Could Use a Stager - Even if You're Not a Listing Agent
- 10/10/07 08:53 AM
It occurred to me today as I was catching up on my blog reading that a large amount of stagers blogs are focused on educating listing agents about the benefits of staging their listings. That is a GOOD THING and definitely should be something that we all work on as staging to sell is the core of what we do. However, I started thinking that this focus eliminates a large number of other professionals in the real estate industry from utilizing our services to their own benefit. Here are a few thoughts: 1 Buyer's Agents. Every new home owner runs into the same problems - what … (18 comments)
real estate staging: Should Stagers Use Smaller Furniture to Make a Room Appear Larger? You Betcha!
- 09/26/07 10:29 AM
In the now infamous NAEBA article siting home stagers as deceivers, a reference was made to the use of smaller sized furniture to make a room appear larger. Is that a common practice? Yes - and it should be! Every designer worth their fee will tell you that scale is imperative in a properly designed room. Using over-sized pieces in a small area will only make it appear cramped - or even smaller than it really is. What is the solution? Pieces that suit the scale of the room. This is not deception, it is proper use of space. The concept behind scaling down … (28 comments)
real estate staging: Not Checking Your Vacant Properties? Somebody Should.
- 09/15/07 03:22 AM
In the world of vacant staging, there seem to be those stagers who stage and leave, never to see the property again until it is time to retrieve their inventory and then there are the stagers who are running out to their properties every few days to make sure beds are still inflated, etc. It also seems that it is either/or, with no in between. It certainly would be understandable to forgo property checks due to distance - I am doing a consult over an hour away on Monday, don't know if property checks are going to be included in the deal … (24 comments)
real estate staging: SOOOO FRUSTRATED!!!
- 09/13/07 11:33 AM
I know this stuff happens, but I am so frustrated I could scream! I have been talking to a builder about staging one of his listings for about a month now. He has been easy to deal with, but other factors have slowed down the process and we finally worked out a deal. The contract is signed, the check is deposited (and cleared) and I was scheduled to deliver the inventory this evening. The trailer is packed and I have the skinned knuckles to prove I loaded it myself. Two hours before I was scheduled to arrive, the builder calls and asks if we … (23 comments)
real estate staging: Staging is All About Making the Right Connections
- 08/13/07 01:22 PM
The Professional Stagers of Active Rain have been posed the question - Why and When do you stage your house? There are many technical answers I could give here and do an adequate job of it, but I want you the reader to think past the nuts and bolts of the staging process and view it from a more basic level. Anyone who has bought or sold their first place can attest to the fact that it is so much more than an impersonal business transaction. Home buying decisions are not made based on numbers on a piece of paper, or MLS listing, they are made in the heart. Your … (23 comments)
real estate staging: Photo Blog: Dyer Vacant Staging Project
- 07/16/07 06:29 AM
This house is vacant, but was partially furnished with items that the seller did not want to take to their new house. We used what would blend with my inventory and sent the rest to charity. It also kept their rental fees down.
Kathy, here is an alternate view of the living room just for you! I tried to avoid getting photos of that light fixture - which is no longer there - but couldn't avoid it.
… (14 comments)
real estate staging: 2 Staging Projects, 2 Agents, 2 Completely Different Clients.
- 07/14/07 03:35 PM
This week was very busy for me. I had two vacant staging projects to complete - both secured last week. For me, this is a story of the contrast we often deal with in the staging industry. Both projects were bid on the same night, but played out completely different. July 3, 2007: Project #1 - 5:00 p.m. Met with my longest running partner Realtor, Debbie Depper, at a listing in Dyer. I supposed to complete a bid and be off to my next appointment. It unexpectedly became a consultation the minute I shook hands with the client. After talking about wallpaper removal, paint … (8 comments)
real estate staging: 5 Things Buyers Should Never See in Your Listings- REVISED
- 07/02/07 04:49 AM
As Kate Hart recently addressed, we have all found odd things in our listings. Things that startle buyers (and ourselves) and cause them to exit a listing before they have completed the tour. Below is a list of things that your buyers should never see during showings that must be addressed before the sign goes into the yard. These things will undoubtedly kill your sale. 1. Sex - Let's just get this one out of the way, shall we? Whether it be in it's physical form (stumbling upon couples in the act or obviously recently finished) or just suggestive (toys, stripper poles, swings, lingerie, etc.) Nothing can give your … (33 comments)
The only thing I could not improve - the view from the balcony... … (16 comments)
real estate staging: Would Your Listing Sell if it Were a Can of Corn?
- 06/22/07 03:14 PM
Imagine your listing is a can of corn. Buyers are coming down the aisle (the MLS) looking for this product. They know they want corn, but aren't sure what kind to buy. So how will they decide? First, they will look at the packaging (curb appeal). If that pleases them, they will look at the price. If it does not break their budget they will decide to pick it up and inspect further (schedule a showing). But what happens if they pick it up and it is dented? They will put it back and move on to the next can. And so will … (14 comments)
real estate staging: And IT IS a Success!
- 06/15/07 06:29 AM
A while ago I posted two blogs about a vacant house that I would be staging. Can She Make this a Staging Success? and Did She Pull Off a Staging Success? You Decide. I was concerned about market time on this particular house as it was FSBO, but 6 weeks after staging, they hired an agent and I thought that would fix that. It sat for a couple of months and I did not hear from the owner. I was greatly concerned, but thought all would be well in the end and they paid the rental fees without fail. Well, it turns out that they had … (12 comments)
real estate staging: How James Frazier and a Home Inspector Revolutionized my Consultations
- 05/22/07 02:33 AM
It has been a hot topic here on AR - how do you do your written consults? Do you take photos and notes, then go home and write them up? How much time do you spend? Is it worth what you are paid? So on and so forth. Obviously, not process is right for everyone, so we all do it differently. It used to be that I would walk through a house with a client discussing certain things with them, taking photos, etc. Then I would go home spend countless hours writing up every tiny detail, writing and rewriting until I couldn't … (18 comments)
real estate staging: Investment Property Complete
- 05/19/07 04:20 PM
Finally, investment property #1 is finally completed! After some labor issues, plumbing glitches and cabinet delays the project is finished (well, at least my part) and the results are fabulous. I came into the project early, but not early enough to make all of the choices. I did choose the lighting finishes and paint color, weighed in on the trim and some uncertain structural changes, and made all of the furnishing and decor choices based on the direction of the project. Here are the before and after shots.
The actual staging was done with the help of Dawn … (16 comments)
real estate staging: This Dining Room Rocks!
- 05/15/07 02:52 PM
I'm so excited, I just had to share. I am in the middle of (literally) staging a house for my new investor client. this is the first time I have been given complete freedom to do whatever I want as far as a decor theme. He allowed me to choose the paint color and the whole shot. I did choose a different light fixture, but I digress... Anyway, I will blog about the whole thing later, but the dining room is finished and I wanted to show everyone. … (26 comments)
Kimberly Wester's experiences, views and tutorials on staging in the real estate industry, with a focus on educating the RE industry on the benefits of home staging and bringing the staging community together under a united message.
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I have seen it done many times. I have very rarely thought it made sense. Don't get me wrong, sometimes it does, but I have seen it done so many times and so seldom needed to do it that I figured it was something I would never be. ;)
;)
