Realtors have been asking, what would be considered a reasonable range of pricing for home Staging?

Let me tell you how I work! When I meet with a Realtor for the first time, I explain that I have 3 levels of home Staging services to meet their needs. The home Staging review or consultation is a detailed analysis of the homes interior and exterior including a prioritized list so homeowners know where to put their energies first. This list is Staging homework for the homeowner.

Level 2 is when I Stage the home. Each home is unique, so a bid will be provided for home Staging. And without seeing the home either in pictures or in person, I cannot/will not just throw out a number. I can tell you that for a 4 bedroom, 2 1/2 bath the Staging investment was $300 while a 2 bedroom, 1 1/2 bath was $500. It all depends on how much clutter there is, how much furniture re-arranging needs to be done, what accessories may need to be brought in to attain the Staged look, and so on. Its not a good use of my time to be asked to clean or pack.

Level 3 is Staging of a vacant house. After seeing the house, a bid is developed which includes rental furniture if the homeowner cannot return some items to the house, rental accessories and my Staging fee.

So, back to the question of a reasonable range: starting at $300 and less than a price reduction! It doesn't need to cost $10,000 like on Oprah although I can charge that if you want me to!! Hope this helps.

Carol

In response to Sheron Cardin's recent blog, Sheron, you've nailed it saying that Stagers are home merchandisers!! These days, everything is merchandised....clothing, food, cars, we merchandise ourselves too with clothing, accessories, fitness, make-up and jewelry, so why not our homes, which are usually our biggest asset? Ask any ASP about the car analogy.....

When I do a home Staging consultation for homeowners, part of it involves walking them through the house, and pointing out what a potential buyer would see, at that point in time. I've had them in tears too when, for example, they looked at their front entrance and saw peeling paint, cobwebs and dirt. That's when I reminded them, you drive up the driveway, into the garage and come into your home through another entrance don't you?? The answer was yes. When was the last time you looked at your home from through the eyes of a buyer?? The answer was when we bought it. Relax, I said, this can be changed! And it was, and promptly too!   ASP Stagers and ASP Realtors know the saying: The way you live in your home and the way we market and sell your house are two different things!

I tell Realtors and homeowners, we want potential buyers to feel 'at home', not 'in your home'. I want to create just enough theater for potential buyers to see how they could live in the house, whether or not the current owner has lived that way.

IMHO, its time to let Realtors and homeowners 'buy' rather be 'sold'. By showing Realtors my Staging successes, by showing them how Staging may meet their needs (winning listings, having them show better than other listings, often sell faster than other listings and therefore costing less to market) they often buy-in to the concept and benefits of Staging.

By giving Realtors phrases to use to educate sellers, local statistics that demonstrate the benefits of home Staging and pictures that show its effects, this lets the homeowners choose to buy the concept from the agent. And when the Realtor says that they themselves are so committed to the benefits of home Staging that they will pay for the home Staging consultation or Staging to assist with the faster sale of the house, homeowners often agree wholeheartedly and can't wait to Stage.

Sometimes the transformation is funny. A realtor had me Stage a house where the kitchen had older appliances and although the realtor suggested installing new white appliances to make it more appealing, the homeowner was adamant about not replacing. During conversation with the homeowner, she said she didn't like white appliances so wasn't going to replace the old ones. I leaned over, patted her hand, and said, That's ok, you won't be living here with them! The realtor called the next day and practically yelled at me, what did you do to her? Why, I asked nervously. She went out last night and bought all white, new appliances!!

Let's all continue to Stage it Forward!!

Carol

A Stager recently asked a question on marketing Staging to Realtors in their office. IMO, Kristal Kraft had a great response, tell the realtors whats in it for them.

When I did that at a meeting, heads started popping up out of cubbies like the whack-a-mole game! And all I had said was, after I Staged a listing for an agent in this office, the homeowner had their agent increase the selling price $20,000 and it sold for 100% of Staged list price in 7 days.

While I agree that the top producers probably won't be in these meetings, they're too busy out there making deals, there probably will be at least one agent who wants to stand out from the crowd by offering Staging as a value-added service to their clients.

Or explain that a Staged home usually sells faster and they can put that commission in their pocket faster. Back it up with your statistics if you can.

Or explain that a Staged home looks better in print and/or on the Internet. The house doesn't get a second chance to make a great first impression.

Or explain that a Staged home is more appealing to a greater group of potential buyers.

Carol

Today as I was de-Staging a house, having the rental furniture removed and carrying my home Staging accessories out to my Jeep, I noticed that the other homes in the area that had been for sale months ago when I bid on Staging the vacant house, are still for sale. The house I Staged is under contract and closes on Friday!! I wonder what realtors are saying to their sellers about why this house is closing and theirs is not.

When will realtors and home sellers wake-up and realize the value of what I and other Stagers do in home Staging? The realtor that I worked with on this project will put his commission in his pocket this week, while the other realtors are still waiting.

If the other homes are forced to take a price reduction, not only the homeowner lose out, the realtor will also lose out potentially by more than the investment in having me Stage the home.

I was recently told that in California, sellers are actually suing and winning cases against real estate agents for not providing all the services that they possibly can to obtain the highests price for the sellers.

I have seen a number of posts about referral/leads groups and wanted to share a bit of my experiences.

I joined a referral group after moving to an area where I knew no one and wanted to restart my home Staging business. The referral group provides solid referrals not just leads and has allowed me to grow the business, I have learned from peer members and gained a great deal of confidence. When members of our group delivered poor service to our referrals, word got around and the referrals dried up. These people quickly left the group. On the other hand, when great work and service have been provided by the referred business, their business grew strongly.

When I have had opportunities to refer realtors to my home Staging clients, I refer about 3 different realtors, including the realtor in my referral group. I feel its important for homeowners to interview realtors to find the person they feel comfortable with. After all, their realtor is helping them sell their largest asset (usually) and you should be comfortable with the person, know their expertise in the local market and trust them to market the house in such a way that it sells quickly and for top dollar.

When our family moves again (please let it not be soon), then I'll have a really hard choice: the realtor in my referral group or one of my network from the refferal group or one of my contacts here in ActiveRain?? Maybe I'll have to FSBO!!

Home Staging is the process of preparing a home for sale, regardless of price, location or condition. Staging is home merchandising and today, isn't everything merchandised?? When we put on makeup or do what we do to make ourselves more appealing, that's merchandising. When we buy clothes, they are set out on mannequins, or neatly and colorfully placed on shelves, that's merchandising. When we buy food at a restaurant, they show us how nice it looks on the pictures in the menu, that's merchandising.

So why is there a commotion when it is discovered that a home was Staged for sale?? When we sell what is often our largest asset, shouldn't it look its best and appeal to the greatest group of potential buyers?? Home Staging will show-off the focal point of each room or draw the eye to features that make the house stand out from the competition and show potential buyers how they could live in the house.

As a home Stager, I will not cover-up or hide a condition in a house. For example, the hole in the shower surround that I was asked to hide by pulling the curtain shut. No way. On the other hand, if a carpet is stained from pets, is suggesting it be replaced covering-up a condition? I don't think so. My goal is to help the homeowner and realtor have a faster sale for the most money. 

I don't understand the realtor and/or homeowner not willing to invest a small amount in Staging, but willing to take a price reduction.

Your thoughts?

I've been reading a lot about annoying SEO (Search Engine Optimization) calls from so-called SEO experts promising to move your website up in the search listings.

I have solved that problem.....at least for me. I am currently working with a SEO expert who has truly managed to get my website into the top 10 on MSN searches for home Staging. He is currently working on the Google and Yahoo searches and hopes to have great results for me shortly.

The solution??  Marry a SEO expert!!

I would be happy to provide you with a referral to him!!

The 2006 Parade of Homes showcase presented by the Home Builders Association of Greater Chicago (HBAGC) in Sugar Grove opened on Wednesday October 11th and runs until Sunday October 29th.

It was a blustery and damp day to be traipsing through eight gorgeous homes....builders were realizing they needed a place for the realtors and guests to take off shoes or put on protective covers over boots! This year's Realtor's Day featured a special speaking appearance by Barb Schwarz, the creator of the concept of home Staging and the author of "Home Staging: The winning way to sell your house for more money". Accredited Staging Professionals from the Greater Chicago area were in attendance as well, speaking with realtors and builders and answering inquiries about home Staging.

The 2006 Parade of Homes spotlights eight homes, all within the $500,000-700,000 range, that are the designs of the following custom builders: Tower Builders; Highfield Homes, Inc.; McFarlane Construction, Inc; Midwest Custom Homes; Old Towne Custom Builders; Ed Saloga Builders; Vintage Builders; and Kackert Homes. The homes are adjacent to the Settlers Ridge Model Park.

The Realtor's Day was sponsored by Baird & Warner, AT&T, Brook Furniture Rental, Chicago Agent magazine and 1st American Title Company.

Why is it that when a realtor decides to sell their home they behave like most homeowners??

Saying things like, I'll get the overgrown yard work done soon, soon never comes and the house is already on the market. Or, I'll clean the house after it sells instead of before potential buyers see it. Or, I know its a great house and I know it will sell really fast, I don't need to do anything to it, meanwhile spiderwebs are everywhere, the windows are dirty and it smells?

I recently Staged a vacant house for a realtor in a Chicago suburb. The house was under contract in 38 days!! Typical listing time in the area, 90 days. Staging is home merchandising and it works. Vacant properties, don't show well. Staging allows buyers to see how they could live in the home whether or not the homeowner lived that way. Another success story!!