Is Real Estate Staging a bubble profession?

I don't think so Benita.  It's just going to narrow the playing field and that's great for those of us that can stick it out. 

Benita; you ask some valid questions. However, here is my take on it. I believe that home staging will be around as long as there are houses for sale. It doesn't matter if there are 2 houses or 2,000 on the market, there is competition for buyers. And buyers go into a home with a logical view of their needs (as they should), but in the end, they buy the best looking place that feels like "home" to them (but still fits their needs.)

The savvy, smart Realtors who will stay in business will realize this, and make sure their listed homes are staged. Also, home sellers understand the value of staging, and often call us before a Realtor does!

We aren't going anywhere except up.  Never be discouraged by the market, it has changed before, it will change again!

Benita ~ I'm with Ginger and Peg above .... homeowners need us now more than ever to make their homes appealing to potential buyers!  Experienced Realtors also recognize the importance of staging in presenting a property when there's so much inventory out there.  We offer a variety of services that are very reasonably priced that will help any homeowner prepare their home for sale.  I'm convinced that professional home staging is here to stay, but the hobbyists and wannabee stagers will find they can't make it in this challenging market.

Hello Benita, Your post is short, sweet and to the point.  I like it!  As long as there are sellers, Realtors, investors and builders that understand that Home Staging provides a marketing advantage over their competition, then yes we will be in demand.   

Benita - I agree with the others, if there are houses to be sold, stagers will be needed to solve the problem of houses not being in the kind of condition that buyers want.

Benita:  I like what Peg said above, and agree with her wholeheartedly! 

The Realtors who are top in sales in my area have incorpated home staging into their marketing plans and are all very busy, versus those agents who have not grasped the idea of staging yet.  I am hoping that home staging becomes a norm in the real estate world in the near future, just as home inspectors have over the last few years. 

As Maureen mentioned above, the stagers that are poorly running their businesses or are just hobbyists, could find the current economy does them in.  I have seen two close in my area recently.

Hi Benita! I think there is going to be stagers getting out, just as there is agents getting out of the industry. However, those of us who are committed and have the passion and business sense will be there till the end. I still believe that staging will become the norm. So we( stagers) won't be a causualty, the agents who don't jump on board will :)

We have found that our business has strengthened with the difficult housing market.  Agents and sellers are looking for a way to set themselves (and their properties) apart.  Staging statistics in our area have shown that the investment of staging is saving sellers money, so I think they'll keep staging.  Even banks and relo companies have been jumping on the staging wagon in our town... which is keeping us hopping!

I certainly hope not. However I also think it may be a geographical problem too. I used to live in San Francisco, and I don't see that people will stop staging their homes there. I now live in Albuquerque and Staging never really took off here so it is a bit more challenging to get clients to commit. Will I be around a year from now, absolutely I am looking at different ways to market my services, maybe focus a bit more on the redesign aspect. I've been doing this for seven years, I love what I do and I'm not going anywhere.

Aloha Benita,

Thought provoking but I don't see staging going by the wayside any more than merchandising, marketing, or advertising. Thanks for the inspiration for a new post.

Peace,

Hi Benita.  I understand your point.  There may be less realtors outh there but competition to sell it is more prominent.

What I have been experiencing is an increase in my services being required.  Since there has been a drop of about 20% in sales REaltors and sellers want to make sure their listing is the first to be purchased.

Nope, not in our area, the good stagers are busier than ever and in fact the banks are beginning to call them. When a home on the market can sell in a month or two vs, 6 or more, who wouldn't figure it out?  it's a numbers game.  And the numbers work with staging.  Just like in real estate in general these markets weed out the people that were just hobbyists anyway.  I agree with Isabel

Along with many of you, I love what I do and I'm determined to make it through these challenging times.

In Eugene Oregon, we have had a similar experience to what Edgar says about Albuquerque. Staging didn't really get a firm foothold before the economy downturn. I'm keeping afloat and have been in business now for four years. However, some of my newer colleagues have had very little or no work over the last year. Very discouraging for them.

I don't think Staging will go away because it is a whole new world out there with the internet being the first place most people see homes. Those 3x4 inch pictures of clutter or vacant "vanilla boxes" just don't scream out "come and see me" the way a beautifully prepared and photographed home does. One of my most savvy realtors (a multi-million dollar producer after only 2 years in the business) has a marketing and advertising background and boy, does she "GET" staging. I need a handful of realtors like her who bring me out on every listing - vacant or owner occupied - and I will be keeping quite busy!