"This house doesn't need Staging". . .How often do you hear THAT from a Realtor?

Staging is a new frontier, .....Realtors are just starting to understand and value staging as a part of the selling process. Property or houses in the past have been commodities to sell and buy. As stagers we view them as homes. You said it well  "we've got to be able to show a Buyer how a house will live for them."

The current market gives buyers a the advantage and staging becomes a more valued selling tool. We need to be patience and persistent because this market is creating opportunity for us.

Going to open houses is a great way to meet Realtors and introduce our services.

Thanks, Jess Graves

Kathy ~ I think what you did was a good way to go about it.  At least she was open to talking with you over coffee and seeing some before/after pictures.  Good luck!

After meeting with the Realtor I would offer to go to houses that you have staged in the neighbourhood to show them the difference that a staged home has on presentation for showings and more importantly listing photos on line. Clutter makes the difference to buyers on whether to add the listing to their must see list. It works for me and hopefully will for you too.

You handled the situation very well.  I had a realtor that emailed her pictures to me prior to listing them on MLS, to show me that the house didn't need staging.  She could not have been more wrong.  I called her and told her several things that I noticed in the pictures that would hurt the sale of the home.  She ended up hiring me and I use the before and after shots for marketing all the time.

Kathy: This happens to me all of the time and it's tough to say just the right things. You handled the sticky situation very well obviously, or the Realtor would not have agreed to meet you another day. Thanks for your post and suggestions.

Kathy I think you handled the situation well. You opened a door. In that situation I have complimented the house and offered to walk through and see if I can see any changes that would make it even better. I walk through and then make a few suggestions.

Kathy, if we could just cut the realtor out of the equation!  I recently staged a home that had been on the market 3 very long years.  The realtor finally relented and considered staging.  I think homeowners get it but REAs don't.  And unfortunately they are the ones advising the client.

What a topic!  Kathy you handled the situation very well.  Did you get to stage that house she discussed with you?

I haven't been as lucky with realtors here - even the few I gave gift certificates to.  I think many realtors have a problem even bringing up home staging in case they offend their client who thinks their design skills are just fine thank you.

And I have been told at open houses that their client would not be open to hs, or not required when it is obviously not the case.  I have even assisted some realtors on-line with comments on their photos and offered recommendations on how the pix could be greatly improved.  I was tactful, trying to be helpful and no response.

In order to promote my upcoming seminar on design and fundraiser, I am driving around and leaving flyers at homes with for sale sign on lawn as the realtors have not responded to their invitations, with few exceptions.

Maybe our realtors are particularly set in their ways?  I am at a loss.

Oh, for those of you who followed my blog on the Christmas tree in the living room in April, the tree is finally down.  How sad that I had to be the one who told the realtor what was going on in her client's vacant home.

Kathy,

Hey we have both done the same presentations!!! 

One of the realtors even said he would try staging during a presenation, then told a client to remove furniture from their home!  I went to the Open House and inquired where the furniture was, and how some is better than none.  Then I identified two strange areas on the MLS photos and suggested that staging them would make a world of difference.  I asked the realtor what feedback they were getting on one of the different areas and was advised potential buyers considered it a waste of floor space.  This would not be the case with the right staging as it was a charming area in person, with fabulous views of the ocean and mountains and our Strait of Georgia.

I'm not in one of the progressive areas either. I was afraid that realtor may have said what she did to appease you and leave on a good note.

I do not get the reluctance of the realtors; in the meantime we carry on educating, educating, educating......

Yes here in Tennessee I get that alot from Realtors...however, I do feel that they are coming along and opening up more and more to the idea of staging here in our area...You did an excellent job on this post...

Kathy, it sounds like you did a great job in getting the agent to consider staging more often.  I am a stager and am also an agent and I often hear the same thing from other agents in my office-- the house is beautiful; it doesn't need staging.  In fact, I was recently sitting an open house for another agent when she brought buyers through.  She asked me my opinion and I told her I was dying to rearrange the living room furniture.  She surprised me by saying, "Let's do it!"  So I gave the living room a quick redesign and she was thrilled.  She then even plugged staging at the office meeting.

I also recently staged and listed my sister's house so the agents came through on tour to see it.  It received rave reviews.  This was a home that had been beautifully decorated-- but needed the staging.  I wrote a blog about it: http://activerain.com/blogsview/1068473/every-home-should-be-staged-for-the-market-every-home-

Staging is still so new to many areas-- we just need to patiently get the word out every way we can!

Kathy,

I always have at least one Career Book (My Staging Portfolio) with me at all times.  It has a lot of before and after photos in it.  When I show it to the Homeowner or Realtor I cover up the after photo and ask them what they think about the before photo.  They always comment on something in the photo...then when you show them the after photo they usually say WOW I would have never thought of that or that looks so much better.  So many people only know what they see it is hard for them to imagine the way it could be.  You would be surprised what a turn around you get when it comes to Staging when they can see it in front of them and they themselves comment and engage in conversation about it. 

I think you have a unique opportunity before you!!!  Congratulations you diffidently did the right thing!!! LOL

Thanks for the great compliments Kathy!  Glad you enjoyed my blog!  I am struggling to find before pics for my sister's house-- we did it so gradually, I forgot to take the before pictures like I would for a regular staging job :-)) 

I did list her home which is under my blog but I am going to search for some before pics to post!  Thanks again!