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Staging, It's Not Just About Pretty

"Forget staging it has no value in the appraisal..... I look for updated kitchen and baths (if its an older home) condition of the exterior and interior. This will determine the effective age of your house. You can have a 35 year old house and never has been updated or very little and a effective age of 30 years and the same house next door that is 35 years old and completly remodeled with a effective age of 5 years. Appraisers look at condition and updated items. We also look for deferred maintenance like worn carpet, moss on the roof, bad gutters, house needs painting, bad roof, ect. if your house is in average conditon you will be fine. Your home is based on other comparables sales (withing the last 6 months) and within 1-2 miles of your home, with similar design....

This was part of a comment made by an appraiser responding to a blog question on whether a homeowner should Stage her house prior to her appraisal. Staging as a part of home selling, to many, has no value. You may already see where I am going with this.

I can't speak for what every appraiser looks at when evaluating a home but I have seen what some commented on and looked at when appraising my own homes for sale.

While we as Stagers don't get into evaluating the "bones" of a house (although I have pointed out cracked and falling shingles visible from the street) we should and do address many of those things this particular appraiser mentioned.

When a Professional Stager does a thorough consultation, these are some of the many things we look at and give objective observations on. These "Staging" recommendations do affect the value of a home. We help the homeowner determine which updates and fixes will affect their home value the most while spending the least.

A good Stager has an understanding of these things. We are up on the latest trends and research what similar homes in a particular neighborhood have as far as cosmetic features too. If a house has laminate counters and most everyone else in the neighborhood has granite and modern faucets, does this affect the asking price of a home? Size and location top of the list but condition is the other huge consideration.

A Staging consultation is about being brutally honest in an understanding and respectful way. It's not just about what curtains to hang and where the couch should go. Preparing a home for sale is a time consuming process but more than that it is an investment.

So as a seller or listing agent, would you rather be prepared to stack up against your competition saving time, money and possibly getting better offers or would you "Forget staging" ?

No, pretty pots on the porch won't get you a higher appraisal, but fixing the cracked steps and painting your worn front door and replacing the hardware just may.

Staging is not just about the pretty.

AccentPositives provides effective and economical consultations on site and on line. We service the Inland Empire area of Southern California.

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Posted by AccentPositives Corona, CA on 08/21/2009 12:12 PM

Comments (20)

staging, appraisals, home improvement

Originally posted at: Ana's Blog: Staging, It's Not Just About Pretty

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20 Comments on Staging, It's Not Just About Pretty

AUG

Good points, Ana. I've not thought about staging for an appraisal, but have advised a builder to make sure the property was mowed before he got there.

Hi Ana,

Staging used to be only about "the pretty." Not anymore. It's gone way beyond that. We are recommending high ROI upgrades & renovations. We are addressing larger issues that absolutely do effect the appraisal in the positive.

I know some stagers that do not do these things, and their staging shows it.

We are not just bringing in pillows and tchotchkies. We are recommending prep work, and plenty of it. And when we are done, the house is more valuable. There is no doubt about it. At least, I can say that for my operation. I feel certain that this shift is here to stay.

Forget staging? Soon enough, it will be so commonplace that those who choose to forget staging can also forget selling. It's progress. People want MORE for their hard-earned dollar. Flippers want shabby. Buyers want move-in ready. There are more buyers than flippers, so it's smarter to market to the majority of buyers, not low-ball a shabby house in hopes of turning on a flipper.

Staging (and all it's related repairs, replacements, and renovations) should take place before the appraisal, prior to the open house, even before a whiff of a sale wafts upon the wind.

~Michelle

Ana...points very well stated and taken. Also, great additional comments by Michelle. Since my husband was an appraiser for many years, I have to say that he was trained to overlook "the pretty" but he admits that a house that showed well, in every respect (to include ALL aspects of proper staging...repairs etc.) probably did influence his numbers...not a lot but enough that people need to know this. STAGE IT FIRST...my constant shout-out.

AUG

Hi Ana, Well what can say that wasn't already stated by Michele's spot on answer, Then you have Ginger's great response who's husband was an appraiser. Your right it is much more than pretty accessories and furnishings.

I actually heard a presentation by an appraiser speaking on the value of "pre-Appraisal" to be sure you were priced correctly for the market. In that talk it was recommended to have the home staged prior to the appraisal as that helps with upgrades and the over all well maintained appearance for the appraisal. Good post!

Commenter #1 (no name posted), thanks for stopping in :)

Hi Michelle, thanks for commenting. Great points all.

As for other Stagers work not showing this thoroughness, all I would say is that you can lead a horse to water but you can't make them drink. I run across potential clients who do think Staging is just about the pretty and don't want to spend to make the upgrades/repairs. Those are the times a Stager needs to walk away from the job, I have. I don't like wasting peoples' money. The money for that part of staging would be better spent in ROI improvements I tell them so.

Times are tight and reluctance to spend is understandable that's why we always try to consider this and offer economical solutions that will positively impact the seller's value way more than a simple Stage. It would be nice though if I had your built in home improvement crew!

Hi Ginger, thanks for the input, very interesting. Appraisers certainly have their work cut out for them these days with all the new rules and ways of doing things. My husband has been in the mortgage biz for years and all these things we are talking about also can affect loan approvals.

Hi Cynthia thanks for stopping in, I see your slip is showing again, you go girl!

Hi Karen good advice from that appraiser, thanks for stopping by!

While I agree with the sentiment of the appraiser you are quoting, good staging certainly won't hurt the value of a property. Fixing items of deferred maintenance is absolutely a good idea, as it will decrease the effective age of the subject property.

AUG

Great post and I certainly agree with all you have written.

Yeah Ana, I do feel better now that I'm back to my ol' self ;)

Hi Jesse, thanks for commenting, good staging absolutely should address those deferred maintenance issues before all the pretty stuff comes in.

Hi Cathy thanks for commenting, Happy Sunday.

AUG

Good post with lots of good information shared. Thanks!

AUG

Thanks for stopping in and commmenting Kim.

AUG

Interesting post and comments Ana!

Here is my experience: in late spring, we refinanced our home that we bought a few years ago. Being the perfectionist that I am, I made sure the house was "show-ready" in every sense prior to the appraisal.

When the appraiser came in, she said "show me EVERYTHING, big or small, you have done since you purchased the home". So, as she took copious notes and photos, I shared every detail.

A few days later, our home appraised for WAY more than we ever thought it would in this economy. Without going into great detail, our neighbors home did not fair as well during their appraisal.

Did it help? I sure think it did and certainly would do it all again!

Thanks for commenting Debra. I think every little thing you can do will add up in good ways, never assume anything right!

SEP

Great post! I love the comments from everyone and how everyone deals with certain situations!!

Thanks for stopping in Kimberly, it is great to get so many different thoughts.

SEP

Hi Ana -

Great post. As an appraiser and a real estate agent, my first reaction to staging a home is that it generally makes it more appealing to buyers, and is a great tool for sellers. And as an appraiser, I'm very happy to see that in your business you go beyond just making it 'look good', and that you actually do recommend needed repairs and/or upgrades, and that you point out deferred maintenance items that can definitely have an impact on the appraisal.

When people have lived in a house for many years, they tend to 'not see' the reality of how normal 'wear and tear' takes it's toll on a house, and a neutral, new pair of eyes can point out the obvious, and help them get their house looking great BEFORE they list it. And it's really hard to change a negative first impression, especially with real estate agents... they don't forget.

Hi Marti, thanks for your comments.

You are so right about first impressions and the rose colored glasses homeowners sometimes view their homes through. Even I have done that with my own home, a good swift kick in the pants (lol) is a good thing!

I usually ask my clients if they have had a recent appraisal and if not, recommend it....after I comb through the place of course! I think Appraisers are invaluable both to buyers and sellers, and we Stagers can and should reinforce attention to the realities they point out.

Great post and I certainly agree with all you have written.

Thanks for commenting Bryan, have a great labor day :)

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