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Home Staging -- A must read article!

A MUST READ!!! Virtual staging sparks sales of vacant homes

virtual home staging Virtual Staging has been a topic of discussion here on Activerain (AR) in the Stage It Forward (SIF) Group for quite some time now. I stumbled on this article that appeared in the San Fransisco Chronicle. The article was written by Judy Richter as a Special to The Chronicle published on Sunday, July 19, 2009.

Forgive me if someone has already posted this link to the article here on AR, but regardless I believe it to be a must read (and the comments made) for anyone in the industry regardless of your opinion on Virtual Staging.

Referencing back to Maureen Bray's recent post Requiem for a Home Stager ~ What went Wrong?, I can only say that any one that is in or entering in to the home staging industry needs to be staying on top of all of the advances and technology affecting how home staging is emerging as a home selling solution and marketing technique.

Read the Article -- Virtual staging sparks sales of vacant homes It is the most informative one I have read on the subject.

And then -- READ THE COMMENTS!

I'd love your comments on this and think we would all prosper from a healthy discussion on the topic. I for one, think this is around to stay (and grow). That being said, you get what you pay for.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT:

When I go to buy a TV and all the televisions are up, on and running, I instantly know what my presentation will be like . . . makes me drool, actually.

If I go to buy a TV and all the televisions are boxed up, but there are photo's glued to the side of the box showing me what they look like when they are operating, would I buy? Maybe, if it was a deal. Would I drool? I doubt it. It would certainly save the TV store money just doing a photo display . . .

And, that is "budget merchandising". It exists in every industry, including home staging. Did you catch the part, "if it was a deal"? I'm just saying . . .

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How folks live in a home is their business, how folks present the home for sale is our business!

For tips on how to prepare your home for sale and information on staging a home in Atlanta, visit the web site of PEACHTREE HOME STAGING or call us at 770 595-8809.

We do occupied and vacant home staging with professional perfection! Please visit our portfolio here

Peachtree Home Staging is a proud APPROVED AND ACCREDITED Business of the Greater Atlanta Better Business Bureau (BBB) and the Georgia State President of the Real Estate Staging Association (RESA)

Peachtree Home Staging The Experts in Atlanta Home Staging Diversity

How folks live in a home is their business, how folks present the home for sale is our business!

For tips on how to prepare your home for sale and information on staging a home in Atlanta, visit the web site of PEACHTREE HOME STAGING or call us at 770 595-8809.

We do occupied and vacant home staging with professional perfection!

Peachtree Home Staging is a proud APPROVED AND ACCREDITED Business of the Greater Atlanta Better Business Bureau (BBB) and the Georgia State President of the Real Estate Staging Association (RESA)

Posted by Karen Dembsky, Atlanta Home Staging on 08/23/2009 09:29 AM

Comments (19)

Home Staging in the Home Selling Channel

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19 Comments on Home Staging -- A must read article!

AUG

Thanks for sharing this informative information with me this morning. Have a great Sunday.

Karen, this is really innovative and definitely something to look into. Thanks for sharing!

Karen,

Saw this article as I have been digging around this stuff for a while, considering adding to my services. Comments were interesting and like everything new that comes along there is much resistance. We are such a visual society and also want everything now. I think it is the next coming wave however I worry about it not being used appropriately.

I think it is super for design and remodeling. As far as staging goes I think it is coming down to the price of this versus traditional staging and that is why it will be very appealing and has already started to become so.

As usual it's all about the money. I think if stagers make sure it is used ethically and embrace it as our own it is a great thing to offer. There are REAs and homeowners out there who think they can stage and there will be those who think they can do it with a computer (seen any mls photos recently?). Price and quality is what we would bring to the table. Look at Kimo's stuff. :)

Karen ~ Interesting article from the Chronicle. Some of the comments after the article were very anti-Realtor, and quite a few were made by the same people, repeating their opinions in different ways. There is certainly a debate going on this topic and one that likely will continue. My own opinion is that it could work well for investment properties ... but the virtual staging I've seen lacks any kind of "emotion" or feeling to draw me in. Perhaps the technology and expertise will advance, but for now virtual staging seems best confined to investment properties where it's all about the bottom line, and the bottom line only. P.S. Thanks for the link my friend.

Karen...very interesting indeed. And the comments were really enlightening. I wonder how many of them damning staging were agents??? I guess that there are naysayers out there for everything and it's good that you shared this with us so that we're prepared. I don't see myself getting into this arena but I've learned to never say never. Thank you.

Our business is going to go thru changes just like the real estate business.

Do you remember the discount brokers? The MLS only brokers?

I think they have pretty much gone by the wayside.

We will have business that will challenge our traditional way of staging and we will survive them and come up on top

I received an email from one of my agents last week with an attachment of an email she had received from a virtual stager soliciting her business. She passed it on to me thinking I would find it interesting. It just happens to be from this company in the article. I did find it interesting, not something I want to pursue right now for my business.

Virtual Staging has a place just not sure where? A photo on the internet may get a person to go look at a house. How will the prospective buyer feel during the showing when the rooms appear cold and barren in contrast to the warm friendly furnished virtual photos. Sadly disappointed I suspect or WORSE.

Buyers want to buy because they feel an emotional connection and can see t hemselves in a place. Not because of some photo finesse on a computer. A barren room does not communicate comfort. Staging is about the emotion, the pizazz, finding the WOW, I want this place. The staging has to be tangible, has to be soft and cuddly, has to be touchabkel to get that magic connection of this is my house!

AUG

Harry --you are welcome and Thx for stopping by!

Hi Debbie -- staying on top of what the industry is offering is part of what keeps a business in the now.

Hello Ana -- Yes I love Kimo's stuff, that's why I think it is here to stay (and grow). It is particularly good for providing redesign/remodel examples. Regarding staging it seems like a budget issue as you pointed out.

I agree completely, Maureen! I do think this is a subject to keep up with. I also believe the virtual presentations seems to prove best when done in a contemporary design.

Hey there Ginger! Yes, stay informed. Whether a stager enters into this or not, it is a solution offering regardless of the effectiveness; therefore part of the industry, and part of the competition.

Hi Virginia --I also see the parallel to discount brokers and thought of that as well, reading through the article and comments. Discount brokers are still quite active here in Atlanta, but again, it is "budget service" and you get what you pay for.

Sharon -- the fact that your realtor client shared it with you speaks volumes on how much she values your relationship. It's a real compliment when a client openly shares competitive info. I think it would be difficult for many stagers to have the techy savvy to offer this service. Just the same It is wise to know you may be competing with this offering.

Hi Beverly -- I agree with you that the buyers need to find an emotional connection. Hard to do when the home is vacant. Thx for the input.

Often homes on the internet are showed furnished; but then vacant or different when the perspective buyers do the physical tour. We all know often pictures are not updated.

An example of this is a home that was staged to perfection for 3 months. After one month they had a pipe burst causing water damage. We destaged immediately and they took it off the market untill all the repairs could be done. Two months later they went back on the market, did not pay to re-stage, but did reuse the staged photos for the Internet photos.

Thank you for the reference. I love your analogy about the televisions!

Karen, I would love to learn how to do this. It's hard to convince sellers to remove wallpaper or paint. Or to show them what new countertops or cabinets would look like. They need the same visual aids as the buyers do. I'm not so sure I'm comfortable with using the photos on the MLS. But can see many advantages of learning.

Thanks for sharing the article with us, Karen! I just heard about "virtual staging" from my sister this week. It will be interesting to see if this catches on.

Call me old school, fake is fake but real is in the feel. Nobody purchases a house, they buy a "home" and is ultimately an emotional purchase. Also, what you see in a photo is what you expect to see upon viewing and anything else will be suspect and disappointing. I really can't see this virtual staging phase going too far. I like the idea of using it to prove a point but there is a lot of time involved in preparing it... would you do it for free?

Virtual staging is like false advertising to me. What happens when the potential buyer visits the home and the walls aren't as they were presented and none of the furnishings are there? At least with professional staging the photos depict what actually exists in the home.

I am planning to use virtual staging to show sellers how their home would look much nicer, more inviting.....whatever one can say that is diplomatic and yet persuasive to the seller who has problem rooms that are blocking a sale.

This will be a handy tool for home stagers to use when showing a client the changes they would recommend. This way the sellers don't have to wait & worry that they won't like the change; they will already know what it will look like and will likely be more receptive to the changes having already "seen" the new look.

I am not convinced it would be that successful in selling a vacant house. A vacant house is still a vacant house!

AUG

Thx Kim! I use that analogy with clients when staging -- they get it! It is a great way to explain the definition and value of merchandising.

Hi Donna -- it would be fun to learn, but if you love the hands on; can you also love the computer labor or vice versa? It seems like a team thing to me. In other words if I was going to offer it as a service, I think I would contract it out? I don't know, just thinking outloud.

hello Diana. I definately think it has a place in the industry and will find it's way, place, and usefulness.

Hey there Tina -- What a pleasure to have you stop by, as always! Can't do it for free, I don't think, unless it is used as an example for redesign. Regarding fake . . . well you just gave me the thought that this could be subject to a disclaimer statement. That's an interesting concept, isn't it?

Kate! - thx for stopping by . . . what do you think; should a disclaimer statement be required? -- i.e. I see new construction on MLS all the time with the disclaimer "artist's rendering"

Sharon, I must say I admire your direction and profound professionalism with this approach. My experience however on this subject has been showing my plan or disclosing the detail of the presentation has lost me the job. I started that honest approach in the beginning and had one home owner after another take the plan and then replicate it them self's. Very frustrating.

Karen- I saw the article too and had a mix of thoughts in my head. I'm glad you put it out there for us all to discuss. I agree with Maureen that it might work for an investment property where there doesn't need to be an emotional connection. But, even if the house was virtually staged and you could see this on the Internet, I would think it would still be difficult for a buyer to then go to the vacant home and try to get a "warm & fuzzy" feeling for it. That being said, I am going to look into it. I don't think I can make a judgment until I see it for myself.

SEP

Karen

Great blog. I was just talking with an Interior Decorating friend of mine yesterday. I was wondering if there were any vitual programs out there for Stagers, like there is for architects and even landscapers now.

My query is how much will a program that cost and what is the learning curve for that.

I feel very intimidated and overwhelmed at times with the constant demands to learn new technologies. But I know that if I don't keep up I will get left behind. I am with you, I think virtual tours are an up and coming market.

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