Home : Blogs : Cathy Dick - Final Touch Designs, Inc. in Roanoke VA : Cathy Dick -'s Blog

Remove my home staging signs from the home? Why?

As of late, I've been running into altercations with real estate agents who have a conflict with having a home staging sign posted in the yard along with their for sale sign. What is interesting is that they all have varied reasons why they don't want the sign out front....and in all honesty, their reasons just don't make sense. The latest reason was this: "I want people to focus on the home itself, not give a false impression that the home always looks like this." What??

Home Staging is designed to help the buyer see the entire home at its best. I spend time with my clients helping them understand that touching up paint here, cleaning areas there, and removing signs of build up, spider webs, pets and odors are simple things they can do that are extremely advantageous for them. THEN I address "packaging" the home to look fantastic. They understand the reasons and are so in awe when it is all complete. So why is it an REA compliments how beautiful the transformation is, raises the price to reflect such an awesome transformation, then questions why I want to post flyers/cards in the house and a sign in the yard? I don't believe somone who walks into a home questions if it always looked like it does during an open house.

I would really appreciate hearing from other home stagers to see how common this is for them, their feelings, and how they solved the conflicts. I do have signage covered very specifically in my contract and I'm sticking to my guns, but I do wish I didn't have to continuously explain that home staging can help them sell the home faster, not hinder the sale. At the same time, I'd like to hear from real estate agents as to their reasonings behind their reluctance to have buyers know a home has been staged. Even if someone wants to view the home just because it's been staged, it is advantageous....they will spread the word to others and the result could be a great sale.

Thank you in advance for expressing your thoughts on such a diverse and convoluted subject.

Cathy

www.Final-TouchDesigns.com

Posted by Cathy Dick - Final Touch Designs, Inc. in Roanoke VA on 08/24/2009 06:59 AM

Comments (197)

Home Staging Signage in Yards in the Regional (Localism) Channel

home staging, packaging homes, staging challenges, staging solutions, staging ideas, home staging solutions, roanoke home staging, for sale

Generate short URL

This post has been included in Virginia Real Estate News Roanoke County, VA Real Estate News Roanoke, VA Real Estate News Raleigh Court (Roanoke, VA) Real Estate News
Post is included in group: Open House Stories
Post is included in group: Real Estate Staging Association
Post is included in group: Staging Secrets
Post is included in group: Staging Successes
Post is included in group: Stage It Forward...

197 Comments on Remove my home staging signs from the home? Why?

AUG

2009

"I want people to focus on the home itself, not give a false impression that the home always looks like this." What??

IMO, they are absolutely correct.

What is for sale, a house or some decorating???

When I take a buyer in a staged home for sale, the first thing we have to do is focus on the house an learn to ignore the "staging schtick".

Having a stager advertise in a yard or in a house is diversionary.

This appears to be a continuation of the claims of far too many stagers that "staging will help sell you house quicker and for more money". Which is, of course, a claim completely without merit or substantiation by facts or pricing data.

Which came first, the chicken or the egg? Do you get your business because agents refer you or do you get the business after the listing? Sounds like it would be a challenge to get a referral from an agent who wants to butt heads.

Thats just crazy. Why would I care if one of my stagers posted signs? It must be in the water around where you are making agents nuts! I would not want competetive signs in size or location but cards and some signs would be ok.

What about home inspectors; do they put a sign in the yard when a home has had a building inspection? They do here, right next to the realtor's sign. I never objected; they did their job and I did mine.

Cathy: That is silly. I would want the potential buyer to know the home was staged, it's just one more incentive for them to call you to take a look inside.

Cathy, this post could start a war. From my perspective, with too many (more than 1) signs out front the distractions take away from the purpose, which is to sell the house. The job of the agent, through their marketing is to get somebody to come to and into the house. Your job as the stager is to get the house presented in it's best light. No stage show ever features multiple stars, but a featured performer (the agent) and the supporting cast, (the stager). Place your signage in an areawhere people who finally come ONTO the yard, and INTO the house can see it, and not out front where it upstages the lead actor.

Just a few thoughts from my area and experience...First, I am the one who encourages my seller client that they NEED staging! I tell them that "A house that is in good condition, priced right AND STAGED FOR SALE, will sell!"

I consider my home stager to be an integral part of my team but MY team, nonetheless. I have no problem with tent cards or info in the home displaying your logo and information but I would not appreciate a sign in the yard. I do not want my sign to compete for attention with another nor do I want folks coming in to the home who are not qualified to buy it...that is the least I owe my seller. What if a passerby were to call you directly and ask to get in just to see your staging? Would you consider it necessary to assure that they were qualified to buy it or even ensure that there was someone with you to be sure that relevent real estate questions were answered properly? What if the painter and the plumber and the cleaning service want to put signs up too?

Cathy, I really do not wish to be adversarial but I really do consider the selling process MY gig. I hope you understand!

I can understand as o why a listing agent does not want people to know that the home is staged. . prospects may view the house with a higher expectation. . why give them the edge.

If you want to put a sign in front of my listing to advertise your services. .I would not mind it only if you let me put my sign in front of your office as well. .

HINT: The customer is always right. . "sticking to your guns". . not well advised

I don't really care about the sign, but it is important that lead calls come into the RIGHT phone #/e-mail address !

I think that's one too many signs and it might put people on their guard knowing the house is staged, and while I think home stagers often have a big role to play I think the term staged has a somewhat negative ring to it.

Bet your post will bring in some comments. Realtors need to be center stage, no pun intended. I can see having some advertisement inside the home, which is great. Brochures are also good but I would also not want a yard sign outside either. I would not want to compete for attention in the front yard, which IMO is where the for sale sign goes. What next? Will there also be home inspector signs in the yard too?

I sell homes, not the stagers decorating skills. I market homes and myself, not the stagers decorating skills. I show homes, not the stagers decorating skills. I do not show homes to buyers for the sole purpose of showing them the stagers creativity - doing so is a waste of my time, the sellers time and the buyers time. Staging doesn't sell a home, pricing does.

As for advertising the stagers contact information, if my seller's insisted on hiring a stager, I would ask for the stager to place their sign in a considerable distance from mine.

In the beginning of my real estate career I sat Open House for a builder. The home was staged. I went on and on about all the great decorating to my husband (he brought me lunch) but when he asked me about the features of the home, I didn't know what to tell him because I didn't know. None of the visitors asked about any features either, they admired the furniture instead. It didn't sell. It also didn't sell when another agent had it listed, staged. Next agent wasn't successful either, still staged. It sold as a short sale and with bare rooms.

Wow. Some areas won't even let agents put up signs. Have you ever seen an area that has a lot of vacancies; empty homes with a splattering or REALTOR signs? Then add, fence by so and so--to get a discount. Landscaping by... The fewer signs the better. I vote for the most necessary signs. The public is easily confused.

Cathy,

I fully appreciate your desire to advertise your service however I don't think that the time (during the course of the listing) or place (on the front lawn) are appropriate or that they serve the customer well.

Hopefully your goal is in line with that of the agent - to get the home sold as quickly as possible for the highest price possible. If that goal is attained, you will be ultimately rewarded with an increase in business. If that isn't your goal then all the yard signs in the world will be of no value to you or anyone else.

Tim

Cathy up here is the home has been staged the home staged leaves a tent type card in the home, near the brochures. More for the Realtors who don't believe in stagging and to get business.

I am not sure I would I would like 2 yard signs. We only the last 5 years allowed any signs and I think it would clutter up the yard. IMO

We're supposed to be there to sell the home ... not the 'staging', not the furniture, not the knick knacks, etc.

It's great to see a staged home, but we also have to tell our clients that it's been staged, and we need to look deeper - at least, if we're looking after our clients' best interests.

I have never seen a stager put up a sign, I have to be honest, but if they did, it wouldn't bother me. The REALTOR'S and the stager's goal is to sell that house for the highest price, so let's try to play nice with each other, so we can refer more business to each other, and make it a win-win-win situation for everyone.

By the way, most people (sellers and agents) would not want to 'advertise' the fact that the house has been staged, for various reasons.

Cathy, I don't mind a card here or there in the house, but too many is distracting. Think of it this way. I always advise my clients to remove the pictures of their kids. This is not only for safety, but also because people will stand there and look at the pictures instead of the house. Staging, done correctly has people looking at the house, not the beautiful staging.

Hi Cathy -- As a broker, owner, realtor and Accredited Staging Professional (ASP), and my wife is a fellow owner/realtor/ASP, we don't stick our own staging signs in the yard, it would be pointless. When we have used outside stagers when we needed additional expertise or horsepower, we don't allow fellow stagers to leave their marketing brochure in the home, the yard, nor are they allowed to attend a broker's open.

The main reason is I have had "information rich" buyers today tell me: If a home is staged, I hear that I will end up paying more for it because it will sell for more and I'm not paying more for a home because the moved the furniture around and de-cluttered." Right or wrong, this is some buyers perceptions. Like Lenn said, you don't want a diversion, and quite frankly, I think it looks tacky.

Also, a stager is a sub-contractor, the agent is the general contractor and the lead person who is responsible for selling the home. If there is a painter, an electrician, a plumber, a carpenter and a landscaper all doing work to prepare a home for sale, and staging is just one component, what do you think if the other five trades/sub-contractors all had their signs in the yard?

The real estate sign, the staging sign, the other 5 trade signs. It would look like a freak show and most municipalities wouldn't allow it anyway.

I respectfully disagree with your premise. You are a subcontractor hired to perform a specfic task, plain and simple. A very important task indeeed, as I know the value of staging.

Cathy...

This is a tough call, because I think that staging may encourage buyers. In some municipalities, you may only place one sign, that is an obvious problem.

I would say work it out with the listing agent. I think that some will be receptive, some not so much.

I have been in many builder model homes that have been professionally staged to show off the house. It is clear that staging drives emotions and people buy as a result of proper staging. I can't remember though, ever seeing a stager's sign or advertisement anywhere in any of the models that I have visited. The builder is selling the house, not the decorating. I would have to weigh in and say no signs or advertising at the house.

I find it very interesting that you posted this in primarily staging groups and yet you have only had responses from Agents not Stagers. It may surprise you that I have to agree with a lot of the comments here. I don't have signs and I don't leave literature in the homes I stage. Other stagers will probably disagree with me, but I think it is better not to advertise that the house has been staged. In my opinion, staging shouldn't be brought to light, and become a "feature" of the listing. I believe staging should increase the homes appeal, highlight positive features and take attention away from negative features, and it should increase the perceived value of the home.

It's a makeover, you want people to see the house in it's best light and hope buyers believe it has been well maintained and always looks like this. Somehow, advertising that it took a stager to make it look this good, just seems counter productive to me.

Cathy;

I agree with Mike Perry, although to add to that, in PA some local authorities will only allow one real estate sign the the yard and therefore this could be construed to be the actual RE signage and all other signs removed. How about a compromise,Do tent cards and place them in the house where your work is really shining. I wouln't care about some well placed cards in every room if you so desire.Iput highlight cards around the rooms to accentuate different aspects that I want to point out to prospective buyers, mine or anyone else's.

Cathy,

We have to get permission to place a for sale sign on the property when we execute the listing agreement. I've never heard a staging company looking to place more than a tent card in the house.

Why tick off what is probably the main source of your business?

Rich

I Agree with many of the others.

Picture a front yard with a real estate sign in typical size. Then put a staging sign next to it, then put a home inspector sign out. It starts to look more like a political campaign than a home for sale.

I think stagers are great, but I'm willing to bet your business is coming from realtors suggesting your services, not buyers calling up and saying they want their home staged. If this is the case then the sign is unecessary, you just need homes to sell and the referrals will keep rolling in.

A card tent sounds about right to me.

Hi Kathy, As a stager I would never leave my cards in a staged home, I think the home takes first priority not the staging. The staging is to keep them there and linger longer making a great impression.

Now if a Realtor asks me to leave cards in the home then fine. JMHO. If I attend an open w/ a Realtor and they ask that I leave out cards and only then will I do so.

Hi Cathy, We use a stagger as often as we can get our clients to agree to it. She's done everything from providing a written report for the sellers to follow to full project management on major updating and renovations; so we value her work. She has never asked to advertise in any manner. She has offered her service to our clients to help them set up their new home and that's great. We would have a problem with a sign in the yard because it takes away from the focus which is to sell the home. We believe that if the staging is done properly it's almost transparent and allows the potential buyers to focus on the house. But that's just our opinion!

Hi Cathy ~ At least around here I think that most staging jobs come from agent referrals - who have recommended staging to their clients - so staying on the right side of the agents would be the wisest course. I can't imagine ever seeing staging signs outside in my market. I don't even like the stager's cards or brochures in the listing actually.

No matter how many will argue about the For Sale sign being a marketing peice for the agent it's essential function is to sell the property - you can't make that argument for a stager's sign.

For me the most successful staging looks close enough to "real life" that brochures are a distraction. I am more than happy to display advertising materials prominently during a broker's open house or to pass along a recommendation and brochure to any agent who asks. But my clients pay big money to get staging and advertising the service is not part of the equation.

Liz

Cathy - I'll have to agree with a majority of the comments, especially Chris Olsens & Sharon Tara/Stager they took the words right out of my mouth. If you did a fantastic job the listing agent will probably give you referrals and may share your expertise with associates, sticking to your guns might cost you in the end.

Cathy - As a former homebuilder who has sold many staged homes, I agree with the majority of the agents. The stager's job is to make the home appeal to the broadest group of potential buyers, and I don't think it's appropriate to use the yard as a marketing tool. Well staged homes do sell, and if your services are accomplishing that goal, you'll get business from agents. I wouldn't want to create an adversarial relationship with the real estate community--that's just "shooting yourself in the foot."

Too many signs clutter up the yard and distract from the curb appeal. That's one of the reasons I've started using a "single property" custom yard sign for each listing that features photos of the inside and a few bullet points with my company name and contact information either at the bottom in smaller fonts or on a rider.

Well I guess Oklahoma is behind on this one. None of the home stagers I know or use have signs. I agree with some of the above comments about a card in the home but not a sign. Some of our communities also have rules that allow only one sign in the yard, so I guess in that case this discussion is moot.

Hi,

I agree with a number of the other posters. I think staging is an essential and necessary tool in selling in the current market. However, I think staging should be your little secret. Potential buyers should believe the home ALWAYS looks this good - they can purchase without the help of a professional decorator. Some buyers might see a seller using a professional stager means the seller had something to hide. But that doesn't take away the need for a stager - just keep it as your little secret!

Cathleen

I would NEVER have my staging sign in the yard, not even while I am doing the work, much less once the home is on the market. If the Realtors or homewners request cards, I leave them in a tasteful holder near the Realtor's material. Otherwise, I do not leave cards or brochures at the property.

Cathy, you seem to have struck a nerve in some folks! I've had a few Realtors ask me to leave information in a home regarding my staging services but most prefer that I don't. If I do leave cards I leave a small holder and leave a stack of business cards. I have co-sponsored Broker's Opens where I've provided the food and drinks but this is also done by others in our area so it's a common occurance.

Another reason I haven't used signs is that I don't want to advertise that my "stuff" is in a home that might not be occupied. Don't want to give anyone any ideas and haul everything off in the night.

Cathy- I have to say I agree with most of what the other commenters have to say. I leave in the corner of the kitchen my cards and sometimes a few brochures. No Realtor has ever complained about this. In fact, they want them there for Broker's Open houses. I think that for a Stager to place a sign in the front yard, along with the "FOR Sale" sign would , excuse me for this, Clutter the yard.

That being said, in response to what commenter #1 said about focusing on the house and ignoring the "staging schtick" , it is the "staging schtick" that allows the buyer to focus on the house. By editing the "stuff" and helping with paint colors,etc. we're not trying to pull the wool over the buyer's eyes; our goal is to help them SEE the house and not FOCUS on a blaring purple wall. Staging is there to be a tool for the Seller and Realtor to help show the house in its best light.

I'm still amazed at some of the animosity and skepticism on the part of a handful of realtors. I've been lucky in that the Realtors I've worked with and met have been pro-Staging. If anything it's the money issue that is hurting our market here in South Florida.

Sorry Cathy, no signs in my yard other than my sign. I almost always use a stager and I am wholeheartedly behind the process of staging a home, but a sign advertising the staging is just too much. After all, you're selling your services to us, the realtors, not our clients.

Cathy, I guess you get the drift. I don't understand why you would take such a stand anyway with the person that probably got you the job. Card inside, fine, sign outside, never. Good luck.

I think staging a home is very important however in my area staging is not a top concern on peoples lists even though most need it.

Hi Cathy, I think that the tent cards and brochures inside the house are fine. Yard signs do tend to compete. A few years ago a lender contacted my Seller and asked if they could put up a yard sign. The lender's yard sign advertised a free cruise. A very confused woman calling me to question why I was advertising a cruise to buy the house. It wasn't my sign and I didn't even know that it was put up. I was getting lender calls and it was a mess. That sign came down pretty quickly. Many neighborhoods don't allow more than 1 sign in a yard either.

I believe the only appropriate time to leave out tent cards or staging literature is during a broker tour. That's when agents are coming through the home to view it for the first time.

I want the buyers for my listings to feel as though a staged home is exactly the way the sellers live and the buyer can live that way, too. I wouldn't in a million years want to advertise that the staging was created to manipulate the buyer's emotions, because that's exactly what staging is. It's to sell the home, not the stager. Why announce to buyers that this isn't how the home generally looks?

So, I would not appreciate a staging sign in the yard nor a stager's marketing literature on the counter.

Cathy, sorry, but I am with most of the agents here - a sign in the yard does take away from the realtor's sign- it could confuse drivers passing by - they have a few moments to decide whether or not to call and I want them totally focused on MY numbers - this is what ultimately gets them into the house. It's about selling the house, not the staging. AND, I have never set a price higher because of staging. Staging is meant to show the house in its best light and get the HIGHEST dollar amount possible for it - staging does NOT allow me to set a higher price for the house. And, frankly, I would not refer a stager to any sellers if they were the type of person who made things difficult for me. Way to start a great conversation here, though!!!

Cathy, for the most part I do not leave yard signs and don't want to. However, I do have one agent that wants my very classy and eye-catching sign in the yard. As far as he's concerned he will take anything that will bring attention to the house and to his services. He's the exception in my market. Ruffling feathers is bad for business.

Cathy,

I would not want a stagers sign in the yard. I think a tent card inside is about the extent

that I would be willing to go. You want the staging to be an integral part of the home not a "Hey, Look at me." If you do a good job word of mouth will follow.

Cathy- I agree with the majority of responses. The only sign I want in front of my listings is my "For Sale" sign, because that is the ultimate goal - to sell the house! I have no objection to stagers displaying their cards/information during Broker Open Houses, since that is their appropriate audience.

Your staging should work as a subtle tool to help sell the house. It is not a trade show, garden tour or other platform for you to advertise. I don't think you get that distinction when you write

...Even if someone wants to viewr the home just because it's been staged...

Showings are a necessary part of selling the house and sellers are encouraged to accomodate potential buyers, understanding that the process is sometimes inconvenient. I would be appalled to find that my homeowners had to vacate the house for an hour or two because someone wanted to "see the staging."

Your staging should work as a subtle tool to help sell the house. It is not a trade show, garden tour or other platform for you to advertise. I don't think you get that distinction when you write

...Even if someone wants to viewr the home just because it's been staged...

I have to agree with many of the comments here including Miss Missy Caulk and Mary Strang. What are you trying to accomplish with the yard sign? Business for yourself - right? Why not let the neighbors know you staged the property, send them a post card with a coupon or something else of value? The neighbors are going to go in during open houses and see your work, impress them with a personal note sent to their home. I can't see drive bys caring if the house is staged. But ..... I do think stagers earn every dime they receive.

Sounds to me like these agents are trying to take credit for your work. Really sad that they can't give you credit where credit is due.

Cathy - Hmmmm. Interesting dilemma. For me, it's not about the sign distracting from my sign or too many signs cluttering up the yard, although I can see the point of that last one. Definitely could be an issue in some areas as well, because of local ordinances. But let's skip those issues and get to what I feel might be the underlying issue to some. Yes, for some it could be an ego issue (I saw a few mentions of "center stage" and such). For some it could be the possibility of your sign getting the calls and the agent not knowing what you'll do with those calls.

I think the biggest reason, is that you're giving people an upfront warning that this house isn't all that great, so we hired someone to make you like it more than you probably would have. Maybe not in those exact words, but I think you're advertising the houses flaws (they may not be critical flaws, but you've put people on alert none the less) before they even step through the door. Now let's pretend the home was perfect before staging, but the sellers just wanted to add that extra touch that would push buyers over the edge. By having that sign in the front yard, the buyers coming in are already going to have a pre-conceived notion that they have to look at the home with a more critical eye, since they know that they can be "swayed" by the act of staging (that's the whole reason for staging really - to highlight things so that the buyer loves the home, despite the fact that they are not buying those things - they're buying the structure).

Please don't misunderstand though, I don't think staging is an absolute cure for a dump of a house with defects and problems. You're not covering up for the home, but trying to highlight and make it shine and stand out. Make it more memorable. Get people to see what they could have if they buy this house and add the right touches. I don't want anyone to think that by using words like "swayed" and "flaws" that I'm suggesting what you do is paint over defects and problems in a home.

I think staging is a great idea for many sellers. Everyone could use a helping hand in the selling process. As for the sign though? I just think it sets up certain expectations. I can see why you would want one in the yard, but I can see why I wouldn't want one there too.

Cathy sorry you are having problems here, is truly up to the home owner decision ... however 2 thoughts

Dallas in some areas we are lucky to get our yard sign out front many city restrictions only allow one sign in the yard therefore staging sign would be of lower priority
Buyers may wonder what the "heck " was house that nasty required a person stage the home? Would have negative impact.
I can walk into a home see that it's been staged by either Realtor or a professional.
Perhaps counter space with info. inside house detail your professional services.

Staging itself isn't common practice here, but I have definitely never seen a sign for a stager and rarely a card or brochure piece. I have seen stager/agents advertising the home is staged, and I can tell you the first thing my buyers think/say is that they need to look deeper because they feel someone's hiding something, or that the home must be a flip so they're paying top dollar.

However when we go into a home with no notice of staging, but looks fabulous, they think the world of it.

I don't think, like George says, that they are trying to take credit for your work. That seller sure knows who made the house look gorgeous, and the agents surely do too and are passing that along to other sellers. But having a sign out front just sends wrong signals to the buyers, confuses them and competes with the yard sign.

Maybe you could put out one post-contract - "Sold! Thanks Final Touch Designs!" That wouldn't interfere with buyers since it's already "sold" but would give you the time in escrow to advertise your services?

Hi Cathy... I agree with Elizabeth Weintraub's response. I see real value in the invisibility of staging... I want prospective buyers to imagine that the people actually live in the home the way that they see it.... and the prospective buyers to imagine themselves living in it too. Yard signs and tent cards, etc. kill the illusion that I want created by staging.

I also agree with everyone who said that more than one yard sign kills the curb appeal of a home. Frankly, even one sign kills the appeal for me, but the one sign is a necessary evil to make people aware the home is for sale.

I think it is simple. Getting the house sold is the only important thing for most sellers. If extra signs or advertising of staging services get in the way of buyers focusing on the house, the sellers picked the wrong stager if it is an issue.

"I do have signage covered very specifically in my contract and I'm sticking to my guns, but I do wish I didn't have to continuously explain that home staging can help them sell the home faster, not hinder the sale. "

Consumers will just have to do a better job of reading your contract and knowing what that means for them in comparison to other homes buyers will be looking at..

Cathy,

I would not have a problem with you placing a sign along my sign, especially when we have the same common goal; improve the home and sell it.

Who hires you? The listing agent or the seller? Probably doesn't matter and if is written in your contract then you sign has a right to be there. Stick to your guns and keep that sign there. Agents who have a problem with the sign are shortsighted and not thinking.

Cathy: I understand your position, but I agree with most comments above. Your first tier client is the realtor. If you do a good job and accelerate the sale, their word of mouth will do more than any sign in the yard could ever do. I'm in Title and Escrow... we serve all parties. The only time you'll find one of our signs in the yard is on residential properties where we did the plat certificate and therefore the entire new subdivision. It's Pull (not Push) marketing.

I don't know, I think I am conflicted by this. Renters and buyers who see staged homes feel insulted (comments are actually hilarious!)

As someone representing the sellers, I wouldn't be opposed to a tasteful rider, a table tent in a focal point of the home (like the kitchen island) or MAYBE you should consider providing the photos for the Realtors for their advertising and having them watermarked with your website.

I think the last solution would probably be the best. Imagine having your watermarked photos plastered all over the MLS, web and print advertising?

This is great information! I appreciate all the comments that have come in so far. So far in my business I have respected the concerns of the real estate agent, much to my hesitation at times. But in my gut, I felt it was the right thing to do. Your comments have helped me to understand why many REAs are so adament about not having a sign out front - they are the shining star in getting the home sold - this I agree.

When I mentioned I was sticking to my guns, I didn't admit that I have agreed to take the signage in the yard down, but the flyer/cards in DR and framed post card in BR did remain. But in exchange this last time, I made an exchange that was offered to get me in to give some presentations at some Realtor events and other organizational events. I figured it was the best exchange and serve my interests the most. It also kept our relationship on good terms and that is very important to me.

In our industry you're given a lot of information on what you CAN do, but the fine line enters in when you weigh what you SHOULD do. So many factors need to be considered when making these decisions such as the size of your community, how much is known about staging, the demographics, etc., etc...... The sale of the home is what's important, and like Rick said, why tick anyone off. That is not in the best interest of anyone or anything.

Your comments have been so helpful, thank you. It appears that our instincts still serve as our best guide........

The only sign that should be in the yard is the "for sale" sign, since the effort is to sell the house. Any other signs may make the yard look cluttered or distract from the fact that the house is for sale. I also think that there is the potential that the agent may be violating their fiduciary duty to the client by allowing any other signs that may detract or distract from the appearance of the listing and the fact that the home is for sale.

Perhaps, you could find a compromise with the listing agents by attaching a rider to their sign ("This home staged by..."), or just having a counter-top display inside the home. I have even seen the cards of painters and repair people left on the counter in my area, so it's not uncommon; but I have never seen a yard sign other than the listing agent's on real estate for sale.

I hate it when a property has more than one sign on it. It looks "desperate". I don't allow lender or financing signs on my properties, for that reason. Too many signs = clutter.

Cathy ~ I'll join in with those who think that the only yard sign should be the Realtor's sign. Besides making the yard look cluttered (the exact opposite of our staging goals) it is not a good idea to advertise a home as "staged" because it may signal to thieves that it's full of nice furnishings.

That being said, I leave a discreet 5 x 7" framed sign (in a vacant home only, not an occupied one) so that visiting agents can take a card if they want to. I've received quite a few referrals this way. An inside sign is common practice in our area as a marketing tool and is generally accepted here, although it might not be in other areas.

It's great that your post has received so many comments from A/R Agents. I've enjoyed reading what their opinions are, thanks for asking them!

I think the signage in the yard is a little much, however, I would encourage you to leave business cards or flyers in the home for RE Agents or their clients to pick up. Afterall, you deserve credit for work done also!

Cathy - I wouldn't put a sign in the yard and I do think it's diversionary. Selling the home is the listing agent's number 1 priority, and the signage serves that purpose. What purpose does your sign serve? Are you fielding calls to sell the home? If you're not, then why can't your sign go inside the home? I'm sure the agent wouldn't object to that. I think having your sign in the yard is not appropriate. Sorry to disagree with you. I don't ever let anyone else put a sign in the yard of any of my listings. I agree with Erica - it looks cluttered and distracting.

Cathy,

Many consumers don't know what staging is so whether a house has it or not really isn't the key to making a sale. Forget the sign and market in other ways.

Sorry I agree with the majority, what a shocker on a site full of Realtors. You are creating an illusion, making something look temporarily great. It's like seeing the guy that plays Mickey Mouse take his costume off, it ruins the fantasy and brings us back to earth.

Cathy:

In my area many communities and subdivisions have rules on signs. Many deed restrictions also state that only one 3 x 3 sign is allowed when the property is listed for sale. I wouldn't have a problem with your cards inside the listing or with a 5 x 7 sign stating you had staged the property. I would also allow an outside sign when there was a Broker open house or tour. That's your target market.

Wow! I only read half of the comments so I will say that I am a direct opposite of the first half......and I am from your market! You can put a sign in any of my yards!

I am trying to get a house sold! I think we all need to remember that......house sold!

I think buyers like looking at staged homes because quite frankly they are tired of looking at houses that look like crap! Some have said that staging gives a false impression of the home? That seems like a real reach for a reason....how do you sell a vacant home or new construction....talk about false impression!

While I don't actively use a Home Stager I would welcome them to look at some of my listings. I have a listing right now that I have told them till I am blue in the face that the house has to lose the clutter....this house will end up expiring because the owner will not stage it to sell.

I have a good portion of my homes pre-inspected and my home inspector puts a sign in the yard saying it was pre-inspected.

My lender puts a sign in the yard offering no money down loans and an 800 number capture system.

We are supposed to be acting like a team working together to get homes sold.....I really don't think egos should have a place in this.

Cathy,

I don't think that the agent is "the shining star in getting the home sold" as you stated. I see the SOLD sign as the shining star. The reason the broker's name and phone number are on the sign are so that buyers know who to call in order to begin the process.

After it is SOLD, the stager, plumber, home inspector, yard man and/or anyone else can take all the credit they desire... I really don't care and I know for a fact that the seller doesn't care one wit about us or any other person or company involved. They (and we) just want it SOLD!

We have some clients who do not want any sign in their yard and, in fact, many HOA's do not allow signage or only allow a very small sign that they have approved.

We do get "sign calls" but the VAST MAJORITY of calls and sales come from other marketing venues, with the internet being far and away the most effective.

Tim

Cathy: Strangely enough, I myself just ordered lawn signs this morning (something you do not see often within my end of the industry). I'm going to give this form of marketing a try ... but obviously with the blessing of the realtor involved in the transaction. In fact, I plan on only utilizing this in situations where I have an extremely strong referral partner relationship. Within this relationship it would be understood that any call I received regarding the home would be referred to the agent/partner involved, thus cementing the relationship further. I don't know if this will be effective or not, but I'm going to put a toe in the water and test it out. I'll report back ...

As far as your dilemma, I would think that some realtors would be receptive to this idea, others would not be. It is probably best before proceeding with a sign, to check with the agent involved. As your talents and services work hand-in-hand with their goals of selling the home, you most likely market to realtors as well as home owners themselves. As you can tell from the varied responses here, the realtors are just as diversified in their needs and requests as the typical home owner. I think if you approach them as you would any potential/future customer, all will be good ... and that way you do not upset anyone or can be seen as overstepping your boundaries. Just seems like the most obvious, smart, and courteous thing to do moving forward.

Best of luck to you in your business ...

Many of our city sign codes only permit one yard sign and that, of course, would be the for sale sign. As many others have said, staging should be transparent. I can't imagine a stager wanting to put a sign in the yard or insist upon inside brochures. It's not done by the painters, carpet layers, plumbers, inspectors or anyone else hired to prepare the home for sale. And allowing a stager to 'use' the home to show potential customers the stager's work would be a real no-no.

I think most of you have summed it up pretty well. I don't mind having a placard inside the home stating that it was stage by so and so, but a sign in the yard is simply not going to fly with most realtors. I know that if I used a stager and they demanded to put up a sign in the yard that it would be the last time I used or referred that stager. You are definitely adding value to the home, but so is the painter, the landscaper, the flooring people and they all have the same claim as you.

I haven't read all the comments, but in my area the yard sign is 99% brokerage sign only, and 1% have a mortgage sign in the yard as well. Having a staging firm sign added strikes me as extraneous. In our state we have a fiduciary responsibilityto that seller client. The brokerage sign purpose is obvious. The mortgage sign helps in cases where financing might be an issue. A home buyer might be more inclined to call to inquire about special financing or a low down payment program.

I don't see how a staging sign would make someone more inclined to pick up the phone.

Having a staging sign doesn't help sell that home, so I can't see why it would be justified.

Having some brochures or cards in the house seems harmless to me, so I'd have no objection to it.

Hi Cathy...

First I think that staging is an invaluable tool...and we do it for every listing....However....as to exterior signs...most places here by city ordinance prohibit more than one exterior sign....so I would ask if you could put your signs on the INSIDE of the home which is where people see what you have done...makes more sense and I bet you get less resistance.

Cathy - I can't even imagine getting upset about this, but that's just me. As for giving a false impression, that is a very odd excuse. If you don't want to give a false impression, then don't allow it to be staged in the first place. Sorry you have had to endure this.

I only leave my info (INSIDE) if asked or discussed in advance. I couldn't bring myself to clutter a lawn and advertise my stuff or a homeowners stuff was exceptional inside. Staging should be discrete the home itself should be the focus.

I have a rider that says "Staged by an Accredited Staging Professional." I am also a Realtor. My experience has been that calling a home a staged home creates more attention, and in a buyer's market, one needs to stand out.

I think that in the matter of a sign or a rider, that it is up to the owner. I haven't had any owner not want all the attention they can get and calling a staged home - a staged home is an attention getter.

Home staging is so new in my part of the country, that a sign that says "staged home" creates curiosity and increases traffic. Selling a house is all about getting traffic through a house. If anybody is going to say "No" to a sign, it will need to be the owner. The owner hires the Realtor as well. Unless the Realtor is paying for the Staging Contract, then that might be the exception that a sign would be the Realtor's call. That's just my 2 cents anyway and not worth much more!

The only reason I can think of that the owner doesn't want a sign is the same reason they may not want to do anything else to market their home and that is that the seller is conflicted as to their motivation to sell. Now the seller may not really be conflicted but have some funny idea that he/she can get more money just by keeping the staging a secret. I think that hiding the staging is counter productive. Buyers aren't dumb. They are forever asking me now is this the staging or the owners referring to furnishings. If someone is afraid that their furniture could get stolen by one little tiny sign, then one shouldn't risk selling with any sign in front of the yard.

Guess I have a lot to say t his could have been a blog!!!

While I like the idea of staging a home if needed. With that said however, I don't want the home stager's sign in the yard next to me. Come on, this I think is "tacky" So many time I ride by corners of some streets with all sorts of "signs up" pointing arrows, it looks terrible. The For Sale is there for a reason to Sell the House and that's as it should be.....

Patricia Aulson/NH

PS THe Listing Agreement allows (unless the seller doesn't want a For Sale sign out front) for a SIGN in the Yard. This attracts more attention/potential buyers. It is a legal contract if you will. The Home stager is not!! Simple as that.

Patricia

Staging is a tool. Personally I don't like promoting the use of that tool because I feel it deminishes the effect. Everyone is told that you can charge more for a staged house. I don't believe it, but that's what we're told. The important thing is that's what the buyer is told. I don't want buyers to know a house is staged because then they start looking at the staging and not the house. Effective staging should not demand the buyer's attention, but help focus attention on the house. If a buyer knows the house is staged, they may think part of the asking price was due to the inflation from staging.

That's bad news as far as I'm concerned. I personally wouldn't mind a small business card on the mantle, but no signs. The buyer needs to focus on the house and I can't believe that a buyer is going to hire a stager anyway. Stagers need to suck up to the Realtors. That's their market.

Personally, if I were a stager, I'd rather beg to be mentioned in the private remarks section of the listing. That's more bang for the buck because only agents see that section.

In our area, stagers place an 8 1/2 x 11" framed marketing piece inside the property. As a listing agent, when I call agents for showing feedback they'll often ask me if the house was staged, complement the work, and ask who staged it. I think my endorsement is more valuable to the stager than a sign in the front yard.

Hi Cathy, Amazed at how many responses were so against your idea. Anyway, an early commenter stated that "...

Wondering if you would like to rebut ? I had always heard that staged homes sell.......

Hmmmm....staging. Personally, if I did hire someone to Stage a property I had for sale, I would not want any buyers or their agents to know it was staged. With so many shows now on TV about staging and making a home more show-able for sale....buyers are now becoming much better educated about the diversionary tactic of trying to manipulate them. Now as for decluttering, doing some needed repairs to the home before the Inspector is called in, a good deep clean, perking up the landscaping etc...that is where I advise my seller's to spend their money.

We would never allow a stager to have their signs or materials in the home. When a stager is used they are paid, and it is a paid service. We would not agree to having staging done and then the stager got signage or other forms of advertising. We, and a lot of other agents, see staging as a paid service and just like any other paid service we do not advertise their services either. And when a home is staged we do not promote that it is staged -- the home stands on its own merits and the staging is just something that helped it be in the position it is. If new appliances were added we would not be promoting the appliance company, or a paint company if there was new painting done -- these , as is staging , just part of the tools that got the home to its present state. Our 2 cents.

Bill,

I would love to see some documentation that staged homes sell quicker for higher prices too. I've heard it said but haven't seen it to be true. Buyers are very savvy and their agents certainly know not to allow appearance (staging) to affect their price offer.

A well staged home (whether professionally done or not) does 'help' the buyer but I've yet to see it have any affect on the price offered. When representing buyers we always run the comps and do our best to negotiate the lowest price possible for the buyer.

Interesting discussion and I hope someone will offer some concrete evidence that staging brings quicker sales at higher prices. I believe in STAGING but I must admit to being skeptical about the time/price claims.

Tim

BTW, we have tried to get several local stagers to offer a free consultation to all of our sellers (just as we give a free consultation during our listing appt) so that they can "sell" their services to the sellers but none have been willing to take us up on the offer.

We offered to advertise their services on our numerous websites and in much of our other marketing materials (mailings, etc) for FREE in exchange for them agreeing to meet for 30 minutes with each seller but... no takers.

WOW! I didn't even know stagers put signs in the yard! I am from the sticks and sometimes we are lucky to even get the agents to put a sign up!

Jeani

Cathy, I wouldn't have mind putting a sign on one of my listings, until recently. I had a listing with a builder and he kept is sign up along with mine. I know for certain that I missed many calls because lookers called him directly instead of me. When I mentioned that I was not getting any calls, he said that he was. Well he was not forwarding those calls to me and this restricted a lot of calls and probably contracts that I could have gotten from people calling about the property.

So I learned a lesson from all of that... No other signs go in the yard of one of my listings, except for mine.

do sellers hire stagers or Listing Agents?

I have never used one, so I do not know

but if this Stager is getting their business from the listing agents, than the sign is just for their own ego. I can not imagine too many home owners decide to put their house up for sale, take a look around and say 'wow, my house looks crappy, i should get a stager in here'

I kind of doubt it. Most people who live like pigs do not see the sty. Those without taste in style/decorating usually do not know they lack it

Seems to me by butting heads over a sign in your yard will cost you the business of Listing agents who can bring you lots of business as compared to a seller, or a sign

oh, and for the first time in my tenure here, I actually disagree with Lenn. I can absolutely see the value in a stager, but have yet to need one. Guess I am just lucky that way.

I'm against all signs, publicity etc. for the stager. I think of staging as a stealth tactic. In fact, All of which makes sense to me. The house is for sale, not the people who presented it. I guess it depends upon your motivation is as a stager. I learned a long time ago that I had to take my ego off the table and market my company another way. So, I'm siding with the realtors, I'm afraid, Kathy.

Staging should be subtle to be effective. It does little good to advertise to potential buyers that the home has been gussied up without any structural improvements in an attempt to squeeze more dollars out of a buyer. You advertise the granite countertops, hardwood flooring, new appliances ... things that the new buyer will be in possession of upon purchasing the home. I am a believer in staging a home for the market, but you don't announce your intent to buyers. That's akin to telling a prospective buyer to look for the man behind the curtain rather than to walk in and be wowed by the presentation. I agree with many agents in the thread who feel too many signs out front can distract from the intent (should be to advertise the home, not our services), but my primary objection would be that it usurps the power of staging when you tell buyers they are viewing a staged home. That simply begs for a buyer to look past the pretty picture at the limitations of the canvas (ungainly floor plan, architectural flaws, etc) itself. We agents advertise things that add value for the buyer, not those things which are intended to add value for the seller.

Cathy- I'm going to take a slightly different approach with my reply. It was touched on by a couple of others, but not quite as explicitly as I would have thought.

You operate a business. I assume you do so in hope to make a profit. There are really only 2 parties that will contribute towards you achieving this goals. Home buyers are generally not one of these parties. Perhaps, if they have their home on the market, but if you already had their agent's loyalty, it wouldn't matter.

1) Home Sellers - In the case you described, you already have the business. If they like your service, they will refer you to their friends, coworkers , etc. If not, they won't.

2) Agents- Many will find your services beneficial. Some will not. However, the ones who do should make up the bulk of your business. The ones who know you do not need to be marketed to. Those who don't, aren't likely to be impressed by a sign in the yard. In fact, based on the above conversation, many are likely to be turned off.

In the case of home sellers, the sign has no effect on their referral and with agents it could be detrimental. So, why add it? Do you really want to risk alienating your best client base on principle? This seems contrary to the goal of making profits.

I find all of the agents responses just fasinating! This is the first post about staging on AR (that I know of) that more than 2 or 3 agents have given their opinion. Thank you for that!

I will be siding with the agents as well. When I first became a stager, my training company offered sign riders to buy that advertised that the home was staged. I thought this really strange as why would we advertise that the house was freshly staged? I have always felt strongly that the house should never have any outside signage or comments in the "public" MLS listing that the house was staged.

When I stage a vacant house, I will put my business card and sometimes a 4x6 frame in a descreet location. If I do an owner occupied staging or consultation, I never leave behind any cards.

Great staging is discreet and one should never know it was even staged. Now that is the highest compliment a stager can receive!

Cathy: I am not a stager and you are hearing from me anyway! Anyone who opposes such a thing has allowed their over-sized EGO to take charge. The EGO comes from a place of fear, doubt, lack … the list goes on and on. A sign takes nothing away from the listing. I like the idea. I had not thought of it and clearly neither had my stager. Guess what we will be implementing?

Is your sign included in the listing broker's listing agreement. Not in mine. It is about selling the property not yours or my services or the painters or the floor refinishes and so on. You want a sign to sell your services? Go buy a billboard...

I also agree with Bob Monsour and a few others.... I think even thou a seller may contact you to stage a home... it's more likely that a realtor will suggest stagging and YOUR company's services.

There has to be some middle ground. Maybe after the sell put out a sign. (I sure don't have the answer.) Even then municipalities will restrict real estate signs to some degree. I know in our fair city, a sign stating who fixed the roof, frence, or the dog will be not allowed for more than 3 or 4 days.

Good Luck!

Wow! When I first clicked on the post, I was sure that I was going to be on your side. However, after considering it and reading the comments, I think I might agree with the Realtors who would rather you didn't have a sign posted.

Of course, I am just a mortgage broker, so take it with a grain of salt.

I haven't had time to read the comments unfortunately as I'm sure there would be a lot to learn as I see so many of the comments are from agents. That said I'll just say my bit on this and when I have time I'll come back and read the comments and maybe make another....

I don't put signs in the yard and I rarely leave them in the home. Occassionally, with the agents permission (typically actually at their suggestion and only with vacant homes) I'll leave some business cards and maybe tri-fold brochures. I find that for most agents if they are interested in the staging services, they'll call the agent and I'll get a better bang for my buck (if you will) as the agent whose home I staged typically gives glowing referrals - higher praise than just taking one of my cards. Some agents (savvy ones, IMO) do put in the agents notes in MLS that the home was professionally staged by First Impressions Home Staging & Interior ReDesign. This has been known to increase showings as the buyers agent knows the home will show well. it also does the same basic function as a sign in the yard without the distraction.

I leave my business cards on display along with a small 5x7 framed sign saying who staged the property. I would never put a sign outside though. I actually had one agent once invite me to do so, but I declined.

Hi Cathy - I can understand your concern. I don't think there is anything wrong with a tasteful stack of your cards or simething similar, but the hardest thing for a buyer's agent to do is to keep her clients from focusing on the furniture, knickknacks, etc and check out the bones of the house. The main purpose of staging is to show them the size of the rooms and how nice the home could be with their things in it. Too much distraction from the home and onto the removable decor confuses the buyer.

Later when we say, "So did you like the home with the crown moulding or the one with the hardwood floors better?", the client will say, "I don't remember which is which - which one is the one with the red flowers on the table?" I try to keep pointing out features of the home itself, but the fewer distractions the better. I'm not sure the sign in the yard works for me, but I wouldn't come to fisticuffs over it!

Cathy,

I've used two stagers on many of my listings and had never considered this - because neither ever asked.

I can say that I ALWAYS tout the fact the home is staged because it is a positive; my 2 stagers leave business cards in a tasteful holder in my listings. Knowing a home is staged also tips buyers that my sellers are very serious about selling the home - a big plus! So, that might be a real positive for having your sign in the yard.

On the negative side, even one sign looks tacky. To sell a home, we (meaning the stager, the seller or I) use the services of a painter, landscaper, plumber, roofer, exterminator. If all of us have the shared goal of attracting offers for the seller, the one sign will be my "For Sale."

Stagers are one of my non-secret weapons and I want their businesses to thrive too. But I think I'd vote for no sign on the lawn.

Wow! what a hot button you have hit on here :). I always leave it completely up to the agent. Most of my business comes from Real Estate Agent referrals so I always want my agents to call the shots and be happy with the outcome. If they specifically request a yard sign or cards left at the property, then I will leave them. If not, then I do not leave anything at the property. I do not want potential buyers to focus on the staging I want them to focus on the property.  My staging packages include a web marketing plan for the home that is directed to local agents. This is where I place my company's contact info and brand, but secondary after the property info and agent info.

Side Note:  Real Estate Agents in Virginia are now required to contact Miss Utility before installing any signs other than the small wire type signs. I would think that also applies to stagers in Virginia.

I will be following this post...it's great to have so many posts by Real Estate Agents and Stagers. We really all want the same thing.  To get the home sold for the most money in the least amount of time.

Too many signs in the front yard give a trashy, tacky impression. I agree with those who say one sign--the agency's "For Sale" sign--should be the only one in the front yard.

I don't leave tent cards, flyers, business cards or a sign in the yard in any of the homes I stage (vacant homes or occupied). To me, the home is the star of the show. My job as a professional home stager is to highlight the features the home has to offer. I don't consider the furniture and accessories features. Instead, if staged properly, they will help direct the buyers eyes to the features that stay with the home (i.e., fireplace, archways, etc....

Fortunately, if there are agents that inquire as to who or better yet ask "if" the house has been staged (which to me means I've really done my job), then the agent has supplied them with my name and number. Thus far, it's worked for me.

Kathy

Like Teresa, Melissa and other stagers, I do not leave promotional material. On the rare occassion when the situation allows, I'll leave a few business cards. I choose to see staging as a discreet marketing tool. I believe a well staged home looks and feels like nicely kept home but allows the home's features be the focal point all the while influencing the buyer throughout the house.

Hi Cathy

You certainly got things going here! What really stands out in quite a few of the comments you have received is the attitude that Staging is something used to distract a buyer, create a false impression of the property and a manipulation. I am sure you did not intend for this discussion to go down that road but it seems pretty apparent the many ways in which Staging is maligned and misrepresented and by whom. It answers the question why more homeowner than realtors see the value of this service.

As a Buyer, and I am assuming most all the commenters here at one time or another purchased a home, condo or looked and lived in some sort of dwelling. Unless they were looking for a fixer upper, did they have a more favorable impression of the clean homes they were able to walk through comfortably or the dirty, cluttered and outdated ones that we see pictures of on the MLS on a more than desired basis?

Were they manipulated into buying the home they could see themselves living in? Did they really believe a clean uncluttered house was an evil way to get more money from them?

That being said, everyone needs to do what works best in their area and consider who they partner with.

I don't have yard signs and would not use one as I consider myself part of the homeowner's team in getting the place sold. I think literature inside is ok for realtor tours. I don't like the idea of advertising a place is Staged as it is just another necessary part of marketing a home and not SCHTICK.

Thanks for the great post and it was great to see some feedback from those we are here to complement, assist and speed success.

Cathy-it looks as if you got a range of answers. An additional sign in the yard advertising your services doesn't seem right. Selling the home is the top priority for the owners and the agent. You should have great before and after photos for your portfolio and a thank you letter from the agent and the owner but no other advertising in the home or yard.

I had to make one last comment Cathy to #77 Bill above. He stated that.... "Stagers need to suck up to the Realtors. That's their market."

I don't understand this comment or the rest of most of what he said. As a Stager and business owner, I find this rather insulting as I am sure was intended, so I bite.

I don't need to suck up to anyone. I market a service I believe in and a service that helps folks. Homeowners call me when they need help. Maybe if more realtors did their job, I wouldn't get the calls and there would be no such thing as For Sale By Owner and Help U Sell. I do more than just stick a sign in the yard and wait for the offers to role in. I am a proactive service that homeowners more and more are turning to when selling a home. There are some really large successful Stagers that are members of AR, ask them if they have to "suck up" for business.

Yes I would love more Realtors to embrace Staging but I don't need to "suck up." Who do you "suck up" to for your business? Bill, do you really view being in business and doing what's best for your clients as sucking up?

Just sayin

Cathy,

I believe in staging and I encourage my sellers to stage (if they want to hire someone that is fine) their home. I always walk around and give my thoughts. I think staging should be about selling the home and if someone is "looking" for what you staged then they are not looking at the home. I do not like print outs in my houses either, because I want people looking at the home not the papers. I have told people to remove cars, trucks, etc from the front of their home with for sale signs. we are selling the home. A good stager knows that people have a hard time seeing things because of items in the way. I believe simple is the best!

I would recomend to my client not to allow any sign in the front yard except the for sale sign. I believe word of mouth is your best advertising and if you pulled out that contract demanding a sign in the yard I would think most Agents would have a bad taste in their mouth.

Good, professional staging is not all about smoke and mirrors. It is about downplaying any negatives and highlighting any positives so that a house is "staged" in the best possible way for people to live. However, it is all about selling the house. The house for sale is the product not our services. I would only leave brochures or cards at a Broker Open and don't believe in adding another sign in the yard.

Ana:

In reference to comment 104...

I didn't mean for the term "suck up" to imply anything negative. I used the term "suck up to.." only to emply that Realtors were probably the largest market that they should target. It's not a term I take offense to so I didn't think much about using it.

Tim:

In reference to comment 82...

I have not seen any studies with staging, related to home sales / prices. My opinion about home staging is sort of on the fence too. I also wonder how it scales from $100k homes to $1M. All I really know is that it's expensive for an unfurnished house. I saw a company that takes a picture of an empty room and digitally adds furniture and furnishings. Cheap way to get people into the house. Not sure what it would do once you got them in though.

I would never ,ever, under any circumstances, leave any literature. It's just not how we operate. I am a secret weapon. The only signature you will find at my staged houses is that somewhere in that house, on display, there is a peacock feather. That's the ONLY advertising I need in a small market where agents know me and my logo.

~Michelle

Great discussion you have going here. The range of responses is very interesting.

I am a stager who agrees that if a home is staged properly - if I have done my job effectively - the house presents well and looks inviting not staged in the negative sense of false or misleading decorating or hiding things.

I will put up a sign when I am doing the actual staging to answer the question, what is going on there; or in the case of my current client, I will have a sign up and business cards to hand out when she holds a "reveal" party for friends and neighbours.

Otherwise, I agree that only one sign on the lawn.

So what's the difference between showing a home that is 1) Professional Staged and 2)Tastefully Decorated. When I was looking for a new home I visited properties that were decorated to the T because the HOMEOWNER had excellent taste in furnishings. Some of you are saying this distracts from "selling the house" versus "selling the decorations." I disagree. In fact, its insulting that a lot of agents think buyers are too dumb to see past decorations. We see past them. They just make the chore of looking a whole lot nicer. Had I been told that some of these houses were staged by professionals I really woudn't have cared. The stagers job is to show the house in the best light. So real estate agents, if you have someone with really nice decor are you going to ask them to mess it up a bit because you want to sell their house without people being distracted by their nice decor? Real estate agents are selling a product. If you were a store owner you wouldn't object to the cleaning lady dusting off your product so it looked better, would you? As for the sign, it is the OWNER's decision. And let's get real....the sign in front of the home (for both agents and stagers) is not to sell the home it is to sell the agent. Don't kid yourself. If you've never been to a marketing class you need to take one because some of you are either a bold face liar or seriously disillusioned on that matter.

I agree with many of the points that have been made, but the bottom line is "Who is your customer?" Your customer is the Realtor, in the sense that if your services have merit and result in a positive outcome, then the Realtor will refer you to future clients. Competing with the Realtor will not score you points, and further, who do you think is going to be called to action by your sign in the yard? Your main source of business should be Realtor referrals.

AUG

2009

This is a interesting topic. Maybe having a sign rider made up to attach to the Realtors sign saying:

" This home staged by XYZ Home Stager"

I would let you put a sign my yard. I have sold properties in the past that were advertised as being staged. True, I had lookers who just wanted to see the fancy decorations(you can avoid inconviencing the sellers by just holding an open house). The plus side is they went and bragged to all their friends about the "beautiful property and its decorations" and one of those friends bought the house. Goal achieved. The owner wasn't disappointed one bit about having to leave their home - BECAUSE IT SOLD. I am confident in my abilities as a real estate agent to sell the house even if there's twenty signs in the yard.

In defense of the stagers I've worked with, I've seen older homes where the decor hasn't been updated in 60 years and some buyers are too distracted by the dirt and clutter to see the house. There's an instant "ewww" factor and they leave without really looking. Stagers are helpful for showcasing the diamond in the rough and the endless possibilities. They help me do my job of selling. Sorry this was long, just my opinion ya'll! Maybe individual markets handle stagers in different ways. Cathy, don't let anyone rain on your parade.

P.S. Agents don't burn any bridges with home stagers. They can send their clients your way too. You could start a new niche of clientale who flock to you because you are known for listing beautiful homes.

Home Buyer - I don't believe I made the comments to which you are referring, but I'll attempt to answer your questions. First, IMHO, there is no difference if it is done well. The concept is to allow the customer to see the home at its best. Things as simple as cleaning off the countertops, vacuuming the floor, and turning on the lights can be considered staging.

Second, it is not an intelligence issue. Many people have a hard time with visualization. This is a proven fact and is not simply limited to the real estate field. If you can see past belongings, color, clutter, dirt, etc, that's great. But, experience says you are in the minority.

Third, 60-65% of buyers still drive through neighborhoods looking for homes. Signs and, more importantly, the flyers attached to them, do drive interest in the home. Of course, the signs also serve to market the real estate agent. I don't think anyone is denying this.

I have never seen a stager's sign on the lawn in the Toronto area. However, I once went to an open house where the real estate agent also had a staging designation and indicated on the for sale sign that the house was staged. However, the house was clearly NOT staged and that open house stands out in my mind years later.

I wouldn't allow a stager's sign on the lawn.

I wonder whether the sign bylaws in the municipalities would allow stager signs. Many municipalities already have restrictions on real estate agent signs (e.g. size, location etc.).

No sign, no cards, no brochures - I am selling the house. Too much distraction in the home and staging is to enhance the features of the home, not to sell the services of the stager.

Staging is a great tool, and I do believe that a staged home sells faster and for more money.

As Michelle Mollinari said in comment 108, staging is a secret weapon - that is why it works so well. I don't leave cans of Febreeze sitting around either.

Cathy - you sound passionate about your work, but you are missing the point.

Sell yourself to Realtors - give them brochures showing before and after pics and results in the form of agent recommendation letters.

If you insist on including the signage in your contract - you will lose business in the long run.

I will by-pass some of the above comments. Sign in the yard.. no way. A small area inside the home with an un-obtrusive offering of your services... you bet. YOU are helping the Realtor sell the home and hopefully you are working as a team to market the home. We have NEVER lost business because of our small signage only because we work with successful teams that are serious about selling homes in this market.

These comments are so interesting, I had to return! While I enjoyed reading the differing points of view, I would also have to agree with others who have pointed out so well that -- as surprising as it may seem to some agents -- many successful professional stagers are now receiving a majority their business directly from the homeowner. Not only that, but sellers often bring me in before they have even selected an agent ... and ask me for referrals. You can be sure that I always refer agents who believe in home staging as a successful marketing tool. My staged homes this year have sold in an average DOM of just 31 days ... staging is definitely working in my market (vs. our local average of 147 DOM). I believe in developing partnerships with smart agents who want results -- and I'll do whatever it takes so that both us look good to the seller. That way, we all WIN!

WOW Cathy, did you think you would get this many responses from your post? I agree with most of the commenters, no sign in the yard, but OK to leave cards in the house for a Realtor open house.

Wow, I have never seen so many comments from REA's in Stage it Forward. I agree with the REA's on the no sign comments. I also never post signs outside of the property and only display a small frame and cards in vacant homes. Most of my business comes from referrals.

I skimmed through the responses and if I missed this point, excuse me for duplicating. Advertising that a home is staged with an outdoor sign - especially a vacant home - is an invitation to thieves. It gives them the impression that there are valuable items in the house.

There were quite a few break ins and robberies in my region when staging first caught on a few years back. The stagers using outdoor advertising were the ones hit. One neighborhood resident even questioned a robber in progress as he loaded a van, and the robber told the neighbor that he was "helping the stager!" With a lot of activity going on at the property, the neighbor didn't question the response.

I feel that a sign inside the property advertising your staging company can be tacky. Business cards in a holder near the property info sheet or property brochure is plenty.

As a former stager turned realtor, I am a huge proponent of staging. However, great staging doesn't scream STAGED! -- it speaks for itself. Regarding a sign out front...frankly, I think it's tacky and counterproductive to what staging is really all about.

When I'm complimented on a great haircut, I gladly refer my stylist. I don't wear a t-shirt that proclaims "Styled by Jane".

I agree that entering the home before the home is put on the market works the best for me as well, and this was the case with my last client. I enjoy working with clients who have older/historic homes. I really enjoy helping them bring out the character within the home and this is where the small things can really make a difference.

Referrals can come from many different avenues. Some believe most 'should' come from REAs and other believe most 'should' come from homeowners. It all depends upon who you wish to target and how sucessful you are in with that approach. There are no "shoulds" here.....

Most importantly, let's not forget that home staging DOES serve a valuable purpose in ALL areas. We provide a service that focuses the attention on the BUYER, yet serves the seller. Yes, staging helps the REA to sell a home that is considerably more turn-key than not AND it helps the home seller to provide a product that looks and feels like something worth selling--and worth buying. But the bottom line is that our services target the buyer.

Consider this: anytime you walk into a store (as a consumer/buyer) you are looking at racks or shelves of items to buy. The items are not displayed randomly...they are displayed with purpose by someone who has knowledge about attracting the attention of the buyer (home stager and even home seller). All cans are placed with the labels facing the consumer, all clothing is placed on the rack by size and type, and furniture, cars, and even homes are sold with specific consideration to placement (on their small piece of real estate - store, car lot or parcel of land, in this example). The owner of the company (homeowner) is/should be in charge of making sure their product sells - doing all they can to package it just right. If they don't have the expertise or time to advertise, they bring in the marketing consultant (REA) who knows how to get the word out that the product is ready to sell. The target? The consumer of course.

This is why home staging is such a value - we HELP REAs in so many ways. Home Staging is not about adding fluff to a product. It's not about decorating. We take time to look at the home very carefully and assist in the marketing process. When we encourage home sellers to clear and clean FIRST, it is much easier to assess the home. Any flaws (chipped paint that needs to be sanded and repainted, lack of window caulking that may cause less efficient heating/cooling, leaky faucets that need replacing) are things we also look at. The REA's job is to market and sell the home. Our job is to talk to the home seller and explain how calling in some professionals can help expedite the sale of their home, how de-cluttering now can help "ease" the moving process AND help begin the cleanig process, how arranging furniture can simplify traffic flow, how more light can be inviting, and how an updated look can help the buyer feel as if they can live in their home comfortably without feeling like they are putting their hard-earned money down on great-grandpa's home that is going to require a lot of time, work, and money they don't have to spend. (How's that for a wordy sentence?)

This is my experience and humble opinion. My point is that I do not just "fluff" a home up to look pretty. I focus on the entire home - inside and out - and educate the home seller (and sometimes the REA) in the process. "The dented cans get sent to the food bank, the un-needed ones get packed up and moved out, and the new ones that have been forgotten about in the back of the cupboard get cleaned off and put on display." Good home stagers are organizers, problem solvers, project managers, and look at all the details that most people overlook. We use our tact and talent so the REAs can do what they do best. It is hard, tiring, and difficult work!

If home stagers have the right experience and training, we can make a home stand out from the others -- a home that is the pride of the home seller and REA, and the envy of the neighborhood.

When home stagers work together as a team - with home sellers or REAs - homes sell faster! That is why I posted my concern. I want to ensure I am doing what is best for both...for the right reasons!

Will I post signs? No longer

Will I place a flyer with cards? You bet. I'm proud of what I do and know I make a difference.

Cathy, I'm still following your post and I'm sure everyone has said everything to be said but I had to reiterate what Maureen and EmMee Hill and others have pointed out. The majority of my business now is coming straight from the internet from Sellers. My last 2 clients have not listed their homes yet and have asked mefor referrals of Realtors. The relationship between a Stager and Realtor should not be adversarial. The public watches HGTV and is aware of Staging. We're there to help the Seller sell their home. If everyone does their job and continues to see themselves as Professionals then we'll get those homes sold. That said, I still believe in just the one sign in the yard.

Cathy my heart goes out to you . I am a home inspector From northern Ohio and I am having a hard time getting yard signs in the yard saying this home was inspected by my company . I belive its up to the buyer and seller as long as they give me permisson . but thats not the way it is . You have business to run and thats the best and cheapest advertising you have . I say ask the seller and go from there . Me Im getting ready to put a sign in a yard because the buyer wants it its vacant and they bought it so whats the issue // Just do it you will be glad you did . God bless And have a great year .

Hi Cathy,

Interesting topic. I didn't read all the responses, but to me the answer is pretty simple - regardless of whether it's a sign or tent-cards, or whatever. It's up to whoever hired you. If an agent did and they don't have a problem with it, fine. If the homeowner hired you, it's their call.

Just my 2¢

What a fascinating lot of responses and I'm surprised I read as many as I did. Maybe in my skimming I missed a reason I wouldn't want a stager's sign in the yard of my listings. Too often at open houses, the people who came are frank that they're just looking for ideas. However valuable staging can be, the less obvious it is, the better. When an unstaged but well-maintained and nicely decorated house prompts the question about whether or not it is staged, the seller enjoys the compliment.

I had a problem once with a seller's putting in the yard a lender's sign - not a lender I knew and I didn't want the curb appeal diminished by another sign anyway.

My knee-jerk reaction to this post is two-fold.

First of all, I agree with Sharon and Cynthia in that I NEVER post a sign, nor do I leave any marketing materials in my staged homes. I want the house to speak for itself, with the hopes that the REA/seller will think highly enough of my work to refer me if the opportunity presents itself.

On the other hand, I think you have hit on one of the major reasons we stagers aren't busier. I think the majority of REAs are NOT believers. They may SAY that they use stagers, but when push comes to shove, they truly feel their advice and a price reduction are sufficient. Then you have agents like good ol' Lenn there that feel our efforts are expendable, and should, in fact, be ignored. We're fighting an uphill battle, fellow stagers.

I agree with most of the comments and that of one stager that staging is discreet. I provide a detailed report to the seller along with cards in a file folder but would not feel comfortable with posting information throughout the house or a sign out in the front that I staged it.

Hey, I'm a painting contractor with a real estate license. Being in the trades, how about signs for a painting contractor who painted this lovely home, the landscaper who put their green thumb to work, the roofer, the plumber, the electrician, the general contractor who did repairs, the pest company, etc.??? I never leave a sign up on a house for sale, I want the home for sale to get all the attention.

Staging is another gimmick trumped up by people in the business and the TV networks to make money off of real estate sales. How in the world did we sell houses before "Staging". I advise my clients on what it takes to prepare their home for sale and it is to unclutter, paint and clean, make repairs where needed. My sellers have already watched HGTV and got the message about staging and most are pretty good at doing it themselves.

We already have to many signs to contend with in the yards, we even have banks, movers and any other vendor offering the seller a break putting signs in the yards and in the houses.

Hi Cathy, I also agree with the majority here about no signs and trust the homeowners or real estate agents to refer me. However, one thing we established here is that there are a lot of REA's who are advocates of staging and that's good. If there are any in the Orange County, CA, area I would be interested to hear what local REA's think about this topic.

I avoid excessive self-promotion when listing a home. I certainly wouldn't take advantage of my seller by promoting other vendors at their expense. Plus, I do not want the home to appear 'staged' to prospective buyers. I want them to think and feel the home as being how it is, not staged.

Can you believe all the comments on this post? I had the same thing happen to me before with an agent and the excuse was that the agent didn't want anyone to think that the home was vacant. Hello, it had been vacant for over a year!

She also, didn't want sign competition, however was fine with a mortgage company (what does the mortgage company have to do with the listing?) having their sign next to hers. My sign was discreetly placed as you walk up the walk way, not next to hers and didn't "junk" up the yard.

Although, I can understand (not necessarily agree) with some of the reasons agents give, it might be wise for them to realize that we as stagers can also refer home sellers to them for listings.

In response to Joy Caldwell, I am an Interior Designer with a degree from Parsons School of Design and 27 years experience merchandising homes to sell for top national builders. Please don't tell them staging doesn't work! Time and time again, the model home is the one that sells as is the case with a home that is "professionally" staged among it's competition. As far as homeowners who "stage" their own home, this is a case where a little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing. A home for sale becomes a products. Successful products in todays competive market are merchandised, just like any other product. There is a psychology behind designing to sell that incorporates good basic design principles, I've even writen an ebook about it. Unfortunately there is some ineffective/unprofessional staging out there and perhaps that is where you got your perception. You are missing out on a very effective mareting tool!

Wow, Cathy. A lot of controversy here and I'm shocked at the animosity some Realtors show towards stagers.

I have a small brochure stand I leave in every house I stage. I usually put it in the kitchen, and sometimes the agent will move it near his/her brochures for greater visibility. They are excited to have such a beautiful listing. I have only had one Realtor take the brochure stand and put it in a drawer. She wanted to take credit for the staging!

Maybe it is a regional thing, but I have never seen a stager in my area display a yard sign, nor would I use one. My job is to help get the home sold and I wouldn't want my advertisement to be a distraction or create visual clutter in front of the house. If someone wants to know who staged the house, or if the house was staged, all they have to do is ask the agent.

Since REAs are probably a big source of referrals for stagers, I wouldn't butt heads with them. Its not worth it over an advertising sign.

Hello Cathy

I understand how your feel, yes I have heard this from some stagers too however lets not loose sight of perspective here.
In my class I teach the person selling the property has final say on whether your signs go out. The agent is selling the property - not you. Yes your staging work contributes to how the property looks but showcasing a house is not all about your business. Other services contributed to the property looking great - the home inspector, the landscaperm the cleaning service etc and they dont get to put signs out. Smart real estate professionals use staging and market a property as staged as a positive thing- staging today means to buyers the house is move in ready - its a good thing not a bad thing. When staging is utilized by the agent as a marketing tool then, with the agreement of the agent CSP has very professional signage which compliments and not fights the agent sign.
Isure would not "stick to my guns" with an agent if I ever expected to work with that agent again. The power of referral is awesome and free - why jeopardise a paying relationship with referals for being right and loosing the sale? Thats my ten cents

Funny - I've never even considered a yard sign to advertise my company. I'm not selling the house, the Realtor is and IMHO too many signs would make it look like a construction zone: "Painted by XYZ,. Cleaned by MM Maid Services, Trees trimmed by...." get my point? Just my $ .02 All we have ever done is place a small brochure stand or a small stack of business cards in the home or near the Listing Agents brochures - even then, some Agents remove them

Cathy, you've apparently touched on a very sensitive subject. Right now there are a lot of sellers with homes on the market, who would rather not be selling at all. Some don't even want a For Sale sign out, but realize that it's a necessary aspect of marketing the house. A sign for the staging is a tool for marketing you.

I agree with the poster who said permission should come from the person who hired you first, but it ultimately needs to be blessed by the homeowner. If my client was in support, I would be too.

Placards or business cards/brochures tastefully displayed would be fine with me.

Hi Cathy,

Great post-and great opportunity for me to see what other staging companies do. Our company's position is that we don't want prospective home buyers to focus on the staging. It should be so seamless and natural that buyers just assume it's a fantastic, clean and lovely property that they want to put an offer on. If we TELL them it's staged, it defeats the purpose somehow. We feel that we are working for the agent: our goal is to slip in and slip out, making our client look good. You may see that as a lost marketing opportunity but we see ourselves as a sub-contractor, and somehow it seems inappropriate to try to compete with the agent in a sign or other marketing materials. After all, the HOUSE is for sale, not our services.

Just our perspective....if your agents are okay with it, then more power to you!

As a real estate broker/stager I have to agree with the majority here. I have never advertised my staging, nor would I think of putting a sign on the lawn to proclaim it. Only recently did I even have cards made, at the request of one of my colleagues. The staging we do is an adjunct service to present houses in their best light and get them sold. If clients (either agents or sellers) are pleased with your service, they will tell people about it as they do in any other profession, and you'll get referrals.

Personally, I don't want to have people recognize the staging per se, I want them to see a home they can picture their family living in. Having said that, most agents in the area recognize a Geri staged home, as occasionally do buyers.

To all who support Home Staging efforts, THANK YOU! It is a very rewarding industry.

To all who still don't accept the value of Home Staging, that's okay. WE know it's value!

Maintaining relationships should always out weigh anything else. Good business depends upon it. In the end, if someone strongly protests a sign, cards, or anything else, a good business professional should be able to adapt, improvise and accept. There are far too many homes on the market - or about the enter the market - that need a Final Touch. The creative talent that Home Staging demands also flows into working with varying personality types. IMHO, that is what makes us successful at our job! And that is why we enjoy doing it so much.

Your comments have been great!

I agree that it's best not to post a sign outside. But I am in favor of business cards inside, placed next to the other literature and cards. It's subtle and I don't think most buyers pay that much attention to that stuff anyway. But the Realtors do.

We mainly stage vacant homes and we wouldn't want to advertise that the house is unoccupied but furnished in case it attracts vandals or thieves. Yeah, we're probably paranoid.

Cathy - with 143 comments so far, it's obvious you've touched a nerve. I can't add anything new, but want to weigh in if you're "polling" the results. Often prospects and/or agents WILL want to know who did the staging, and I certainly don't want to hide that a house has been staged - so, I'm fine with leaving some business cards, and perhaps a few brochures that can be kept in a drawer for anyone who wants more information. I don't want the visual clutter of another sign outside (stager, landscaper, house painter, etc.) or a display inside large enough to attract attention. Effective marketing can be subtle!

As a fellow stager, I agree with Kim's comment (#140) completely. I recently saw a stager's sign on the lawn of a house for sale, and it struck me as odd. For the most part, staging is done on the inside of a home, so passerby can't see the results from the outside. Plus, I think a stager's sign could have an inadvertent effect; potential buyers may think, "What is the homeowner trying to hide by staging?" and therefore be even more critical of the home then they would be if they didn't know the home was staged before they even walked in the door.

I have mixed feelings about staging materials being left by a stager, and here's why. I'm a Broker and stager, and 95% of my listings get staged before going on the market. I have written the word "staged" in my listing comments and had a few clients ask me to remove it. One client said the buyers will think they're getting ripped off, and another said "Shouldn't we take the 'staged' word out? Wont the people wonder why it was staged before selling?'" So there's a school of thought here. I dont think the sellers want the buyers to know that they had to FIX UP the house, but rather they may wish for the buyers to think their house ALWAYS looks like this. Perhaps it's a pride thing. On the other hand, when I first started implementing staging into my listings, and advertised them under my 'staged homes' category, I got swamped with previews from other brokers (which tapered off once they saw my work). I have had several listiings sell the first few hours on the market, all from staging. I've also had sellers want to price way too high in the past, and no matter how good the staging looked, it still sat there overpriced, for which I advised against. The bottom line is, a few weeks ago, I went IN to preview a house, not knowing it was staged. The staging was WAY OVERDONE, complete with flowers everywhere and wine bottle with dramatic wine glasses next to it, and next to that setup, was table tents showcasing the stager. On the table was business cards showcasing the stager. Beside the business cards were flyers of the house that looked boring. The eye was lead to the stager material, and I might say it was overkill. I was actually annoyed at all the materials that were left in the kitchen. It was as if they were using the HOME to sell the STAGER. As far as a sign in the front yard, I wouldn't disagree that the agents wouldn't like it. It takes away their spotlight and considering the well known popularity contest that goes along with the brokers (and we ALL KNOW it's true!) I venture to say they feel competition. I would too. Which is more popluar? The color of your sign? Your name? The stagers name? or the house? Do you see where I'm going with this?

My suggestion? Network to the AGENTS, not the front yard. Send your marketing to the agents with before and afters. Look at homes on the MLS and see which ones you think need staging. Send the agent suggestions for one room, and tell them you will do the other rooms for x price, paid for by the seller. Its your best chance of selling your services, is by working with the agents. Most people will call the agent before they even think of a stager anyway. Have them armed with your info while you're "on call" and you're in. Hope this helps.

I have mixed feelings on this also. will stick around, and view other comments. thanks for sharing!

www.charlottelakewyliehomes.com

I'm not sure I would want a sign posted on the lawn. It also alerts passer by;s the home is unoccupied (not always a good thing). I would not make a big deal with it, if it where OK with the seller. It might be more appropriate to put some advertising or flyer's inside, then an agent who sees your work may want to pick it up, or some one looking that needs to sell.

It is no secret when a home has been staged. No one lives like a staged home looks.

Hi Cathy,

As a Staging Specialist I do not leave any cards, brochures or handouts in the homes that I have Staged. Therefore, I would not think to leave a sign in the front yard.

From my perspective I believe that Staging; if done effectively, will enhance the home and touch on the emotional triggers of the perspective buyers. We are there to help get the property sold fast and for its top dollar.

From my point of view, I think that advertising that the home has been Staged can also suggest that the potential buyer has room to negotiate the list price. Some people, not all have this idea that bringing in a Stager helps raise the homes value on the market just because we added furniture and accessories. If we understand the theory of Staging, we are needed to help prepare that property for sale to get what it deserves in the first place. We help take the neglect out of the home and make it shine.

So my feelings when it comes to letting yourself be known as a Stager....the best referral is from the Real Estate Agent not the client. The Agent knows that you have done a great job, thats what matters.

Wow this is very interesting. I am most surprised by agents who don't appear to believe in staging or perceive it as a negative. To me at the very basic level, its no different than dressing appropriately for the occasion, preparing ahead of time for a job interview or cleaning out your car before you sell it . You do what you need to, to be perceived in the best light to get the best result.

That said, I don't think its appropriate for the stager to use the staged home as a marketing opportunity. I do occasionally leave a few cards and a small 4 x 6 framed postcard in vacant stagings but that's it. I'm there as a tool to help the house sell. If I get referrals as a result of an agent or homeowner seeing the home staged, great, but that's not my objective. I am being paid to market the home, not to market myself.

Great post and great dialog. Good to hear from agents!

Hi Cathy.

I have yet to use the services of a professional home stager but if I did I would not want more than one sign in the front of the house.

Sory, I'm with the agent who doesn't want the sign. We use a stager and the landscapng and yard are just as important to her as the inside. AND...how about deed restrictions? HOAs just won't allow advertising. Roofers, painters can put up signs while the work is going on, but not when finished. A stager's job is to get in and out fast, do the work and then leave the rest to us to get it sold. But not to compete for attention. Our stager's success depends on work done and homes sold because of it. Buyers are not looking for stagers Her leads come from agents. US!

Jackie Davis

ERA American, Inverness, FL

I don't want my listings to look like NASCAR.

I can hear it now: This home staged by Cathy is a loveley example of a stylish modern dwelling painted by Fred Picasso House Colors. The beautiful curb appeal by Julio Down by the Schoolyard Landscape Design highlights the pool by Michael Phelps Backyard Environments. Fountains and waterfall as well as the home itself are powered by Reliant Energy which doesn't cost alot due to the Owens Corning Pink Panther insulation...

Staging should be like a finely tailored suit. It makes you look great, but the reason the it looks great is invisible. I have never seen a President or a CEO in a suit with a logo.

Hi Cathy,

I will not allow more than one sign in the yard. It confuses buyers. Would you allow agents that use your services to put a sign outside your office? After all, we agents want to market ourselves too. The best way to receive referral business from agents is to respect "their turf", and work with them, not against them.

Home staging is a valuable service. That said, it's the house that's for sale and not the staging. The stager already has their client to serve and that's the agent. A sign on the counter next the Realtor's cards showing who staged the home is appropriate. Competing for advertising space on the front yard is not. Consider it from the homebuyer's perspective. Home buying is already stressful enough. They should be focused on the home not the furniture. While the furniture helps sell the house, too much focus on it is distracting.

As a Realtor and a Stager (ASP) myself, I have to agree with the majority here. No signs in the yard, and preferrably no advertising at all in the house. Staging should be subtle but irresistible; it should complement the home without drawing attention to itself, and should never drawn attention away from the home, rather like a fine perfume on a beautiful woman increases her desirability or a vintage wine with a good meal enhances the flavors of the food. The woman would still be attractive without the perfume, and the food would still taste good without the wine, but the added stimulation of the senses is what creates the "Wow" factor. So it should be with staging: create an overtly favorable reaction in a covertly subtle manner.

Just sayin', IMHO.

Seems petty to me. I wouldn't mind it at all. If the client had objections that's one thing but as for me, I'd be fine with it.

Who know's, you could get a referral from the stager, stranger things have happened.

Wow! Lots of comments here...Let's get back to basics.

When I list a home, I have a fiduciary obligation to represent the seller. Sometimes that involves staging the home. This is particularly true for awkward spaces because most buyers have no "vision" as to how they could create a finished product. If I have a big sign in the front that says "STAGED" what does this say to would-be buyers? It says time and money were spent creating a space that you could fall in love with. But behin that is a warning "This house will NEVER look this good again!" Becuase the way people live in a home has nothing to do with how it was staged. Life happens and Murphy's Law takes over.

Bottom line - by putting up those signs you are warning the buyer that there are bells and whistles that have nothing to do with the actual space the buyer is purchasing. How does this serve the fiduciary intersts of my seller? It doesn't. Putting out cards etc. I do think is appropriate. One stager I've worked with has a decorating background and potential buyers might want to contact her. She has a definite right to advertise, but not with a huge sign in front of the house.

Congratulations on a post that is getting so much attention. Getting past the 100 comments is a milestone.

I can see the points of view from both the realtors and the stagers.

I work A LOT with one realtor who wants my RIDER on his sign. Others don't want it at all.

We have to honor the wishes of the agent AND home owner.

Hi Cathy, in my humble opinion, there is no right or wrong answer.

IT ALL DEPENDS: On the Client, Realtor, the Marketing strategy.

After every Staging Project I am handing some business cards/flyer's to my customers. Some are active advocates and share their experience in their community. That is great way to build leads.

When a Home Owner of an occupied Home receives compliments he/she often willingly shares my contact information.SOme like to display information other's dont.

Some Realtors like to use the Marketing Tactic of “Staged Home” for Realtor Caravans to attract more traffic and I am happy to help. For this event a sign goes up in the yard and we had some great outcome.

As always there is no one shoe fits all (is that even an English phrase, it is a German one ;-) I believe in being a one stop show for selection the right marketing portfolio for a specific property FOR SALE, with the goal to reduce time on market!

My answer is it all depends, at the end it is all about THE SALE.

Thanks for allowing so many Rainer's to voice their opinions

Regards

Barbara
Design2Sell - We Stage Atlanta

Hi Cathy,

As a Realtor who stages all of my listing, I have a unique perspective on this controversy.

1. When working with buyers, I love to help them visualize the potential of un-staged homes because I know that they are going to get an extra good deal.

2. When listing a property I promote the fact that the property is staged to other agents (they know it will make their job easier) not to buyers.

3. That being said, there are many buyers who specifically want to buy staged homes.

Every market is different and every agent is different, so even though I believe Staging is the most important tool in my marketing plan,I would advise Stagers to graciously leave the decision, to post their sign, to the agent.

Ok so what about the landscapers that revamped the yard so that it would sell for more, or the painters that painted the interior of the home so it would sell better or faster, or even the carpet cleaners that cleaned the carpets and wood floors in preparation for the sale.

Leaving flyers or business cards in one area inside the home is fine but where do you draw the line for signs outside. If everyone that did any kind of work on the house in order for it to "sell quicker and for more" were to put a sign up then heck you wouldn't see the house at all..............so no sale!

I have to say that I am reluctant to have a staging sign in the front yard--and I am an accredited staging realtor.

Since I also work with Buyers, I have heard them say that they are turned off by homes that are staged because they feel like they are not seeing the 'real' house. If they don't know it is staged all they see is how much they like it.

At the end of the day, who are you trying to get business from? The Realtors who see the house or the public? I always do a seperate package for Agents. Maybe you can ask for a small ad or acknowledgement in the agent package. They are your true audience anyway.

If a listing Realtor does not want the stager's sign in the yard, he/she does not really have to justify it. They don't need to give reason. If they don't want it, don't do it.

Having said that, I really don't understand why it would be a problem. How, exactly does a sign reduce the net sale price of the house? If it doesn't, then why the objection?

I guess I'm just trying to picture a buyer saying to his Realtor "Well, if they didn't use a home stager I'd offer $500K but since it was staged I only want to pay $475?"

I think that a staged home can generate more and higher offers. But like several people have commented, not everyone that works on the house gets to stick a sign in the front yard.

I don't think putting up staging signs in the yard will help you get more business, and I think that it may be detrimental to your relationship with the agents that hire you... Their main focus for hiring you is to get the home more presentable, and leave a nice impression to potential buyers. They don't want potential buyers overwhelmed with all kinds of advertising for other things, they want to sell that home, period. In a busy day of looking at a lot of homes, the listing agents want the buyers and buyers agents to remember the home, and nothing else.

You need to get your message across to potential real estate agents that will hire you. Mailing or dropping off brochures with photos taken by a professional photographer of your work will do much more for your business than a distracting sign in the front yard.... I think your advertising onsite should be limited to placing some business cards, or a brochure in the home where other agents leave their cards.... Anything more than that will tend to annoy the listing agent, and probably won't help you land more business.... That's just my opinion....

Ok, I still haven't had time to read all of the comments but I am totally shocked by some who think staging is a trumped up card to make money of the real estate industry without providing anything in return.... wow! This is just shameful.... not only are these same agents missing a valuable tool in their arsenol to gain additonal listings they are costing their clients thousands of dollars and days on market. Of course there is probably no way to prove it to them even though I have actually compiled some exact measurements - by using exact same floorplans on the same street, listed at the same time for the same price (ours sold 5 months sooner and for $21K more) as well as looking at entire neighborhoods where multiple homes at varying price points were staged and comparing them to the same neighborhood's unstaged homes (ours sold in 61 days average, unstaged 262 days and ours averaged 2% higher closed prices).

It is pretty disheartening to know that there are agents who still believe that a price reduction is simply good enough...

THE GOAL IS TO SELL THE HOME. THE OBJECTIVE IS TO HAVE A WELL PRICED HOME THAT'S PRESENTED/STAGED WELL.

I agree with #18 and so many others. I will add that full-time stagers must act as partners with the real estate agent. If you're adversarial with agents it won't help your staging business in the long run. If you "team" with agents it can indeed help grow your business as time goes by.

Let your work speak for itself along with the soft sell. You didn't do all this work so you can post a sign and scream "i staged it". You supposedly did all of this work to help your client sell their home faster and better.

I too say I'm looking to sell the house not the staging. That is the key to the deal. I wouldn't want a big sign out front.

I dont think I would have a problem with the extra sign. The seller would have to be ok with it....

I would be concerned the staging sign might be a billboard to thieves that the house is vacant with nice furniture inside.....?

Hey Cathy,

I understand your situation clearly. I am a real estate agent in New York for over 18 years. I currently perform home inspections and I run into the same problem with Realtors. Realtors must understand that the seller is your client as well. If it's fine with the seller to put your sign in the yard , then I say put it in the yard. In fact some sellers do not want a for sale sign in their yard , and the Realtor has to honor the sellers wishes. Agents count it as a disadvantage to not have a sign posted. If it's a disadvantage for agents , it's a disadvantage for you as well.

You also have every right to advertise your business the best way you see fit.

If putting your sign in the yard is driving business your way , then you owe it to yourself to advertise in this manner. Stick to your guns!

Most of the Realtors don't seem to mind cashing their comission check on a staged home!! How many vacant or disgusting listings do you have that have been sitting on the market for months. As a Realtor, I can tell you, staging sells properties, and the seller pays for it.

So don't put the sign out front, big deal, but the stager I work with doesn't cover up anything. And guess what, I can't tell you how many clients I've recieved because the homeowner calls the stager first not the Realtor. So she is getting nothing for referring me to multi-million dollar properties, and she works hard. I also get referrals because I let her leave her info. there, and buyers want to list with me knowing this is someone that will make their home look marketable.

AUG

2009

Cathy,

I have a sign that I use while I am Staging the Home. I put a sign in the yard that says, "This Home Being Staged By" If the house is already on the market I take it up as soon as I'm done. If it isnt on the market yet I leave it up for a few days. It is a great marketing tool, as I see people watching and looking while we unload the truck. This sign explains everything. Before I started using my signs I actually had the neighbors call the police on me because I was moving stuff into the house. The police must have thought she was crazy.

I have never left the sign up once the home is listed for sale. I do however have business cards and a flyer I leave in the home.

Cathy,

One more from the crowd. No sign in the yard. I would not mind your advertising in the home. But, I also would not mind you putting a rider on my signage. One of the others here mentioned it. Seems like a good compromise.

Melissa, I am also very surprised to keep reading comments such as this in #158..... "Bottom line - .................... you are warning the buyer that there are bells and whistles that have nothing to do with the actual space the buyer is purchasing." It appears the hard work at our client's homes and all the hours of preparations before and during a project aren't truly being recognized by many. Hmmm.....

`````````````````````````````````````````

Ladies & gentlemen, staging does not "warn" anyone of anything. Staging simply gives an endorsement, if you will, that the home has been gone through with a fine tooth comb and has been made ready and packaged to sell! It DOES have everything to do with the actual space a buyer is viewing. It means that the buyer does not have to worry about additional money being thrown into the already expensive product. Staging is not all about decorating!! It is intense, hard work much of the time! I've spent hours in non-air conditioned homes for days, helping working side-by-side with home sellers to de-clutter, organize, paint, move furniture, plant, trim, and check inside and out for areas of concern. Only then can the decorating begin.

As most have mentioned, staging enhances a home, it doesn't show the home as a false product. As many have commented, staging should be subtle, not overstated. My 'green' approach is to use as much of the home sellers items as possible. My job ENDS with furniture placement and decorating some barren areas. It BEGINS with the things I've mentioned in the paragraph above. Now all elements can be uncovered and seen by the potential buyer. We uncover....we don't hide.

Adding a valence to soften harsh angles, changing or adding different lighting fixtures/bulbs, or even changing out old hardware for new are simple, inexpensive, and sensible additions (that can be sold with the home), making the home not only more attractive, but a better, more updated home.

Please explain how these "bells and whistles" have nothing to do with the actual space...when in fact they complete the space and reassure buyers that they are viewing something worth spending money on.

The "WOW factor" is still alive and strong!

I find this conversation fascinating and had to come back for another look. I suspect many of the agents who are dead set against staging haven't tried it. I've been doing it for over 15 years, long before it had a name. In my area it makes a tremendous difference, especially in any market that's not red hot.

What an interesting blog! First, let me say, I think there's no right or wrong way -- whatever works best for your business, your realtors and the sellers is the right answer.

With that said, I don't believe it's best to highlight that a home has been staged with a yard sign. It seems counter intuitive to the premise of staging, in my opinion. (Take it for whatever it's worth -- it's just my opinion!) I think a few cards placed in the listing is ok, but I wouldn't do signs and call attention to the fact that the home was staged. I've always thought of staging as a way to make the home appeal to the most number of buyers as possible, and to eliminate potential sources of objection. I don't see how placing an ad in the yard for staging does this.

We rarely place any indication that a home has been staged by our company as we want the home to appear as if it's been lived in the way. We like to think of ourselves as our Realtor client's "secret marketing agent". Our goal is to help them sell more listings, turn listings more quickly and impress their clients with amazing service. We are simply an extension of their businesses and services.

On the other hand, we have one realty team with whom we work regularly, who requested a seal with our logo and "Interiority Complex Certified" to place on every one of their flyers in order to set their listings apart.

Moral of the story... our Realtors are our clients, and we'll do what they want, as long as it fits within our values and our business model! If our Realtors are successful and the sellers are happy, then we are successful!

To those who think staging doesn't work... check out Staging is out? Really? What next, the Law of Gravity won't apply any more either? and leave your comments!! We'd love to hear from you!

1st, your face on any pictures can never be larger than mine! LOL. This is truly ridiculous and actually I feel a twinge of jealousy here. Possibly you got along with the client better than they did? Client gush about you and not the LA? Hmmmmm, sounds immature at best. I wouldn't mind in the least if you left out information about your staging - it just better not show over the house! More info than the listing brochure as an example. A sign below mine in the front yard would be OK too.

Lenn is looking at it as if the staging is not 'real' or something? When was the last time a furnace got staged? Put it in a sexy nightie I guess right? Jeeez, then it becomes a fire hazard - call the home inspector!

A push up bra is also an example of 'illusion'.

Cathy,

Great topic, I can see from your responses, you hit a nerve. As a stager in Michigan, I always do my best to satisfy Realtors requests as well as the home sellers. I honor the relationship with the Realtor (who feeds me business), and would never make a big stink over something so petty. It is a good way to loose business. The Realestate communnity is very tight the last thing you need is to have negative comments in the office about something like this.

I understand marketing is important and vital to building our business, but one negative comment could have you loose much more than you would have gained. Unfortuantely your Realtor will remember you as pushy for standing by your guns, and find a new stager next time. Choose very carefully which battles you want to undertake.

http://www.impactids.com

For the Realtors I work for ... there is a whole team of people who contribute their talent and expertise to get the property ready .. painters, plasterers, remodelers, landscapers, the guy who re-bricks the rear patio, the guys who put in granite counter-tops, or refinish the hardwood floors, stagers ... etc. Some are in the front end.... remodelers, etc. and some are in the back end ... the stagers, me, the photographers, etc.

I do custom floor plans with embedded photos that upload onto MLS. We all work hard, we're professional and are dedicated to doing the best job we can do. However, the only on-site marketing I've ever seen is by the stager, so if you are a stager, you may consider you are already in a preferential position over the other sub-contractors by being allowed to leave your business card and framed contact information in a vignette with the property brochures. Have you considered that?

Also, I've seen good photography and I've seen badddd photography and no matter how good your staging is, it won't overcome bad photography (ie dark photos, photos with no lighting other than whats coming in the windows... goofy angles that may show off the furniture, but don't do a lot to showcase the actual property .. we've all seen these.) Please consider that by taking "good" photographs which are used in the Realtor's brochure and data-streamed to major web sites around the world, the photographer also gives the stager "a leg up"... (ie you would not be as happy with "bad" photos of your most excellent staging effort). Would you suggest to the photographer that you should have a photo credit "Staged by XYZ Company" on each photo? Who's work is it? The answer, to me, is the "work" being portrayed is the collective professional contributions of a number of professional persons who have been (usually) sourced by the Realtor to showcase the property so the property is desirable in the eyes of (many) potential buyers. (ie. those gleaming hardwood floors that you are staging furniture upon were another professional's hard work.)

As far as I know all the sub-contractors are paid at the completion of our work .. I'm not aware of anyone who waits for closing to be paid .. but honestly I don't carry on a lot of conversations with other service providers about "when are you getting paid and who's paying you?" Because of this, the realtor carrries the majority risk because as many have pointed out .. there's a bunch of stuff that can go wrong and the house doesn't sell .. but we've all been paid... and chances are quite good (in a volatile market) the Realtor could end up with zip.

So coming from a corporate background and understanding when you have a team, you need a team leader .... for me the team leader is the Realtor . I feel it is appropriate that their sign be the outward marketing image/brand everywhere for this property ... on the lawn, on their brochures in the house, on the MLS, and whatever/however they choose to do it. IF they choose to graciously allow co-branding or co-marketing with me or any other contributing service provider I consider it to be their choice, I think that is quite gracious of them to do so -- and work my tail off to earn and maintain their trust in my talent and skill. Your skill, your talent is your brand ...not a sign on the lawn.

AUG

2009

I have only run into the sign problem once. The customer is always right...the home sold anyways. Signs are free marketing! I love them.

Wow! Tons fo comments here! I'm am all for staging- some homes definitely need it. However, I'm also of the mind that it's not something I would want to point out to buyers. The idea is to present the home in its best light. A model wouldn't put something like "nose job and liposuction by Dr. Smith" on her resume, right?! From my perspective, even though stagers are typically paid by the seller it is normally the Realtor who convinces them to do it. Your best bet would be handle your advertisement in the way that fits with the particular agent's agenda. I would think you'd get more referral business that way, and isn't that really the name of the game?

Wow, too many comments to read ALL of them, but I was surprised that after reading so many, none seemed to offer a creative SOLUTION.

I am a REALTOR and an ASP. On the one hand, stagers want to place literature in a home so buyer agents can pick up a brochure or business card, but as a REALTOR, I may not want to draw attention to the fact that a home has been staged. As more and more people hear that staging can command a higher sales price, they may be afraid to make an offer.

That said, many REALTORS may not feel the same and you could offer free riders that agents can place on their signs. It should be generic (eg, STAGED HOME), but it will alert people that this home is unique. There are still plenty of buyers and agents alike that are curious to see a staged home.

Once inside, you could have your business cards or brochures in a discreet location.

Hope this gives you food for thought!

AUG

2009

I believe staging can be very helpful in presenting a home in its best light, however, the bottom line will be the correct price. Brochures or cards inside the home would be fine but signs outside the home takes away the primary issue -- sale of home. It also clutters the front of the property and would not be appeciated by the neighbors.

Wow! Cathy I use to tell Craig Schiller that he really knew how to throw a party with his posts but I think you have topped anything I've ever seen posted here on SIF...

We don't put signs in yards, we in fact don't leave any trace that we have ever been in a home. The goal is to sell the home.

I think the temptation to use the home as another vehicle to sell our services is a strong one, but there is a big conflict here. Our job is to make that home look as attractive as possible to as many buyers as possible and when we're done if we ad an advertisement back into the mix we are doing no less than adding back clutter. Beleive me we are from the Melissa Morro school of marketing in that we use ever vehicle possible to advertise what we have done and the results of what we have done but we never do it in the home itself.

So, did you ever think that your post would result in 185 comments? Way to go!

I am an agent and stager. In fact, I am the stager mentioned in Post #26 by Dennis and Evette. Signs are great. On your car. On your apparel. At your presentations. At agent socials. At agencies. Even in your own front yard. Never at one of the properties you have staged. And if you've read all of these posts, you should see why. I have had my agents/clients ask me for signs and cards for a broker open house that has been staged and of course I give them. My business comes from face to face marketing and educating. As much as I love the name of my business, TWEAK, it doesn't belong on a property of sale. So use your signs, just not in front of your client's properties.

I don't see what problem is. I might request that the staging sign be placed as far from the Real estate sign as possible so they wouldn't clash or compete. Otherwise, I see it a positive. The seller took the time to make sure their home was in prime condition to sell. What could be wrong with that!

I am a REALTOR who strongly believes in staging. However I agree with most of the comments here that there shouldn't be any other signs in the front yard except the agent's. I don't feel that tent cards are as big of an issue but still would prefer that they don't appear in the home.

I'm curious Cathy... after the overwhelming negative responses to allowing signage for stagers, are you going to listen to your "customer feedback" and remove this from your contracts or perhaps make it an option that the agent can accept or decline?

Hi Cathy,

I am one REALTOR who firmly believes in staging, it is a part of my listing presentation and I am very pleased to have the stager put her sign up next to mine or place a rider on top of my post sign. I feel that it indicates to the general public that the seller wanted to make their house as attractive as possible and showcase its' best attributes. It also makes the agent look good because he or she sees and knows the value that good staging brings to a property. I have teamed up with one young lady and she does nothing less that outstanding work. My sellers are always personal friends, family or direct referrals from one or the other. I cannot afford to make even one mistake with these people. When I bring Virginia in, I know she is going to make both of us look good and perfectly prepare my potential listing for the market.

Don't let anyone push you around. You have every right to fly your flag high!

Best wishes,

Bill Bouscher

Steve,

I have already removed the information from my contract. After reading all the responses, I feel that signage in the yard is not worth the negatives that "may" occur by ANY realtor who happens upon it in their drive-bys. It's just one of those "pick your own battle" things that I'd rather not hassle with - life's too short.

I will continue to post my flyer posted with cards attached. I think that is enough, and again, that just depends upon each situation. If the home seller has no problem with flyer/cards and they are still living in the home, then I don't think it will become a problem. If I run across an agent who is flat against it, then we'll just have to bargain in some way again so each of us "win". I'm open minded and creative..... Signage in the yard is just ONE form of advertising....there are many other options at our disposal.

Thanks for asking. I'd hoped people caught that in some of my responses to this blog.

AUG

2009

Hi Cathy -- wow, a hot button.

I use stagers often when listing homes. They will put out cards and flyers inside the home, which is fine with me--they are part of my team, and I'm proud of the work they do.

However, a yard sign doesn't work for me. Visual clutter is just part of it. Announcing to the world that it's likely this home is vacant seems like an invitation for vandalism.

As a Certified Home Stager and Interior Decorator, I find it very important to be able to leave my cards in the home, but I am always flexible on the outside sign. Now my sign is very subtle, does not scream "HOME STAGING DONE HERE", and I always work with the realtor and homeowner to ensure it is okay.

The last home I staged, we placed the sign in the garden area near the front door and cards in the entry with the realtors okay. I think most people are smart enough to tell when a home has been staged, so I don't think I have to overkill my information at all.

Cards I push for, sign - not a big deal.

Deborah Napoleon

Devonshire Design, Ltd.

SEP

2009

To Lenn,

As a professional who has earned her Accredited Staging Professional designation, I have to take exception to your comments. As a listing agent, it has been my experience that, not only does staging sell these homes faster, but usually for a higher price. If you would like to see the actual statistics I would be happy to forward them to you.

Meanwhile, agents who would like to see their listing inventory move faster would be very well advised to consult and recommend a professional stager to their sellers.

Connie Addison

Realtor/ABR/ASP

SEP

2009

So many thoughts and opinions......it's what makes the world go round......

My consistent thought and feeling after reading all these opinions from a variety of professions/positions is:

Why can't we collaborate? Isn't our objective the same, that is, to get the home sold in the shortest time possible for the highest price?

Achieving this goal means everyone from the home seller to the home buyer, and all others in between cooperating in a business fashion. By working as a team (speaking in broad terms), we ALL BENEFIT.

LIving in Rhode Island, we are not cutting edge here, yet the 80-20 rule still applies. Those Realtors who work the hardest, do the greatest volume in sales/commisions are the Realtors who are forward thinking and see the benefit of being AHEAD OF THE PACK.

Those Realtos in general are using our staging company.

In this last year, our business has consistently seen our business grow from DIREC T CALLS FROM HOME SELLERS WITHOUT an agent. We love this, yet we know by our continued relationship with Realtors we, as a team, will get more homes sold, more quickly.

We do not put signs out front and rarely put information in the home for sale. Our marketing is done by word of mouth whether it is the seller, the Realtor or from our marketing efforts.

A Realtor's objective is to get the house sold quickly. This is also the stagers objective.

We can work as a team- we just don't have to share the limelight in the same way.

SEP

2009

On "staging day" we place a sign in the yard - more to inform the neighbors than anything else that they don't need to worry about coming and welcoming us to the neighborhood! Where do you get your business - from sign/plaque advertising?

Our business has come from satisfied agents who are thrilled to sing our praises to their colleagues. I do just about anything I can to keep agents thrilled with our work. No sign - no problem. Extra art - no problem. Be at the realtor tour - no problem. This is my most effective advertising hands down.

We've had staged homes at the "tour or homes" and other high traffic areas where our info was prominently posted and guess what . . . hardly any leads or business from the advertising. We've also had homes that sold in hours -- and our phone was ringing off the hook from new agents in the office.

Bottom line - it's not about sign or no sign - but thrilling the agent and becoming an integral part of their team that will be most valuable in the long run.

SEP

2009

I love comment #197 (spam). It stops and makes you think that perhaps the thread has run its course. Nothing more I could add but congrats on the feature and the informative comments! : )

OCT

2009

As a trainer of home stagers, I really appreciate all of the above comments. It's so good to see the ideas and the perspectives of agents as well as stagers.

I believe that if a stager puts the client first in every situation, the rewards will come automatically. In many cases the client is the agent, so the agent's wishes come first. In some situations, it is the seller who is the client therefore their wishes come first. If I were selling my home, I would only want one sign out front and that would be my agent's.

Too often the focus is on "what in it for me" and not "what can I do to enhance the benefits for my client".

I vote no signage for the stager in the front yard until after the home sells. The idea of putting a yard sign out front AFTER the home has sold is excellent so long as the sellers are willing.

Whenever I put my clients first, I am always blessed - and often from "fields" I have not planted in.

Leave a response…

Name:

Email:
(optional)

Comment:

What does the graphic say?

Cathy Dick - Final Touch Designs, Inc. in Roanoke VA

Roanoke, VA

More about me…

Final Touch Designs, Inc.

Address: Roanoke, VA, 24019

Office Phone: (540) 362-2457

Cell Phone: (540) 556-5443

Email Me

Links

Archives

Find VA real estate agents and Roanoke real estate on ActiveRain.

Disclaimer: ActiveRain Corp. does not necessarily endorse the real estate agents, loan officers and brokers listed on this site. These real estate profiles, blogs and blog entries are provided here as a courtesy to our visitors to help them make an informed decision when buying or selling a house. ActiveRain Corp. takes no responsibility for the content in these profiles, that are written by the members of this community.