In Short Hills, there are plenty of rich people but more people who'd like to LOOK rich.  Therefore, staging around here has a very specific goal...to make each house look like HERE's where you can live that PERFECT, upscale, no limits lifestyle you've always thought other people lived.  The ultimate smoke and mirrors game.

Recently, I've noticed a certain realtor's listings all have the same look and feel.  They always get multiple bids, unless it's a corner lot and even then she gets an offer beyond all of our expectations.  She is branding.  In the old Proctor and Gamble, Marketing 101 sense.  Whether it's intentional, or just that all of her friends (who are her clients) all look and live just like her, I'm not sure.  She's certainly an A lister, if one cares about such things.  I've been told by builders and fellow soccer moms alike that she's "society" around here.  Could there be such a thing as branding within the realty world?  And does it make sense?

As stagers, we are by definition generalists - able to make any home look generic enough to appeal to as many potential buyers as possible.  Maybe we should collect looks and styles the way "real designers" do?

What does anyone else think?