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What Is Home Staging?

Home Stager with Stage and Sell by Stacy, LLC

July 28, 2007 05:15 PM

Earlier today, I received an email from a client informing me he had accepted an offer on a house I staged for him. The house is a new construction and has been on the market for only 3 weeks. What set this house apart from the other 4 new construction homes with similar floor plans on the same street? Could it be staging?

On July 7, Karen Otto of www.homestarstaging.com posted a blog referring to negative comments regarding staging made by a real estate expert.. Refer to Karen's blog for the details. This week, as I have been staging homes for clients, I have been wondering how an "expert" could possibly believe staging is a waste of time. Three out of the last 3 houses I have staged sold in less than 6 weeks. Is that a fluke? good karma? luck? just a great time to sell real estate? Perhaps staging actually does lessen the time a property spends on the market.

As a visual merchandiser in the retail sector for many years, I know firsthand the importance of packaging when marketing a product. If retail stores incorporate visual merchandising to sell everything from clothes to furniture does it not make sense to visually merchandise real estate?

According to The Free Encyclopedia the definitions of Visual Merchandising and Home Staging are...

Visual Merchandising: creating visual displays and arranging merchandise assortments in and around a store to increase traffic sales.

Home Staging: the art of preparing a private residence prior to going up for sale in the real estate marketplace.

A product sitting alone on a shelf in a store will not appeal to a large demographic group. Take the same product, build a display around it and buyers are more interested. The same concept applies to home staging. A house in a neighborhood of similar homes for sale does not inspire interest. Visually merchandise the home and buyers are intrigued.

The homeowners whose pocketbooks are healthier due to our staging efforts would disagree with the notion, staging is a waste of time and money. On the contrary, they will tell you staging is an investment.

Stacy Cavanaugh

www.stageandsellbystacyllc.net

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Andrew Trevino

ADT Real Estate - Wilkes Barre, PA

Wilkes-Barre Homes For Sale

I have to admit, I am drawn to anything that talks about staging right now. I liked your post, especially the point about the product in a store. I spent 14 years in retail and have seen the impact setting a product aprt from others with merchandising can make it sell where it didn't sell before. Thanks for your post.

Jul 28, 2007 05:32 PM

Betty Haney

Haney Consulting - Calgary, AB

Stacy, I too read Karen't blog about negative comments regarding staging and I just don't understand why they were made. I don't think the writer was very familiar with the concept of staging. Your description of staging as a product makes a lot of sense. Betty

Jul 28, 2007 06:37 PM

Maureen Bray Portland OR Home Stager ~ Room Solutions Staging

Room Solutions Staging, Portland OR - Portland, OR

"Staging Consultations that Sell Portland Homes"

Staging is all about the packaging, how the "product" is presented to the market. There are so many similarities between home staging and the retail industry, aren't there? Lifestyle plays a big part in what we do, appealing to a target buyer, creating that all-important "emotional connection."

Jul 28, 2007 06:46 PM

delete me delete me

delete me - Dixon, CA

I was showing houses a few weeks ago and the MLS comments said it was staged and to go directly to the property because it was vacant...when we got there, the property was full of some serious high class looking stuff...almost too elegant to be for the staging...that kind of took away from the showing...

Jul 28, 2007 06:46 PM

Becca Briggs

Rochester, NY

Rondel - The MSL said it was staged - now I don't get that - that like saying we really live like pigs - so we had the house cleaned so it doesn't look that way. You don't tell people it's staged - and if you pay for having it staged why wouldn't you take pictures for the MSL. Again isn't that like cooking a meal that no one is going to eat. This kind of thing just doesn't make since.

Stacy - no luck or karma needed just hard work and knowhow - thats what sold those houses!! I am a visual display person in a furniture store too, and yes it does work!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jul 29, 2007 03:24 AM

Stacy Cavanaugh

Stage and Sell by Stacy, LLC - Hattiesburg, MS

Andrew: Thank you for your comment. As a realtor do you use stagers?

Betty and Maureen: Thank you both for validating my point.

Becky and Nicole: Your comments were right on the money. If I put my own home on the market today, I would hire someone to come in to clean top to bottom.

Rondel: Are you referring to an isolated incident? Have you used a professional stager for your listings? .

Stacy

www.stageandsellbystacyllc.net

Jul 29, 2007 05:34 AM

Michelle Minch

Moving Mountains Design Home Staging, Pasadena, CA - Los Angeles, CA

Home Staging Los Angeles and Orange County, CA

Stacy: You have made some very good points. I always explain to my clients that once their home goes on the market, it is a product, and it is competing against a lot of other similar products on the market. Staging makes their product stand out above the others and makes it more appealing to a larger number of people. Thanks for your post.

Jul 29, 2007 05:44 AM

Stacy Cavanaugh

Stage and Sell by Stacy, LLC - Hattiesburg, MS

Michelle,

Thank you. I have enjoyed reading your posts.

Stacy

Jul 29, 2007 01:21 PM

Cheri Dueker

Transitional Designs, LLC - Saint Louis, MO

Transitional Designs, LLC, Home Staging St. Louis

Hello All: We staged a vacant home that turned out great and the realtor didn't take a single photo and the MLS shows it as vacant. So frustrating! However, when agents show the home everyone is very pleasantly surprised. We have had 2 serious offers since the staging 3 weeks ago but the owner has refused (we think she has fallen back in love with her house!). Seems like a waste to not list the home with the photos. Like keeping the curtains closed on a store window!

Jul 29, 2007 01:40 PM

Kathleen Garvey

HomeSmart Cherry Creek - Denver - Denver, CO

Denver's Neighborhood Expert - Listings & Sales

Great points!! You reminded me to always 'think' about what we do as 'packaging' the product for our clients!! THANK YOU!! Keep up the great work!! Regards-Kathleen

Jul 29, 2007 02:37 PM

Stacy Cavanaugh

Stage and Sell by Stacy, LLC - Hattiesburg, MS

Cheri: I had a similar situation recently with a staging project. The house was already on the MLS before the realtor asked me to stage. I took pics and emailed them to the realtor. He thanked me and soon they were on the MLS. Have you asked the realtor about pics?

Kathleen: thanks, "Real Estate Packaging"... I may use that when I describe to those outside the industry exactly what "home staging" is.

Jul 29, 2007 08:41 PM

Michael Delp

Mortgage Pro - Telford, PA

Very good analogy. People are drawn to something they can see rather than imagine. I am sure it wasn't a fluke that your staged homes sold quickly. You must have done a great job!

Jul 31, 2007 02:41 AM

Cheri Dueker

Transitional Designs, LLC - Saint Louis, MO

Transitional Designs, LLC, Home Staging St. Louis

Stacy: We emailed him the pics and even created a new flyer for the home that includes the pictures. We were hired by the seller and the agent doesn't seem to care either way (maybe why the house was on the market for over a year without selling). We had an offer the first day! Our interest is helping the seller.....

Jul 31, 2007 10:40 AM

Stacy Cavanaugh

Stage and Sell by Stacy, LLC - Hattiesburg, MS

Michael: Thank you, I certainly hope the reason the homes sold is related to my staging efforts. I am sure I speak most stagers, staging is a labor of love...

Cheri: Congratulations. Apparently the sellers are very happy with you. Great idea to create a flyer...

Stacy

Aug 01, 2007 06:16 AM

Karen Otto

Home Star Staging - Plano, TX

Plano Home Staging, Dallas Home Staging, www.homes

Stacy thank you for linking me!

I too found it odd of course that the author made a point of stating that staging was one of the top mistakes a seller could make - very peculiar since all our statistics say the complete opposite. I never did get a response either way from the author.....

Aug 01, 2007 06:24 AM

Minnesota Home Staging Firm, Minnesota

Minnesota Home Staging Network~ MN's Top Home Staging Firm - Inver Grove Heights, MN

Couldn't have put it better than KAren or yourself....well said! Staging WORKS!

Oct 25, 2007 10:20 PM

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