7 C's of Staging

There has been much said about staging a home before getting it on the market.

• "Why stage?"  
• "What's the big deal?"  
• "What's wrong with the way I have it decorated?" are some of the questions sellers have.

I had a conversation with a colleague recently who had gone on a listing appointment.  She is a very  experienced agent, is a good communicator and has had the staging conversation many, many times with prospective clients in the past. 
This particular seller took great offense to her suggesting staging the property to sell...to the point the home owner stood and pointed in my colleagues face as her voice escalated and she ended by refusing to even consider the possibility.  WOW! 

So, what is it? 
Staging the process where you neutralize the house you are preparing t0 put on the market for sale.  It is not decorating! 

• Decorating is personalizing the house.
• Staging is de-personalizing the property to appeal to the broadest audience possible. 

The suggestion to stage a home is in no way a critique or judgment of your personal taste or style.  The way a home owner lives in their home, and the way we, as real estate professionals, sell your house are two completely different things.

Our job is to sell your home in the shortest amount of time, for the most amount of money in your pocket, with the least amount of hassle for you. 
Remember that the house that is on the market for sale, is no longer your home, but a commodity in the eye of the buyer. 
When you sell your home you have to move.
When you move, you have to pack.
When your home is staged, you just have to pack up some of your things early. 
To get top dollar in the market place, all you have to do is to get the packing done early.

The bottom line?  Well, of course, there are no guarantees.
Here are 2 key statistics... 

1- a staged home gets, on the average, had an increased sales price of 6.9% vs. an unstaged home!
2- a staged home is on the market about 50% less time than an unstaged home!

What are the 7 C's of Staging?
1-  Clean
2-  Clutter
3-  Color
4-  Compromise
5-  Creativity
6-  Communication
7-  Commitment

So, as we enter the time of year that is the spring real estate market, talk to your REALTOR staging your house and what the 7 C's of staging are to get the most amount of money for your house in the least amount of time.