Disclosure: I am a real estate agent who provides staging as an added-value benefit to my clients.

As much listings that I take, one of the challenges I face (next to pricing) is emotionally disconnecting Sellers from their houses. Some understand with a clear mind (to get the most for their money) while others feel hurt thinking what they have is purrfect!!!

Buyers know that they can change out window treatments, repaint a wall or change out the carpet into hardwood floors (at least a good real estate professional would constantly reiterate that), but our job (both Sellers and Listing agents) is to appeal to the broadest audience in taste. 

Window Treatments: Scallopy, lacey and fruit motive draperies are signs of the 90's and some houses built in 2000 still carry the decor. Some are custom-made and that means they came with some hefty price tags. Another objection is that having "custom-made stuff" is better than $10 more up-to-date valances. How could that be? Also, jacquard or even solid prints are better than fruit-motive fabrics.... Vertical blinds are out and regular panel drapery is in.

Wallpaper: Wallpaper is out and wall colors are in. Sellers feel that buyers can remove them if they did not like it. That way, they can choose their own colors. Buyers on the other hand realize how difficult it may be to remove the wallpaper and if there was a house that had wall color versus wallpaper, they choose the "wall color" in a heartbeat (generally). Also, busy wallpaper prints are distracting. The key to selling a home is to sell wall and floor spaces, not to give Buyers a headspin at the busy wallpaper print. Another seller - and - buyer divide. Just take a look at this real-life example:

Need I say more?

Wall Colors: Think soothing instead of boldness. Neutral beige, tans, light sage, light grays (with the right choices of artwork and window treatments) appeals to most buyers instead of purples, reds, blues and greens. I have heard Buyers say they are not too excited about the "Dark Pink Poodle" wall but almost never hear that they did not like the neutral beige on the wall. Also, if they are bold color people, they almost know they have to paint while the neutralist buyers are often afraid to see boldness in the walls and often think about the amount of work and primer that needs to go into "fixing" the walls.

I can almost go on and on about various items in the house. But you get the picture.... I could go on about the Why We Need To Do Them, but disconnecting Sellers remain to be a challenging. How could you ask someone to do that when a family is built around it? We could talk about how de-plainning/ de-personalizing the house brings them more money, sells the house faster, but the clients have to trust you enough to let go. Some Sellers take it easier than others.

The constant challenge we (who really did not have the emotional connection to the client's stuff)  have to face.

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