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Staging Gone Wild!

By
Home Inspector with Charles Buell Inspections Inc.


Everyone knows the importance of good staging when it comes to selling your home quickly and for the highest price.  

At the homes I inspect I am impressed both in terms of how well some are staged and also how poorly others are "staged."  In my experience (and hopefully real stagers will chime in and smack some sense into me if necessary) there are four basic approaches to staging a home.  

1. One can do it oneself. 

2. One can have the agent do it. 

3. One can hire a professional stager.

4. One can just do nothing.  

All four approaches are---in a sense---a type of staging.  Whichever type of staging you choose, or even in the event that you choose the type of staging that is no staging at all, that staging will be what the prospective buyer sees when they walk through the place.  

It will help them form a lasting impression of the home that will hopefully put the home in a favorable light when it comes decision time.

Hot staging

If not---at least it can be entertaining and exciting!

Posted by

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Seattle Home Inspector

 

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Reuben Saltzman
Structure Tech Home Inspections - Minneapolis, MN
Delivering the Unbiased Truth.

;)

Jun 14, 2011 09:23 AM
John Mulkey
TheHousingGuru.com - Waleska, GA
Housing Guru

Charles - I'd say the "stager" was trying to add some sex appeal to this kitchen--and since a home only needs one buyer, perhaps the one who finds this appealing will discover it.

Jun 14, 2011 09:26 AM
Charles Buell
Charles Buell Inspections Inc. - Seattle, WA
Seattle Home Inspector

John, I am not sure it worked :)

Jun 14, 2011 09:57 AM
James Quarello
JRV Home Inspection Services, LLC - Wallingford, CT
Connecticut Home Inspector

I'm surprised Steve let you take photos of his kitchen :)

Jun 14, 2011 11:16 AM
Charles Buell
Charles Buell Inspections Inc. - Seattle, WA
Seattle Home Inspector

Jim, I had to sneak in---past his four attack cats and the squirrel whimpering in the corner.

Jun 14, 2011 01:30 PM
Steven L. Smith
King of the House Home Inspection, Inc. - Bellingham, WA
Bellingham WA Home Inspector

Mr Charles,

Nutsy does not whimper. Nutsy takes strong and decided actions. I am macho.

Nutsy

Jun 14, 2011 01:59 PM
Barbara S. Duncan
RE/MAX Advantage - Searcy, AR
GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR

Charlie, you can't fool me and the Nut.  You staged this yourself. 

Jun 14, 2011 03:32 PM
Charles Buell
Charles Buell Inspections Inc. - Seattle, WA
Seattle Home Inspector

Nutsy, good with nachos maybe

Barbara, perhaps---and used Nutsy underwear too?

Jun 14, 2011 03:46 PM
Kim Carnes
Licensed - Certified Home Inspectors (317) 753-7098 - Indianapolis, IN
Carnes Home Inspections - Indianapolis Metro Area and beyond -

Hi Charles

Bras on the door knobs are always the best.  No way you can ignore them, not if you have to get to that door.  This weekend I was in a home with an old coffe cup spilled in the master closet with the stain on the rug but even better were the stains from previous spills.  Must take coffee into the closet every day!

Jun 14, 2011 04:22 PM
Robert Butler
Aspect Inspection - Montreal West Island, QC
Montreal Home Inspector | Aspect Inspection

I dunno, its definitely interesting and oh yeah, color full like someone said, but with 2 bras hanging off it the other side o' tha' door needs inspection.

Jun 14, 2011 04:47 PM
Charles Buell
Charles Buell Inspections Inc. - Seattle, WA
Seattle Home Inspector

This house---there must have been 10 or 15 bras hanging on door knobs, chairs, lampshades :)

Robert---there is actually three on that one door knob :)

Jun 15, 2011 02:55 AM
Peg Barcelo
Fluff My House! Home Staging Inc. 250.486.6369 - Summerland, BC
The FlufftasticStager from Summerland, BC

Chahhlie, what the heck is that floor made of!?! Love the bras btw, I saw a house once with underwear on the bedroom floor for a consult. Couldn't believe they were that unaware of what is 'normally' expected, when viewing a home...

Jun 15, 2011 04:09 AM
Charles Buell
Charles Buell Inspections Inc. - Seattle, WA
Seattle Home Inspector

Hi Peg, they are vinyl tiles--faux painted :)  Want some?  :)  It is amazing the stuff we see.

Jun 15, 2011 09:07 AM
Alicia Barrington
THE ORIGINAL HOUSTON HOME STAGING - Katy, TX
Houston Home Staging Presents Alicia Barrington

I've not used brassieres (had to use spellcheck for brassiers - go figure) as spaghetti strainers, but I imagine the lacy ones would be the best for that task <EG>  

Here in Houston, the market has really glommed onto the de-cluttering component of staging.   So much so, that we're seeing 'stark'!   'Stark' isn't the same as 'Staged'  (although a good staging might seem stark to some of our hoarding customers <G>)

Jun 16, 2011 02:50 AM
Charles Buell
Charles Buell Inspections Inc. - Seattle, WA
Seattle Home Inspector

Houston, I could see where some staging would give hoarders a panic attack :)

Jun 16, 2011 05:40 AM
John Novak
Keller Williams Realty The Marketplace - Las Vegas, NV
Henderson, Las Vegas and Summerlin Real Estate

I don't even know where to begin with this kitchen. Maybe build a theme around the tropical fish runner? :)

Jun 16, 2011 05:47 AM
Charles Buell
Charles Buell Inspections Inc. - Seattle, WA
Seattle Home Inspector

John, then we could decorate with bikinis instead of bras?

Jun 16, 2011 12:35 PM
Virginia Hepp - Mesquite NV REALTOR
Desert Gold Realty - Mesquite NV Homes For Sale - Mesquite, NV
Mesquite NV Homes and Neighborhoods - Search MLS

Delightful.  It is so important that your color scheme is co-ordinated properly.  The bras give just enough hot pink accent to compliment the kitchen towel and rubber gloves. 

I find the stained glass windows a little distracting, however.  Maybe they could nail some colorful towels over them.

Jun 18, 2011 01:52 PM
Dawn A Fabiszak
Private Label Realty ( Denver metro area, Colorado - Aurora, CO
The Dawn of a New Real Estate Experience!

Charles ~ I think I liked the ornamental door knob decorations the most.  Although the colorful rubber gloves on the cabinet doors is a close second.

Jun 18, 2011 02:59 PM
Charles Buell
Charles Buell Inspections Inc. - Seattle, WA
Seattle Home Inspector

Virginia, perhaps a yellow bra and and an orage bra is all that is necessary?

Dawn, see my comment to Virginia :)

Jun 18, 2011 04:27 PM