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Connecticut Home Staging: "Would Staging This House Hurt Your Reputation?"

By Julia Maher

Home Stager with Nestings: Connecticut Home Staging and Model Homes

October 13, 2011 04:24 AM

EEEEEK!

...and then Mike turned to me and asked, "Would Staging This House Hurt Your Reputation?"

A Connecticut Home Staging Story: I had just finished describing a vacant Fairfield County (CT) house I'd been asked to prepare a Home Staging proposal for.

The house is circa 1960.
Located on one of the busiest roads in town, with an additional traffic issue:
Across the street from the High School, Middle School and close to an Elementary School.

The exterior:

Grounds are in poor condition, with a lot of dead shrubbery.
Driveway needs repairs and re-surfacing.
Exterior columns need new sheathing.
More wood rot around exterior doors.
Gutters are hanging off the roof line.
Tennis court needs total over-haul.

The interior:

Mirrored foyer.
Vacant, dark interior.
Outdated light fixtures.
Wall paint is all in glossy finish, showing every defect.
Wall colors are combinations of dark brown and caramel.
Kitchen is seriously outdated, with poor lighting and floor plan.
Bathrooms are seriously outdated, with damage and missing tiles.
Bedrooms walls are garishly painted - over wallpaper.

No surprise, it had been on and off the market for 5 - 6 years! Currently, it's been listed in it's present condition for 18 months. I'm certainly not a real estate agent, but I knew the asking price was far too high. Nearby homes of comparable age and size were listed at $25K - $35K LESS, and they were in far better condition.

The agent said the sellers wouldn't budge on the price, because they "loved" the house so much. They would not do any repairs or updates either, because they "loved" the house so much. However, they were considering Staging, so that's why I was there.

Would Staging this house hurt my reputation? Yes, it would. If I encouraged a seller to spend money on Staging that should go towards repairs and updates, I would be doing them a great disservice! So, I told the agent they'd be better off making the necessary repairs and pricing the house for the current market.

Sellers: If you're asking top dollar for your house, you should make sure it's in the condition today's buyers expect: Updated and Move-In Ready!

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Peggy Chirico

Prudential CT Realty - Manchester, CT

REALTOR® 860-748-8900, Hartford & Tolland County Real Estate

Good for you, Julia, for telling it like it is! Buyers want a house in good condition and it sounds like they just wanted to disguise the bad with the good.

Oct 13, 2011 04:56 AM

Kathy Streib

Cypress, TX

Home Stager/Redesign

Julia- good for you! I had a similar situation a few years ago, where the master bedroom and bath were in dire need of remodeling. The rest of the house had been done. I told the seller that she'd be better off upgrading the master area and then if she wanted to (and had room in her budget) I would be happy to stage the house.

Oct 13, 2011 05:42 AM

Maureen Bray Portland OR Home Stager ~ Room Solutions Staging

Room Solutions Staging, Portland OR - Portland, OR

"Staging Consultations that Sell Portland Homes"

Glad you took the high road on this one, Julie! There is no way that house can be improved by staging .. talk about putting lipstick on a pig LOL!! The sellers may "love" their home, but no buyers are going to love it, in it's current poor condition.

Oct 13, 2011 06:32 AM

Joanna Cohlan

Fresh Eyes For Your Home - Chappaqua, NY

Designing, Decorating & Staging Westchester Homes

Absolutely on this one Julia-there are certain houses that don't even have the basics, let alone staging. Hard to believe that someone even asked!!

Oct 13, 2011 06:48 AM

Chris Ann Cleland

Long and Foster Real Estate - Gainesville, VA

Associate Broker, Bristow, VA

Staging doesn't fix basic problems and it's a good thing that you pointed that out to the agent. The reality is, she should have known this herself.

Oct 13, 2011 07:38 AM

Karen Otto

Home Star Staging - Plano, TX

Plano Home Staging, Dallas Home Staging, www.homes

I would have done exactly the same thing my friend! Your reputation is important and staging - in the true sense of the word - should come as the icing on a well baked cake... that cake seems stale, flat and with very poor ingredients to start...

Oct 13, 2011 07:41 AM

Janice Ankrett

Burlington, ON

Staging Professional

Julia, I've had to do the same thing in the past. If they had to choose between staging and repairs or paint, I would rather see them fix up the house.

Oct 13, 2011 12:03 PM

Ginger Foust

Certified Staging Professional - Oakhurst, CA

Home Stager Oakhurst CA, Dream Interior Redesign & Staging

Hear, hear Julie. Can't even count the number of times that I have done the same and some RE agents have actually been angered that I took that stand. It makes me scratch my head wondering if they realize how taking type of listing reflect on their reputations???

Oct 13, 2011 01:12 PM

Janet Jones

Just Your Style Interiors, LLC - Kihei, HI

Home Staging, Interior Redesign Kihei, Maui, Hawaii

Good for, Julia. I think these sellers are only in love with their asking price. I hope they get the message.

Oct 13, 2011 07:18 PM

Beth Lester

Beth Lester Designs - Torrance, CA

Home Staging & Interior Decorating

I would have done the exact same thing, Julia. They would be wasting their money, and it just makes you look bad. They should pay you for a consultation on what must be done and get serious...... or they can keep acting like they hate the house. They are being so mean to the house (and to the realtor - who was foolish to take it on as well)!

Oct 14, 2011 05:12 AM

Sally Weatherley

EXIT STAGE RIGHT - Vancouver, BC

Vancouver Home Staging, Home Stager Vancouver, B.C

Julie - Good for you for walking away. I hope the Realtor® appreciated your honesty. It would be doing a disservice to the client to stage such a broken down wreck of a house. One wonders if these home owners are really serious about selling.

Oct 14, 2011 05:43 AM

Julia Maher

Nestings: Connecticut Home Staging and Model Homes - Fairfield, CT

Connecticut Home Stager

Thanks to all for yur comments - I knew I wouldn't be alone on this one!

My husband initially asked the question because he was concerned about the aesthetics. I explained to him that my reputation wouldn't be damaged because the house was ugly, but because I would have agreed to Stage a house in that condition - rather than encouraging an investment in fixing it up. He got the picture!

Chris Ann: That agent probably shouldn't have taken the listing with that price, given there would be no improvements made.

Oct 15, 2011 05:40 AM

Birgit Anich

Birgit Anich Staging & Interiors, 203.807.4040 - Norwalk, CT

CT Home Stager Fairfield & New Haven County

Julie, you are so right!!! I have done the same a couple of times before. Staging is not trying to mask bad conditions. Would anyone create a beautiful packaging of a toothpaste if you know the tube is broken? Why bothering with the packaging then?

Oct 15, 2011 02:18 PM

Debra Landy

StageTwoSell LLC - Horseheads, NY

PA and NY Home Stager

I feel a little sorry for the sellers who will not be selling that house any time soon, and for the agent who is holding on to that listing. I have the same situation and we are waiting on the homeowner to act on the suggestions from the Consultation before the Staging. We'll see....

Oct 15, 2011 04:00 PM

Good for you, Birgit - for walking away.

Hi Debra - there's a whole lot of foolishness going on there with the sellers and the agent!

Oct 17, 2011 01:32 AM

Amy Bly

Great Impressions Home Staging/Interiors - Montville, NJ

Styling Homes for Selling and Staying

I've had the same situation and made the same recommendations (to not much avail, unfortunately) at least 3X, Julia. It's amazing that some agents and sellers don't see this! You definitely made the right choice to not take it on until and unless the improvements are made, which sounds very unlikely in this case.

Oct 20, 2011 04:08 PM

Connecticut Home Staging: "Would Staging This House Hurt Your Reputation?"

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