Confessions of a Home Stager... I Have to Admit...I Was a Member of THAT Group!

Good morning Kathy. I too have been known to scream at the television. Well written post and I agree with you.

I like your perspective.  Unfortunately, most of my clients aren't willing to front the money for proper staging, and fewer still are willing to compensate me in the form of a higher commission if I front the money and ultimately get them more for their home.  Right now, I'm looking at a $15,000 staging of a luxury condo.  Most of the $$ is coming from the fact that the unit is a third-floor walk up with narrow stairs and no way to use a crane to get the big pieces into the unit!

Kathy, you are so right!  So many people do not have a "visionary" mind, so why take a chance?  Another point is that homeowners cannot look at their own space and see it through the eyes of a buyer. The hardest part of home staging is asking the seller to make changes without offending them!  Even a little staging is better than none. 

Marketing, marketing...be prepared for all types of buyers!  This is crucial point and one that is sometimes hardest for a seller to understand.  It's a tough area but one must be firm with the client...they will almost always thank you later!

This is maybe the most simple, clear explanation I've read.  I've sold two listings..$1+million...where the sellers were world travelers with huge collections.  The listings had been with other agents and I'd shown myself, only to realize after I left that I had no idea how many bathrooms the house had because I'd spent  all my time looking at the stuff.  

What I need is your magic secret for getting the Seller to understand without feeling offended! I once had a literal tug of war with a seller over a stained rug in the kitchen that I"d been moving to the garage for showings...in a $2 million listing!

I've seen both extremes, as all agents probably have - the doctor who fell in love with a house and then didn't buy it because it was so perfect that there wasn't any way to make it "hers" and many who turned down really good choices because they just had no imagination.   

Even though they are not purchasing the sellers things they are certainly a distraction to them that's for sure. I always try to keep the buyers on topic but it just can't be helped. Besides, sometimes I even make comments or start laughing.

Kathy,  Since most buyers start their search on-line, having an attractive and staged living space is critical.  Often the buyers can only see so many homes on a weekend so....they tend to pick the ones that look best on-line.  Even as an agent, I want to show the more attractive listings.  When I see a house that is not staged, and not cleaned up I start thinking that it is a short sale where they don't really want to move for a while - no motivation to sell.

I'm constantly telling my buyers to "look through" all of the personal stuff ... basically empty the room when they walk in. It's amazing the effect personal belongings have on a buyer.

The more I have been on ActiveRain the more respect I get for Home Inspectors.  Thanks for the post.

I must say that it took me a moment or two to get my mouth into a closed position again from how far it had fallen :)  I not only offered to BUY the paint, I offered to PAINT it.  The house was perfect for them, and they couldn't see past the wall color.  It was an amazing learning experience for me.

I've always enjoyed looking at vacant houses more than occupied ones - maybe because I didn't have to be distracted by the "stuff."

Kathy - I am such a big believer in staging - it just makes perfect sense.  It's just so hard to get sellers to understand that their outdated wallpaper and weird decorating tastes are a turnoff to many buyers!

kathy, it's true .... almost everyone can't see the "possibilities", only the paint

great article - short and to the point

we also believe in doing staging, but unfortunately in our market, there's no professional staging company, so we have no choice but to DIY bits and pieces here and there

Kathy,

I totally agree with you, some buyers have no imagination.  Thank God for Home Stagers!  Congrats on the feature!!!

The opportunity to see a portion of someones else's life and how they live is distracting. Perhaps that's a second reason to strip the majority of your personal item form your house when it's listed.

We don't see as many staged homes in this area as in some more metropolitan areas but I think those that can utilize the owners possessions look more like a home than when all stager's appointments are used. I see houses that are obviously staged and look more like a furniture store than a home.

Kathy,

It's so true. I don't know if it is a function of experience or physiology, but I believe there are people who can visualize what something will look like with different colors, finishes and textures, and those that can't. I've run into this with people before just making a small investment in something.

Buying a home is huge, overwhelming, and scary thing for a lot of people. That's why clients are well served by what you do to throw the widest net out there. To do the best job possible, for top dollar, strongest offer and fewest days on market, it serves our sellers well to have it properly staged.

Hi Kathy, I am sorry but still not a believer in a market where 60% of sales are distressted sales.  Do you have any numbers on ROI for staging?