I get a lot of emails from real estate agents wondering why they should recommend a home stager to their clients. I believe there are three key reasons for this:

1. Not understanding what a stager really does.
2. Feeling that they already provide advice to their clients on how to improve their home for sale.
3. Being afraid that by recommending a stager they'll be expected to pay for it.

This is the same dining room in a tiny downtown basement townhouse. Before with the client's own furnishings and after I staged it by repainting the dark grey wall, replacing the light fixture, art and furniture with rental items.

It no longer screams "dirty bachelor pad." Which room would you rather try and sell? 

If your listings show well it reflects well on your professionalism and helps your clients sell more quickly and for a higher dollar.

After all, it's your name on the sign on the front lawn and people driving by notice whether your listings usually say "SOLD" or whether they sit for a long time.

Wouldn't it be nice to be known in your market for always having listings that show well? Agents will more likely show your listings over others, and clients looking for a listing agent will aspire to be listed with you.

Turning your listings more quickly results in less hassle and higher profits for you.

You know what it's like to be stuck with a weak listing. Your clients call you daily wondering why it hasn't sold, when you'll be running another ad, when your next open house is scheduled.

You know the issue isn't how many ads you run, but how bad the house shows. But how do you tell them?

Home Stagers address issues you may not feel comfortable discussing with your clients.

We'll tackle sensitive topics like odor problems, ugly decor, etc. in a diplomatic way. And if the husband and wife can't agree on anything, wouldn't you rather we got in the middle than you? After all, you don't want to jeopardize your listing by taking sides.

Home Stagers free your time to focus on what you do best.

Yes you might offer decluttering or repair suggestions, but do you go into the same level of detail that a stager would? And more importantly should that be how you're spending your time when your real money is made getting and turning your listings?

We take over the worry of getting a home showing-ready and on time for your photography and agent open house. Imagine how nice it would be to show up for your open house knowing that all you have to do is open the door and everything else will be perfect!

But who pays for it?

You probably already recommend real estate lawyers, home inspectors, mortgage brokers, painters. Do your clients expect you to pay for those? Home staging is just one of many services you can make your clients aware of in the interest of being of service and building your relationship with them.

More information on how to find a home stager in your area can be found at The Staging Diva Directory of Home Stagers