What's With The Attitude?????
Clients assume that I watch all of the design, decorating and real estate shows on HGTV, Fine Living and Discovery (Who has that kind of time even with TIVO?) and they will comment to me about things they have seen recently, thinking I know the episode they just saw.
One thing I am asked a lot is why the designers, redesigners, stagers and hosts have these attitudes toward the homeowners and their things. Good question. There are a lot of reasons I can think of, but no excuses.
Producers want drama in their shows and nothing is more dramatic than conflict. Emotions run high when a home is being sold. The details, the timing, the expenses, the worry-all create High Anxiety. Enter the staging expert to pass judgement on the homeowners' biggest investment, their tastes, their furnishings and the way they have cared (or not cared) for their home.
The host plays up the drama, what will the expert say about this home? Find out after the commercial! Apparently viewers are drawn to it because these shows have a huge fan base. Producers are convinced it works - it is a formula that is employed in so many of the shows with slight variations.
I'm sorry if the people chosen are hired to play the part of the bad guy and are told to be this way but I find many of the comments mean spirited and downright rude. Just because they aren't saying these things to the homeowner's face doesn't mean that they have the right to make smart comments at the homeowner's expense. They know that the walk through will be viewed by the homeowner. Evaluation doesn't have to be harsh. There is a way to deliver bad news that gets the point across without being condescending or humiliating.
It's no wonder people don't embrace real estate staging as a necessity in a slow market. If the perception is that a stager is going to come in and criticize everything they own and treat them like they are idiots for picking certain wall colors, then why would they subject themselves to that kind of treatment? I find it a disservice to the real estate staging profession.
Sometimes when a Realtor brings me, it is the homeowner who has the attitude. He or she may be defensive from the onset and I can tell immediately that I need to correct some misconceptions. Before we take a tour of the home I explain that I am part of the team and our goal is to showcase the home in the best possible way, keeping in mind that they still need to live in it as comfortably as possible. I give them the reality check speech that we all do. Usually that clears the air enough to do the tour and discuss options. When it comes time to sit down and make decisions, invariably I will be told, "You're not what I/We expected." They expected a CRITIC.
Now I'm not saying that they always love what I have to tell them or that they go along with all of my suggestions at first or even that they don't question the need for some things. I know that I will often have to be the bearer of bad tidings and that's the downside of being a stager. If I have bad news I can at least break it to them in the nicest way possible.
I try to remember that not everyone is on the same wavelength. Because of the many cultural differences in our society it is not only what we say but how we say it- the tone of voice, the body language and of course, our choice of words that can make or break a client relationship and the success of a home staging.
That's the kind of attitude I wish the shows would embrace!
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