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Your Broker wants me to use WHAT!? Please, say it isn’t so!

By Connie Tebyani

Home Stager with Platinum Home Staging, Inc. : RESA-Pro

April 19, 2008 01:11 PM

I'm currently working on a project that Janice Sutton threw my way (Thank you, Janice!) which involves another high end home in The Oaks, in Calabasas, CA. I am very familiar with this neighborhood, and have done several homes "behind the gates". Let me set the preverbal "stage" for you. The Oaks community is set in a beautiful, guard gated community that welcomes you with a water fountain featuring of a family of deer. It is the ONLY community in CA, which actually has a SECOND GATED community within the gated community - so I'm sure you catch my drift at the $$$ in this neighborhood.

Long story longer: This bachelor has what every bachelor has in his dining room - a POOL TABLE, of course! Well, his Broker suggested using a Stager to get his home up to par, since the exact same floor plan across the street is also for sale. (Thumbs up to him!) His Broker also suggested moving the pool table and making it back into a formal dining room. (no- duh!)

After talking with this home owner several times, we're 99% ready to move forward and I suggest this beautiful, handmade dining room set which seats 8. Everything in the home is Casa de Mexico, handmade, rich woods, terracotta tiles, etc. The dining room is 15' wide by 17' long, so this was my suggestion for a couple hundred bucks a month. Keep in mind, this is the ONLY piece of furniture we have to bring in for him, so this would be his ONLY furniture expense (besides the fact the set retails for over $8,000 - sorry the picture is a bit dark).

So flies in the Broker to save the day! His Broker has "a warehouse of furniture that he uses for staging that we can use for FREE!" - "Great!" I replied, "We can use what he has" - we do this every day, incorporate other pieces into the plan, besides it's only 1 room of the entire 6,000+ square feet of house - right?

Here's the kicker - THIS is the set that the Broker IS CURRENTLY USING in a house right down the street, which he is offering for us to use for free! How generous of him! Thankfully the Home Owner agreed that this set is a bit "weak"....I told him I'd rather leave the pool table where it is than to do his home that injustice...

By the way, this is the set in the house across the street.

That is why people hire experienced, Professional Home Stagers to STAGE homes, not just put furniture in a house....

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Cathy Lee

CL Design Services Home Staging - Danville, CA

ASP, IAHSP, RESA Danville, CA

Hi Connie-the Oaks is a gorgeous development. I grew up in West Hills and my sister lives in Thousand Oaks, so we like to see the lights there during the Christmas Holidays. Oh no-the Broker surely is kidding around, right??

Apr 19, 2008 01:26 PM

Connie Tebyani

Platinum Home Staging, Inc. : RESA-Pro - Calabasas, CA

Platinum Home Staging, Los Angeles and Ventura County

That's right, Cathy, you're supposed to call me the next time you're in town. Don't you have a new niece?

And NO, unfortunately the Broker was not kidding....

Apr 19, 2008 02:48 PM

Jeff Fritchie

silver legacy prop. - Oregon City, OR

Connie, Really nice touches. It makes a big difference in the presentations. Great job.

Apr 19, 2008 03:42 PM

Cindy Bryant

Redesign Etc. Home Staging - Houston, TX

"Houston Home Staging Pros"

Some houses just require higher end sets, and that is not one you would use, it would be a definite distraction.

Apr 19, 2008 04:34 PM

Connie Tebyani

Platinum Home Staging, Inc. : RESA-Pro - Calabasas, CA

Platinum Home Staging, Los Angeles and Ventura County

Jeff ~ Not sure what you mean... The table which is set is NOT te one I would use... I'm alittle confused

Cindy ~ You're absolutly right, which is why I was so shocked that the broker was actually using this set in one of his listed homes.

Apr 19, 2008 05:26 PM

Terrylynn Fisher

Dudum Real Estate Group - BuyStageSell.com - Walnut Creek, CA

HAFA Certified, EcoBroker, CRS, CSP Realtor, Etc.

A perfect example of why most Realtors shouldn't stage...or pay for the staging. They try to cut corners.

Apr 19, 2008 06:01 PM

Connie Tebyani

Platinum Home Staging, Inc. : RESA-Pro - Calabasas, CA

Platinum Home Staging, Los Angeles and Ventura County

Thank you, Terrylynn! My point exactly & Congrats on your 2007 RESA Award!

Apr 20, 2008 04:10 AM

Tori Lynn Wallitsch

Prudential Ambassador / Ross Designs, LLC - Omaha, NE

I staged a house yesterday where the agent, who is about to be fired, had brought over some furniture pieces to stage the basement. The loveseat had throw pillows and the front fabric did not go with the rest of the room, so they had just turned the pillows around and you can clearly see when entering the room that the pillows were backwards. That's one of my pet peeves!!!! They also used a plant and placed it right in front of the closet door, etc.

Yikes! Glad your home owner agreed with you.

Apr 20, 2008 05:45 AM

Yvonne Root

rooms b.y. root - Prescott, AZ

Home Stager - Northern Arizona

Connie, it is true! People hire stagers because we know how to stage! We understand scale, and all that jazz. Now isn't that an interesting concept? Great post!

Apr 20, 2008 10:40 AM

Kim Dillon

Creative Eye Home Staging - West Chester, PA

Nice post. I like the music. How did you do that??

Kim Dillon, Creative Eye Home Staging

Apr 20, 2008 02:40 PM

Cindy Lin

Staged4more School of Home Staging - South San Francisco, CA

Host, The Home Staging Show podcast

Great story! Thanks for sharing it. I recently had something similar happened to me, it's just beyond me why agents want to do all these extra work while they can just hire someone to do it cheaper and better?

Cheers,

Cindy

Apr 20, 2008 04:58 PM

Connie Tebyani

Platinum Home Staging, Inc. : RESA-Pro - Calabasas, CA

Platinum Home Staging, Los Angeles and Ventura County

Tori Lynn ~what a hoot! When the pillows don't match, just turn them around! (sheesh!)

Yvonne & Cindy~ hopefully this will be a good example of why people should hire, or at least consult, with a PROFESSIONAL Stager. There is a difference! Thank you both for stopping by.

Thank you, Kim ~ If you click the "create your free play-list" under my music player, it will direct you to the site and walk you through it. I had to figure this out on my own from Kimo's site. But I think there are instructions on the Newbies forum as well. Good luck!

Apr 21, 2008 02:07 AM

Gabriele Campbell

D F Campbell Ventures Group Inc. - Saint Albert, AB

ASP, CID

I see what you mean - it's about the lifestyle that is being sold, and any old piece in the dining room just wouldn't work. Major disconnect. Good call!

Apr 21, 2008 04:11 AM

Janice Sutton

1st Stage Property Transformations - Murrieta, CA

Home Stager - Temecula Murrieta

Your welcome. Every home staging job has a story!

People think they can just bring in anything! I am glad you suggested leaving the pool table instead of bringing in the Realtor's table.

This post shows exactly why Seller's and Realtor's call a Professional Home Stager. Hopefully the home seller will listen to you. Pleae keep us posted.

Apr 21, 2008 06:38 AM

Connie Tebyani

Platinum Home Staging, Inc. : RESA-Pro - Calabasas, CA

Platinum Home Staging, Los Angeles and Ventura County

Gabriele ~ Thank you for stopping by

Janice ~ the saga continues..... The homeowner is back in town and his broker has yet another group of "high end" furniture that we can use for free. (Isn't that what his broker said the first time?) I'm awaiting pics this evening as I wasn't able to view the items personally. Stay posted - I might have more doozies to show everyone!

Apr 21, 2008 12:37 PM

Phyllis Pafumi

ReStyled to Sell Home Staging New Jersey - Old Bridge, NJ

ReStyled to Sell Staging Homes NJ

Gosh I have the same problem in one of my recent homes. there is a POOL TABLE in this living room and NOTHING else. Meanwhile his large basement has lovely furniture in it. He had agreed thankfully to switch it up.

Phyllis Pafumi

Apr 21, 2008 01:33 PM

Connie Tebyani

Platinum Home Staging, Inc. : RESA-Pro - Calabasas, CA

Platinum Home Staging, Los Angeles and Ventura County

Phyllis ~ Thats' why we do what we do! Good for you that he agreed to move it. My "guy" is also moving his, he has an entire game room with only a ping pong table it in... We're just still trying to find the right dining room set... Good luck on yours!

Apr 24, 2008 03:46 PM

Connie Tebyani

Platinum Home Staging, Inc. : RESA-Pro - Calabasas, CA

Platinum Home Staging, Los Angeles and Ventura County

Just an FYI - the home owner has officially moved the pool table, but he still hasn't decided which table set to use (yikes!) Now he thinking of brining in a round table set (intoo a very long and rectangular room) I'm unsure as to how or why it's so hard for him to decide - any suggestions on how I can persuade him?

Apr 29, 2008 02:49 AM

Yvonne Root

rooms b.y. root - Prescott, AZ

Home Stager - Northern Arizona

Connie, Here is a line we use in our contract. "I understand that I’m under no obligation to follow the recommendations of the home stager and that by not following the recommendations I will be limiting the effectiveness of the overall staging of my property." In a quiet way, it gets the point across. Hope this helps.

Apr 29, 2008 03:07 AM