The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea . . . Sign or No Sign?

Welcome to AR, Jeannene!  I think you will probably find the stagers on AR just as divided as the realtors on the sign issue.  I personally am against it for the reasons given.  I don't want to advertise that the home is staged, I want buyers to just think the home always looked that good. 

Now for the other issue of staging a home just for photographs and then removing the items and returning the home to it's former state....I doubt you will get many AR stagers that will go along with that because it is basically a deception.  Buyers will fall in love with the way the house looks through pictures they saw on the internet but will be sorely disappointed to arrive at the home and find instead a cold, uninviting, empty house.  My vote is to stage the house to take photos and keep it staged until it sells.

I agree about the cards. It makes more sense for the home to look great without everyone knowing it was staged buy I also confess it is tempting to want that free advertising with potential buyers who will also be potential sellers. And then what do you all think about advertising at a broker's open house?

I have had people who ask the realtor at the open house if the home had been professionally staged. So I would think in that case you would have to be honest and say yes.

You have to be kidding! Who would complain about a stager marketing their services, how can this possibly keep the home  from selling? Only Realtor who don't stage their listings would complain about this. Pitiful if you asked me.

 

I wouldn't mind putting a 1/2 business card sized blurb on the flyer "Another Home Staged by Jeannene Edwards" your company name and phone number.  Even combined just listed/just sold marketing ~ especially if the home sold fast wouldn't hurt.  This would be the most effective means of targeting the potential sellers without tipping off the buyers :)

I work with a realtor who actually wants to hang our business name from her sign in the front. Very generous. I dont usually leave marketing at a staging, unless the realtor asks for it. Some realtors are proud to advertise it as part of their marketing strategy. In general, I also think it should remain a secret.  However, it is a fantastic opportunity for marketing,  so one thing a stager can do is get the information from the business cards of the visiting realtors (they leave them at the home each time they visit in our area) then market to them, and include before and after pictures of the staging. Also, posting your promotional items at the brokers open only is great. Talk to your realtor about how they can help promote you, as you are working "behind the scenes" to set the stage for a great show!

I do not think it should be advertised - it is like saying "we are asking for more money because our home has been professionaly staged".  Of course, I am looking at it from this side of the fence maybe homeowners feel that it is a added bonus. 

As a staging business owner I would be thrilled to take the opportunity to promote my work.

From an agent's point of view, I would think it would make me look more professional in getting a product to market, representing the best interest of the seller.

From a seller's point of view, I would love to have the hard work already done upon signing of a deal, its a lot easier to move and the bonus is I didn't have to do a thing up to this point.

From a buyer's point of view, I would appreciate seeing how the house can be best arranged giving me ideas what to do with space.  It will also give me room to imagine my own things fitting into the space which I wouldn't be able to do if it was full of the homeowners things.  There's a good chance I don't have as many things and would be deterred from buying the home for it feels small.

Biased?  Perhaps.

Realtors have told me that they get a much better turnout at the Broker Open House when it is advertised as staged. Realtors want to see what the big deal is! It's great advertising for proud home stagers.

 Sue Argue

I think it is situational, as most things are.  I have a house on the market right now that was listed for 15 months before I came into the picture.  Everybody and their brother came through that house.  Now, they see the photos and want to know what happened, since it was so abysmal before.  I advertise in that house.

I also advertise during broker's opens and in builder's models, but leave it up to the agent and seller if I will advertise otherwise.  I can see both sides of the coin.  If they want to tell only when asked, that's okay with me.