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Home vs. House

Staging is is all about understanding the difference between "home" and "house". The two terms are very similar, yet very distinct.

First, look at the definitions:

The American Heritage Dictionary lists these two important definitions of "Home": An environment offering security and happiness. A valued place regarded as a refuge or place of origin.

And now, the American Heritage Dictionary definition of "House": A structure serving as a dwelling for one or more persons, especially for a family.

A home is steeped in emotional connections, while a house is simply a structure that could turn into a home. The struggle we have as home stagers is two-fold. We must first help the homeowners detach themselves from their home and all the emotions connected with it. Only when they see their home as a house, a product for sale, can they truly accept the changes we will be making to it. Secondly, we are tasked with turning the house, the product, into a home...but not the seller's home. We must turn it into "home" for a broad audience, for each person who might walk through the front door as a potential buyer.

It's a subtle difference, but one that is essential to the success of our industry. Anyway, just a thought I've been considering recently.

Happy Raining!

Posted by Morgan Schott, Staging Atlanta's West Side on 05/13/2008 01:08 PM

Comments (4)

home, house, home staging, douglasville home staging, buyers, sellers, emotions

Post is included in group: Stage It Forward...
Post is included in group: Home Staging Resurce - HSR
Post is included in group: Real World Home Staging for Newbies
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4 Comments on Home vs. House

Hi Morgan, this is good information. Thanks for sharing. Great pic BTW! =)

05/13/2008 02:33 PM

by Abby Reilly; NW Atlanta Home Stager (ALR Home Staging and Showcasing, LLC)

Morgan...Great post...and you are right !!!

05/13/2008 02:38 PM

by MARY LOU TEAGUE HOME STYLE AND STAGING KNOXVILLE, TN (HOME STYLE AND STAGING LLC )

Morgan,

Great information as well as a fresh approach.

06/06/2008 06:21 AM

by Debbie Henson, RE/MAX AROUND ATLANTA

Morgan ~ I often think about this with each job I get. The issue comes across on many levels or in many depths. Some sellers are so ready that they are 100% on board with detaching and putting their product in the best condition/presentation for the potential "home" buyer.

Then there's the seller who is selling, perhaps, because of a divorce situation, and there is many memories and feelings still in the home's atmosphere.

I just went through that with a job. I felt so bad for the seller who's soon-to-be ex left her with handling all the prepartion in selling the house. (and there is lots to do!) At times during the process, she just sat down looking numb. Time to time she would mention how she & her S2B ex obtained this piece or that. And while we were pulling different pieces from each room (the place had an extreme excess of furnishings), she would have to tell the movers which section in the basement the piece would go - either "his" or "hers". I had to be, and wanted to be, very sensitive to her frame of mind regarding the house/home.

So, those terms can be biggies in the staging industry!

Good post Morgan. : )

06/06/2008 08:05 AM

by Susan Cunningham* REvision~Home Staging, Suwanee,GA (REvision)

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