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Do You Know The Difference Between Decorating And Home Staging?

Reblogger Debe Maxwell, CRS
Real Estate Agent with Savvy + Company (704) 491-3310 228209

Charlotte Home Sellers - Great Tips with Regards to Decorating vs. Staging

For many home sellers who hired a decorator either in preparation for selling their home or in recent years, it's a difficult pill to swallow when I arrive on your doorstep and tell you that you need a stager! I get it! Before I started my real estate career, I was totally with you!

As represented by my staging friend, Sharon Tara in her post below, you will see there is a HUGE difference! 

One of the biggest issues is that decorating takes the eye off of the home that you are trying to highlight. You don't WANT your buyers looking at your beautiful decorations - you want them looking at the room sizes, the space in the home. Beautiful decor is a distraction and often leads buyers to think that, despite having the square footage represented in your listing, the home just doesn't 'feel' large enough. 

Staging is key to a successful Charlotte Home She

 

Hiring a wonderful, certified home stager like Sharon is key to a successful home sale. If you need the names of top-rated home stagers in the Charlotte area, give me a call or shoot me a text to (704) 491-3310. I'm happy to share my list with you!

 


 

Original content by Sharon Tara

There is a huge difference between Interior Decorating and Home Staging.

 

If you only knew how many times I've suggested removing window treatments to sellers and had the reply " Oh no, those were very expensive. They were custom made. "

Custom drapes, wallpaper, furnishings....custom bedding. It doesn't matter how expensive or who the decorator was that selected them for you. If a home stager is telling you to remove them, it is for a very good reason.

They are dated....styles change with time and your expensive, silk drapes that were hand sewn in 1990 are no longer in style. They age your home and they really don't appeal to anyone but you.

They are bulky and block the view....the view of the lake is far more valuable to potential buyers and those drapes are hiding it.

They darken the room....today's buyers want light and bright, not dark and gloomy.

They conceal a positive feature of the home....the gorgeous trimwork around the windows is hidden behind the heavy drapes. Remember, highlight the positive!

 

 

Bottom line....

the window treatments in question reduce the perceived value of your home

and removing them

will increase the perceived value of your home.

Buyers will see your home as more valuable if they are removed.

 

Home staging is not decorating. 

It's strategic marketing. There is a method to a home stager's madness.

Marketing is something real estate agents and stagers use to attract potential buyers. It's important that certain marketing strategies are followed.

Highlight positive features and minimize negative features.

Clearly define the function of each room.

Make each room appear as spacious as possible.

Remove any "red flags"....those things that suggest future problems and inconveniences.

 

Home staging is about increasing the perceived value of a home by suggesting it was well cared for and maintained.

 

 Decoratoring and home staging are similar in that they both create visual and emotional appeal. However, their objective is very different.

The purpose of decorating is to personalize.....

decorating is about making a home more appealing to the homeowner.

 

The purpose of home staging is to de-personalize....

home staging is about making a home more appealing to potential  homeowners.

 

I tell all my clients that their homes should be filled with the things that make them happy. There are no rules. If it make you smile, if it's a color you love, if it makes you comfortable and your life easier, then it's perfect!

BUT

If your house is for sale, all that goes out the window.

Your taste, style, comfort, and convenience are no longer important. 

The taste, style, comfort and convenience of potential buyers is most important.

 

There is a huge difference between  Interior Decorating and Home Staging. 

 

______________________________________________________________________________

 

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Comments(16)

Hannah Williams
HomeStarr Realty - Philadelphia, PA
Expertise NE Philadelphia & Bucks 215-820-3376

Debe Maxwell, CRS  Great reblog I missed this one .. we do not have many people doing stagers  here in our area

Sep 16, 2017 11:56 AM
George Souto
George Souto NMLS #65149 FHA, CHFA, VA Mortgages - Middletown, CT
Your Connecticut Mortgage Expert

Debe I would say Sellers do not know the differences, and most Realtors do a bad job of explaining the difference and why the Seller should spend the money to stage their home.

Sep 16, 2017 12:34 PM
Debe Maxwell, CRS
Savvy + Company (704) 491-3310 - Charlotte, NC
The RIGHT CHARLOTTE REALTOR!

That is such a shame, Hannah Williams - they really can make a huge difference. We actually started a small staging company but, the distraction was just too much - I prefer to hire-out on this time-consuming task!!

Hope you're having a wonderful weekend!

Sep 16, 2017 12:43 PM
Debe Maxwell, CRS
Savvy + Company (704) 491-3310 - Charlotte, NC
The RIGHT CHARLOTTE REALTOR!

You're so right, George Souto! I've actually had agents phone me after a showing, asking what I recommend they have their sellers do. I've suggested staging and gotten the same answer from them, "Oh, they had it professionally decorated!"

There is a WORLD of difference, for sure! Have a great weekend, George!  

Sep 16, 2017 12:45 PM
Endre Barath, Jr.
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties - Beverly Hills, CA
Realtor - Los Angeles Home Sales 310.486.1002

What an awesome post and clearly the top photo is a totally different house:) at least that is how the average buyer would react, Endre

Sep 16, 2017 09:08 PM
Marie-Denise Kratsios
Daniel Gale Sotheby's International Realty - Huntington, NY
Where ever you are, that's where I'll be!

Great post Debe.  Put another way, the purpose of decorating is to make your home a place you will love.  The purpose of staging is to make your home a place the buyers will love.

Sep 16, 2017 09:52 PM
Debe Maxwell, CRS
Savvy + Company (704) 491-3310 - Charlotte, NC
The RIGHT CHARLOTTE REALTOR!

Good Morning, @EndreEndre Barath, Jr.! Sharon did a fabulous job and said many of the things that we tell our sellers with regards to staging vs. decorating.

And, yes, that first shot is my 'example' of one of my staged homes to show one area where staging makes a huge difference.

Happy Sunday, Endre!

Sep 17, 2017 05:45 AM
Debe Maxwell, CRS
Savvy + Company (704) 491-3310 - Charlotte, NC
The RIGHT CHARLOTTE REALTOR!

I love that Marie-Denise Kratsios! Yes, decorating is far more personalized - a staged home needs to appeal to the masses!

Enjoy your Sunday, Marie-Denise!

Sep 17, 2017 05:46 AM
Carla Freund
Keller Williams Preferred Realty - Raleigh, NC
NC Real Estate Transition & Relocation 919-602-848

Debe, This is a great example! I've met some stagers who are really decorators. They want to come in and put things back into the home. 

Sep 17, 2017 06:33 AM
Roy Kelley
Retired - Gaithersburg, MD

This is an excellent selection for a reblog. Thanks for sharing.

Sep 17, 2017 11:47 AM
Sharon Tara
Sharon Tara Transformations - Portsmouth, NH
Retired New Hampshire Home Stager

Thanks so much for sharing my post Debe!

I love your illustration - gorgeous!

Sep 17, 2017 04:13 PM
Debe Maxwell, CRS
Savvy + Company (704) 491-3310 - Charlotte, NC
The RIGHT CHARLOTTE REALTOR!

Hi Carla Freund! Yes, great point too! Many do want to bring so much in, it really does feel more like decorating than staging! 

Sep 17, 2017 05:21 PM
Debe Maxwell, CRS
Savvy + Company (704) 491-3310 - Charlotte, NC
The RIGHT CHARLOTTE REALTOR!

Thanks for stopping by, Roy Kelley! I hope you have a wonderful week ahead!

Sep 17, 2017 05:24 PM
Debe Maxwell, CRS
Savvy + Company (704) 491-3310 - Charlotte, NC
The RIGHT CHARLOTTE REALTOR!

Thank you, Sharon Tara! Love your post and thank you for putting it together and allowing us to share with our readers!

Have a great evening!

Sep 17, 2017 07:02 PM
Rebecca Gaujot, Realtor®
Lewisburg, WV
Lewisburg WV, the go to agent for all real estate

I had a friend  (seller) who wanted me to help stage her large family room. She had 4 sets of sliding glass doors with screens that when opened bought in fresh air and sunshine. The problem was she had these heavy green drapes on all the windows. Once I started removing the drapes you could see a difference in the room.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

a staged sun room

Sep 18, 2017 07:34 AM
Steffy Hristova
HomeSmart Elite Group Tempe AZ Tel: 602.710.8161 - Tempe, AZ
Tempe AZ Realtor - Your Home Close to Your Work!

Debe, What a great point you make with the photo and comments in the photo.

Sep 20, 2017 05:45 PM