Tell the client that the cost of staging will be less than the first price reduction they will have to take after the home goes unsold for a period of time.

I am a firm believer in staging as I have several success stories of my own.  However, I keep asking the same question---how to convince the sellers.  I realize this is probably not a possibility, but it would be nice if stagers could offer some sort of guarantee.  After all, we realtors do---if I don't sell your house, you don't pay me!

Sellers often have the problem of reconciling the idea of spending $$ on a place they are leaving.  There are so many points that can be made as to why they would want to enhance the condition/presentation of their property. 

I have priviously mentioned in other posts of sharing the analogy of when someone is getting ready to trade in their car for a new or better one - do they bring the car in beat up and dirty?  Or do they do what they reasonably can to bring it in it's best condition so the dealer will be inclined to give them more $, seeing more value in the car?  Even more so with a house.

However, even though you offer solid reasons as to why it can really benefit them - I can see on some of their faces that all they are hearing is - blah, blah, blah...they just have it fixed in their minds that they just want to spend little to no $$.

On the flip side - there are those that do "get it." :)

I would try to gently remind them that the Realtor has hired an outside professional to insure the timely and lucrative sale of the house, because he/she has truly taken their promise to uphold thier fiduciary responsibility to insure the owners get the best possible advice and the best possible price.

Well, gently isn't exactly my forte. So when I have a toughie, I make sure I sit down with the homeowners over a table. I clasp my hands in front of me, and I recite this as I offer them my genuine concern:

"Mr. and Mrs. Hoffenfeffer, do you believe you have chosen a Realtor who is qualified and determined to present the sale of your home on your behalf in today's real estate market?"

Are you aware that your chosen Realtor is ethically and legally bound to uphold a position of responsibility toward the protection of your equity?

And did you know that as a bound individual, your Realtor is required to use any special knowledge he may have obtained through education, training or experience to insure you receive the fullness of your equity? 

Knowing the statistics regarding the use of staging to insulate your sale against the very real possibilities of experiencing  uncomfortably long 'days on market', the potential of a 5-10% price reduction for your first reduction, and the common negotiation of a lesser price than you are asking, they have hired my property image company as a preventative.

Your Realtor's goal, your goal, and my goal are all exactly the same. Today, we have met one another and talked. Soon, buyers will be meeting your home, and your home is going to do some talking of it's own. You can choose which staging techniques you might have heard about and try to protect your equity on your own, or you can allow me to employ my arsenal of expertise to shoot this house straight to the top of the every Realtor's Must-Be-Seen List and become the Gotta-Have-It House for a buyer to make a swift offer on.

It all depends on how important it is to you both that you get every cent you are due from your investment. 

I will be waiting for your call."

~Michelle

www.featurethisdotdotdot.com

I usually create the comprehensive Staging plan during my consultation and just about all of my sellers complete the work on their own. This  method is particularly effective when the sellers truly do not have any money but their agent is willing to pay a consultation fee for them. I have found most sellers complete all or just about all of my to-do list after going through the house with me and hearing the reasons behind my madness.