sounds nervy to me. Sounds like you need to set some strict guidelines for your clients. It also sounds kind of risky to me to be using very expensive items as part of your staging. I hope you have lots of insurance.

people continue to amaze me....but it really makes you think about what you HAVE to write into your contracts. For instance..on a bottle of Sunlight Dish Liquid it says it has real lemon juice in it. Then, there's this big statement that says not to drink the dish soap. ( yep, someone did that! )

I would be as tactful as possible.  As you said before she has been very loyal to you and brings a lot of business.  In those cases I would cut some slack, but be sure there is a clear understanding of the boundaries that are important to you.

It's probably best to very carefully set your boundaries.  I'm sure she didn't realize what an expensive piece it was, and didn't think about the fact that she was stepping on toes.

Tough Call, I agree with Randy's response count to ten before you fire off a missile that could sink an otherwise sea worthy ship. Steve

Okay, so I commented on your other blog about her and I was giving her the benefit of the doubt. Now I am fully on your side! Set some ground rules with her. Bill her for your actual hours and let her pay for any changes she wants. Is she insured to move your belongsing from house to house? What if she broke it? Who would pay? While she has given you great business in the past, perhaps it's time to reevaluate the relationship.

Ray, thanks for the input.  Yes, guidelines are in order and I probably should have said "one of a kind" items.  When I am staging $1.6million+ homes, tasteful and sometimes expensive items are somewhat of a necessity.

Kimberly, LOL!  Thanks for the funny!  I am constantly revising my contract for these crazy things. 

Randy, thanks for grounding me back to earth.  Ok, I'll be nice.  Seriously, she means no harm and probably thought she was saving me a trip by moving the item herself.  I'll be nice, but firm.  How's that?

Meridian, Ok, you're right.  I'm over it, sorta.  It doesn't help anything to grind an ax, I know.  My better self hears you!  Thanks!

Kill her with kindness.  There is no need to offend a good loyal client.  I cut slack for loyalty.

Steve, I counted to 10, then 20, then...I was nice.  Always good advice to calm down before you respond, otherwise, cutting off my nose, right?

Jessica, all my concerns, too.  What if she had broken it?  That piece was one of a kind.  I think I've made my boundaries clear about my time and inventory.  IF it happens again, then I will evaluate whether her business is worth it to me.  Thanks for your input.  I really appreciate a realtor's perspective and especially a staging realtor!

I do not think it is right for her to move YOUR INVENTORY from one house to another. If she was looking for a centerpeice similar to that one she should have told you, I am sure you could have wipped something up.

Barbara, thanks for the opinion.  I guess since our inventory is our livelihood, we stagers, seem to be protective of the things that make us $$.  I agree, it is mine afterall.  Had she asked permission, I would have said, "no", I will move it for you.  I don't want it to break.  She said she wanted the outdoors in so I brought this vase.... 

 But this is the vase she took instead of....

Barbara, thanks for the opinion.  I guess since our inventory is our livelihood, we stagers, seem to be protective of the things that make us $$.  I agree, it is mine afterall.  Had she asked permission, I would have said, "no", I will move it for you.  I don't want it to break.  She said she wanted the outdoors in so I brought this vase.... 

 But this is the vase she took instead of....

Nancy, I don't have any clients like this...I had one in the beginning, we didn't last long together. My contract is very full of all sorts of little items that will not let this happen. I don't have the time or the patience. You are a complete saint.  I simply remind them that their job is to sell the house and my job is to prepare the best product possible. If she had spent her time selling instead of micro managing you the house might already be sold.

Nancy- Unless I read your other post wrong, she is not your client, correct? The homeowners pay you, after she brings you in for staging. She has really crossed the line here, to remove something of yours, that someone else paid for, from the home that you placed it in. AHHHHH! You need to sit her down, and say GO BECOME A CERTIFIED STAGER, or let me run my business as I like, and I won't tell you how to sell houses!

Nancy, I am completely at a loss of words. (now, that's a first!)

Kym, thanks for the response.  My contract will have new things in it and I'm sure will continue to grow.  I think the house will sell quickly and I hope she puts in as much time selling it as I have preparing it! 

Elaine, ah, yes, we had that conversation.  Now she is upset and I doubt about what I said because I was kind and clear.  I think she's upset because I said something at all... I think she views her efforts as teamwork.  Thanks for the advice.  Much appreciated.

Connie, come on!  I am so disappointed in you. LOL!  Yeah, I know, it's nervy, as another realtor stated.  I'm sure she thought it was Ok to just help herself, because, it was afterall, for a good cause...her commission, er, I mean, so the sellers can get top $$.  I wish we were paid handsomely for our efforts so when these things happen we just wouldn't care...Thanks for your wordless response.  It actually said allot.  :)

Wow, first of all let me say that I would be upset as well. That fact that she moved it, probably on the floorboard of her car without bubble wrap just drives me crazy. It sounds like she feels that shes your boss, as if you work for her when in fact you work for the seller. This is what you need her to understand. Great client or not, your self employed and contracted by the seller, the person who writes you the check. Period. Once you have made her fully understand this, you will not have things like this happen again. Trust me on this one.

p.s. Im new to this site and would love some assistance on how to add photos of my work to my profile... thanks

We have a "don't touch our stuff" clause in our Agreements - and have had it for years.  The client (and Realtor) signs and agrees not to move, remove, relocate, touch or otherwise disrupt the Staging we have done for any reason without permission from us.  This not only ensures our Staging quality remains intact, but it prevents someone like your "red Realtor" from just helping themselves to inventory or putting things "they don't like" away. 

Put some boundaries in place - but realize that you have someone on your hands that apparently likes to have input in the way her listings are Staged.  You may end up compromising a bit on this issue when you want to retain the client.  It seems unlikely that she will change her need for making changes - although the way it is done could be greatly improved.  - Jennie

Nancy - for what it is worth I liked your choice of vase for the centerpiece so much better!!!  I think this Realtor has control issues - guess we should be thankful she doesn't take a staging course.... can you imagine.

Hi Nancy,

Definitely sounds like someone with control issues.  I really like the verbiage you will be adding to your contract. Your staging photos looked great!

This is a good cautionary tale, thanks. I always have the homeowners sign a contract of course, but not the agent.  What a micro-manager!

Oh my, she's amazing.  I guess you know what to do and you'll know when it's best to do it.  Contracts have clauses based on battle scars such as this.  That's why our real estate contract is now 8 pages with 2 page buyer advisory...my oh my.

Joey, Jennie, Sandra, Nancy, and Terrylynn,

Sorry for the late reply to your replies. 

This blog is about 2 weeks old, and I am very happy that I did write it because I learned allot.  My take on my loyal realtor is that she is collaborating and views us as a team.  I know very little about doing real estate deals so I stay out of her business.  She's the expert.  And, when it comes to staging, I am the professional, however, my loyal realtor DOES know allot about staging and admittedly, sometimes has great ideas.  I do appreciate her perspective because, after all, we both want the property to sell.  We have allot in common!  And, she is a genuinely NICE person.

Since our little incident, we have had a candid conversation and we were able to come to terms and agreement about, and I coin Terrylynn's clever term, "our creative differences".  She completely understood why I took exception to her moving my centerpiece without permission.  And, we talked about our unique relationship.  I am married to a realtor so I understand and empathize with some of her challenges and she appreciates the fact that I do understand the market, the terminology, and especially the timetables.  Since she staged all her own properties in the past, I explained that she is my only realtor that gives me extensive input.  I really do appreciate the input and feedback but reserve the right to have final say.  She agreed.

All is well and I have added quite a few more lines to my contract with the help of all of you and especially Terrylynn, who has an unbelievable command of the English language.  But most of all, she if tactful!

Thank you All!