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Setting the Stage...Buying a Home or the Warm Fuzzies...

setting the stage Home Staging has become a popular buzzword in the Grand Rapids, Michigan real estate community. In a competitive and challenging real estate market, every advantage must be considered to secure a sale. However, my experience in touring homes indicates that many in the real estate community have not fully embraced the concept.

Another nagging and continually debated issue is what constitues good staging. As this post by Craig Schiller points out, opinions and methods often differ amongst the professionals themselves. Witness, this discussion on a blog post by Laura Evans of Simply Staged LLC, a emerging tour de force in the staging community in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Laura's blog post "Too Much of a Good Thing" is instructive. However the discussion that ensues is even more enlightening. As I looked at the two pictures that were provided as 'before & after'examples, some questions came to mind about WHY certain things were a part of the staging effort. Sometimes, it is difficult to capture the actual results via the limitations of a camera angle, but since most viewers will pre-view homes online before making a decision to move forward, it's important to understand WHAT constitutes good presentation and what distracts.

As a real estate professional, I tend to sell the 'warm fuzzies' when a buyer decides on a home. It's much easier to sell a home which feels welcoming to a buyer than one which is vacant. But, I wholeheartedly agree that it is a big challenge to sell a home which is so cluttered, prospective buyers can hardly find the space to imagine themselves in it. My question is this...What's the Win Win Medium? What's the look which attracts yet avoids distraction? Is it possible to combine the two?

Touring the Parade of Homes over the years also reveals the tendency of many designers to create 'living spaces' as opposed to highlighting the homes best featuresas Laura indicates in her blog. Very few home designers would feature an upscale Home Design WITHOUT draperies. But Laura makes a valid point when she points out that often the focus of the tour is on admiring the accessories and she feels that it detracts from the home itself.

I'm curious as to your thoughts on this topic. Are stagers more able to increase the saleability of the home by neutralizing in a fashion which certified home designers may not? As real estate agents or brokers, what do your clients find most appealing as they tour homes...What actually makes it easier for you to SELL the home?

Lola Audu, CRS, GRI e-Pro ~ Audu Real Estate

Lola Audu, is the Designated Broker & Owner of Audu Real Estate. Our company specializes in helping people buy and sell homes in the greater Grand Rapids, West Michigan area. We've had the privilege of helping hundreds of clients succeed in their goals of purchasing and selling property including demonstrated success in the negotiation of Short Sale Transactions. You can contact us via e-mail @ info@auduhomes.com or by phone at 616-791-0511.

Posted by Lola Audu~Real Estate Broker/Owner Grand Rapids, Michigan Real Estate on 07/15/2008 08:28 PM

Comments (38)

home staging, simply staged llc, audu real estate, grand rapids, michigan

Originally posted at: Inspired Real Estate For Today: Setting the Stage...Buying a Home or the Warm Fuzzies...

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38 Comments on Setting the Stage...Buying a Home or the Warm Fuzzies...

JUL

2008

Hi Lola, I wish staging would take off in Ohio. I don't know how these companies stay in business. There is never a mention in the papers or any other media. I bring it up with my clients and they have nothing to go on. What, spend more money?... I try to show them success stories, yet no deal.

David, staging is being given more attention now in the Grand Rapids area. I suspect that many in the real estate community are just beginning to understand what it is and how to utilize it to market their homes. A well presented home can make the difference between a sale or NO sale.

Staging is big in our area Lola and neutralizing and de-cluttering are a big part of selling a home faster.

Gary, Do you use stagers to help you market your home personally? If so, what has your experience been?

Lola - Awesome questions!

The key to good staging is two fold - Balance and objective. Each property is different, so the balance for each property is different. While a few accessories may do for one house, it may be too few for another. Knowing the difference makes a good stager.

As far as objective is concerned, what are they trying to sell? In my area many of the 'staged' models are done by a reputable design company in town. They are excellent decorators, but the homes they do can be spotted a mile away. How? TOO MUCH STUFF. They pile it on (the placement usually doesn't make sense - seriously, why would you need an area rug thrown over the washing machine?) - and all of it has price tags. Many of the large pieces may even be marked with a sold sign. They do big business during the Parade, but the homes they 'stage' usually sit unsold. Their objective is to promote their business and sell accessories, not sell the property...and that objective is usually met. It seems the builders would see the problem with that.

So to answer your question, it may be that stagers do a better job because our objective varies from traditional decorators. However, if your stager doesn't have a sense of balance, they may not.

Kimberly, Thank you very much for your comment. This brings up another aspect which I had not considered...the issue of selling accessories while using staging as a backdrop. While, I have not seen too much of that in Grand Rapids, I have visited homes which had price tags on the merchandise before. Interesting that you note that many of these homes remained UNSOLD...that type of staging may actually cost a client money.

Hi Lola...Unfortunately, I have only seen one home that was "staged" and that was done by a furniture company.

If I had a vacant house that belonged to me and wanted to get it sold I would definitely have it staged. I wouldn't even worry about every room being done and it may not have all that much furniture, as long as it creates the essence of home. That is the important ingredient.

The problem with that is "home" means and looks like different things to different people.

Kate

Kate, What would you want the staging of a home to accomplish to make it 'feel like home?' Would you be looking for more accenting or more decluttering? From your comment, it sounds like you may prefer more of a minimalist approach...

We have been Merchandising, Prepping and now staging homes for over 30 years. Only the best pricing and best prepared sell. Thanks for reinforcing the idea.

Hi Lola...It the house is vacant I would be content with a minimalist look as long as it had warm accents. I realize that neutral is the best way to go, however, I need some warm yellows, red, apricots...there's a whole list of colors that would do the trick for me. I realize that other people prefer everything to be monochromatic or cool and that's fine but I need some heat.

If the house is not vacant, I totally agree that they need to be decluttered. (I must confess, I could never put my house on the market quickly.)

Personally I do not mind family photos, etc. if they are well matted and framed. The same with other personal items. I home does not have to be stripped of every identifying article for me to be comfortable in it. Clients do not appreciate clutter but I have not had any complain about a few photos, etc.

Enough from me.

Kate

P.S. What about you, Lola?

HI LOLA!

We do lots of staging here. I think is more about decluttering, definition of the spaces and just an overall freshness.

Personally, as a buyer, I like a vacant home.

Decorators, in my opinion, tend to over-do the decorating. Less is more and that's where I believe that stagers hit the nail on the head.

Great post!

JUL

2008

Great thought provoking post. sometimes the buyer buys a house because it looks great with the way it is decorated and then they are disappointed when their furniture does not make it look the same.

Lola - some homes are very conducive to staging and some are not as easily staged simply because people still live in them and as we know life does go on and it does get in the way.

Lola,

Indeed staging is finally catching on in the Midwest. Please though understand that a Parade of Homes, Builder's Model Homes, and Showcases are much different than a typical vacant home staging. These homes are there to not only highlight the builder's design & work, but to also feed the imagination thru decorating trends and custom design work. There is a HUGE difference!

Too - Although with home staging it our goal to showcase the bones of the home, it includes the insightful knowledge of being in-tune to the Psychology and Stature of the home. The goal is -Appeal to every person walking into your home, especially the target group. The goal is that they have an emotional connection and see themselves living there. We're there to wrap the "gift."

Staging has greatly changed over the past few years, and we can thank the media for that. With so many hip, sassy TV design shows and magazines, today's buyer is a savvy, educated consumer. A buyer is expecting every home to look its very best inside and out - at any price and be in-tune to all the trends. So when you see it have a bit more these days with accessories, color etc... it's because professional stagers stay on top of what the public wants. We're there to give the home the best packaging... And sometimes it requires more than just plain paper and a bow.

LOLA- As usual another thought provoking post.

For sellers I offer a free service. While it is ultimately up to them to perform the work we discuss (which most often stagers are actually doing the painting, priming, planting etc) The staging service allows them to really see what needs tending to. I use samples from previous homes I have listed and staged using most times what sellers already had, just in a different way to create, less clutter, more balance and visual appeal.

It has resulted in many happy sellers and great feedback from showing agents as well as sales.

Kate, Thank you so much for coming back! I've found the biggest challenge to be decluttering for most people. That usually solves about 90% of the problem when it comes to presentation.

Then there's arrangement and placement of items. Sometimes they have the RIGHT items in the WRONG places. When the object finds the 'right' home, the result is a WOW! With regards to the color vs monochromatic aspect, I'd probably favor warmth and color. That's just my 2 cents...

Yvette, Thanks for your comment. Sounds like you'd be more likely to recommend a Stager vs a desgner/decorator. Could you help us understand what you are referring to when you speak of 'defining space'? For instance in a vacant home...what spaces would you be hiring a stager to set up?

Julea, What an insightful comment. You have given me some perspective behind what is being accomplished in a Parade Home vs. a staged home. Very helpful.

I also appreciate your thoughts regarding the psychology of the buyer. It makes sense that different price ranges and/or areas would require a different approach to make the most probably buyer have a feeling of 'seeing themselves' in the home. This professional knowledge brings huge VALUE to the transaction in my opinion.

Hi Allison, Thanks for stopping by. Question...Do YOU stage homes yourself or hire someone to do it? If you do hire a professional stager, what are your thoughts regarding the results you want the stager to accomplish from a broker's perspective?

Lola, I am trying to get my business, Setting the Stage, up and running here in North Alabama. Staging is a foreign language to the people around here. It is starting to get more press lately and I hope the new show The Stagers on HGTV will help even more.

I believe that too much of a good thing can be bad also and distract buyers from the home itself. It is a delicate balance and a good stager can pick the homes best features and highlight them without overwhelming the buyer with STUFF.

Great post!

Stacey Holt

Setting the Stage

www.settingthestageforyou.com

You raise some important questions, Lola. Staging has certainly made a big impact, but many still do not embrace it or see the need. I think the issue of what looks right on camera vs. what looks good in person. As you point out, the first open house is generally on-line so making a good impression there is so critical. I find it interesting how many buyers comment that the home, when touring, looks SO different from the home in person. And not always in a good way.

Jeff

As a stager, the best advice we can give sellers is to de-clutter and de-personalize. The warm and fuzzies for most people, I think, comes from an attractive interior that they can imagine themselves living in. Like a nice hotel room, no distractions about the current owners in sight. It is hard for a lot of people when going through a home and feeling like they are intruding on someones private life. Eliminate personal items and that will help the potential buyer feel more comfortable while looking around and they will be more likely to like the home.

Lola I go to a number of Open Houses every week and it makes a big difference on how a house shows if it has been staged or not.

JUL

2008

Hi Lola, My wife is an artistic Certified Home Stager and Redesigner. She can transform a home miraculously by making buyers feel that they could actually "live" in the home. The effect decreases the time on the market and greatly increases the selling price. It is an amazing experience!

JUL

2008

I like light staging for vacant homes and de-cluttering for occupied homes. That's my simple rule.

Lola,

You bring up some very important points. I am currently a Home Stager but I was a model home merchandiser and Interior Designer for 26 years. I mentored and taught the principles of designing homes to sell. I always advocated maximizing the homes best features (ie. window treatments such be minimal, frame out/ soften and highlight the windows) and minimizing the negative features (ie. small/dark rooms) by using good sound design principles. These same principles apply when staging a home whether it is vacant or owner occupied. The trick is to making the most of what you've got!

HI LOLA!

I'm referring to spaces that like a great room for instance. You have half as an entertaining area and the other as a dining room/area.

Just rooms that are other than your usual. A room that would make someone ask, what would you use this space for? That's when I'd stage it, for clarity!

I hope that answered the question!

Hi Lola, Thanks for your blog post about home staging. No two homes are alike so there is no surefire answer to your question, "What's the look which attracts yet avoids distraction?" It helps to think of a home as a product for sale. Stagers help create the most effective packaging that will make buyers want to purchase the product, the house. A house in which buyers have a hard time seeing the potential must be more extravagantly packaged than a house where the potential is evident. A "good" stager will know how to effectively package each individual house in order to attract the most buyers.

JUL

2008

Yvette, very helpful answer. You're so right when you point out that one of the benefits of staging is helping people to understand the possibilities for a space. Everyone knows that bedrooms have beds, but larger spaces like great rooms or rec rooms can be a little more challenging to work with. Thanks for coming back to add to the discussion.

Stacy, Best Wishes for your New Business. I wish you much success. Staging has taken off fairly recently here in Grand Rapids too, but more people are getting tuned into the benefits. In a challenging market...that's a great thing!

Jeff, you bring up a very important issue. Particularly with the price ranges that you are dealing with in California. Do you consider hiring a stager & a professional photographer to do the picture justice? In the upper price ranges I would suspect an effective staging presentation has to go way beyond decluttering. Penny for your thoughts...:)

George...your feedback is the primary reason for this post! What catches your eye when you go to Open Houses? Are there specific things that work and others that don't? Are there some stagers who do things which detract or is something ALWAYS better than nothing???

Dan...I'd love to have the 'experience' of seeing your wife's work. But since like many others, I would only be able to view it online, how does she address the challenge of translating the benefits of a staging to potential buyers who may never actually physically walk through the home?

Heidi, I love the analogy to wrapping a parcel or present as descriptive of what a good stager does. It frames the discussion in another context and helps to give a clearer understanding as to WHY certain things might work in one situation but be inappropriate for another. Thanks for dropping by to add perspective to this disussion.

JUL

2008

I've seen some homes staged with cardboard "plasma" TVs on the wall, if you can believe that. To me, staging is to create an illusion, it's not to let the furnishing and whatnot take center stage. Designers go one step beyond home staging and some home stagers also do design, so it's handled differently.

JUL

2008

Good points Elizabeth. I don't think that many of us in the real estate industry really understand the different roles played by designers and home stagers. It's made more confusing by the fact that in some cases, the service roles do overlap. It's importnat to know what the objective is for the professional who a real estate broker hires to assist in marketing a home for sale.