Some agents will pay for a home staging consultation as part of the service they offer homeowners when they get a new listing. Clearly there are several points in favor of this:
- helps differentiate the agent from others who don't offer this service
- provides a value added service that may build customer loyalty
- the agent may end up with a listing that shows better than if they hadn't provided this
- the agent gets an independent third party to say things they may not want to tell their client themselves
- the agents gets an independent third party to be in the middle of a disagreeing husband and wife so they won't have to
- the agent frees up their own time to do what they do best, getting and promoting listings.
All that said, I don't think homeowners or home stagers should necessarily expect real estate agents to pick up the tab for a home staging consultation.
Just because an agent recommends a home stager does not mean they have to pay for it; in the same way we wouldn't expect them to pay for a real estate lawyer or home inspector they recommended to a client.
I'd much prefer dealing with homewoners directly who understand the value of home staging and are prepared to invest in it, because they understand that they'll likely make a profit on my services. In fact, most of my clients make anywhere from $10,000 to $70,000 profit on my staging services (even when all I've done is a consultation!).
Homeowners who pay for the initial consultation themselves are most receptive to what we have to recommend, unlike homeowners who only have us there because their agent is paying. There's nothing like doing a consultation while the homeowner keeps looking at their watch hoping you don't go overtime because they have no interest in investing any of their own money in the process. These homeowners are less likely to act on many of our recommendations because they're just "playing along." For them it's free advice so they don't necessarily value it.
Home staging makes a HUGE difference in the presentation of a home. It will sell more quickly and for a higher amount. It's only common sense that more buyers will be attracted to a fabulously presented home and be more willing to pay more for it. Snap decisions, first impressions... these are human nature. It applies to how we judge people we meet, the restaurants we dine in, dates we go on, books we read, movies we see, used cars we buy, and of course the homes we purchase!
I'll be sharing my top home staging tips on Bob McCormick's Money 101, CBS NewsRadio's Los Angeles affiliate KNX1070 at 10:30 AM Pacific time, Monday November 6.
Debra Gould, The Staging Diva
President, Six Elements Inc.
Home Staging expert Debra Gould also known as The Staging Diva is president of Six Elements Inc., a leading home staging company that provides free information to raise the standards in the industry and build awareness amongst homeowners and their real estate agents about the benefits of decorating a house to sell. She also offers a referral service that is free to homeowners and agents looking for a home stager anywhere in the US, Canada, Australia, the UK and South Africa.
Debra Gould developed The Staging Diva Program to create opportunities for others to grow their own profitable home staging, real estate enhancement businesses.
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