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Why would a realtor suggest NOT staging?

By Amanda Woodall

Home Stager with Transistional Designs, LLC

September 11, 2007 02:52 AM

Im very confused over a situation that occured recently with a potential client. My partner and I went out and met with a client who wanted to stage their home. It has been on the market for 5 months, and has had lots of showings, but no offers. We completed our bid and sent it to the client who decided to speak to his realtor for advice.

He told her that he had a stager come out and provide a bid and she said "Whoa, Whoa, Whoa! You did what? Why would you do that? If you really want to use your money to do something to help the house sell, drop your price instead."

WHAT?!?!?!?! This house is very competitively priced for the area, and therefore does not need a price drop (per several agents!). I cannot figure out why the agent would be against staging this house (or any house for that matter!). It is not as if she were paying for it, or it was coming out of her commissions. This is a great house, but as an older couple lived there, it needed a bit of modernization for younger couples.

In the end, the seller was enthused and impressed with our suggestions, and we actually staged the house this weekend. Here are some before and after pics. What do you think? Money well spent?

Den Before Den After

LR Before HR After

FR Before FR After

Kitchen Before Kitchen After

Comments(11)

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Cari Pilon

RE:STYLE Home Staging - Brighton, MI

RE:STYLE Home Staging

Amanda, obviously that realtor needs an education on the benefits of staging. Not only what it can do for her clients but what it can do for her as a Realtor. See if you can arrange a meeting with her at a later date and show her your portfloio and testimonials.

Good luck!

Cari

Sep 11, 2007 09:10 AM

Anonymous

Carol Ellis Luxury-Domain to Home Stage

Oh, Amanda! Please read my blog about Realtors telling clients NOT to stage. I don't know your area and how educated, or forward thinking ,the Realtors are in general, but I would have told her that unless she wants me to talk to her clients about pricing their home, she should not talk to them about NOT staging. This is especially true if the client came to you via a means other than that Realtor. You need to establish your turf too.

I have faced the same thing and after I got over my shock at what the Realtor said I decided to educate them and just lay it on the line right up front. If you are a gentle soul and basically nonconfrontational maybe you could e mail her and ask for a meeting to show her how you can increase HER bottom line and help her get more referrals from satisfied sellers. Sadly, many Realtors still think of Stagers as invading their turf and this may be what happened in your case. The Realtor in point may be used to calling all the shots with clients and just be reluctant to give up any turf.

Since staging is relatively new to all of the country, and to Realtors, you and the rest of us stagers, have to be patient and realize that this is going to be a slow slog for a while. Interestingly enough, I think the slow market will bring desparate Realtors around. PLEASE DO NOT GIVE UP OR GET DISCOURAGED BECAUSE IT WILL HAPPEN FOR US AND FOR THE REALTORS.

Your pics tell the story. Good job and keep it up! Never give up. Every day you keep staging is a day closer to success in your business.

09/11/2007

Sep 11, 2007 09:34 AM

Kathy Passarette

Creative Home Expressions - Mount Sinai, NY

L.I. Staging/Decorating

Amanda ~ I agree with Cari - definitely see if you can meet with that realtor. She must be under a different impression of what staging provides and the cost involved. I mean, why would you tell someone to drop their list price (at least 5%), when staging might be 1% or less? And, the drop in price is going to affect your commission? I just don't get why they are not getting it.

Sep 11, 2007 09:37 AM

Sherry Woolever * Seller's Edge

Seller's Edge - Marengo, IL

I have the same problem in my area, Realtors that are not educated or "Have been doing this for years without it" mentality. Do they think they are actually saving the seller money?. Good thing many sellers are better educated than their own Realtors in some cases.

Sep 11, 2007 11:18 AM

Terry Haugen STAGE it RIGHT! 321-956-2495

Stage it Right! - Melbourne, FL

Amanda, thats what I've been saying all along. The realtors are sabotaging our business by either not recommending staging as a cost effective tool to make that sale, or they are not recommending staging because they would rather have the client drop their price as an incentive to buyers. One of my clients just reduced his house by $100k on advice of his realtor. Fortunately he called me in to stage before they could have the "don't hire a stager, reduce the price" converstaion. In this down market price reduction does not work. If there are no buyers at any price then why not take if off the market for a while then relist, AFTER the stager works her magic!

Sep 11, 2007 01:35 PM

Amanda Woodall

Transistional Designs, LLC - O'Fallon, IL

Transitional Designs, LLC

Cari: Thanks! I think you are right. I think I will try to contact the realtor.

Carol: I will definitely look at your blog. I think you are right about establishing turf. As I have never been called gentle or nonconfrontational, I may need to just call her up to discuss exactly what staging is and what we can do to help her move her properties.

Kathy: I think that is one of the most astonishing parts for me. I do not understand why the realtors are suggesting price cuts over staging in this market.

Sherry: In this case, the seller was definitely paying attention.

Terry: Wow! $100k seems like a last chance effort to me. I can't believe that was the realtors suggestion. You are completely right about the current market condition.

Sep 11, 2007 02:22 PM

Cindy Lin

Staged4more School of Home Staging - South San Francisco, CA

Host, The Home Staging Show podcast

It always shocks me that they would stay in business, especially now people's awareness of staging has risen tremendously. How is it for client's best interest to lower thousands of dollars while not doing something like staging when will help them to move the homes of the market and decrease the possibility of paying more mortgage? And also possibility add onto their own commission dollars?

Cheers,

Cindy

Sep 11, 2007 04:34 PM

Susan Peters

Dove Realty Inc. - Seattle, WA

The Better it Looks the Better it Sells

This Realtor is like all of the other dinosaurs who living in the 1980s. Don't worry. In a few years, they will either wake-up or they'll be out of the business.

Sep 11, 2007 06:19 PM

Betty Haney

Haney Consulting - Calgary, AB

Amanda, I find that younger realtors (and of course many, many seasoned realtors as well) are more apt to hire or recommend a stager. Your pictures do tell the story. What did the realtor have to say after you staged? Betty

Sep 11, 2007 06:24 PM

Amanda Woodall

Transistional Designs, LLC - O'Fallon, IL

Transitional Designs, LLC

I guess I was most surprised because this was a relatively young realtor. In addition, this home has had no showings in weeks, but this agent has no suggestions or ideas to get traffic in, other than lower the price. They had quite a bit of traffic when it first came on the market, and it is well priced, so I just don't think the price is the issue.

The realtor has not seen the home since it was staged. The seller was so put off by her comments and lack of an action/marketing plan that he is changing realtors. I still think I will contact the realtor myself to see if I can take her through the home and see what she says now.

Thanks for the positive comments on the pictures. We were very, very happy with how this home turned out!

Sep 12, 2007 03:40 AM

Amanda Woodall

Transistional Designs, LLC - O'Fallon, IL

Transitional Designs, LLC

Thanks for the positive comments on the pictures. We were very, very happy with how this home turned out!

Sep 12, 2007 03:41 AM