Don't Apologize for Offering Staging!
I have been so fortunate to hear from Realtors all around the country that they whole heartedly believe in the value of Staging. The sticking point is how to bring up that conversation. I have offered a few blogs about how to do just that, but at a certain point, we have to truly acknowledge that we are offering Staging because we want to help our clients. If we operate from that standpoint, we may have more success.
If you struggle, here are some ways that you can think about it to reframe it for yourself when a client has these objections:
Cost: Staging will actually save your client money. The Real Estate Staging Association has a Staging Calculator app that allows you to plug in mortgage, carrying costs + Staging fee for that property. It will then calculate cost to not stage + savings when the house is staged first. Great tool. Get it.
Why Do I Need It?: Again, Staging saves your client money. 94% of home buyers aged 25-44 start their search online. They will rule out houses immediately that don't have great listing photos. No showings, no offers. Your sellers need to hear that information. Have they looked online? Which houses are they interested in? Which ones are they not interested in? Why? Take pictures of their home + compare to the pictures that they liked.
Does It Make A Difference?: What do you think? If you don't believe that Staging makes a difference, your client won't. If you don't think it's a value, they won't. If you don't think it sells a house faster, they won't. On the contrary, if you believe that it works, they will appreciate you recommending it. Everyday, I am talking to Realtors who want to offer Staging as a new part of their service to clients. This can't be because the service isn't considered an important aspect of marketing a house.
Reach out to a Stager + learn about what they can do for you, what their rates are, how they operate so that you are informed before you enter the staging conversation. Partner with them. We all have the same goal--taking stress out of selling + helping people get the most money possible--but your knowledge about your local Stagers will help you have these conversations better.
The bottom line: Your client has a need to sell their house. You have a solution to help them sell smarter. Who would dispute that? As always, would love to know your thoughts!
