I thought I would start out the New Year with a blog about a funny but strange thing that happened to me last week with a staging project. One of my favorite blogs to write is my "day in the life of a home stager" series. I have not had the time to write about my adventures lately but a friend (thanks CS) suggested that I blog about my latest drama so others can enjoy the crazy, and sometimes odd job we do called home staging:
In 2006 a Realtor I work with asked me to stage a property for a family that was going to be renting a home while their new construction home was being built. This was something I normally do not do but decided that it would be fun to create an entirely new look for the family while they were living in a temporary home. I asked one of my Associates to set up a meeting with the family to view the home. She then selected the furniture, wrote up the proposal and scheduled the job to stage the property.
Two days before the job my Associate called me to let me know that her son was ill and that she could not install the home. She had not had time to prep the job and asked me to select the items from our inventory and go to the home and set things up. The renter would not be there (they were at their Summer home) and I could let myself in and stage the home so it would be ready when they returned.
The day of the job I went to the home and set things up. I left the renter a note letting her know that if she needed anything else to call me and I would come back and fine tune the home. The Realtor was pleased with how things looked and told me that the home owner wanted to keep the items after the renter moved out so the home could be staged when it was shown.
6 months went by and I did not hear anything from the renter, the homeowner or the Realtor. 6 more months went by and I finally called the realtor to inquire about what was going on. She said that the renters' home was still not ready. Since I was billing them every month I decided not to complain about it.
Last month I got a call from a homeowner in my town asking for me to come take a look at her vacant home that she wanted to sell. We set up an appointment. When I arrived at the home I rang the door bell and a woman answered. She said that she was renting the home and the owner had not told her that anyone was coming over and that I could not come in to take a look. She said she was moving out in two weeks.
I called the client- she had forgotten about our meeting and we rescheduled to meet last week once the renter had moved out. It was a charming newer home with great details and hardwood floors. The kitchen was small yet stylish and I could not help but comment on the great accessories she had. I asked her if they belonged to her and she said that they were the renters and she was coming back to collect them that day.
We then went into the family room and I immediately noticed the artwork and lamps the renter had left behind. I loved how they had an elegant yet simple chic look that did not overpower the space but still drew your eye to the fireplace. Again I commented on how nice her items were. The homeowner agreed telling me that she liked the look of the home when the renter lived there so much that she took pictures and was going to use them in the marketing of the home.
When we entered the living room I felt like I was in a dream. In front of me was the most perfect floor vase with reeds and a natural sisal rug and twin topiaries on the mantle. I immediately blurted out "This woman has fabulous taste! Is she a designer? I know I am here to look at your home but she has done such a great job!" The homeowner replied that she was a stay at home mom with 4 kids and they were living here while their new home was being built With that I asked her the client's name. Upon hearing the name I was stunned- THIS WAS THE NAME OF THE CLIENT WHOSE RENTAL HOME I STAGED 18 MONTHS AGO! BUT THIS WAS NOT THE HOME I STAGED. THIS HOME WAS 5 MILES AWAY! HERE I WAS ADMIRING HER THINGS AND THEY WERE REALLY MINE!!!
I paused and took a deep breath and explained to the client that I was feeling very strange. I had staged a home for that client and assumed that they were living in that home and now here I was in an entirely different home looking at my own staging work!! I felt as if I was in the Twilight Zone. She laughed and said that at least she now knew what my work looked like! The renter had never told her that these were not her things. The reason I did not know it was my staging when I visited the home is that I never met the renter in person and went to stage their first home before they moved in. When I went to the new home to do the estimate and she answered the door I had no idea it was the renter.
So what happened to the first home? Well it sold and the clients had to move out! Last night I got a call from the renter and she is now in her permanent home and wants me to pick up the items. I explained that I was the stager that came to look at the second rental home and she said she did not realize it was me since my Associate met with her the first time. As for the home seller- she contracted us to do the staging work but called me yesterday to tell me that the home RENTED. Another renter had seen the home online (with my staging for the other renter) and decided to live there for the next 6 months. The plan is to stage it when they move out but we will wait and see.
Sometimes this is a very strange job. We go into people's homes day in and day out and help them prepare their homes for sale. You never know what you will see- it may even be your own staging!
I am very honored to have been nominated for RESA Professional Stager of the Year. To vote for me please VOTE HERE
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