What I Know for Sure...

Teresa, I'm glad that you brought this up!  The remarks that the Real Estate EXPERT makes is for TV!  In person, the stager is always professional and exuding TACT!  I would neve3r walk into a house and say, What are they thinking, this place looks horrible! (like they do on TV).

Luckily, the designers on those show are always professional... I think most people watching those shows know its all for the drama and effect (I hope!).  We have to put ourselves in the homeowner's shoes and treat them the way we'd want to be treated.

"Honey catches more flies than vinegar"

I agree, I think a lot of people are afraid that we will come in and rip their home apart with rude comments.  That is not the case, at all.  I can always find pleasent things to say about a property and Stagers are very good at explaining that 'living in a home and selling a house are completely different.'  It has nothing to do with their personal taste.  I often explain that even my own home would require a considerable amount of staging before I could put it on the market.  I have children and pets with toys and pictures.  I have personal paint choices that would require changing to sell the house. Good Blog!!

When it comes time to deliver unfavorable comments to a homeowner, I always make sure to firstly point out a positive aspect about their home, then deliver the "bad news". I explain to  them that "Buyers will notice........"  I never say the word clutter to a client...but instead suggest that we "edit some of their possesions". The thing I hate the most about those tv shows (and I watch all of them) is when they break down how much they spent to prepare the home, they never seem to include labor costs.

First... Welcome to Active Rain.

I always say I walk thru a house with "Buyers Eyes" which mean you do have to be a bit critical... but not mean. Personally I try to be a little fun and playful when I point to things that are goign to work against a seller.

It is a fine line that MUST be carefully walked along.

This is a great first post into this big staging puddle.

Stage it forward...

Me

Teresa, I support what you are saying totally. If that TV show was using a stager making those remarks we would have to rise up and protest. But in the light of day, stagers could not ask for a better platform to do their advertising for the profession than a TV show promoting the benefits of staging. I don't think viewers would tune in if all was sweet and nice. And I also think that if the camera's were not rolling, the home owners would not hire, nor listen, to anything these people were suggesting...they would kick them out of their house. So let's be grateful that we are not having to sell the idea completely on our own.

Stage It Forward! 

Teresa welcome to AR and congratulation on your featured post.  You are right those people give stagers and realtors a bad name there is certainly a lack of professionalism and this can be a turn off for consumers.

Teeresa,

Welcome to AR & Congrats on your post as well.  Keep up the good work.

Ray Nellum

Hi Teresa and WELCOME!

Your first blog and you got a star!  I suspect that we are going to be hearing great things from you!

This is a timely subject for me because I just spent the last 2 days creating a Consultation Report for homeowners that have much to do.  Since they have already bought a new place to live, most of the furniture in the Impact Rooms is missing.  All the walls are white and in need of painting.  There are so many things that need to be addressed that I won't even go into them here.

All the while that I was working on the report, I was mindful that this is someone's home and I did not want to disrespect their choices of color and decor.  There were also religious icons that needed to be addressed.

A professional Home Stager is able to relay information with tact and respect.

You are off to a great start here on AR! I agree walk threw the property as if you are buying it yourself. I know I can be overly critical and judgement - that doesn't make me right! Somebody else may LOVE the dead dear carcass in the back yard (true story)!

Good post on etiquette. Something we all need to remember when we walk in to those homes that need help. Look forward to hearing more from you! And look at all the great comments, too!

Welcome to Active Rain, Teresa.

I realized the impact those shows had on the industry when I arrived do an estimate for hands-on staging and the homeowner asked me very directly...with trepidation in her voice...Are you going to criticize the way I decorated my house? 

I told her that I was there to help her prepare her house to show its absolute best to potential buyers not to make judgments on the way she lives.   Sensing the reason for her concern, I asked,  "Do you watch the staging shows on TV?" and she said. " Oh yes, my husband and I watch them all the time and we love them.  I was just afraid that you were going to make fun of my house!!!"  I explained to her that those shows are strictly for entertainment and that a true real estate professional would never make remarks of that nature to any client. 

For those of you who make reference to the staging shows in your marketing materials, be sure that you also explain that you are a professional and treat all your clients with kindness, consideration and courtesy and that you leave the insults for the tv shows.

 

welcome! i too agree with you. selling is already stressful, there is really no need for drama.

cheers,

cindy

i love staging and all things staging!

i stage to sell, live & work in san francisco bay area

www.staged4more.com

http://stagingtipsandmore.com 

 

Teresa,

Thanks for the the post. I like the engaging style of writing, excellent delivery! Welcome aboard and congratulations on the double star acknowledgement, I don't think I've ever seen one before!

Teresa,

You make such a good point.  Stagers that are not professional and criticize everything in people's homes have no right to do that.  If you come out and attack someone right when you walk in THEIR home, how open are they really going to be to your advice on home staging?  Great blog.

Teresa, a little kindness and act goes a long way. It's possible to be honest, direct and unoffensive at the same time. You just gotta want to!

Keep up the good work

Teresa , congrats on your first gold star and welcome to AR :)

Like Marci Toliver said tact is very important!

Eddy

Great post, I think this is an area that needs to be addressed before the industry can grow to its greatest potential.  TV shows, especially the ones from England give the homeowner impressions that's what stagers do when coming into their homes.  We all know it's not true, but how do we convey this to those who haven't experienced it?