A Brooklyn Realtor calls up to schedule a home staging consultation with our company. We go to the condo review the space and put together a staging proposal, only to discover that the Realtor who referred us had a falling out with the client. The homeowner tells us staging the condo wasn’t his top priority now, until finding new representation. I referred him to a Realtor we use in his area, they hit it off immediately and the staging day was scheduled. In less than 72 hours after staging the space, the home was sold! Prior to staging the home sat on the market for nearly six months with little buyer interest.
Home stagers can create a win-win situation for you and your client. In this scenario the Realtor we referred sold a home, the homeowner got to move on, and as a home stager, we got to transform an amazing home; the best part we all made money in just days!
By adding a home stager to your real estate team, these situations won’t be uncommon. A good stager is a partner in your success, we can help you close at listing presentations, get more listings, help your clients stand out and brand your business and listings.
While no home staging company is created equal, they do all possess one skill their employees are multi-taskers, so it seems fitting that these companies offer an array of services tailored to the homeowner’s needs.
Home staging is more than just cleaning and decluttering, it’s about lifestyle merchandising and viewing the home as a product. That’s why professional home staging companies offer services, like, consultations, staging days, blended services, project management, clutter management, inventory rental, Realtor/vendor referral programs and much more.
Let’s go over these service options home staging companies typically offer (Note: the name of the services and description of the services vary depending on the staging company):
Staging Consultations. A home stager will usually visit the home, take measurements and photos. Can advise your clients on what needs to be done to stage their property. This can be done in verbal or written format, clients then do the work. The consultation takes about an hour and can cost anywhere from $75-$300, which in many cases will be applied to further staging services. This is an invaluable service, if your client doesn’t have a lot of money to spend, but could benefit from some expert advice.
Staging Day. Stagers evaluate the home as mentioned above, give a bid on how much it will cost for the home staging company to complete the work. Set the date and stage it. Home stagers will tackle the rooms and projects discussed in the proposed plan. Some of tasks may include, rearranging furniture, hanging artwork, light painting, cleaning and decluttering, displaying vignettes, etc. Basically, anything the room needs to showcase the space, keeping in mind the client’s budget.
Blended Staging Services. This service is for homeowners with a limited budget and like the DIY approach. The homeowner and stagers work together. It would be important for the stager to do the major rooms though.
Project Management. Many times multiple projects are needed to get a home ready for a sale, a stager can offer project management services. They handle the entire project and manage painters, carpet installs, cleaners, handyman, etc. This frees up your time, as a Realtor, to focus on marketing and selling the listing. It can also take the burden off the homeowner, so they can focus on daily responsibilities and not become overwhelmed with the selling process.
Clutter Management. Maybe you can’t see your client’s hardwood floors, or their closets are stuffed to the max. If your client has clutter stagers have techniques to help them get rid of it. Clutter management, similar to professional organization can help your clients straighten out, provide storage solutions, can help pack items away, many stagers even have relationships with junk removal, storage, estate sale companies and also have the ability to arrange pick-ups with organizations, like Goodwill. They can give client’s the tools needed to keep the home clutter-free while on the market too.
Inventory Rental. Many home staging companies own their own accessories and in many cases own furniture, that they will then rent to their clients. This inventory gives the clients an option to rent vs. buy items to enhance the look of the home. These items range from bedding to artwork to large pieces of furniture. Inventory rental services are especially used when a home is vacant.
Realtor/Vendor Referral Programs. This service helps build relationships between the staging company and Realtors, as well as other pertinent vendors. In the scenario mentioned above stagers can be a great referral source for Realtors and can even offer discounts for Realtors who consistently provide business.
These services can be used to help dated and worn out spaces, vacant homes, cluttered homes and homes that need some updating to find out how home staging can help you and your client check out this video. If you’re a Realtor contact us to get this video sent to you to present on your iPad during listing presentations.
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