I had no idea what staging was...I thought it was just bringing furniture into a home for sale

By Kym Hough

Home Stager with www.Staged-to-Sell

February 28, 2008 04:13 PM

Last night friend and local Realtor of the Year 2007 Terrylynn Fisher of Diablo Realty asked me to join her for a speaking engagement to a group of investors/flippers. They get together once a month to discuss properties locally and across the country they consider purchasing, fixing up and selling in the shortest amount of time and for the most money.

Terrlynn was first up to speak front of the group and gave a fantastic and informative talk about the benefits of staging in the Real Estate Market. She had some great points and backed them up with statistics such as:

63% of buyers are willing to pay more money for a house that is move in ready - Maritz Research staging polls 2006
Homes that were staged sold twice as fast as homes that were not survey by Joy Valentine Coldwell Banker
79% of homeowners said that they were willing to pay more for a home with an updated kitchen Maritz Research staging polls 2006

Terrylynn then introduced me to explain how the staging process works and the variety of services a Staging company offers.

Complete report and consultation that describes room by room what is needed to prepare the home for market
Lifestyle staging - to showcase the home to potential buyers
Project Management - we have a team of contractors, painters, landscapers etc. that we work with on an ongoing basis that you can trust to do a great job
Design to Live - when yours staged homes sell we then come to your next home and design your new space using your current furnishings and some additional items
Builder/developer consultant to help select decorative items and colors for new homes

I was scheduled to speak for just a 10 minutes, but there was so many questions it went on for almost an hour. At the end of the discussion one of the lead investors said "I had no idea what staging was...I thought I knew, but I was wrong. I thought it was just bringing furniture into a house for sale. This is so much more. It's great!

Knowledge is power.

Kym Hough, CSP. Staged to Sell serving Contra Costa and Alameda Counties in the San Francisco East Bay. www.staged-to-sell.com

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Bevin Googer

First Impressions Home Staging and Interior Redesign - Mount Pleasant, SC

www.StagingAndRedesign.com

I hear that all the time - especially when I talk about ironing things. People are like, "You do all that? I never knew that much went into it." Great job educating and turning one onto staging!

Feb 28, 2008 11:50 PM

Lynn Crawford

A Different View - Olney, MD

Staging DC & Maryland

Kym - I love your breakdown of services. You've described what a stager does in a clear, concise way. I often find myself searching for a simple way to describe the different levels of staging services.

Feb 28, 2008 11:52 PM

Kym Hough

www.Staged-to-Sell - Danville, CA

Staged to Sell East Bay - Danville, CA

We are available for Oprah if anyone has connections :)

Bevin, we hang all of our laundry up on hangers in a large laundry section of our warehouse and then then are put right on our truck which has a very long bar in the front which we call the closet. Doesn't matter still needs some ironing, but we have cut way back. My team are very happy about that :)

Go forth and spread the word. Staging works. Kym

Feb 29, 2008 12:54 AM

Chris Fisher

Your Virtual Assistant - Concord, CA

That's amazing... I guess I've been so wrapped up in the "staging world" for so long I can't even imagine someone not knowing what it is! lol

www.stagingwebsites.com

Feb 29, 2008 04:02 AM

Julie Davis, Amy Blank - Rediscovered Interiors, LLC

Rediscovered Interiors, LLC - Andover, MN

Great statisitics--I love the fact even more that they are followed up with where they came from. I stay away from using statistics I have "heard" when there is nothing backing up their validity.

Feb 29, 2008 06:40 AM

Kathy Riggle

STAGING SMART N SOLD - Houston, TX

Houston Home Staging

Hi Kym-

Thanks for sharing your presentation to investors. I have consulted with several, and sometimes they want to buy their own furniture to reuse in the next flip. It takes alot of education to show them that it is not just bringing in furniture, but analyzing the features of each house and the buyer demographics!

Kathy

Feb 29, 2008 07:28 AM

Elaine Manes Gage

Home Staging Online Services - Denver, CO

Staging done ONLINE!

Kym- Thank you for making a small dent in the population of peole who just don't "get it"! My friend, Nancy, and I were at an after hours networking get together last night, and we educated a few people, too. If we keep plugging away, eventually the WORLD will get it!!!

Feb 29, 2008 08:28 AM

Melissa Marro

Keller Williams First Coast Realty - The Marro Team - Orange Park, FL

Jacksonville Real Estate and Home Staging

What great networking and teamwork! Really great! I think it is great how you managed to actually educate those who thought they knew what staging really was.

Feb 29, 2008 09:54 AM

Robyn Guinn

StageAZ - Phoenix, AZ

Home staging, Arizona

Very informative, thank you. I have a group of investors/flippers and boy they just don't want to spend any money. I talking whole house interior painting that really needs to be done and/or changing out dirty green carpet. "Well, just paint some of the rooms, not the ceiling, and get the absolute cheapest carpet there is, no one cares that the countertops are 1980 green formica. What do you do with someone who just thinks we move in furniture and walah, it's magic? I'm really struggling with this one when his whole intention is "if staging works we do all of the properties" It can work but not if you go mickey mouse it. Have you run across that? I would up load a couple of photos but it's gving me a hard time right now.

Feb 29, 2008 01:08 PM

Kym Hough

www.Staged-to-Sell - Danville, CA

Staged to Sell East Bay - Danville, CA

Thanks all, Terrylynn was really the star. She was so fantastic presenting it to the group. To have a Realtor as such an amazing supporter of all of us stagers is the best part. She is better at presenting Staging benefits then most stagers I know. If we had 50 more Terrylynn's across the country we would have it so easy!

Diane - come up and visit for the seminar. Both Terrylynn and I have room and we would love to have any of our Staging Sisters (I am quoting from Lori Kim Polk here) visiting us. Just let us know.

Feb 29, 2008 01:10 PM

Kym Hough

www.Staged-to-Sell - Danville, CA

Staged to Sell East Bay - Danville, CA

Robyn, I run into people all the time who do not believe in Staging. I ask them to spend some time with me and ask me questions. I encourage them to ask me as many as possible. All I ask in return is to keep an open mind and to listen. No arguing just listen. They can ask me 100 and I will continue to anger them with information, statistics, facts and experience. I haven't run across anyone yet who did not come around. I send them to my website, show them to before and afters, and tell them story and after story on why staging works. It just takes practice and confidence. It really works...time after time if the property is priced right and in good condition with staging it sells much faster than without.

keep going - you will get to them. Kym

Feb 29, 2008 02:02 PM

Sheron Cardin

California Moods Inc - Selma, CA

ARTIST - A Home Stager/Sellers Best Friend!

Great post Kym, I am a big fan of yours! I think one of the big problems as to why people don't get it is because the phrase home staging is very vague. Property merchandisers suggest a more familiar role. Of course you take it to the next step and that is what is so special about you.

Feb 29, 2008 02:15 PM

Sheron Cardin

California Moods Inc - Selma, CA

ARTIST - A Home Stager/Sellers Best Friend!

PS: may I make a suggestion and include the Realtor's group in this post. It clarifies some questions.

Feb 29, 2008 02:17 PM

Terrylynn Fisher

Dudum Real Estate Group - BuyStageSell.com - Walnut Creek, CA

HAFA Certified, EcoBroker, CRS, CSP Realtor, Etc.

Kym Wow, THANKS for the kudos. I thought you were amazing too. We make a good team. Congrats on another feature, you are catching me...

Feb 29, 2008 02:42 PM

Kathleen Lordbock

Keller Williams Realty Professionals - Baxter, MN

Keller Williams Realty Professionals

Please send some staging savvy Realtors like Terrylyn to MN. I keep on nibbling at their ears, like Gary suggests, but there is an elephant in the room.

Sounds like you have great teamwork going.

Feb 29, 2008 02:47 PM

Kym Hough

www.Staged-to-Sell - Danville, CA

Staged to Sell East Bay - Danville, CA

Hi Sheron, I tried to post to Realtors just now and it wouldn't let me?

Kathleen - don't you know it! Sorry, we won't let her go :)

Feb 29, 2008 03:36 PM

Terrylynn Fisher

Dudum Real Estate Group - BuyStageSell.com - Walnut Creek, CA

HAFA Certified, EcoBroker, CRS, CSP Realtor, Etc.

Kym, think you need to join the group and then you can post a blog, copy it and put it there. Isn't that how it works?

Feb 29, 2008 06:41 PM

Lori Kim Polk

Premiere Home Staging : Home Staging Services - Roseville, CA

Home Stager - Roseville, Sacramento

Yes, she needs to do that. You 2 are like bread and butter.. you compliment each other so well and I think it is so powerful to be a strong Realtor/Stager team. You two Rock!

What in the heck is a grumixameira? Oh my, are they making the graphics harder now?

Mar 01, 2008 05:01 AM

Kym Hough

www.Staged-to-Sell - Danville, CA

Staged to Sell East Bay - Danville, CA

Terrylynn is the bread I am just the spread :)

Lori, got read my dog blog. We have a new little one, yes a fourth dog. We are insane. His name is Homer Thadeus Hough. I posted photos in my blog on It's raining dogs.

Mar 01, 2008 02:48 PM

Lori Kim Polk

Premiere Home Staging : Home Staging Services - Roseville, CA

Home Stager - Roseville, Sacramento

Homer Thadeus.. OMG, that is adorable! Off to Raining Dogs I go ;)

Mar 02, 2008 06:19 AM