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Butttttt …. I don’t wanna use a Stager! She’ll make me work!

By Tori Lynn Wallitsch

Home Stager with Prudential Ambassador / Ross Designs, LLC

June 25, 2008 03:08 PM

I often wonder why some of my devoted agent-clients don't hire me for every SINGLE one of their listings. I don't stalk their websites like a hound dog and accost them for not hiring me for some of their listings or anything like that. But occasionally I come across one and wonder to myself, "Is it something I did? Or is it more likely some resistance on the seller's part?".

Then I started thinking to myself about how UN-anxious I am about the prospect of selling my own house a couple of years down the road. I don't wanna fix the missing trim piece in the kitchen. I don't wanna paint the ceiling where we got the wall paint all over it. I don't wanna replace the window with the broken seal.

Is it possible that many sellers have the same "I don't wanna" syndrome???? I can just hear some sellers saying to their agent, "I don't wanna Stager to come to our house, because she'll make us work!"

What do you think?

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Val Allocco

Staged 2 Sell New York & Long Island - Northport, NY

HSE; ASHSR - Home Stager, for Manhattan, Brooklyn & Long Island

Tori, I believe that it goes even deeper than that. Plain and simple, and please don't shoot the 'messenger' on this but, most sellers (and many realtors) don't believe in the value of staging.

I had an experience just yesterday where the realtor hired me to stage a 'vacant' that was still 'somewhat' occupied by the seller (meaning he's a "squatter"!)...no real furniture left and he had painted the ENTIRE interior WHITE. He did not believe in staging - SHE did (thankfully!). So, we used some of her own furniture, some of my inventoried furniture and Staged 2 Sell NY props & accessories. By the end of the staging this 'unbeliever' told me that he was "impressed" and that he generally was not EASILY "impressed" - so this spoke 'volumes' to me!

Many times I find that the seller would prefer to take a price reduction in lieu of staging because the reduction is not coming 'out of pocket' (or so they think!).

One further observation - a large number of sellers do not understand the importance of preparing the house to sell in today's market. They don't realize that the competition is fierce!

Best of luck to you in all your endeavors!

Val

Jun 25, 2008 03:57 PM

Cindy Bryant

Redesign Etc. Home Staging - Houston, TX

"Houston Home Staging Pros"

I don't think anyone wants to hear what they need to do, it can be overwhelming. But nowadays, it's essential to be competitive. I dread the day I have to move!

Jun 25, 2008 04:33 PM

Tori Lynn Wallitsch

Prudential Ambassador / Ross Designs, LLC - Omaha, NE

Val - you are correct, there are STILL quite a few people who do not yet "get: the value of Staging. They will come! Home inspections also used to be a strange concept :-) Congrats on your vacant success story.

Cindy & David - yes, nobody really wants to hear the bad news about what they need to address about their home to make it more competitive. Staging is a good way to gauge a seller's commitment to selling their home.

Michelle - I also like to mention in my presentations that not only is Staging marketing as opposed to decorating, it is not just a buzz word, but rather is a specific marketing term.

Jun 26, 2008 07:16 AM

Thanks for the feature in "Services for Real Estate Professionals"!!

Jun 26, 2008 03:12 PM

Shobha Vyavahare

stagewithme, Greenville, South Carolina - Greenville, SC

You are right this kind of mentality makes our job as a stager, even harder, but we have to keep working at it and convince the homeowners that staging will be a better choice for them. They will have to do all those little things when they show up in home inspection, sooner the better.

Shobha

Jun 27, 2008 12:00 AM

Butttttt …. I don’t wanna use a Stager! She’ll make me work!

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