After talking to many Stagers throughout the US I have come to find that with real estate sales dropping so are the request for Staging. It should have been the opposite. In a sellers market homes were selling in days even if they weren't Staged. In a buyers market there is so much more competition on the market that buyers are going to buy the best value for their dollar. This is the time that Staging really becomes vaulable.
So for Realtors and home owners alike if you are not using a Home Stager, now is the time!
I have also found that when a Realtor becomes the go between of a Stager and a seller they find it difficult to sell the Stager. The Stager deserves the opportunity to sell their services directly to the seller, just like when a Realtor does a listing presentation they want all home owners present.
Would you like a seller to call you as a Realtor and ask what your commission rates are and hang up. That's what Realtors do to Stagers.
Working with one Stager works best. You learn their vocabulary for selling their services, you learn how they work. If you want to provide the seller with good customer service( which is the only reason I can think of why a Realtor would want to be the go between) just offer to be present when the Stager arrives. Otherwise, if the Realtor doesn't give the Stager the opportunity you actually hurt the seller. And why would a Realtor want to hurt their own client!
I cannot stress enough as a Realtor and successful home Stager how important Staging is especially on a vacant home. I am going on my fourth year as a Realtor and I would like to share what I have done in over 3 years.
Very simply put, every home that I have listed myself, I Staged. Every home sold in under 28 days! Some in 3 days, some in 7 days!
Is that not proof enough that when you keep control of the home selling process, and walking away from a client that won't listen to your advice you will maintain excellent statistics. What could be a better selling tool to your future clients? You can recommend price, you can recommend condition. If sellers won't listen to your advice, why do you want them as your client? They might as well list it on FSBO. Let then waste their marketing dollars not yours.
Be aggressive, learn to tell sellers what they need to do, and if they won't listen, learn to walk away.
Comments(1)