While the so-called “reality” home staging television shows such as “Sell This House” or “Designed to Sell” have greatly raised awareness of the need for staging to give a property an edge over the competition, they may have given a false perception of what staging is and is not.
It’s true that a Staging Professional often has a team of skilled people who can be counted on to help prepare the house for sale; a Stager does not have an army of trades at her disposal who are “not-for-profit”! And personally, I don’t know where I can buy enough paint to cover an entire house for $40.00, but I’d love to find out!
Here are a few facts to clarify what Staging is and is not in the real world!
- Staging is not just for homes that need a lot of TLC! Even the best homes can benefit from some professional staging recommendations, such as furniture placement, traffic flow or colour selection. Details matter!
- A Staging Professional will not offend or criticize the seller’s decorating taste or the way they live, unlike the brazen “real estate experts” on T.V. A Stager can tactfully make recommendations about issues in the home that a realtor may prefer not to.
- Staging begins by providing sellers with a complete analysis of the property and recommendations to create the all-important ‘WOW’ factor!
- Stagers looks at the home with all-important objectivity and “buyers eyes.”
- Staging is not simply about packing up all the family photos and personal possessions.
- Staging does not mean painting everything off-white and stripping the house of its personality. Buyers won’t get excited over a bland house.
- Staging is not simply about painting the front door red, brewing fresh coffee, baking cookies or setting out a bottle of champagne by the whirlpool tub. Contrived staging will only raise buyer’s suspicions.
- Staging is like applying makeup; when done skillfully, it looks natural.
- Staging almost never involves knocking down walls or creating new doors/windows where there were none before, as on “Designed to Sell”.
- Staging does not have to cost a lot.
- Staging will always be less than the first price reduction!
Buyers look for a home they can envision themselves living in, and they’ll pay more when all they need to do is move in and add their own personal touches to make the house their home.
Stagers understand it’s often difficult for sellers to justify spending money on the house they’re leaving, but a modest investment often reaps huge rewards!
Remember A Home Staging Consultation is included in most of Our Real Estate Service Plans!