Many real estate professionals are hesitant to suggest staging professionals to home sellers, and for some good reasons:
- Sellers are emotionally attached to the home – and suggestions made that change the decor or ambiance of the home can be upsetting.
- What if the seller does a bunch of changes and the house doesn’t sell quickly? Won’t they be irritated for the inconvenience and time spent?
- What if the suggestions made are too expensive and frustrate my home seller?
Here’s the feedback we received this week from some “resistant to staging” clients. (Well – in reality almost hostile clients!) We were hired at the insistence of the real estate agent.
Just a thank you for your help with staging our home. We have already implemented many of your suggestions. The small things were easy and fairly inexpensive to do. It’s amazing what a difference a few well placed accessories make! We are now working on some of the bigger things. We were impressed that you were practical and understood our situation as you made your recommendations.
And from the spouse who was also at the same consultation:
I expected for you to quickly give us a list of “to do items” and didn’t understand why you were explaining so many things in detail and taking so much time. I realized that my wife wasn’t very receptive during the consultation, but everything you suggested has turned out so much better than we could have imagined. We both now see the value of your recommendations. It all clicked for me when you said that we were not only selling a home but a LIFESTYLE. We cannot believe the difference in the way our home “feels” after implementing some of the changes.
And from another home owner who owned a very difficult to sell rural property. They knew they needed staging and hired us before contacting an agent:
Thank you, Margaret. The website went live sometime Tuesday night, and the first showing was Thursday morning. We signed his full-price offer this morning (Saturday). Can you believe it? Actually, you probably can…We’re both a little shocked. Thanks for all your magic!
From another overwhelmed seller who had a home that was already lovely, but a few improvements made it ready to sell:
I wanted to send you this email last week, but this stager (you!) came into my house and gave a “to do” list that I followed closely and finally completed the list yesterday, and I am exhausted! I am not always receptive to change but you had such great ideas and I followed them, and the house looks beautiful!
Thank You so much for your patience and seeing the potential when I could not. I listed the house tonight. Thanks again, you are awesome!
A professional home stager is trained to:
- Tactfully make suggestions and make a easy to follow plan so sellers aren’t overwhelmed
- Provide statistics and examples to support their recommendations to help clients understand why the improvements are necessary
- Know not only the “why” to do things, but the “how” to do things so implementation of the staging plan is easy
- Work within the clients budget and find solutions to time and money constraints (because there are always limitations)
- Be a resource to maximize every home’s potential so it looks beautiful in photos and in person
So what do home sellers think about working with a real estate staging professional?
They love our job almost as much as we do!
Margaret Oscilia is a Professional Home Stager with Creative Concepts – Home Staging and Contracting serving Salem Oregon and surrounding areas who specializing in helping home sellers stage to sell or re-design to live well. Moving or improving? Make sure you work with a stager who has the expertise to showcase your home’s full potential, stretch your budget, and maximize your time.
Related Posts:
Can I Afford to Have my Home Staged?
What do buyers think of a staged home?
Selling a home in 2011? Tips from the Pros
