How I KNOW that Staging Works!

I’ve been in business for just over two years, and I’ve staged scores of homes.  I like to think that I have a satisfied and loyal realtor client base, because together we get great results for our home sellers. 

But something has alluded me… that ABSOLUTE, once and for all, success story of my own that proves staging works and that sometimes it is the only thing that will.  Until now…

Two weeks ago I received a call from a realtor that I had worked with a few times before, but not on all her listings.  She was selling a property, and after 24 showings with no interest whatsoever, she called me.

It’s true that people only know what they see, not the way it’s going to be.   Even though this property was priced exactly right, there was nothing to entice a buyer to part with their money.  So after a quick walk through I outlined my plan with the homeowner, and we staged a few days later. 

The results speak for themselves.  Three days and five showings later, there was an offer on the table and a list of others hoping to compete.  If the seller had been interested, he would have received an offer from three of the five! 

So now I have my own story… because with absolute certainty, it was staging that motivated several potential buyers and drove the sale.

Drives and Walkways… Your Pathway to a Sale.

As homeowners, we get used to the different dips and cracks in our own driveways or front paths, just as we get used to a bit of clutter or a carpet stain inside the house.   Often we use a side door or come in through the garage, and we don’t notice how the stone walk to the front door may have slipped into disrepair. 

When preparing your house for sale, take a critical look at the approach potential buyers will be taking to reach your front door.  After all, that’s where their first impression is going to be forming.

The drive needs to be in good condition and as the frost is coming out this spring you may be seeing cracks and heaves that were not there last fall.  Unfortunately, a new drive cannot always be avoided.  If more than half of it is damaged, pitted or cracked, you should consider making this investment before selling.   

Often a new topcoat or sealer is all that is required, and this is going to go a long way to improving the curb appeal of your property.   Other times, a good cleaning is going to do the trick, and did you know that kitty litter will lift new oil and grease stains?  Let the kitty litter sit for a while to soak up the grease and then follow it with a grease cutting detergent.

Remember that as people begin their approach to your door on foot, they will be scrutinizing your walkway and landscaping.   Be sure that paths are properly balanced, with no broken or cracked patio stones, and pay attention that the lawn or garden hasn’t started encroaching and become overgrown.  Make sure your walkway is neatly edged and swept, and pick up any trash that as collected over the winter and been hidden by the snow.

The drive and walkway in front of your house are ALWAYS part of the first impression that buyers form without even realizing, so be sure to include them in your staging plans.  They could be your pathway to a sale!

The Language of Staging

I ran across an interesting article in the online Seattle Times discussing a study by University of Guelph researcher Paul Anglin.  The study delved into real estate buying patterns, but it was the impact of the use of certain words that the Seattle Times article discussed. 

Words such as “motivated” don’t have the positive effect that you might be hoping for, but instead bring lower offers because there is a perception of seller desperation.   Whereas words that denoted “curb appeal” or general attractiveness helped a property sell faster than those that spoke of “value” and “price.”

What I find intriguing here is how this relates to what property stagers do.  Through staging we are communicating with the buyer’s senses by creating great curb appeal and attractive, desirable surroundings.  We maximize a property’s strengths and minimize any weaknesses, through the language of staging. 

The article states that “listings where “landscaping” was heralded sold 20 percent faster, and homes in “move-in condition” took 12 percent less time to sell than the benchmark.”  Obviously it’s not enough to just say you’re in move-in condition… you have to actually be. 

The study found that words that suggested desirable attributes, like granite or gourmet, translated into a higher sale price.  Its about selling the lifestyle, and a great stager understands that too.  Through lifestyle selling techniques we demonstrate to the buyer what life could be like if they bought this property. 

Buyers today are savvy, and it’s never our aim to trick them.  But, when we communicate with buyers through the language of staging we are appealing to their senses, they feel good about the property, which naturally translates into a better overall experience for the seller.

Home Staging… Arguments We Hear Why Homeowners Don’t Stage

It’s been said that there are no more original thoughts, and when it comes to reasons about why not to stage, well I can almost agree.  When home sellers express their concerns about staging, we usually hear one of the following:

#1 – Professional Home Staging is expensive… Actually we can tailor to almost any budget, but the truth is that we need to start thinking of staging as an INVESTMENT, and not an “expense” anyway.  Showcasing a home for sale typically returns up to 300% of the original cash outlay, and what other investment can boast that?

#2 – I’m not spending money on a house I’m planning to sell.  Buyers buy with emotion, and once they’ve attached a negative emotion to a perceived flaw in the property its going to inflate the cost.  Investing in repairs, enhancements and improvements before selling will protect the equity in your home by reducing any wiggle room a buyer may have at the negotiating table.  HomeGain.com provides reliable statistics that can help us decide where best to focus your efforts, and the expected returns. 

#3 – My house was professionally decorated so I don’t need to stage.  We offer decorating through New View Home Staging as well, and decorating clients want us to reflect their personal taste, which is the opposite goal in staging.  The purpose of staging is to allow any buyer to enter and immediately feel that they can live there, not to reflect personalities of those that already do.  Staging will neutralize and make a property more appealing to the broadest base of potential buyers, within the target market!

#4 – I’m going to try listing for a month without staging, and then do it if the house still hasn’t sold.   This is one of the biggest mistakes that a seller can make because no one is going to come back to see the house a second time.  Your best chance of selling at the highest price is right out of the gates, so you really need to have photos that present the property in the best possible light right from the start.

#5 – Staging will require me to make a lot of changes, and spend money on things I can’t take with me.  Actually, the starting point for almost every staging job in an occupied home is using exactly what you’ve already got!  We usually take away far more than we add, but when we do bring items in we offer rental rates well below anything that you could purchase, so its a really cost-effective option for the homeowner on a short-term basis. 

Always remember, anything you don’t do now could be the reason that you find yourself living here longer, and eventually accepting an offer for less than you would like.

 

The Home Staging Consultation – Minimal Cost for Maximum Value!

Recently a fellow stager blogged that the home seller turned down the complimentary consultation being offered by her Realtor, because home staging was going to be too expensive anyway.  There’s actually two problems here…

#1 – Home Staging is an INVESTMENT that sellers make to prepare their property for sale, in order to realize great returns once it does.

#2 – Virtually all consultations are FULL of DIY information, meaning the seller will get lots of advice to go ahead and prepare the property themselves!

Consultations are very often provided by a realtor to their home seller as part of their value-added services, and this gets the ball rolling.  Certainly the home stager will offer up the rest of their services to the seller, but really, as a stager representing a realtor my goal is to help get the house sold, in any way that I can.  If the home seller is motivated and capable, I’m going to provide them with their list of recommendations, advise them how much the investment in professional showcasing and inventory rentals would be, answer their questions and wish them well. 

2010 HOME GAIN stats reveal that an average professional showcasing project returned 299% of its original investment after sale,  so I’m comfortable offering up additional services, knowing the value they hold.

However, without the consultation we wouldn’t be at this point, and many homeowner’s don’t have the means to pay for additional services, even with the knowledge that they will triple their money on the other end.  In about two hours, I compile a list of problem areas, recommend paint, lighting and flooring updates, and generally help the homeowner see their property again for the first time.  All they need now is the motivation and a few helping hands, and they can definitely improve upon their current presentation.

So, turning down a complimentary consultation because home staging is too expensive?  On the contrary… the consultation offers their best opportunity to take control of the situation and make an investment in themselves.

Every Listing Has a Voice… What is Your’s Saying

There are two kinds of people in the world:  those who walk into a room and say, “There you are,” and those who say “Here I am!”  (Abigail Van Buren, better known as Dear Abby).

Every listing has a voice on the internet, and with 92% of buyers looking there at some point during the process, it’s important that you understand what the photographs are saying on your behalf.  When you consider getting homes ready for the market, do you want your properties to slip into the room quietly looking for buyers?   More likely, you want them to confidently proclaim, “Here I am!”

The spring market is usually the busiest time in the real estate calendar, and so you might think that you need to rush to get onto the market before you miss the window.  But what if your property is just a, “there you are” listing?

The properties that grab attention and generate real buyer interest are the ones that will sell the fastest and for the highest price within their market.  And in a busy market, they’re also the most likely to have multiple offers.   Creating those must-see listings is most effectively done by adding home staging to your value-added services. 

A professional stager will guide the home seller through the confusing and sometimes overwhelming process of preparing their house for sale.  Often all it takes is a thorough consultation, and they can get the rest done themselves.  We give them the tools, address their questions, and keep them on track.  Of course, we offer a multitude of additional services, but it all starts at the consultation, and ours is packed with information and provides exceptional value to you and your clients.

So, let’s work together, and make sure all your new listings enter the room confidently, proclaiming, “Here I am!”