Earlier this year I “lost” a listing. That’s what we agents say when a home seller chooses to go with another company. I am a call it as I see it type of person, and with this seller, I said the words “your home needs to be staged to sell. It won’t photograph well.” I said it because it was true. The sellers decided that they didn’t have time to stage and went with another agent. I lost.
It’s always hard when you are honest with people and they choose to go with someone that isn’t as clear about what needs to be done to bring the house to market as you. It happens. She kept in contact with me because her house didn’t sell with this other real estate agent. We talked a lot about staging and she met with a local stager. After meeting with her, she called and talked about how wonderful the stager was and what a difference it made in her house.
This seller said: She worked with our existing furnishings and recommended purchasing a small number of items for a nominal cost, less than $50. The experience was enjoyable and fascinating as she involves the homeowner in trying out different arrangements, explaining what she is doing and what outcome she is looking for. The change was dramatic and it’s hard to believe that our home could look this much better.
All she did was help her rearrange her furniture and put accents around her home. Our home is our personal place to relax. Turning your home into a product can seem like you are always having to be “on”, which is exactly what selling your house is about these days.
The fact is that how we live in most cases means that our house is not ready as a product for the market. As I look at the piles of laundry in my laundry room, I am sitting here writing a post instead. My house is not up for sale so I don’t have to try and appeal to anyone…except my own sanity…and today, the laundry is getting backed up. Home sellers don’t have this luxury that I have.
The fact is that often times stagers can use your own furniture to make your home look better as a product. It can be as simple as putting a slipcover on a floral printed couch to mute the colors in the room; reorganizing the mantle, or add that final touch to make it photograph well.
So for those of you that are worried to have someone come in your house and rearrange your stuff, just realize that staging…it doesn’t have to be a bad thing.
Stay tuned for my next post on staging with some before and after shots!
What is worse – to “lose” a listing or to list a home that isn’t prepared or priced properly? I think its important for agents to help their clients “see” their home from a buyer’s perspective.
Too often I see homes that enter the market unprepared and only after they suffer a price reduction and months of waiting do the call in a stager to get better looking MLS photos. It isn’t a reflection on someone’s taste to advise a stager – even beautifully decorated homes need changes to be ideal for showing to potential buyers.
(And yes – decluttering, a slipcover and some great pillows do wonders!)
Well that’s why I wrote “lose” in quotes. I think if sellers don’t trust what I have to say, then they shouldn’t work with me because I didn’t show them value.