Speaking Up about Home Staging

Staging for all its glory is really about cutting through the daily life & order of things and finding ways to best represent the home for today's buyer.  I am regularly surprised at the lengths some clients will go through to get the job done & then more surprised by others who won't.  Let me give you some insight......

Normally with owner occupied homes I come out and view the property, take photos & make lists - lists of things the homeowner can do to improve the salablility of their home & ways of helping improve their bottom line (the finiancial line that is).  These lists typically include things like taking items off the kitchen counter, moving furniture, changing linens, adding or subtracting art & painting.  Most of the time I can tell what homeowners will do and what they won't by conversations with the agent before the consult & talking to the homeowner before, during or after.  I nearly always provide a price quote with my final written report broken down into segements.  This allows the homeowner to pick & choose which of the jobs they can do themselves & which they want to pay for us to do. 

Occassionally (far too often really) I find it is the ones who need the work the most who will choose not to do the simplest things.  One of my clients has a great house, a cookie cutter suburbia home.  They haven't done much in the way of improvements.  They don't have much in the way of furnishings or art.  The walls are still builder's white.  They are military & have received transfer papers.  The husband will leave shortly to their new duty station & until the home sells they will live apart.  The wife and small child will stay behind. 

The report contained the generics of de-clutter, add a rug here, take down some photos there..... The heart of the consult & needs of the home revolved around a bonus area at the top of the stairs nearing the bedroom spaces.  This was a prime space for a home office - something much desired in this particular demographic group.  Instead the office was currently located in the spare bedroom (along with a queen size bedroom suite).  The bedroom was simply too small to handle all of this furniture & moving the office to the other area would make for a great use of space.... added usable square footage to the current layout.  (See below for space as viewed on my consult day.)

Now here is the part that makes me scratch my head.  They won't move the home office to this location because they would have to move their cable internet.  Here in Charleston that would cost them anywhere from $40 - $75.  (I know.  I've done it.)  It is a phenomenon I don't get.  The home has already received several thousands in price reductions.   Why not spend the money moving the home office & sell the home?  (Oh, yeah, the deerhead needs to go to!)

When sellers are moving, they are reluctant to spend any money on the preparation of the sale.  They do, however, expect their agents to pay for visual tours, newspaper ads, marketing flyers, etc.  Maybe it is time for a reality check.  The average home will have at least a few hundred dollars of fix ups & updating expenses. IF a seller REALLY wants to SELL THEIR HOME they need to consider listening to the professionals who are there to help. 

Please note:  Staging & written consultations provide significantly more advice than simply decluttering, adding/removing furniture & painting.  Reports identify all aspects of today's buyer & targeted demographics when viewing one specific property.