So I know we all get staging jobs in a variety of fashions. The one I was hired for yesterday (ok, the contract came in yesterday, we don't actually stage it until April 2) came about in a very strange fashion. On Thursday I was at the mall shopping for a model home I stage on Tuesday. A gentleman from the DC area had been referred to me by the furniture rental company. YEAH! This is the first time that's happened... whew... this isn't the strange part however. I went out to the property for an evaluation and price quote and faxed it off to him on Friday. Yesterday he called me to discuss the numbers, what my vision was, etc. He asked me a lot of questions about staging. Then he told me something which I almost felt sick about.... (yes this is the strange part). He asked the agent about staging the home BEFORE it was listed and the agent told him.... let's just wait and see how it goes..... Now several months have gone by, the property hasn't sold and the owner is looking for a new agent and a staging company. Now mind you he lives in DC and I live in SC.
The part that really bothers me is multi-layered. 1) I actually have done an owner occupied consult with this agent. Which by the way, the agent didn't feel any of my changes were necessary, the property never sold and the owners, after over 8 months of marketing, were forced to rent their $900K property when they moved in order to make ends meet. -- The cost of changes I proposed, $1500. 2) I recently gave a presentation to the office that this agent works in. While I will admit this was not one of my better presentations. I had been getting over a sickness & in trying to counter balance my meds had taken WAY too much caffeinne, making me a little shakey. I still felt that I had shown the benefits of staging. 3) This agent not only receives, but actually OPENS and CLICKS THROUGH my monthly newsletters on a fairly regular basis.
Needless to say, I will be pleased as punch to not only stage this property but make sure that it gets sold as quickly as possible by recommending some of the top agents I work with. I'm also hoping to use this particular home in my next monthly newsletter..... maybe she'll open and click through to see her missed opportunities....
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Melissa Marro, a published artist, now turned staging advocate and national speaker speaks her mind about real estate and the home staging industry. In her 'no holds barred' approach, audience members find real answers to the industries pitfalls and learn how to overcome them with tried and true information and guidance. With marketing as her passion, she turned a small home based business into one of the nation's largest home staging and training facilities. She now operates as the CEO of First Impressions Home Staging & Interior ReDesign as well as an instructor for Staging And Resign and regularly speaks at the StagerList Expos and Real Estate Staging Association (RESA)'s trade events.
For more information on having Marro speak at one of your real estate functions, please contact her at 843.822.2622 or email at marro.melissa@gmail.com
If you would like Marro's team to provide information on staging a property in the state of South Carolina, or the Greater Charleston Area, please visit www.WeStageSC.com, email marro.melissa@gmail.com or call 843.822.2622.
Some agents "get" home staging, some "think" they get it and others, well just plain get it at all! Sounds like your agent only "thinks" they get it. If they hire you for your expertise and then disregard everything that you say then perhaps you need to decide if you want to be associated wit this agent at all. If it is known that you do all of the consults for this agent but the properties are slow to sell, then it will reflect poorly on you.
Sometimes, we have to be particular who we actually want to do business with.
Oh, I hope you get to rub in the other agents face that staging the home worked! LOL Good Luck!
Hi Melissa,
Unfortunately this is something I think we all are going to have to deal with from time to time - those time & energy vampires who will take and take and give nothing in return but this one actually "stabbed you in the back" so to speak by telling a client to "wait and see"- this person obviously gets staging and what you do - but perhaps
I hope that property sells in an instant and since this person reads your newsletter - BY ALL MEANS - no names need to be mentioned of course - WRITE ABOUT IT!!!! It's funny how what goes around comes around even when we're not looking for it. Let us know what happens!
Win some . lose some - not you, them!
Kathleen Lordbock
Lucie - fortunately I've only done one consultation for this agent. While, of course, I would love to get more work from any agent, I totally agree that some agents are better left to their own demise....
Thanks to everyone else for the supportive voices. It's not something I'm really upset about. I certainly have enough work to keep me busy. It's just more of an annoyance. Why bother signing up for the newsletter.... taking the time to read through and click... then never use the service? I simply don't get it....
I honestly don't understand where real estate agents come from. They want to make the sale but they won't do anything other than stick a sign in the ground and list it on the MLS. They are certainly a breed unto their own, and right up there with sub-prime mortgage brokers and used car salespeople as far as I'm concerned! But you won out in the end and thats all that counts! Congratulations!
Terry Haugen - STAGE it RIGHT!
Terry,
I actually work with some really GREAT agents. One of my latest agents was actually digging in the dirt planting flowers (curb appeal) for her out of town seller while I was staging the home. There really are some out there who EARN their commission... most of the good ones do... every once in a while though...
I also work with some great agents. The cream always rises to the top!