This is a piece originally published in my September newsletter...
A mentor to many in the staging profession, and certainly to me, is Christine Rae. Christine is the founder of Canadian Staging Professionals, known as Certified Staging Professionals in the US. She travels the world, recently expanding CSP into Australia, and is keynote speaker internationally at both real estate and staging specific conventions. In her spare time, along with co-author Jan Saunders Maresh, Christine penned Home Staging for Dummies. Yes, there really is one, although it's for anyone BUT Dummies.
I find one chapter of this book to be particularly relevant, and would like to share some of it here. These are their thoughts, condensed by me.
Reasons Sellers Don't Stage Their Properties (But Should)
"We don't have time for home staging"
If you have time to sell your house, you have time to stage it for sale. Don't undervalue the staging process unless you are prepared to accept less than the property is worth. No one can guarantee the results, but statistically unstaged properties realize a lower return on investment than staged properties, and they may be on the market longer. Why would you gamble with the equity?
"Location and Price will do the work"
While location is important, and price is key, a house that isn't in great condition will probably still stay on the market longer than the seller would like, convincing them to eventually sell for less. Improving the condition of the home before listing will positively influence the selling price.
"I get compliments on my home all the time, so I don't need to stage it."
Remember that the home is not being sold to family and friends. Decorating a home for living, and staging a property for selling are two very different things.
Selling a house isn't about taste or decorating style, it's about what the buyer wants.
"My neighbor's house sold without staging"
Well done, but we'll never know if they got as much for their home as they could have. Again, why gamble with your equity? A property that has been properly staged leaves a positive and lasting impression and stimulates multiple offers.
"If it's good enough for me, it's good enough for anyone"
Buyers are more educated about the real estate market than ever before. They're busy, and most make a short list of homes to see off the internet. Staging before listing gives the property more opportunities to get on that short list because the on-line photos will be so much better. Remember, buying a home that requires lots of work is only appealing if the price is low.
"Staging is just de-cluttering and cleaning and I've done that already"
True, these are huge parts of preparing to sell, but far from the entire picture. There's also furniture editing, reducing, replacing and placement, correct use of colour, lighting, props and art, all targeted to the buyer most likely to be looking to purchase the home.
The home is going to be competing with every other home on the market, and many will have been staged. In order to sell the property at a price that everyone is happy with, it needs to compete with EVERY home out there ~ and win!
Christine Bird, owner and lead Stager of NEW VIEW HOME STAGING, is a Canadian Staging Professional.
We can be reached in Kitchener-Waterloo at 519-505-0892
christine@newviewhomestaging.ca
