Should I Hire a Stager?
If I had a dollar for every time that someone ask for my input on this question, I would be RICH. But we all know that I am not. “Should I hire a stager?” is a question that only you can answer for yourself. In my personal opinion, I think that you should use every resource that is available to you. I know I do. Prior to writing this article, I emailed all the stagers on this real estate network. Before this article ends, you will see what each of them had to say. But, for now, lets take a look at ’stagers.’
What is a ’stager?’ Well, to put it simply, it is someone that lends their expertise in what it takes to help prepare your home to sell for top dollar. Almost all of their input is from an aesthetic point of view. Stagers should look at not only the inside of the house but also the outside of the home. One thing that sets apart stagers and interior decorators is the fact that a stager brings with them the complete package. Interior decorators tend to not keep up with market trends, therefore, they can actually cost you in the long run. If I had to draw a comparison, it is like hiring a web developer versus someone that has taken a template and reworked it to fit your needs. Even though the last might fit your needs, it still is just a template. What happens when that template breaks and the person that calls themselves a web designer can’t fix it because they did not build it?
I have heard many Realtors® put down stagers. Personally, I think that it might show some fear on the part of the Realtor®. Instead of being able to sell it by yourself you had to reach out to someone else. Well, personally, I think that is the biggest crock of horse crap that I have ever heard. When we accept a listing, we take on the responsibility to market the home to the best of our ability. Though a Realtor® may think that they can stage just as well as a stager, it is not necessarily what they are trained for. Case in point, last night I was watching House Hunters on HGTV. The episode was called First Time Buyers in Florida. The first house is the case in point. When they walked into the home, it made you think that you just walked into a house out of the Brady Bunch era. The refrigerator was even the dingy yellow. The point is, if the Realtor® had suggested that the homeowner hire a stager and the seller agreed, I am confident that any competent stager would have made sure the house did not show that way.
So, I have given my 2 cents worth. Now, lets here what Kim Swan of 2 Swans-a-Staging and Darla Rowley of IMPACT! Interior Design Solutions have to add.
Kim Swan of 2 Swans-a-Staging had to say:
Your house is probably your largest asset. Selling it can be one of the most important decisions in your life. To ensure that it sells FAST and for top dollar, you need to showcase it so that the BUYER feels at home.
The first 30 days is the most critical timeframe for selling your property. Curiosity is piqued, interest is generated and brokers and agents tour. An Accredited Staging Professional will help you to achieve that fast sell and for top dollar
Darla Rowley of IMPACT! Interior Design Solutions added:
People should hire a stager for the same reason major companies invest in marketing. They need their product to stand out and be memorable. Staging highlights the space, not the stuff. Because staged houses look better in photos and virtual tours, they will get more viewings and draw the interest of more buyers. Staging provides insights to a perceived lifestyle a buyer aspires to. Staging provides the emotional connection to the seller, price alone can not
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Here are some statistics regarding staging that you may find interesting:
• Staging provides a 349% return on your investment (national average study conducted by Connection Magazine-Women in RE)
• Staged homes spend 85% less time on the market. (RESA- Real Estate Staging Assoc.)
• Only 1 out of 10 people are able to visualize a homes potential
• It sometimes takes less than ten minutes for a buyer to form an impression and make a decision about a house
• The cost of Home Staging is typically a tax deduction (check with accountant)
Your home for sale is a product and should be merchandised just like any other product for sale. You wouldn’t sell your car without detailing it.
A good professional stager can save you money and time on the market. You can’t put a price on that!
As far as agents putting down stagers, I think the majority of them agree that staging works. Some have had negative experiences or think the cost is too high. 2009 has been a booming year for our business and has caused many new agents to hire us since they see the staged home sell quicker.
Personally, I wouldn’t try to sell my car if it wasn’t sparkling clean and I wouldn’t sell a huge investment like a home without preparing it properly either!
Also, I am an Interior Designer with a degree in design but I spent many years merchandising new homes for builders and there is a different psychology of designing to sell then designing to dwell. It is less personal as Margaret states but I also believe “love at first sight” is what sells homes so I don’t believe in completely neutralizing. There has to be something for the buyer to fall in love with. A home for sale should stand out from the crowd and be “universally appealing”. That is what good staging is all about.
With that said, I have seen MegaMansion the same way. “It is amazing how the home is decorated, but it is just not a home that I can see myself moving my family into.” I have heard that statement too many times.
I have seen buyers in a 2 million plus home say they wouldn’t buy it because their sofa wouldn’t match the paint color. (Only 1 out of 10 people can visualize a homes potential).
When I suggest I do not “neutralize” I mean that I do not recommend leaving a bland vanilla box. Personal pictures are not “Universal” they are personal.