What Agents Really Want

3 Tips on What Agents Want from Home Stagers and a Staging Story

What a lot of home stagers don’t realize is that agents want different things in different real estate markets.  For instance, in a “buyers market” which was 2007-2011 agents just want the property to sell and not sit on the market like their competitions.  In today’s seller’s market, the savvy agent wants to get the best price (and sell quickly) but price is king.  Why?  Because the smart agent knows that if they can be the “high price” leader in their market, then people will give them their listing (instead of their competition).

I love this story told by Lori Murphy who was recently awarded a 2013 Best of Houzz award and nominated for the RESA Rising Star of the Year even though she essentially just completed her HSR training and started her business last year!  At the end of the story, I give my three tips on what agents want right now…

Hi Audra,

He continued to tell me how he wants someone who will give the seller the “bad news” so that he doesn’t have to, because he wants to keep his relationship with the seller.

The stagers they’ve been using seemed to just want the seller to like them.  He said, “I need someone who will explain to sellers “why” and help them understand it is important in preparing the house to sell.  I’d rather postpone putting it on the market by 4 weeks, if when it is listed it’s ready . . . every thing’s done.”

As I sat there listening to him, (he went on for an hour . . . I’ll try not to), I realized something.

At first I shook my head agreeing with him and thinking to myself, “well, of course, that’s what we do” . . . and then it hit me . . . I was trained that way.  But it became suddenly clear that because not every stager in Columbus, Ohio received their certification from the Home Staging Resource . . . . well, let’s just say the advantage I have became crystal clear.

Eventually it did make a little sense, and then a little more, and then came the first staging job . . . .and then it really came together!  lol

Audra, I’m so glad I made the choice to sign up with HSR!  And YOU . . . over the last year and a half, I have never felt that I was in this alone.

Thanks Lori for the story and photos.  Here are three tips for what I think real estate agents want and need right now:

1. Agents want to be listened to and understood – This may seem obvious but too many times the stager is trying to fit the agents needs into their business model rather than coordinating their pricing/services around what the agent needs.
2. Agents need “staging honesty” for them and their clients, so that the house will get “top dollar” – I see a lot of stagers do a “half staging” job  which looks worse than vacant sometimes because the scale is completely wrong.  As stagers, we need to be clear and honest about what the home needs to get the best price.  The agent does not want to be the “low priced” agent, so we need to be ruthless with the seller on what kind of return they can see in a seller’s market if they stage it well.
3. Agents need tools and resources that look great in order to resell our services to their clients – This is where so many home stagers go unnecessarily wrong!  Agents need beautiful looking sales materials to convince their clients that staging is the right thing to do.

Image is everything and that is why I just added a a 6-video and two-hour series about “Blinging Your Brand” in our HSR Member’s area because we have to make agents look good for their clients!

Cheers to all the talented home stager’s out there!  Any more tips you would like to add to this post?

XOXO – Happy Staging!

Audra Slinkey

Hope to hear from you!

1-888-563-9271

audra@homestagingresource.com

Seriously Flawed Study

This is not true staging by any means…

There was a study published by the Wall Street Journal* claiming that “staging” has no effect on the home’s sale price based on the photo above…seriously?!  The study had a group of people view virtually staged before-and-after photos and asked them whether they would pay more for the beige room (above) over the purple room (below).  Each of the respondents said they would not pay more money for the beige virtually staged room over the purple room.

How can anyone take this study even remotely serious is a minor miracle.  Here are the huge problems with this study:

• The rooms were “virtually staged” (not real, in person staging which is what “staging” is truly is)
• They were “virtually staged” by a someone who doesn’t appear to know much about staging from the looks of the “after” photos
• The “before” photos of a purple room (see below) and colorful furniture look so cartoon like, it’s almost laughable!
• Ironically, the respondents believed that “other” buyers would pay 3.7% to 4.0% less than value of the home if it’s not painted and fixed up.
• Virtual stagers are insulted by these photos since they don’t come close to the quality work that a true, virtual stager can do.

This isn’t even good virtual work…is this Mickey Mouse’s home?

I wasn’t going to even respond to this study since I didn’t want to bring attention to something so absurd but since there has been some chatter about it, let’s put this matter to rest once and for all.

Anyone with half a brain would look at that “after” photo and never in a million years call this a “staged” room!

In case you were one of those silly people who actually wanted to give this study credence and thought that room was “staged”…here is what “staged” really looks like of a home that sold for $100,000 over asking price in October, 2013 within 8 days of staging:

(This home was staged by Donna Dazzo of  Designed to Appeal in New York City)

Living Room Before

 

Living Room After

Living Room Before

Living Room After 

 

       Master Bedroom Before

 

Master Bedroom After

Boy’s Room Before

 

Boy’s Room After

 

 

Girl’s Room Before

    Girl’s Room After

  

Terrace Before

Terrace After

I guess it’s a good thing this home seller didn’t listen to “other” agents who think staging doesn’t work and cite this study…

By the way, I could have produced tons of other similar success stories and photos by the many amazingly talented home stagers across the country who have been maligned by this study.  It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that when you improve upon a product, you get a better price.

XOXO – Happy Staging!

Audra Slinkey

Hope to hear from you!
1-888-563-9271

audra@homestagingresource.com

*By the way, the study was called: “The Impact of Staging Conditions on Residential Real Estate Demand” and the Wall Street Journal article was called: “Home Staging Effect? Not Much.“

5 Reasons to Start a Staging Business in 2014

What is it that you love to do and are passionate about?  Chances are if you love it, you are truly gifted at it.   Do you get goosebumps when you walk into a book store and head to the interior design section?  Do you anxiously wait for your design magazines to come in the mail or get “geeked up” over organizing your closet?  Do you notice every design detail when you walk into a friends house and then subconsciously rearrange the space in your mind? If you answered “yes” to any of these seemingly absurd questions then you definitely have what I call the “design sickness” and the good news is there’s never been a better time to explore the possibility of creating a business doing it.  There is nothing more exciting then doing what you love and getting paid for it!

Here are five reasons (with statistics) why starting a staging and redesign business is a practical and perfect idea for 2014:

• Home Values Are On The Rise – What a roller coaster it has been but now in almost every area of the country, home values are going up.  What does this mean for stagers?  It means there is value in the sale of the home, so staging becomes a “windfall” of sorts for sellers who really want to get all they can out of selling their most prized possession.  (The median price of a house in the United States is $197,100 which is up over 10% from last year’s median price of $176,800 according to the National Association of Realtors NAR) (According to the National Association of Realtors, almost 20% more home sold over 2012 numbers:  5,160,000 homes in 2013 vs. 4,660,000 in 2012)
• Remodeling Is On The Rise – What happens when people start to take an interest in their homes?  They look for critical expertise from a home stylist, color expert and designer! (In an HGTV Magazine reader poll over 25% of readers underwent a big renovation, like a new kitchen or bath in 2013)  (In a 2013 Houzz survey of over 100,000 people over 53% plan a renovation in the next couple years, think it’s a good time and plan to hire professional help)
• Home Staging Was Specifically Listed As A “Best Career for 2013 and Beyond” – In an article by career guru, Marty Nemko, staging was listed as a best job and fastest growing career for the future. (Link to Article)
• Sellers Are Now Staging Savvy – With the rise of HGTV, Pinterest and Houzz the average seller understands the value of professional, design advice for both living and selling!
• Agents Are Now Staging Savvy – It’s taken home stagers years to educate the real estate industry of the benefits of staging and now home stagers have become a de rigueur part of preparing a home for sale.

The most famous real estate agent of all time, Barbara Corcoran is speaking at our Staging Convention in a couple weeks, so it’s incredibly encouraging to see how our work over the years in educating the public on staging has Barbara as a huge supporter and advocate!

 

Timing is everything and building a business is a luxury but the biggest regret I hear our member stagers say is that they wish they started earlier.

Here are just a few quotes from our members I thought was worth posting to encourage others that a new year, can mean so much to you…or it can pass you by.

Home Staging Excellence

The nominees have been announced for the RESA Home Staging Industry Awards 2014 and I’m so proud and impressed with every one of those amazing staging and redesigners!  If you haven’t checked out each of their entry pages and viewed their transformations, make sure you do that at http://homestagingindustryawards.com.   Each one of these individuals works tirelessly to perfect their craft and in doing so elevate our industry.

I’m particularly proud of the fact that half of the US nominees in the Pro-USA category and the Rising Star category are HSR grads or HSR Staging Mentors!

I wanted to personally congratulate each one of them below because they each have inspired me through the years, are incredibly talented and generous to the industry and are wonderful people…you ladies rock!

Congratulations to…

• Name: Kristine Ginsberg
• Company: Elite Staging and Redesign, LLC
• City: Morris Plains
• State/Province: NJ
• Designations: Graduate of Home Staging Resource, ASHSR (American Society of Home Stagers and Redesigners), NCJAR (North Central Jersey Association of Realtors)
• Memberships: RESA (Real Estate Staging Association), ASHSR (American Society of Home Stagers and Redesigners), NCJAR (North Central Jersey Association of Realtors), Active Rain Network
• Website: http://www.elitestagingandredesignmorriscountynewjersey.com/

• Name: Donna Dazzo
• Company: Designed To Appeal
• City: New York
• State/Province: NY
• Designations: Graduate of Home Staging Resource program and Staging Diva program
• Memberships: RESA NY Chapter
• Website: www.DesignedToAppeal.com

• 
• 

  • Name: Michelle Minch
  • Company: Moving Mountains Design
  • City: Pasadena
  • State/Province: CA
  • Designations: RESA-PRO, HSR
  • Memberships: RESA National, RESA San Gabriel Valley Chapter
  • Website: http://MovingMountainsDesign.com

  

   

  • Name: Lori KimPolk
  • Company: Premiere Home Staging
  • City: Roseville
  • State/Province: CA
  • Designations: ASP. CSP, RESA-PRO, RESA Membership Chair, RESA Board Member 2012/2013
  • Memberships: RESA, PCAR, SACRESN
  • Website: http://www.premierehomestagingllc.com

  

  

  • Name: Maureen Bray
  • Company: Room Solutions Staging LLC
  • City: Portland
  • State/Province: OR
  • Designations: CSP, ASP
  • Memberships: RESA, Active Rain Real Estate Network
  • Website: http://www.RoomSolutions.com

  

  

  • Name: Valerie Monkarsh
  • Company: The Closing Stage
  • City: Los Angeles
  • State/Province: CA
  • Designations: Vacant Property Specialist, HSR
  • Memberships: RESA, HSR
  • Website: www.theclosingstage.com 

    

    • Name: Lori Murphy
    • Company: Element One Home Staging & Redesign
    • City: Dublin
    • State/Province: OH
    • Designations: Certified Professional Stager
    • Memberships: RESA, ASHSR, HSR
    • Website: www.ElementOneHomeStaging.com 

      

      • Name: Ululani Poepoe
      • Company: UP Staging & Design, LLC
      • City: Kea’au
      • State/Province: HI
      • Designations: Realtor
      • Memberships: RESA Member, ASHSR Member
      • Website: www.UPstagingDesign.com

    

    

    • Name: Luci Terhune
    • Company: Bungalow Home Staging & Redesign
    • City: Nutley
    • State/Province: NJ
    • Designations: HSR RESA PRO CPCNR CIR
    • Memberships: RESA HSR
    • Website: www.Bungalowhomestagers.com

    

    

    • Name: Natalya Price
    • Company: Nj Staged 2 Sell
    • City: Summit
    • State/Province: NJ
    • Designations: Home Stager & Property Stylist, Realtor
    • Memberships: ASHSR, RESA, HSR, NJAR, B.I.G.
    • Website: www.njstaged2sell.com

Canadian Home Stager’s Interesting Advice

Whenever anyone enrolls for our staging and redesign course, I interview them to find out “where” they are coming from, “why” they are doing this and “what” is their ultimate goal.  I get a kick out of all the varied backgrounds people have before they “reinvent” themselves into the home staging and design world which in fact is probably where they should have always been!

After someone has taken our course about nine months in, I interview them again and share their insights with others so that we can all benefit.  Chelsea Waldner of Aspen Interior Designs had some interesting things to say, so I thought I’d share…

1.  What was your background before starting a home staging business and how did it serve you well in this new endeavor?

I am involved in construction and real-estate through my husbands company and my in-laws.  I was also a certified interior decorator before becoming a certified staging professional.  For me, this staging course was more useful and more comprehensive than the interior decorating course I took a few years prior.  It has given me the credibility that I needed to enter the staging industry as a professional while adding (very valuably) to the decorating background I already had.

2.  How long did it take you to go through the training/business set-up?  How long before you had your first consultation/appointment?

I went through the training in about 3 months and I had my first staging job within weeks.  That house sold in 6 days!  It had been on the market for 60 days already, unstaged.  Then I was hired to do a partial stage in just the kitchen and bathrooms and wow!  it made all the difference.  The house was on the market for another 2 days when it got a full list offer and it was officially sold 4 days later.

3.  Any words of wisdom for those just entering into the field?

Don’t be afraid to buy good condition, used furniture.  You will save a lot of money and build a bigger inventory in a shorter time than buying all new things.  Also, purchase as many neutral pieces as you can to increase your flexibility in staging a wide variety of home styles.

Accent with uniqueness and build your foundation on neutrality.

4.  What (if anything) would you have done differently looking back?

I would never have paid the money for the interior decorating course I took had I known the vast amount of knowledge I would gain through the HSR course.  In my opinion, the HSR course is more complex, more in-depth and covers more, useful, applicable design information than interior decorating courses alone.  This course teaches you about the psychology of design and that is very, very useful knowledge to have.

Are you glad you decided to go into the home staging field?  Why or why not?

I’m glad I took the course.  Staging is hard work.  For me, I find that moving a whole house in and out in the short amount of time it is on the market after it is staged is a real pain in the butt.  However, it does say something about the effectiveness of staging as a tool for real estate sales.  The longest any one of my stages has been on the market is 6 weeks.  That’s a lot of moving furniture!

Thanks Chelsea for sharing!

Click Here to see what your story can be…

7 Staging Tips for Difficult Spaces

7 Staging Tips for Difficult Spaces

One of the critical reasons to stage a vacant home is to give perspective to buyers.  Empty rooms are lifeless question marks in buyer’s eyes, so merchandising the space becomes essential!  Here are seven staging tips I think you will find extremely helpful in your next staging project…

Donna Dazzo of Designed to Appeal, a New York City based staging company was given one of the toughest vacant staging assignments I’ve ever seen, so I just had to share it.  This 3-bedroom, 4,000 square foot loft in Tribeca was on the market three months without an acceptable offer.

The loft sold at FULL asking price 22 days after Donna staged it!

Check it out…

This was the loft space as you walked in the home and as you can see the large columns are distracting and overwhelming.  The space appears dark, lifeless, cold and definitely not easily able to arrange furniture around!

Staging Tip #1 – Create Groupings

Strategically using area rugs, Donna separated the large space into groupings.  A central living and seating area between the columns draws the eye to the seating area and away from the columns.

Entryway/Living Room After 

Staging Tip #2 –Use Reflective Surfaces

The large and well placed mirror brings the eye further into the room immediately while extending the more narrow space. Using a light palette, reflective surfaces and mirrors, the space appears more open, light and inviting.

Here is a view from another angle where you can see how open the space was and how difficult it would be to fit all the represented living spaces in this one great room.

Not only did she fit a living grouping but a dining area off the kitchen as well.

Staging Tip #3 –Use Furniture to Separate the Space

What do you do with a small, seemingly un-useful space off the living area when you’ve already established plenty of seating arrangements?

Separating the space with a bookcase, it becomes an office with a view!

Staging Tip #4 –Proper Scale Needs to Always be Considered

Filled with large, empty space this loft needs properly scaled furnishings to first “fit” between the beams in the living/entry area and now larger pieces to match this large space below.

The cabinets are artfully arranged to add color and symmetry.

Staging Tip #5 –Know Your Buyer Demographic

Staging for Families

Since the buyer demographic for this space was a family, Donna incorporated that lifestyle in her merchandising by turning this cold Den space into a bright, kids play area.

Notice how the brick wall in the vacant space appears to be a detraction while once it’s staged becomes an asset.

“Artful staging can turn even negative architectural elements into positive assets!”

Staging Tip #6 –Use Great Art to Elevate the Space

At this point you’ve probably noticed the amazing artwork that serves to elevate the space and give personality right?  Well Donna cleverly partnered with an art gallery to complete her staging vision.

This bedroom is tricky because all you notice is the long, unsightly heater under the windows.

Second Bedroom Before

Using a highly textured area rug, soft textiles and amazing artwork the space becomes a girls dream bedroom!

Second Bedroom After – Girl

Ready to Become a Successful Home Stager and Redesigner?

Staging Training Comparison

20+ Reasons Why HSR is Your Best Choice for Staging Training…

A lot of training companies will call themselves the “world’s best” or “accredited” but you have to dig deeper to find out the facts and make sure you invest in the best partnership for your business!  I know it’s confusing, so I recently put together this video in hopes to explain the HSR point of view and my philosophy on what makes us the best choice.

Another great reason to choose HSR as your trainer of choice!  The Home Staging Resource was the first truly, Accredited Home Staging Training Provider by an independent, third-party who has audited our training (the Real Estate Staging Association).

Click Here for 20 other reasons to choose HSR…

HSR Success Story – DMBM

Home Stager Success Story – Stager Turns Online, Trade Furnishing Company

I love this story because it represents so many stories I hear from HSR Members who get calls right away and have immediate success…

Can you imagine just starting the HSR Certification training and getting a call from a builder to stage a model home?  Here’s a quick video and encouraging story of how they handled it…

Our Story…

What makes the alliance with HSR and DesignMeBuyMe.com even more exciting to me is that my wife and I both got our start with HSR. The HSR program and lessons truly gave us a solid foundation and allowed us to apply what we have learned and in turn create a multi-million dollar business! 

Back in 2006 when we joined HSR and completed their program, our very first job was to stage two 5000+ sqf homes top to bottom for the parade of homes. Without thinking, we were so excited and we accepted the challenge just to find out shortly after that we only had 48 hours to get it all done.

We were in way over our heads, but we had to get creative to get it all done. So we decided to take all the furniture out of our personal home to get started on house number1  I do not recommend this!! Unfortunately all of our furniture only furnished the 1^st floor of the parade home, so we had to reach out and two of our best friends loaned us all of their furniture for a week just so we can get one house completed……good friends!

By the time we started house 2, we were out of furniture and good friends it seemed J so we contacted local furniture stores and asked if we could use some of their furniture. After getting multiple “No thank you” answers we finally found a store to lend us living room, bedroom and game room furniture. As relieved as we were, the furniture we used was all very high-end which made it very stressful for us to move and place.

All that being said, we won 1^st place in the Parade and both houses sold within a week. In addition, all of our furniture and some of our friends furniture sold as well.

The money we got paid for staging was certainly great but to also have additional income from furniture sales made the entire process even better.

Since all of the furniture that we sold was originally purchased at retail prices, our overall profit margins were relatively small.

Prior to starting DMBM my wife and I went to Furniture markets in an attempt to open up our own vendor accounts. We quickly realized that as an independent homestager/designer we were treated a little differently  – the first question we were always asked was “Do you have a store?” Our answer was no, which meant that we automatically got placed in the least favorable pricing category – Designer Pricing

Designer Pricing basically means – higher product cost, higher shipping costs and minimum order requirements. In addition, most vendors have opening orders that have to be met which can range from $1000 to $20,000.

Markus EngelkeDesignMeBuyMe.com

Now HSR Members can access the DesignMeBuyMe.com website and offer “To the Trade” pricing to their clients because of our special relationship with HSR!

5 Critical Reasons to Attend the RESA Convention this Year

Every year I go to the RESA Convention and every year I get ten times more done in my business the months following that inspirational event because it is so motivating!  I really can’t say enough about this event, so I thought I’d bullet point some key reasons to attend (and use to convince your spouse the importance of you going!)

1. Barbara Corcoran – Need I say more?  It’s incredible to me that RESA was able to get her to speak and I can’t wait to see what kind of wisdom this amazing woman has to share!
2. Training Times Ten – Yep, you will learn so much at this event on so many different topics!  The experts are hand picked and are the best of the best!
3. It Will Fire-Up Your Business – I promise you will walk away feeling invincible and capable of tackling the toughest projects, clients and marketing activities!
4. You Will Make LOTS of Friends – Staging and design can be a lonely business, so coming to this event allows you to connect with peers, network and make friends that will also hold you accountable and encourage you all year round.
5. Early Bird Pricing Currently, Las Vegas is a Cool Place to Visit and the Great Food – Okay, I listed three more fantastic reasons that not everyone is aware of…in fact, I think I gain five pounds from the amazing food that is served at the RESA Convention every year.

This event will sell out soon, so click here to sign-up today!

For past and present HSR Grads, I have a special video invite just for you…

Top 5 Shopping Resources for Home Staging

Why Using a Professional Home Stager and Stylist SAVES You Money…

In this video I go over the ways a home stylist can save clients money when shopping for home furnishings, as well as my top five favorite “to the trade” shopping sources online….

I hope you enjoyed my top five shopping resources video and will use a home stylist on your next design project!

Over qualified professionals can be found in our Directory by Clicking Here!

XOXO – Happy Staging!

Audra Slinkey

Hope to hear from you!
1-888-563-9271

audra@homestagingresource.com