Home Staging Props for An Easy Update

Essential Home Staging Props for Every Room of the Home

A key part of home staging is modernizing and the most effective way to modernize a space is to add some key staging accessories that help to update each room.  Usually the home stager after the walk-and-talk consultation will create this home staging props shopping list for the seller.  Better yet, the home stager can simply shop on the seller's behalf to purchase items that will go a LONG WAY in updating the home and attracting that best offer possible.

My Expert E-Designer has curated a 20-page, shopping list of essential home staging props for each home that goes on the market inside the Expert E-Designer HSR Template Library, so if you're one of my Expert E-Design students, go ahead and add it to your account.

We've also added this curated client presentation with shopping links to the home staging course under the Successful Consultations section.

Let's take a look at the essential home staging props room-by-room...

Home Staging Props Every Seller Needs

Every home can benefit from a new door mat, more greenery, mirrors and what I call "staging trays".  

The 62 inch circular mirror can work in any home and multiple spaces to add additional light, use over a fireplace, in an entryway or go over a bathroom vanity.  At only $60 bucks at Target, this mirror which has over 1000 five star reviews is a steal!

The banana fiber pouf or stool is another extremely versatile item that can add much needed texture to any space for a mere $30 bucks at Ikea.

Essential Kitchen Home Staging Props

Most kitchens lack warmth and personality because they are filled with hard finishes.  Never clear every counter and try and sell a bare kitchen!  Since the kitchen is a huge selling opportunity for the home seller it becomes even more critical to carefully stage counter vignettes that add texture and warmth.

I personally love the look of layered cutting boards sitting upright on a kitchen counter, a bowl of fresh fruit and brand new woven dish towels.  White accessories denote cleanliness, so using white home staging props will help to make the clean connection for buyers.  These small, inexpensive additions go a long way in creating a clean, natural atmosphere.

Check out how these simple kitchen home staging props along with paint completely transform this kitchen my sister's staging company, Pacific Home Design in Santa Cruz designed:

BEFORE STAGING

Essential Bedroom Home Staging Props

Bedrooms are so personal, that it can be discomfiting walking into another person's boudoir for a buyer...especially if the bedding is old and tired looking.

Adding white bedding enlarges the space and gives it a fresh, clean feel in any bedroom.

Essential Bathroom Home Staging Props

Bathrooms are similar to bedrooms in that they are intensely personal, so using white and having it immaculate will never scare off buyers.  Use a tray to anchor a vignette on the counter.  Fresh white, fluffy towels stacked by the tub and greenery gives the space that spa feel.

This luxury white towel set for under $35 bucks is an essential for every bathroom in the home and with over 1300 positive reviews as an Amazon Prime Choice, it's a steal:  https://amzn.to/2Af5yCA

Perfect Coffee Table Vignette Home Staging Props

Building beautiful vignettes or what I call "emotional connection points" in each room of the home takes an extreme eye for design.

In our Staging Essentials Client Presentation that we've just added to both the Expert E-Design Training and the Home Staging Certification course, we built a perfect coffee table vignette that is easy for clients to purchase and build on their own.

Home Staging Props for Living Spaces

What room can't benefit from a large jute rug, fresh new pillows, more lighting and fiddle leaf tree?

These simple, yet updated staging accessories are usually the missing  piece in a living space.  Make sure to go large on the floor rugs, so that every front leg of your furniture touches it.  This rug on Overstock is priced right at $200 while the 5 foot fiddle leaf tree with great reviews on Amazon is under $100:  https://amzn.to/2ZGZk9k

Etsy is my go-to place for awesome pillows, so have fun exploring various shops for that perfect, pillow combination.  This Etsy shop had this luxury set of pillows for sale for only $115 which is a steal for this kind of quality and size.

Even if the home seller is on the tightest of budgets, these many items valued in total at around $2000 will make a $20000 difference in the value of the home.

Buyers are looking for stylish decor and statistically will pay more for homes that have updated decor, so spending a bit on these versatile accessories will be an investment in the sale of the home.

If you're an HSR Member, go ahead and download the full Client Presentation with Shopping Links and add that to your Consultation for your home sellers...cheers!

If the idea of shopping for all these great things to use to help sellers get the best price for their home interests you...then consider becoming a home stager by taking my free course below...

Could “ Home Staging" be a Career for You?

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Don’t miss this..!!

• 7 Key Questions to Ask Yourself
  
• What the Cost is to Starting this Business
  
• Do You Have the Personality for This Industry?
  
• How You Know If You Have the Design Talent?
  

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How E-Design Can Get You Sales

There's A LOT of confusion when it comes to E-Design and the simplest way to explain it...is to say that 

E-Design is simply technology helping you get your vision across to clients that much easier, better and more beautifully!  

How does E-Design do that?  Well, the best technology allows you to clip and save whatever you're searching online for in a "project" with a direct link and product price/information, so that while you're shopping or sourcing for clients it's being recorded into that  client's project folder...

Example Outdoor Space with inspiration room and all the products

In the past, designers would try to explain the vision they had to clients verbally or even tediously create a hard copy "mood board" but now technology gives us the tools to simplify, pass the vision along easily and even give clients the direct links to shop for themselves if they wish.

Here Are 3 Not So Obvious Ways E-Design Can Grow Your Sales...

1

E-Design Boards Allow You to Communicate Your Vision MUCH Better than Your Competition

Lia Rogers or Reinvention Intentions was trying to break-in to an investors group to be the preferred stager/designer with little luck UNTIL she used an E-Design board to visually SHOW them the work and materials she would plan on placing into their homes...that got her business!

2

E-Design Boards Help to Upsell Your Design Services Easily

Shannon Christianson of Staging PDX told me at the last RESA Convention that not only does she use E-Design boards to show her staging clients the planning that can be done BEFORE they move into their new house, she also uses the boards to quickly give her staging clients a shopping list for the staging project.

Become an Expert E-Designer!

Check out the training now!

Click for details and Pricing

3

E-Design Boards Set Expectations, Value and Budget

Have you ever had a client not super happy with what you bought for their home?  Of course you have but using E-Design technology allows you to streamline the shopping expectation, so that clients can see it ahead of time and let you know.  This saves you time, sets the expectation up front and allows clients to stick to their budget!

There's so much more you can do with E-Design technology, so if you want all the answers to how to incorporate E-Design into your staging or design business, click to join me on a workshop about it below...

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Color and Staging Trends 2019

Oh how I LOVE to talk color, design and staging trends, as well as how they relate to our staging industry in the form of AMAZING before-and-after photo transformations!   Here's my take on the Colors of the Year 2019 for Behr and Sherwin Williams thus far and how you will see them in staging trends within homes over the next year.   Let me know what you think about these color and design trends for 2019...

Let's start with the Behr 2019 Color of the Year 2019, Blue Print

Blueprint which is a stylish mid-tone blue described by Behr as being an honest and approachable color. Behr's in-house color expert, Erika Woelfel, believes Blueprint is universally appealing, as it's "warmer than denim and softer than navy." Blueprint is able to work so well with other colors that you can layer in a second or third color to your decorating.

I've long been saying the blue is almost like another neutral in that it's become VERY livable and likable.​

In the staging realm, it's a very safe color to accent a home with...especially any coastal home to bring in the ocean views.   My AMAZING STAGING sister, Corrine McKendrick uses it quite often in her Santa Cruz staging projects because so many of the homes she stages are ocean front...

After Staging by Pacific Home Design

This Behr blue is so univeral that even Donna Dazzo, uses this faded denim like blue in a luxury New York City staged apartment in both the art and rug...

How CRAZY is this before and after photo?!​

Living Room Before...

After Staging by Designed to Appeal

Holly of Gray Staging and Design in Indianapolis accents with blue chairs and matching pillows in this after photo below...

Staged by Holly Meyers

 

Here's another doozy of a staging before-and-after by Gail Emlaw of Gail's Staging and Design in Cape Coral, FL...what a HUGE transformation!

Do you ever get tired of looking at before-and-after photos?​

BEFORE STAGING

AFTER by Gail's Staging and Design LLC

All in all, I think Behr picked a VERY safe color that we can expect to see a lot of in the staging and design world.  Since staging trends tend to follow the color trends and the paint companies are at the forefront of this, let's look at another newly announced Color of the Year...

Sherwin Williams Color of the Year 2019, Cavern Clay​

Courtesy of Sherwin Williams

No, you are NOT going to see this color on very many walls of a home EXCEPT in maybe an office space. 

You will see this color in accents of leather, wood tones, clay pottery, amber glass and pillows.  Personally, I love the leather chairs Stephanie White used in this AMAZING living space before-and-after...

Living Space BEFORE

After Design by Stephanie White Interiors

The Sherwin Williams color choice was a bold one but they know the pulse of color trends which is trending towards muted colors...both the Behr and Sherwin Williams Colors of the Year fit that trend.

​

In fact, both of those color choices are complimentary in nature especially with similar muted tones...what do you think?

 

This 2019 Colors of the Year Mood Board was created in our E-Design Training account that all of our Expert E-Designers have access to use, share, blog and post on.   If you're interested in learning how to create cool vision e-design boards for clients, then join me in this upcoming webinar...

You know you're on the right color trend track when you see it mass produced...

The Hearth and Hand with Magnolia collection at Target is making a big statement this season following these color trend combinations.  I was SHOCKED to see very little color in their items EXCEPT for our Behr Blueprint and Sherwin Williams Cavern Clay:

Magnolia Home-Target

These small accessories in Blueprint and Cavern Clay tones make a big impact and will liven up any table setting.  Pairing the natural rattan woven chargers with the blue glass plates and glasses brings out the contrast and just the right pop of color. Cavern Clay can undoubtedly turn heads with its eye-catching color through décor made of wood, ceramic, leather and rattan while Blueprint shows off it’s color best in fabric, glass, linen and paint. You can spruce up any kitchen or dining table by sprinkling in these colors for a lasting impression.

Magnolia Home Target

 

Two good color picks that go well together...it's almost like both paint companies coordinated their picks!  It almost makes me expect to see the Pantone Color of the Year 2019 as a Mustard Yellow.

Oh how I LOVE to talk color and design trends, as well as how they relate to our staging industry in the form of AMAZING before-and-after photo transformations!   Here’s my take on the Colors of the Year 2019 for Behr and Sherwin Williams thus far and how you will see them inside homes over the next year.   Let me know what you think about these color and design trends for 2019…

4 Staging Trends to Follow

I love what these Santa Cruz home stagers did to this million dollar vacant listing!  This Santa Cruz Home Staging company, Pacific Home Design merchandised this space so well...I'm building an article off the work they did about staging trends I'm seeing in the industry...

4 Hot Staging Trends You Can't Ignore...

#1

Navy and White Are Here to Stay

Before Staging

After - Pacific Home Design

After by Pacific Home Design

In a 2014 Staging Trends post, I named the color navy as a staging color trend you will see more of in the coming years and I'm happy to say that three years later...I'm not tired of it.  You can see how these Santa Cruz home stagers (Chrissy and Corrine) really tap into the design vibe of the city of Santa Cruz in that their staging design enhances the view and creates a "lounge like" feel.

​

#2

Merchandising Every Space is ESSENTIAL!

Before...

After by Pacific Home Design

Part of the art of staging is "merchandising" the space.  The definition of merchandising is "displaying a product in such a way that it stimulates interest and entices customers to make a purchase."

The two photos above show this concept beautifully!

A buyer would go onto the deck and marvel at the view in the unstaged, empty deck photo BUT the buyer who goes onto the staged deck will sit in the chair and imagine spending sunsets with their partner over a glass of wine and teaching their children the constellations in the evenings...do you see the difference?

In my staging and design training, I call this building "Emotional Connection Points" in the home, so that buyers feel home in the each room...

#3

Staging Outdoor Areas is a Huge Trend

Staging by Pacific Home Design

For the first time in the 2017 National Association of Realtors staging statistics they mention the importance of staging outdoor areas, so this is a trend we are going to see grow in the coming years!

 

#4

"White" is the New Gray for Staging

Don't you hate how fast color trends seem to change?:) 

After staging by Pacific Home Design

Expect to see more white walls in the staging realm since this trends is growing.  Having said that, it takes extreme, design expertise to work with white walls since "white" needs lots of white furnishings and texture to work well.

Luckily the Santa Cruz home stager gals at Pacific Home Design had taken my Certified Color Expert (CCE) training course, so they knew the right way to work with white on the walls in this home!

More Gorgeous Photos from Their Staging Project...

After by Pacific Home Design

Santa Cruz home stagers hit the mark on the hot new staging trends I’m seeing and the photos of their work will inspire you…

2014 Home Staging Statistics

We just completed the largest home staging statistics survey ever taken of over 3500 homes sold in 2014.  The home staging statistics show that on average, professional home staging by an HSR Certified Home Stager increases the value of the home over 10% of unstaged comparables!  Spending around 1% on the “professional” staging of a home resulted in HUGE returns for the 2014 home seller.  In fact, we saw direct correlation between staging dollars spent and increase in sales price.

Speed of Sale vs. Getting a Better Price

It’s not just about “speed of sale” in today’s housing market but about making the most money out of your most valuable commodity.  While staged homes are selling quicker according to the RESA stats, I wanted to survey whether they were selling for more than the unstaged, neighbor’s home and boy did we get great results!  I’ll be sharing more about these results in the coming weeks.  Here is a quote that is good to keep in mind and pass along for the next selling season if things continue on their current trajectory:

Interestingly, our International HSR grads posted fantastic gains upwards of 15% which was not surprising since they are pioneering staging in their markets.  The midwest housing market had a bit less in return than the rest of the country which was also indicative of those markets being a bit behind the California, Texas, New York rates.

Overall these numbers don’t come as a big surprise since the popularity of HGTV and sites like Houzz, create an expectation for buyers when they are searching for the right home…they want the model home look and professional staging is the best way to achieve that.

Home Staging Zillow Statistic

Latest Home Staging Zillow Statistic

As the market heats up, we are seeing more real estate agents and sellers recognizing the huge benefits that come with hiring a professional home stager!  Here is the latest in home staging statistics according to a new Zillow Digs survey of Real Estate Agents and Interior Designers:

Hiring a professional home stager was listed as one of the top two critical improvements a seller should invest in when selling their home in 2014.

“In a market where home prices are rising, it becomes even more essential to get every dollar you can from the sale of your most expensive asset…professional home staging does this for sellers.” – Audra Slinkey

I’m seeing bidding wars all over the place for the right home that is staged beautifully in this 2014 spring housing market.  The savvy agent who wants to have the reputation for getting sellers “top dollar” understand the necessity of staged and merchandised rooms, as well as professional photos to post online.

Curb Appeal was listed as the number one home improvement item while using a professional home stager was listed as number two according to the survey.

A home stager can skillfully identify ways to highlight your home’s best features and compensate for its shortcomings. The goal is to make “your home appeal to the broadest audience and number of buyers possible,” says Zillow Digs Board of Designers member Mara Miller of Carrier and Company in New York City.

Warning…not all home stagers are the same!  It takes extreme design expertise, a strong knowledge of the real estate market and buyer demographic, as well as special training in phraseology, staging psychology and vendor partnerships (flooring, window coverings, furnishings, etc..) to really maximize the value of the transformation.

Ready to Become a Successful Home Stager and Redesigner?

XOXO – Happy Staging!

Audra Slinkey

Hope to hear from you!

1-888-563-9271

audra@homestagingresource.com

Top Ten Staging Trends for 2014

I love design and probably own every staging and design book and magazine available.  I’m really loving the design trends that are driving the staging trends of 2014 because they reflect the brighter economic outlook of sellers and buyers.  When people feel good about their home equity, job stability and market conditions…great things happen in design!  It’s no wonder that in a recent Houzz Survey all of the tradespeople (especially designers) were feeling wonderfully, optimistic about their revenue growth in 2014!  There’s never been a better time to become a stager and designer!

 1. Staged Outdoor Spaces – Can you imagine what this space would look like without the staging? Yes, it would be cold and dreary. Karen Hunter of http://www.staging-magic.com/, transforms this yard into an entertainers dream come true! Staging is about creating the vision of what life in the home would look like and including the outdoor living areas is critical! This staging trend is probably one of the most essential and I see so many sellers not have their outdoor areas staged. Remember a photo is worth a thousand words, so have the stager stage the outdoor space, take your gorgeous photos and that is what will sell the buyer online. 95% of buyers are online first trying to find the home of the dreams…what do you think this photo would say to the buyer?

Don’t forget to stage all of the outdoor space and especially the BBQ/bar area. The husband weighs in on the home decision and I imagine this staged outdoor area would speak louder than the table area.

 2. White Kitchens – Huge trend now for home owners is light, white, bright kitchens! In a recent Houzz survey an overwelming amount of respondents desired a white kitchen in their home. A professional stager can easily offer this solution at a low cost since the right painter, accessories and accents are what is needed. When the kitchen comprises almost 30% of the buyer’s decision (according to NAR) a little more expense in this main area makes a world of difference in price! Elayne Forgie of http://forgiehomestaging.com/, works wonders in this space.

 3. Birds On Display – The bird in the pillow is just a taste of what we will see more of in the future. Whereas last year’s trend was the white porcelain deer head on the wall and horses, this year’s trend is sweet, little birds. I also love how Monica of http://www.definedspacesstudio.com/, used a palette of wheat yellow and variations of blues to create this dreamy bedroom. Okay, I know the chevron pattern is a bit over-used but in this instance it anchors the palette of yellow and blue nicely.

 4. White Slipper Chairs and Bright Pops of Color on a White Canvas – White slipper chairs have always been popular but now we’ll see more of them in these whimsical settings where pops of bright hues help to modernize the space. This staging and design technique by Jo McLaughlin of http://jomclaughlindesigns.com/, looks great throughout the home as the overall sunny economic outlook reflects the bolder color palettes people desire. I also love the metallic framed art which is also very popular right now whether silver (as in this photo) or gold.

 5. Speaking of gold….the next big trend is warm gold/brass accents – Framed mirrors, art or brass bar carts add warmth and sophistication in any room. Carmen Cuesta of C.C. Loeb Interiors beautifully displays an old wooden table with a touch of vintage and greenery.  Certified Home Stagers and Home Stylists have many inexpensive tricks they use to add glamor to a space using what home owners already have.

 6. Purple Accents in Small Doses – We all know that the Pantone color of the year dictates future color trends (that’s why we’re seeing so much yellow and turquoise now manifested in design (Pantone’s past colors) but this year’s Radiant Orchid I believe will be best seen in small doses in living areas (as in this staged living area by Lisa DeFrancesco of South Shore Staging and Photography, http://www.ssstagingandphotography.com/.

And while you won’t see Radiant Orchid on the walls in the living areas of truly staged homes, you will see it in beautifully redesigned/styled homes. Susan Batka of Aerie Interiors, http://aerieinteriors.com/ creates a sensual and inviting space for the bolder client. The zebra print rug really helps to anchor the space and look.

7. Dual Coffee Tables – placing two coffee tables next to each other to scale a larger space is a much better staging solution than just one.

8. Clear Tables, Chairs, Lamps and More – Glass has always been an excellent staging tool because of it’s reflective nature and ability to create more light in what would probably be a dark space. Elayne uses glass tables, glass hurricanes and glass lamps to move the minimal light throughout.
White is Right in Big Doses – While white kitchens is the hottest kitchen trend, white also sells when it’s in an 80% dose as in this living room.

9. The Navy Comeback – Navy blue is making a come back in a huge way!  Navy just stole our hearts originally via patterns like chevron, ikat and floral (as in this chair) but now it’s really making it’s presence known as a “new neutral” that pairs well with yellow (as shown), turquoise, coral, chartreuse, wheat …basically all of the bright 2014  on-trend colors that add pop to a space. Navy is one of those versatile colors that can work with bright or earth tone accents (just open your latest Pottery Barn catalog to see it with earth tones).

 10. The Statement Piece Over-sized Chair – There are so many things I love about this staged space but the dramatic, over-sized, wing-back chairs are my favorite. Every space needs that one thing that makes the buyer go “wow”! Kristine Ginsberg of http://www.elitestagingandredesignmorriscountynewjersey.com/, the USA Top Professional Stager of the Year invests in luxury accessories that create harmony and sophistication in her spaces.  Plush elements like the platinum garden stools, mirrored console and geometric lamp shades serve to pull together this space.

In a new Houzz Survey all of the tradespeople (especially designers) were feeling wonderfully, optimistic about their revenue growth in 2014!  There’s never been a better time to become a home stager and designer!

11. Non-Matching Chairs Around the Dining Table to Create Interest and Memorability – Those of you who are familiar with my staging and design training know that I never stop at 10, so here’s another trend I think will play strong in the staging world.  You can remove the end chairs in a formal dining space to create space and to also take a great, real estate photo head-on OR add unique, statement piece end chairs to take an interesting side photo of the space.  Remember, staging is always about the best photo since 95% of buyers are online first, so pick the shot, then stage it.

Here are my Top Ten Staging Trends for 2014 in Slide Show Format

I’m really loving the design trends that are driving the staging trends of 2014 because they reflect the brighter economic outlook of sellers and buyers.

What are some other trends that you are seeing?

Save

2014 Home Staging Convention

Five Lessons Learned From the 2014 RESA Convention

Can you believe all the Home Staging Resource members who attended the 2014 RESA Convention?  There were over 60 of us and boy did we have a blast! Every year I speak at the RESA Conference and learn so much that I add to our HSR Certification training.  I love that online training provides me a “real time” educational avenue to provide critical information to the hundreds of HSR Members across the world!

Over the next few weeks I’m going to be sharing some of the things I learned at RESA, as well the success stories I got to hear firsthand from this incredible group of women.  Make sure to stay tuned by signing up to the right for our blog.  I also am spending a ton of time adding what I learned from the RESA Conference to my HSR training area, so everyone can benefit from the takeaways which is the beauty of online training.

Here are some of the 2014 lessons I learned by our incredible line-up of speakers:

Lesson Number One – Your contract is your “paper courage” said Kimberley Seldon on day one, so when a client wants to do it differently…you refer to your contract and make no exceptions.

My Training Takeaway –  I’m going back through our example contracts that we provide in the training using Kimberley’s mantra and making them stronger and more steadfast.

Me and my good friend Shell Brodnax (the amazing woman who always makes the RESA convention a success)

Lesson Number Two – Steven Aaron spoke eloquently on the need for stagers to “do a better job articulating confidently your value!”  Give real estate agents an easy way to recommend you to their clients.

My Training Takeaway – Add to the training “Realtor Partner Plan” and “Realtor Presentations”  a page/slide on how the stager makes the agent look awesome.

Me and Kristine Ginsberg the winner of the US Stager of the Year and an HSR Member

Lesson Number Three – Katie Lance (a social media guru) spoke on what’s important in social media for 2014 for stagers and how you can easily connect to clients using some of the new social media technology.

My Training Takeaway – Completely redoing my social media and networking section to reflect the 2014 trends, add the tips and tricks of connecting with clients and being a “good stalker” which will make it easy for HSR members to make agent partnerships.

Me and Lori Murphy, Ululani Poepoe and Valerie Monkarsh the new HSR stagers nominated for Rising Star category

Lesson Number Four – Shell Brodnax was one of my favorite speakers and spoke about “Reining in your fears – stop focusing on what could go wrong and focus on what’s right!”

My Training Takeaway – Add more information and video in my Week Two Marketing section that helps stagers connect easily with their propects and clients, so the “fear factor” never comes into play.  I also am pushing the Staging Mentor program since is an easy way to take the fear away by working at a home and with clients under a Mentors guidance.

Me and my sister and mother who come and just enjoy the convention with me.

Lesson Number Five – Matthew Finlason spoke on the psychology of staging stating that, “it’s not about pretty rooms but about SELLING homes!”  He also emphasized understanding the “buyer demographic” and creating a lifestyle design plan that fits.

My Training Takeaway – Expand on my six buyer demographic Internet research steps and add a “Buyer Demographic Profile” form to that section.

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.“