With all the shows and media coverage on Staging, it is natural for people to believe that "anyone" can stage. The fact is, that is not true. Anyone can learn to copy basic tips and maybe some ideas, but for true Staging to happen, a trained Stager needs to be involved (whether formal or informal - we are all educated in our field).
When less than 10% of the population has the ability to picture a room in a different way, it is not possible for "every" homeowner or realtor (or friend) to manifest that ability. Staging is not just about putting table cloths out (which actually is a no-no in my book) and adding some greenery. It is about strategic placement that occurs after a house has been depersonalized.
I want to make sure that anyone that is looking to prepare a house for sale actually uses someone that is trained and educated to know what that means. We have had friends, neighbors, even appraisers poke their noses into what we do best and what we've been trained to do - and I am amazed at some of the "advice" our clients hear.
Case in point - a family I know just put their house on the market using a Realtor that is not an area specialist. House is not "professionally" Staged - and I can tell because they have a narrow front window by their door where jumbles of jackets hang, greeting a buyer with a messy display of home familiarity - familiarity that should be removed, packed or put away. The photos of the house show cleaned surfaces and pleasant arrangements, so someone put on their "Stager hat" to get rooms ready for buyers, but I still see too many personal items, and odd arrangements of furniture.
When I teach classes I have Realtors and Stagers in the classroom. I make sure the Realtors that like to "dabble" in Staging know that their job is really to sell a house or find a buyer to work with - and if they really enjoy the Staging side, they need to ask themselves if taking all that time to Stage a house is really what pays them money, or is it getting a new buyer or listing?
The analogy I give is that their "staging" would be like me getting my real estate license and listing houses at 0.5% because it's "fun." How would that honor my relationships with my Realtors, or allow me to actually serve my "clients" - because my true joy is in Staging.
So - what hat are you wearing? And is it a Natural Fit?
- If you are a seller, let an expert give you objective advice on the sale of your house.
- If you are a Realtor, your income comes from listing and selling houses, not Staging.
- As a Stager, bring me in to help you both achieve your goals.
Hi Jennie,
I agree with you completely. It is key in any situation that when seeking for advise, you would ask that of the professional who is trained in that particular feild. Sure when our kids were younger and they had a loose tooth, we knew how to pull them out, but that doesn't make us dentists. When there was a loose board on the fence in the yard you may have hammered an extra nail in it, but that doesn't make us experts in carpentry and we don't go around telling people we can build houses. If you are in a situation where you need medical attention, you would seek the best doctor, a legal situation, you would get your opinion from the best lawyer, housing market, you would ask advise from a realt estate expert, and when it comes to staging, it is NO different. Whether you are a realtor or homeowner, when seeking advise about preparing your home for sale, you should reach out to the experts in the staging industry!