Staging is useless - why you should never stage your Miami home before you sell
by: Ines.Hegedus-Garcia on April 15, 2008 23:30:00 5 comments »
A few years ago the word “staging” became a trend in the Miami Real Estate Market as well as elsewhere around the country. Realtors went out and got staging designations and people with decorating skills created staging businesses. Known local Interior Designers even found a niche within the Miami Real Estate Industry. Everyone talked about the importance of staging your home for it to sell quicker and for more money.
It seems that the industry liked the concept of staging but not all home sellers were convinced. Many of our clients even told us that staging was a waste of time and they would possibly consider it once the house was listed but only after they prepared their home by:
- decluttering and packing away collections and personal items
- repaired leaky faucets
- changing all light bulbs
- painting and cleaning
- planting new flowers at entrance of the home
- making sure the house smelled clean and fresh for every showing
With all that work, who had time to stage??
Well…..the news is that all of what they were doing was part of staging! The mere act of preparing your home for sale is exactly that. Craig Schiller, a dear friend and stager extraordinaire (I know he is getting tired of the title, but its true), wrote an excellent article about why Realtors are not ‘getting it’. In ‘You Can Stage It! Even if THEY Still Dont Get It’, he writes:
So dont let the words ‘staging’ or ‘Stager” trip you up. While these words are relatively new, what we advise has been given as advice in real estate sales for year. All that has really changed is that there is an entire INDUSTRY now committed to understanding the intricacies of how a home can be best merchandised and marketed as a product so that it entices them to buy.
So here’s the complete and total truth - in this slow market, you as a seller must go out of your way to make your house stand out from the rest. The mere act of placing your home for sale with a sign in front and in the MLS will not sell your house. The act of ‘marketing a real estate property’ involves many factors and there IS an entire industry committed to helping you sell your home.
Rick and I have several listings in Miami right now that dont show well and we can see from the first moment people walk in, that an opportunity is being missed. Dont be stubborn, use the tools we give you, increase your chances of selling well and quickly. Staging, together with all the tools we provide, could mean the difference of selling your house now or not at all.
In the words of Craig, Stage It Forward! (now how do we get him to expand his business to Miami?)
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· http://www.theblogthatatemiami.comInes, I thought you had had too many mojitos when I saw the headline! LOL I’m glad I read the rest of it. Anything that makes a house stand out from the competition is valuable in this market.
Craig’s a genius. Too bad he’s not local =(
Maggie Dokic
Permalink April 16, 2008 00:12:36 · http://www.clearwaterrealestatetampahomes.comInes - I think staging is finally starting to get the respect it deserves - great post!
Permalink April 16, 2008 00:28:29 · http://www.miamism.com/
LOL @ Maggie!! I’m glad you read the rest! :) If only Craig was here…..we would give him tons of business! (not that he needs it).Cyndee - in Miami it is hot and cold - some people really trust staging and the power it can have and others don’t want to see it. I have even bought furniture to help stage, but no one like Craig who has a library of furniture. (rentals can be costly)
Permalink April 16, 2008 01:06:15 · http://realestaging.blogspot.com/Well THAT was a very nice compliment! Thank You.
I KEEP “pushing” staging because it works. I have 1000 different ways of saying it… because there are 1000 differnt ways of hearing it. I want sellers to get the benifit of staging no matter where they are.
Oh… and as for me in Miami?Well, keep watching. Me (or rather my words) may be showing up soon.
Me
Permalink April 16, 2008 08:12:02 · http://www.miamism.com/Craig - I push staging with every listing and every way I can (but you know that), now we need you here to complete our services.….coming to Miami??? I can’t wait - you know mi casa es tu casa.
Permalink April 16, 2008 09:56:56This post has no comments awaiting moderation.
