Why Real Estate Staging Works

Why Real Estate Staging Works

Have you ever walked into a model home and thought, “WOW – this place is amazing”, only to find out it’s much smaller than what your family needs or you wanted to purchase it right then and there because it was your dream living room? Being a former do-it-yourselfer, I never really understood why anyone would pay for staging in a home. Did I love to go look at model homes and get ideas, yes, but did that make me want to buy them…no.

Learn to see the “after”

Well, after flipping 8 homes and selling them myself I thought I knew everything! Boy, was I wrong. As it turns out, I am a GREAT real estate agent, AND I have a unique knack for “seeing through” the bad paint and carpet.

When I first started my career in real estate, I literally thought that I would NEVER be a listing agent, I would never help people SELL their home. “What a complete waste of money” I would tell myself. I also could not understand why my beloved buyers could not see the “value” in buying the home with the purple paint and pink carpet… “My Gosh, it’s just paint and carpet, this could be a beautiful home at a great value”.

After several years and learning the business, it turns out that I was wrong from the beginning. I AM unique, most people can’t see the “after” in their mind. Hence, the boom of “House Flipping” shows and “Million Dollar Listings”, people are obsessed with the “AFTER”.

Once I came to realize not all people have what it takes to get a home ready and staged to sell, do unique marketing, and have a strong advertising campaign to find buyers, and then negotiate top dollar for their home as a FSBO (For Sale By Owner), I really embraced the listing side of real estate. Turns out this is my expertise and passion.

A stager makes it happen!

Over the years, I have grown my business to incorporate an amazing stager for every listing, whom I provide free of charge to my clients before we list their home.

Shannon Hawkins is the owner of Refresh Your Nest staging and interior design. She is my go-to expert for this service. Shannon is the one who tells the sellers that they want their house to feel like a spa when people walk in, and she gives them a list for everything to do, right down to the bowl of lemons on the counter!

Her service to my clients is invaluable. She comes in and gives them a list of all the things to do to get the home ready to sell. Then the professional photographer takes over making the home look like it is fresh out of the Better Homes & Gardens Magazine.

Vacant homes are even more fun

My “flipping” clients always utilize Shannon for staging with furniture, for AT LEAST the living room, master bedroom, kitchen and bathrooms. This helps the homes sell faster and for top dollar. The same way new home construction has their model homes, we prepare our listings for those people who just don’t have the eye for the “after”. We want them to envision themselves in the home.

One time, I was bringing buyers to the same condominium community. They were selling small 1 bedroom condos, but they were higher end and in a desirable location. I always took buyers to the model home first, then we looked at what was available in the inventory. After several weeks I noticed that the location of the model kept changing. I asked the on-site agent why that was. She told me that the reason is because although it was the EXACT same floor plan people wanted to buy the model because they didn’t believe the other units were the same. The model was in their mind, nicer!

Staging can make small spaces look much bigger. Believe it, when you add furniture to a room in the proper proportions the room appears much LARGER.

So WHY does staging work?

Well, to be honest, I guess it’s because the majority population doesn’t have that special eye for the “after” and needs some inspiration. Those people who flock to HGTV for the house flipping programs are the ones out shopping, and if your home is on the market, you want to target those buyers!

If you need help or have questions about staging and our services, we would love to help!