WHY YOUR HOME STAGING SHOULDN’T LOOK LIKE HOME STAGING
STAGING IN DISGUISE
Let’s face it, staging isn’t all that new of a concept anymore. In most US real estate markets buyers regularly tour staged homes in the course of their searches. According to a 2023 survey conducted by the National Association of Realtors (NAR), 23% of agents stage every home they list for sale. An additional 21% of agents said they use home staging for certain listings. Given the current prevalence of home staging today, it stands to reason that sophisticated buyers and their agents know when they are touring a staged home.
QUALITY OF HOME STAGING IS IMPORTANT
You may ask, if the point of staging is to help buyers imagine themselves living in the home, but buyers know they are touring an artificial environment, is staging as effective?
Well, in our opinion, it depends. And, you guessed it, it depends on the quality of the staging.
We have seen some gorgeous staging projects, where each room could be on the cover of a home decor magazine. And, we have seen projects where the scale of the furniture and decor works against the home or the pieces are so dated that the staging detracts from the home’s appeal.
The fact is, since home staging has proven so effective, many sellers, agents and investors know that they should stage their properties. However, some assume the job is as simple as putting beds where the beds should go and a sofa facing the TV. If staging is that simple, can’t anyone with furniture and a team of muscle handle the job effectively?
HOME STAGERS ARE BOSSES
Before we go any further, we want to mention that we have mad respect for stagers. Stagers must be able to manage a team, deal with different personalities in high stress situations, handle the complicated logistics of furnishing and styling (or unfurnishing) an entire house in record time (with multiple simultaneous projects), manage a warehouse of inventory that must be carefully stored, maintained, and regularly updated, negotiate contracts, and handle marketing.
The actual staging and design planning is at the bottom of the list of skills required to manage a successful staging business.
Just take a behind the scenes peek at what goes into a typical staging project and it’s clear that stagers are hard workers with a breadth of skills.
But, buyers have become hip to home staging. As a result, just placing furniture in a home is not effective and when the result screams “artificial environment” it can be a turn off. However, really good thoughtful staging that takes into account scale, proportion, and balance of materials as well as presenting an elevated lifestyle for the ideal buyer grabs a buyer’s emotions. Though their brains are aware that they're walking through a staged home, that’s not what’s important to them. They’re focused on how much they love the home and what it will take to get it.
THE ART OF MODERN HOME STAGING
As staging has become more popular, the staging industry has evolved, and we are here for it! There are stagers now approaching their work with more sophistication. Gone are the days of “paint it white,” “decorate with beige” and “let’s just neutralize the space.” Savvy stagers are savvy business people and they understand that, to sell, one must speak to their ideal buyer - not the whole world. Good stagers are designing for a specific person and reaching them on an emotional level.
And, the level of talent among stagers throughout the country is utterly inspiring. These dynamos are not just stagers, they are designers. If you asked them why they choose to work as stagers rather than designers, they would tell you, for a creative person, the staging process can be more satisfying. Stagers typically have more license with their choices than designers, who are catering to a particular client.
And, though staging is hard work, and (frankly) completely unglamorous, it provides quick and measurable gratification. We experience the positive reactions to our work within days and the financial rewards for our clients come within months.
It’s a grind, but oh so satisfying. With design projects, results can take many months and sometimes years.
And, most stagers are also real estate junkies, so what better way to scratch the two itches of real estate and design than by staging. And, by the way, many stagers offer interior design services as well, and we are so glad they do!
So, when you are looking for a stager, you want to find one who delivers a result that doesn’t say, “I’m staged.” Rather, it says to the ideal buyer, “this is where YOU belong. If you love me, others love me too, and you had better move quickly to win me.” That message is so much more powerful than notes on beds that say “don’t sit on me” or cardboard box TVs.
