WHEN TO SAY NO TO STAGING AND ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS
OCCUPIED, VIRTUAL, VACANT, OH MY!
When most people think of staging, they imagine a full refurnishing and styling of a home. In our experience, this approach is incredibly effective in helping sellers reach their ideal buyers on an emotional level. We’re not alone. According to a study by the National Association of Realtors Research Group, 89% of buyer’s agents said home staging has an effect on most buyers’ view of a home.
However, not every property will benefit from a full staging. If you are wondering about the best approach for your property or listing, we provide a few considerations below.
First, let us point out that there are many different services offered by home stagers. Home stagers offer consultations where they walk through the house with the sellers and advise on what the seller should do to prepare the home for sale.
Stagers also offer what’s called “occupied staging” where the stager redesigns the home for sale using the furniture and decor items of the seller and perhaps bringing in a few new items. Other stagers offer virtual home staging services where they use software to show how the home could look with new furnishings - those images are added to the MLS listing, but the home remains as is for physical showings. And, finally, many stagers offer what most people think of when we talk staging — “vacant staging” services. With vacant staging, the seller empties the property and the stager brings in furniture and decor to style the home.
We discuss below instances where vacant staging may not make sense, but even in these circumstances, hiring a professional stager to at least advise on the best approach is always a good idea.
We explain below…
THE PROPERTY IS A TEARDOWN
For properties that are in major disrepair, have seriously problematic floor plans, or sit awkwardly on a lot that could be better maximized with a new home, the house might not be worth keeping. In these cases, there’s a greater likelihood that the owner will get a better price for the property from a developer than from a buyer who would need to perform major work just to make the home work.
Even if it doesn’t make sense to tear down the structure, a “strip to the studs” project is also probably best left to developers (or only the most skilled and plucky DIYers).
Vacant or occupied staging, in these scenarios, would be an absolute waste of money. Since developers only care about the lot, neighborhood and what they can build in the home’s place, the best course of action is likely to list the home “as is” and do nothing to make it more appealing.
THE BUYER DOES NOT WANT TO CLEAN UP THE PROPERTY
For staging to work its magic, it requires a properly prepared canvas. If a seller is not interested in addressing basic repairs or visible issues, there is little sense in spending money on vacant staging. Money should first be directed to cleaning up the property.
It’s a red flag for buyers if a home has chipping paint, broken windows, missing switch plates or other obvious details that have been overlooked. In these scenarios staging would just be “lipstick on a pig” and raise buyers’ suspicions about whether larger issues are being concealed. For this reason, it’s best not to stage such a property unless and until the issues have been addressed.
In these instances hiring a stager for a consultation so they can provide advice on everything that needs to be addressed is a smart move. Stagers also know how to discuss issues with sellers delicately and with care. Often a professional stager is able to inspire the seller to not only address basic repairs, but to also stage the house, so it can appeal to the ideal buyer and get the best return for the seller.
THE IDEAL BUYER IS THE SELLER
Sometimes the people who already live in a home are of the same demographic as the ideal buyer. For example, if a certain neighborhood attracts young families and the sellers have only lived in the home for a short time, the ideal buyers are likely to have similar needs and wants as the sellers.
In such cases, the home may already be set up to appeal to the ideal buyers. However, even in these cases, occupied staging is a smart idea to help the sellers zero in on what needs to be done to declutter and maximize the features of the home. However, vacant staging may also be in order if the sellers haven’t yet invested in furniture and decor that will showcase the home. And, if the sellers have already vacated the property, then a vacant stage is definitely a good idea.
Be sure to contact a stager for a consultation and an expert opinion. Good stagers only make recommendations that will yield a return.
THE PROPERTY IS UNIQUE AND
THE OWNERS HAVE DESIGNED AROUND THE HOME’S UNIQUENESS
Some properties sell themselves because of their unique features. The people who typically buy these types of homes choose them precisely for their uniqueness. Accordingly, we find that sometimes the owners of unique properties, older homes for example, make furniture and decor choices that maximize those unique features. They turn their properties into real showpieces. However, even these homes can often benefit from a consultation and occupied staging to maximize the seller’s efforts.
HARDSHIP OR TIME CONSTRAINTS
We think everyone should take advantage of opportunities to see the greatest return when they sell their home. But, we understand circumstances may dictate otherwise. If a seller is in a hurry to unload the investment and is not in a position to put time into staging, maintenance or improvements, the real estate agent must support the seller in listing the home in the state it is in and do the best they can to get a good result for the seller.
Though the answer may not always be to stage a home for sale, staging should always be considered, whether it’s vacant staging, occupied staging or even a partial stage.
And, agents should recommend staging as part of their regular marketing. If staging is not raised in the beginning, a house could sit on the market and require a reduction. If the agent brings in a stager at that point, it appears that the agent didn’t provide thorough advice in the beginning. And, recommending staging from day one, as a matter of course, means the seller won’t feel singled out as a client who “needs staging” since it’s just part of the agent’s marketing strategy for all listings.
