Hi All,

I recently started a Home Staging biz in the LA/OC area (specifically, I use insights garnered from buyer-related mkt research to prepare a home for sale) and I'm planning on visiting some realtors/brokers and hopefully partnering with them. I'm equipped w/reliable stats that show how staged homes sell an ave. of 3x faster for between 5 and 12% more than they otherwise would, but I'm not certain as to whether Realtors are interested in partnering with a Staging Co, despite the obvious benefits. This is primarily due to the fact that sellers are hypersensitive when it comes to receiving advice about their home's decor, and I'm not sure whether agents would be comfortable recommending my services, even though it's a service EVERY seller could benefit from (albeit to varying degrees). On the other hand, as a neutral 3d party, I can act as a buffer between seller and agent when it comes to recommending modifications...

When encountering such resistance, I usually try to emphasize the fact that the way people live and show a home are entirely different-- when selling a home, to cast the widest net, it's necessary to depersonalize the home so that prospective buyers can see themselves living there.

The other thing that sometimes wins sellers over is the idea of having one source do all of the legwork in order to prepare the home for sale-- but none of these things matter if agents are afraid of offending clients.

With that said, how should I approach agents/brokers? Should I offer to do seminars for firms with several agents? DO you think this will generate interest, or just inspire agents to use the info I teach in order to stage homes themselves?

Many thanks!!

Staging appears to be useful in mid range properties. I have not seen any significant benefit in High End or Low End properties... those buyers have their own ideas on what they want or they look beyond what is in the room to what the bare property would look like.

Generally Bare or almost Bare seems to work best in High End and Low End in this area. Only a few developers Stage a Model New home and generally only one even when 6 or so other models are also showing.

In occupied properties the key issue it to reduce clutter, make things look as large as possible and remove "Personal" effects as much as possible which many sellers do resist. I have found few sellers willing to even consider staging assistance beyond videos I can provide from sources like Dave Knox and old Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate tapes with Tony Randall which are still the best I have seen.

Several people have attempted Staging Businesses in our area but appear to have limited success and generally are not in business long unless it is part of something like an Interior Decorating business in conjunction with a Furniture Boutique. I know they do some of the New Condo models and that does appear to be helpful... but it is at no cost to the seller or agent... they do it to increase exposure and their opportunity of selling furnishing to buyers of the new condo units.

I agree with realty check. I work with low to mid range homes and staging is good when it's minimal and sort of neutral. I used staging for rentals as well. It helps to add a little character to a home, but the less clutter, the better.

The most successful companies in my area have alliances with agents. They teach classes, go to meetings, and do a ton of networking. They also have brochures with before/after pictures and sometimes hold contests like "win a living room makeover" to help them build their database. It seems like a tough business. The companies in my area charge less than $200 or so flat fee. Some charge $85 an hour if they have to move heavy furniture.

Hi, Just read this post again...wanted to mention to you that a person has to be careful using the word "staging" in print ads etc now because there is a lady who has it trademarked for her business. They have classes all over the country on how to "stage" your property for the market... etc. If I run across the web site, I will post another reply with the web site addy for you. It seems like in my area, more sellers are asking what they could do to make their homes stand out from the competition and if it doesn't cost that much to "stage" a home then why not do it?! It makes our jobs easier as agents!

Hi there,

I offer home staging as part of my regular service to all my sellers. I pay for the consultation as well as 3 hours of re-design work. I also mention that their home will be posted on the stagedhomes.com website which receive 2 million hits per month...seller's love that!

As for people using the word "stage" or "staging" etc...I have heard that Barb Schwartz (owner of stagedhomes.com) tried to have the names trademarked but was denied. You may want to check into this a bit further.

I like the idea, aesthetic value is what really sells the home. Some people will not choose a house because of how it s decorated.

How are those stats derived? Is it possible that staged homes sell for more than non-staged homes because it's the middle and high end sellers that are more likely to stage in the first place?

The site stagedhomes.com has the word "stage" registered. Notice the R symbol is used in Staged homes and to stage homes.

STAGE is Registered to BARBARA BOHRER under registration 1,652,964 for an educational video recording on how to prepare a home for sale. I don't know if stagedhomes.com has any association with the registered owner Barbara Bohrer.

Description for trademark are as follow "Prerecorded educational videotapes for use in training sessions and in training property owners what to do to prepare their property for sale."

Stage as a video recording for staging is not descriptive but stage when used as staging homes may not have been approved by the trademark office. The site stagedhomes.com uses StageDhomes.com with the letter "D" following and the word "stage" as a verb ie..to stage a home. I don't think the trademark was granted for the purpose of using "stage" as a verb or description as in to stage a home.

It was approved for a video recording where the content involves home staging.

Although if stagedhomes.com were to get approved for "video production" or "video demonstation" over the internet then it would be difficult to offer a similar staging service without also infringing on the trademark.

I have a gal I recommend occasionally for staging, on those properties that would benefit. But the seller pays. The worst is odors, smoking/cats.

God I hate those smoking cats!