Home Staging

Your Tool to Grow Your Business

Spring market is here and the “For Sale” signs are popping up almost as fast as the crocuses. Unlike recent years, there are whispers of a market adjustment on Main Street and home sellers are less than certain that their homes will sell quickly and for maximum price. As a REALTOR®, home staging gives you a unique advantage that will distinguish your listings and put your client’s fears to rest, assuring them selling success. Home staging should be your tool to generate more listings, warmer referrals and increased sales.

One of the most common misconceptions about real estate staging is that it is a last resort used to “rescue” a listing that has become stale. While staging can help those homes that have been passed over by buyers by giving the home a new look, staging has a broader purpose and greater effect when used as part of your everyday listing process. Simply put, staging can help you to sell your client’s homes faster and for a top dollar. Before you begin to market a listing, you should educate your clients about the benefits of staging. Studies done by Stagedhomes.com, the creators of home staging, show that homes that have been staged sell almost three times faster than non-staged homes. By becoming the expert on this useful tool for your sellers, you will have an advantage over other agents who either do not use staging for their listings or do not understand the value it gives to their clients. The public is savvy about this useful tool and is requesting REALTORS® who offer this service, thanks to reports by news media such as ABC’s 20/20 and a new book by Barb Schwarz, the creator of Home Staging. To ensure you win more listings, become familiar with staging by visiting www.stagedhomes.com. You can also earn the ASP Designation for Staging and offer services to your clients that other agents do not.

Home Staging will also help you to grow your business through the referrals you gain from satisfied clients. When you introduce home staging as part of your marketing plan and ensure that your client’s home is prepared for sale before you put it on the market, your listings will sell faster. Your clients will quickly recommend you to other sellers, especially when you can earn them more than comparable homes in their neighborhood. Becoming an ASP REALTOR® also gives you access to building your referral network. As an ASP REALTOR®, you work with ASP Stagers who are being contacted by the public to stage their homes before the seller even calls a listing agent. ASP Stagers and REALTORS® work together to build their businesses. Since buyers view homes that are staged as more appealing and move-in ready, joining Stagedhomes.com will give you the ability market your services so buyers can contact you directly instead of other non-ASP agents.

Most importantly, staging your listings will increase your sales. Homes that have been staged not only sell faster than non staged homes, but also sell for more money. Stagedhomes.com research shows that homes which have been staged sell for almost 10 percent more than non-staged homes. What does that mean for you? Based on the national median priced home of $241,000 that could be as much as a $24,100 equity gain. For example if you sell two to four homes per month that is as much as $1880 more per month in your pocket and as much as $22,560 per year. Take into consideration your cost savings from not having to pay for ads or print expensive brochures – on average a cost of $700 per listing – and you can keep even more of your dollars – a projected $48,000 or more per year just from staging your listings. This figure will increase dramatically however when you consider the greatest benefit is the services that you are providing your clients and the new listings that you will gain since you have Staging as your super tool!

So how can you add value to your clients’ properties? Consider the following on your next listing appointment: Remember you are selling a house, not someone’s personal home. Encourage your clients to detail their homes inside and outside like they would detail their cars to prepare them for sale.
Ask yourself: Is the home clutter free so the rooms appear more spacious? Are there personal items and papers that can be packed away? Are the closets and kitchen counters free of unnecessary items? Are toys, family photos, and extra furniture stored elsewhere? Are the trees and shrubs blocking the view of the home from the street and decreasing its curb appeal? Is the home neutral in color? Will the colors of the home appeal to most buyers or are they specific to your client’s individual taste? Is the home clean? Are the windows washed, carpets spotless, grout and tile fresh? Has your client used or need a professional cleaning service? Does your client need the advice of an ASP stager? Bring in a professional and objective opinion so you do not risk the trust you have established with your client. A stager can provide a consultation of the interior and exterior of the property and provide staging services as needed. Take the time to evaluate your clients’ homes and educate them about staging. Chances are, you will not only win more listing presentations, but you will also increase your sales, commissions and referral business.  n

Kate Hart is an ASP Stager and a trainer for Stagedhomes.com. Her work has been featured on HGTV, the Fine Living Network, CNN Headline News, 6 ABC’s Action News, Main Line Today Magazine and REALTOR® News for Suburban West REALTOR® Association. She speaks frequently to REALTORS® and the public about staging. Contact her at kate@stagedhomes.com to arrange speaking engagements and classes in your area.