By Charlene Storozuk
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By now, most people are aware of the concept of home staging. In fact, it’s gone beyond a concept and has become a mainstream step in the home-selling process. Increasingly, homeowners are becoming educated on its benefits, in part thanks to HGTV — although some of these television shows paint a glamorous picture of the profession that’s not exactly accurate.
Many savvy homeowners now expect a home staging consultation as a component to their home-selling strategy. How can you incorporate this as a service to your clients? Partner with a professional home stager and offer clients a complimentary home staging consultation. It’s a huge value-added bonus that will set you apart from the competition.
I know what you’re thinking. What will it cost me? This depends to a large degree on your location and the expertise of your home stager. In my region for example, a consultation will start at about $175. The fee also depends on the type of consultation you select for your clients. A highly detailed consultation, complete with photos and full do-it-yourself instructions will cost more than a consultation produced using a customized template.
If these two options are beyond your means, you can always consider offering a verbal walk-through consultation. This can still be helpful to your clients. Some home stagers will offer volume discounts to their REALTORS®. This is a great incentive to have even your best-looking properties reviewed by a fresh set of eyes. You’d be surprised at the number of recommendations that an experienced home stager can make, even to a home that you think is perfect just as is.
Be assured that a professional home stager will not be rude or insensitive to your clients. That only happens on television to boost ratings. Of course there will be some issues that need to be addressed, but they will be discussed in a professional and thoughtful manner. The best part: you don’t have to be the bad guy. That’s what your home stager is for.
To support the growing number of home stagers in North America, the Real Estate Staging Association (RESA) was formed as a member-governed trade association. RESA offers education and business tools for home stagers, as well as information for consumers. Shell Brodnax, president of RESA, has been working diligently for the past few years to help bring credibility to our industry. In an effort to make home stagers more accountable, the Stagers Excellence Alliance program was formed, and similar to the Better Business Bureau, it gives consumers a portal for launching complaints if they have not been treated in a professional and ethical manner. Some RESA members have elected to belong to this program, which holds them to a higher standard.
As well, RESA has just launched RESA-PRO, a professional designation for home stagers. Stagers with this designation are required to take an ethics course and pass an exam with a grade of at least 80 percent. They also agree to take continuing education courses every 2 years to maintain the designation. Other safeguards are also in place to ensure that home stagers with this designation are not “hobbyists.” RESA-PROS must be in business for a minimum of 1 year and provide proof of their business registration number and date of inception. They must also provide proof of current business insurance and business bank account information. These safeguards all help to protect the consumer.
Here are some powerful stats on home staging released recently by RESA:
Days on Market:
|
Before Staging
|
After Staging
|
| VACANT HOMES |
277 |
63* |
| OCCUPIED HOMES |
233
|
53* |
* 78 percent less time on the market after staging.
Survey of 284 vacant & occupied homes staged prior to going on the market:
|
| |
Days on Market Before Sold |
| Vacant Homes |
39 |
| Occupied Homes |
42 |
If home staging is something you’ve been thinking of adding to your list of services, what better time than now. For more information about home staging or to locate a professional home stager in your area, visit RESA’s Web site.
Charlene Storozuk, RESA-PRO, is the owner of DEZIGNER DIGZTM, a professional home staging and interior decorating firm based in Burlington, Ontario. Charlene is a member of RESA and currently serves on the Executive Committee as Regional Vice-President, Canada. Her work has been featured in the book FabJob Guide to Become a Home Stager (2009 edition). Charlene has had several articles published internationally on home staging and is a contributor for REALTOR® Magazine's blog Styled, Staged & Sold.