Sellers Objections to Staging and Answers to those Questions

 These days are there still home owners who object to the process of preparing and Staging their property for sale. It is important to note that prep and Staging are not the same. If you do all the prep as outlined in the last eleven weeks, your house is still not staged. It is only PREPARED for STAGING. Staging is the icing on the cake and really takes all your hard work and gives it the final wow factor, the icing on the cake.

Staging is the art of showcasing your home, using color, furniture layout, spatial planning, scale and proportion to highlight the features of the property. It takes natural and technical talent to be a Stager. 

The fixed elements of the property should be highlighted, as that is what the buyers are going to purchase. Things like built in’s, cabinets, flooring, upgrades such as new windows should be considered when doing Staging.

Some of the main objections that sellers have are listed below and so are my comments to overcome those objections.

“I can’t afford it”

Staging is less than a FIRST price reduction so the question is how many price reductions do you want to have before you Stage? Staging can help you avoid double carrying costs if you already have purchased a home, and prevent your property from going stale on the market, which results in lost market time and money. Staging actually helps you sell faster for more money.

“It’s a Hot Market”

It may sell even in a hot market, but at what price? If it is not staged and your competition is…how much are you losing? What if you could secure multiple offers in that market? Hot markets are rare and they take years to develop as real estate is cyclical and economy driven. You cannot rely on it being a hot market when you sell and even if it was, why not sell for even higher? Would more money benefit you? 

“We don’t have time to do all this work”

 Taking a week or 2 to prepare will net you thousands more in equity, how much is your time worth?

“Other sold around me without Staging”

 Yes, they may have sold without Staging but did they really get the best price? Probably not, but now they will never know. It’s not worth the gamble when you have to sell and want to move forward with your plans. Staging also shows off your interior photos online, resulting in more showings in person, this buzz causes excitement over your property and will help you sell faster.

“My house is beautiful…”

Yes, your home may be beautiful but it’s likely decorated for you, not for a buyer. In my nine years of Staging there has only been one house, out of thousands I have viewed, that did not require any Staging. That creates odds not in your favor, and to be honest, even though there are a lot of good things about your home, it is important to have the best and highest quality first impressions when it comes to today’s buyers. They want to see what they see on TV and we as your local Home Staging Company can provide that for you.

“My Agent isn’t on board”

This comes from lack of education about Staging. As much as I respect and support the Real Estate industry, it is important to keep in mind that any Agent who is not encouraging ALL methods of increasing equity through all avenues of marketing is not honoring their fiduciary responsibility to you. Home Staging is about marketing more than anything else.

Perhaps your Agent hasn’t researched Home Staging enough, so give them the benefit of the doubt and invite them to our Staging Consultation. We provide a powerful presentation, complete with photos, stats and testimonies of Home Staging projects. Or you can direct them to our website at www.stageandsell.ca for many articles on the benefits of Staging. 

This is your decision to net the most equity and therefore you have the final say. These days I am hard pressed to find Agents who don’t agree with Staging, as it also benefits them to have a well presented listing.

When I first started this company 9 years ago, I spent the first 3 years selling the concept to Sellers, with Agent support. Most sellers did not know what Staging was. Then the Staging television shows starting popping up on HGTV and almost overnight my phone started ringing with sellers calling BEFORE they even called an Agent. This turn of events transformed my company. I also began having Agents calling saying that their Sellers wanted a Staging consultation and asking questions about how the process works. Staging television shows changed this market to be a Staging friendly one.

“Everyone wants to live on my street”

Why settle for less? Regardless of where your home is can you still benefit from the highest selling price in the shortest time frame? What about the possibility of multiple offers?

“I think my house is good enough”

Markets always change with new homes coming up for sale and new methods of design, features and lifestyles always emerging in new homes. Times change and so does how real estate has been sold. The internet showings online on www.realtor.ca are the way buyers search for property now. Time restraints for buyers and their busy lifestyles, also cause the internet searches to be the best option, it’s faster and more efficient to make the final 10 choices at their dining room table than to drive around and spend time and gas without results.

“I’ve already de-cluttered- it looks good now”

Step 1/ 2/ 3, complete the Staging picture. Step one is the consultation, Step two is the process of preparation and Step three is the actual Staging. So to do the first 2 steps and then miss the mark by not Staging your home is almost a crime! The hard work that you put into the process should be rewarded with the icing on the cake, it makes it all worthwhile!

“I sold years ago without Staging”

You may have sold years before without Staging however television shows have changed that now. As well it is important to remember that years ago house inspections and title insurance didn’t exist either. Real Estate has evolved and improved its process for both buyers and sellers. It is a marketing tool that is here to stay!

 Buyers are not interested in doing your “to do” list when they move in, they are looking for move in ready homes now. The generational changes are worth noting, as todays buyers are more demanding and disposable in their mindsets. This affects how they buy and how they sell.

It is interesting to note that my easiest “sales calls” for Staging clients are homeowners under 35 and they have already decided that they are staging before they call me. They are SOLD on the concept and simply searching out the best Home Staging Company.

For more information on Preparation for Staging and Selling see www.stageandsell.ca or call us at 780.452.4527 

simply irresistible interiors inc.

Western Canada’s Leading Home Staging Company

Copyright© 2012 by Jill Gargus.