Staging Can't Fix Everything

I know. That's the last thing you expect to hear from a stager, but its the truth. One of the core principals in my dealings with clients is "truth". However, I haven't always found this to be the case with real estate brokers. Recently a client had her staged home listed $25,000 over comps in her neighborhood. Still, her broker insisted that she could get her original asking price. After months on the market, this home sat without a single offer. The client was frustrated and befuddled. Unaware of the comp situation, I warned the client that her refusal to upgrade her kitchen, the centerpiece of the house, might be discouraging potential buyers. As the house sat, the client de-staged the home, fired her broker and the hired a new broker who encouraged her to take an initial reduction of $25,000. In my opinion, this reduction only gets her in the game. It doesn't make her competitive. And this is where staging matters. Once the pricing is competitive, staging gives sellers an extra edge. If the real estate broker were to tell the client the truth, he would say that without staging and without an upgraded kitchen, the house is still likely to be an afterthought for potential buyers. All I ask is that we give clients the unfettered truth. Yes, your house is special and lovely but there's an even nicer one around the corner.

Tiffany

Parker Interiors DC Staging and Redesign

www.parkerinteriorsdc.com