Even though America is a consumer society, it’s an odd fact that the typical home seller does not view their property as a product for sale in a marketplace. Because this is so, many home sales end up languishing. But this doesn’t have to be the case.

Dressing it up
Basic, old-fashioned marketing principals teaches that how a product is perceived and received within the market can be positively altered and impacted. This is where home staging can help. More than just being decorators or designers, good home stagers are focused in applying a full array of strategic property-marketing principles and practices which positively influence the consumer about a product (your home) in a market.

So, although a staged home might look attractive, it is important to note that staging is NOT solely about making a home just look “pretty.” In fact, there are homes that CAN look visually attractive and STILL not be staged.

Any Realtor, home seller or builder who thinks that staging is simply making a home look “pretty” is grossly ignorant about the benefits of proper staging. The “why” and “how” a home is prepped for its showing and ultimate selling is what a staged home is all about.

What we do is much like what happens every day at Macy’s, Best Buy, Safeway, Walgreens, and other retail stores across America. Real estate staging is more about strategically setting up — or merchandising — a property in a manner that makes it not only easy for buyers to tour, but also allows their hearts to connect to it with a powerful first impression that stays with them.

Today, I am not surprised to find there are many pretty homes that still are not selling. But a staged home that is priced right will sell quickly, even during ugly markets.

Stage It Forward...

Craig Schiller founder of Real Estaging