OOPS Goes the Staging!

From when we were just little kids we were taught there is a difference between what is right & wrong and what is good & bad. While these initial lessons of life had to do with basic relationship skills and behaviors, as we got older, we expanded in our awareness of good & bad, right & wrong rules that applied to other parts of our lives. Rules, we grew to understand, helped to guide us in subjects we study, the hobbies we undertake, the sports we play, and the work we do. In short, we gained insight and knowledge that there are proper ways things are to be done if you are going to do them well.

So while learned knowledge is a good thing, we also have discovered that correctly applying that knowledge can prove to be a quite a challenge…which also holds true to home staging. Even though there are those who are knowledgeable and appreciative of staging, some have come to realize it takes skill and ability to properly apply that knowledge. This is one of reasons why the staging industry is on the rise.

BUT, if you are young in your understanding of what staging is, there is something ELSE you need to know about it and the people who present themselves as stagers. Be advised… not everyone that says they know staging or claims they are stagers really can do it. There are far too many people now jumping in to an unregulated industry claiming they KNOW how to stage. Their final staging results unfortunately demonstrate their gross lack of understanding and break basic staging rules. AND I have to admit this really ticks me off!

To make my point, let me give you an example of a problematic staging in the form of a short video called "OOPS Goes the Staging!" (Oh… be sure your speakers are on.)

For the sake of fair disclosure, I want to let you know we here at Real Estaging are VERY familiar with the property featured and critiqued in my video… we actually lost the bid to stage it to whoever did the work in the video. So while some might think I am upset because we lost the job that person... that is just not the case. (Anyone that has been in sales for any length of time knows that is the way it is in sales... "You win some and you loose some.")

Anyway, the reason I am so ticked-off is because good and proper staging DOES follow certain rules, practices and procedures that when done well and done right will help the property sell. It is upsetting to know that this Chicago developer finally got the message that “staging helps to sell homes” and they were willing to invest hard earned money, only to get a final "staging" that actually works AGAINST their property's sale. Plus what makes this staging a sadder story is the fact that this was to be the model for a multi-unit property.

Unfortunately, Realtors, home sellers and small builders really don't know exactly what good home staging is and what it is not. Why? Well, for one reason home staging is still a relatively new marketing tool and has yet to be fully embraced as a viable option for selling homes. So if you are wondering, "What is GOOD and what is BAD staging?” or “What exactly makes a staging RIGHT from what makes it WRONG?" Well, to help you let's start with 4 Basic Staging Rules most of you have likely heard of. These basics are...

1. De-clutter and organize the home to minimize visual distractions.
2. Neutralize the home's look so that it appeals to the largest buying audience as possible.
3. Arrange furnishings and accessories to best show the home's space and features.
4. Add what's missing to finalize the home's appeal.

So as you watch the "OOPS goes the Staging!" video keep these very basic real estate staging rules in mind. By the time you are finished with it, you will begin to see and understand a little of what bad staging is and where this staging pooped out. And… in closing, if you remember nothing else I hope your remember this... filling a property chock full of pretty furnishings and accessories is NOT staging!

But when staging is done well and done right... it sells homes! PERIOD!

Me

PS: If you would like MORE detailed explanation of the 12 BIGGEST STAGING OOPS in this property...be sure to click on the "DETAIL" button located along the bottom of the embedded video.