I was recently working with an Investor who wanted to hire a Home Stager to stage his flipped home. As we were talking, I could immediately tell that he didn’t know what a Home Stager is because his primary focus was on what he wanted to see in the home. I let him continue as I smirked, knowing he didn't have enough information on what Home Staging is. This happens way too often with potential clients who are new to staging.
It occurs to me that the only people who know what Home Staging is are those who actually do it, or those who are used to working with a Home Stager. Everyone else conflates it with Interior Design and/or Interior Decorating. Honestly, I think Home Stagers do a subpar job in educating others about what it really is and how it works.
The result of Home Staging is decorated and it is not decorating or design. Now, it’s only fair to say that if someone wants to hire a decorator or designer to stage their home, they totally have the right to do so. I encourage anyone who is passionately attached to their vision being manifested inside their property to hire a designer or a decorator. You have to be pleased with what you're getting.
It's necessary to share that I do recommend understanding the fee structure and how the process works when hiring a decorator or designer. Understand their timeline, deadlines, costs, shipping delays, and the fact that the client will be in full possession of the items purchased when the home sells.
To give more clarity on Home Staging:
We're staging for the target buyer and the Home Stager has full control of the final aesthetic result. Staging items are not what is being sold, the house is. The staging is the backdrop to the main event (the house). If we're in the business of selling homes, it works to put ourselves in the shoes of the broad audience of target buyers and enhance the home in a such a way that it appeals to those buyers. Furniture pieces are neutral colored and carefully curated for universal appeal.
Staging is not the main event. It helps define the rooms and add color and softness and focal points, and so forth, but the main focus should be on the architectural features of the house, the location, the price, and layout of the property. It's a marketing tool used to empower properties to sell faster, for more money, and help maximize their appraisal value by creating a positive first impression.
If in fact it does align with one's personal taste, we consider it a win-win. If you found this blog helpful, feel free to share it with your colleagues and clients!
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