The Art of Home Staging

April 26, 2015

If you’re trying to sell your house, there are a lot of factors to consider. One element that’s often overlooked can make the difference between selling your home and watching it languish on the market: home staging. This art of preparing a private residence for sale improves the property’s appeal, making it a more desirable place to live.

After a walk-through with the homeowners, home stagers make a plan to refresh the house, then help execute that plan.

We talked with two home stagers – Gretchen Knoblock of New Leaf Interiors in Traverse City and Leslie Adkins of Northern Michigan Home Staging in Charlevoix – to get the scoop behind the skill.

ALL ABOUT HOME STAGING

"The first thing to know about home staging is that it’s not interior design," Knoblock said. "It’s product merchandising, appealing to the target market for that particular home."

The home staging process begins by depersonalizing the home – removing personal items and family photos so that potential buyers can better picture themselves in the space.

Knoblock explained that every home is different, and this is where the challenge begins.

"They all have different requirements for a successful stage," she said. "This can include de-cluttering, moving furniture, repairs, cleaning, painting, replacement of dated fixtures or finishes and the process of arranging and accessorizing the space."

"No two properties or owner circumstances are the same," Adkins agreed, "but fresh eyes and fresh perspectives can help a homeowner to see their home’s potential. The advantage is my neutral position as a home stager; a realtor has a vested interest in how a home shows, as does the property owner. So I can play mediator and be objective about what is needed."

Psychology plays a large role in determining staging needs. Knoblock explained that people’s buying triggers are emotional, so whether it’s a paint color that evokes a certain pleasant feeling or a particular view highlighted by a specific window, the goal is to create a sense of lifestyle that will feel welcoming and positive.

The cost of hiring a home stager depends on the extent of the work needed. Knoblock’s "Mini-Stage," which provides a road map to help homeowners stage their home themselves, has a flat fee of $275.

However, full staging, which may involve leasing furniture or hiring a contractor, can run into the thousands of dollars.

HOW DO YOU BECOME A HOME STAGER?

Knoblock was a real estate property manager for 17 years before returning to school to complete her degree in interior design.

"While working in interior design, I found that I had many clients who were frustrated with not being able to sell their homes," she explained. "I wanted to be a part of that process, as the sooner they could sell one house, the sooner I could get to work on a new one."

Knoblock enrolled in the Martha Webb home staging skills program in Houston, Texas and earned her Home Marketing Specialist certification. Adkins came to the profession via a more circuitous route.

"I may have been a stager all my life. I’ve been rearranging my furniture since I was old enough to drag it around the room," she laughed.

Her professional life actually began with a degree in accounting, which led to a job working for building contractors. "Then, in 1999, I became project coordinator for a prominent architect with a reputation in custom residential design," Adkins said.

The contacts she made through that job, and the beautiful homes she visited, inspired her to start her own business. She became a licensed general contractor in 2012 and started her home staging business within the framework of her company, Independent Home Builders.

THE DOS AND DON’TS

"People searching the Internet for listing data almost always "˜look inside’ the home on listing photos before ever touring the property in person," Adkins said. "Yet, the potential of that first impression is rarely considered, even when it makes such a difference."

Staging is specifically designed to sell a house faster, and for a better price, than an un-staged home. It’s about crafting a situation where everything is always tidy and beautiful, and the kind of life people imagine living in the home looks better as a result. So, being stubborn about temporarily changing your lifestyle, or putting in a few extra hours cleaning up, won’t help at all.

"Nothing is more off-putting than real estate listing photos showing sinks with dirty dishes, unmade beds and clutter everywhere," Knoblock said. "But beautiful photos attract the right buyers. Staging tells them, "˜we knew you were coming and we hope you can visualize a great life here.’" A staged home also says that the owners care about the house, which can translate to a better overall feeling for the potential buyer.

DOES HOME STAGING REALLY WORK?

"All of the homes I’ve staged have sold, except for one," said Adkins, "and that was because the owner stayed!" "The buzz created locally for a staged home is more powerful than a fresh listing," she continued. "The activity itself creates the right kind of attention for the home."

Knoblock has had similar success. "I’ve found staging to be very successful here in the Traverse City market," she said. "No amount of staging will overcome every issue, but my fastest sell ever was three days. The house had been on the market for six months with no activity. It was taken off the market to get the staging done. It went back on the market on a Monday, multiple offers above the asking price were received, and it was under contract three days later."

Part of the responsibility lies with the client. After a home is staged, it’s up to the owners to keep it in "showable" condition. If those dirty dishes are right back in the sink, that’s a lot of effort and money thrown out the window.

THE REWARDS AND THE CHALLENGES

It might seem like a strange job, going into people’s homes and completely rearranging – or removing – their belongings, so, other than the income, what are some of the rewards of being a home stager?

"I’m most inspired by being a part of a process that allows me to help a client with one of the most important aspects of their lives – the place they live or will live, where they raised or will raise a family, the place that will make a thousand life memories and milestones," Knoblock said.

Adkins has a personal take on the job. "I love seeing people’s homes," she said simply. "They always tell me stories about attachments and memories, or their situations in life regarding the property. People are personally attached to these things and I make wonderful new friends."

Of course, with rewards, there are usually challenges too.

"Being ready with answers is one challenge," Adkins said, "but I’m creative on my feet and often my first impression or solution is spot on."

"The most challenging part of staging for me is knowing that a client may not agree to my best-case scenario plan, either due to budget concerns or comfort levels, and having to figure out how to modify the plan to make it successful," Knoblock said.

"But the more challenging the home, the more I enjoy it, because it makes me better," she continued. "That’s the kind of on-the-job training you can’t find in a textbook and it’s how we all become the best we can be at what we’ve chosen to do."

To contact New Leaf Interiors, visit newleafid. com or call 231-313-8865. To reach Northern Michigan Home Staging, visit northernmichiganhomestaging.com or call 231-499-0046.