The Art Of Staging: Negative Space continued

TWO successful closures on two staged properties! A rental house that had been vacant and 'for rent' for months, rented two weeks after I staged it. A 'for sale' house, truly beautiful but in a location that is improving (and the 'improving' stalled/slowed when the economy stalled) had been vacant without offers for a lot of months, almost a year. It went under contract two months after staging.

Of course, this means I am in process of bringing two houses' worth of furniture and accessories into my basement.....help

Negative space.

We were talking about negative space before reality in the form of two houses interrupted me.

Okay, let's all imagine standing in the living room in your house. Everybody there, mentally? Now, let's get started. For purposes of this discussion, let's assume the house is not being sold furnished. Let's remove everything that is not part of the sale.

Toss out the tschotkes. Rip the pictures down from the walls. Stand on a chair and tear the amusing diorama - half a plastic duck, crashing through the ceiling. Transport the furniture into the back yard. OUT goes the TV. The rugs shimmer and vanish. With a series of popping sounds, the books vanish from the books shelves. Unless the book shelves are built in, they follow the books outa there. The gold cup you got 1976 for outstanding achievement in field hockey lifts off the mantle and glides out of the room. (Mentally clearing a room is SO much easier than actually packing, isn't it?)

In your mind, take the room down to bare walls, bare floor, bare ceiling. What is left? Windows. Doors. Fireplace. Built in book shelves. Flooring (carpet, wood).

One more thing. In your mind rip up the carpet, the wood, the flooring. Smooth over it to make it mentally easy to walk on.

What a coincidence! When we remove everything that is not for sale, we are left with everything that defines the shape and size of the room. Negative space.

This, my friends, is what you are selling. This is where the staging starts.

Tomorrow, we dig into this idea.

Have a great Tuesday.

The Art Of Staging: Negative Space

What the heck is negative space?

In painting, negative space is "the space around and between the subject(s) of an image". (wikipedia.org)

In my always vocal opinion:
In music, negative space is the pauses to breath, the silences that highlight the next sounds.
In speaking, negative space is (again) the pauses, the silences that capture the listener's attention.

Negative space defines shape - the shape of the subject, the meaning and importance of the next words or music. Negative space enhances substance. Negative space is critical to understanding meaning. Negative space offers time to think and reflect. (Think about it, if the speaker goes on and on, even if they are interesting you may find it hard to keep concentrating on what they are saying.)

Negative space is absolutely critical to staging.

Think about it.

Forget 'what the heck is negative space'? ... What the heck is she talking about?

Discussion continues tomorrow.

Garden: Front Yard

I did an informal home staging consultation (informal staging plan) yesterday. The house was build in the early 1930's. The front yard is small, and the home owners are prolific gardeners in the English garden style.

Meaning the front yard was choked with blooming flowers, and a gigantic Rosemary bush partially blocked part of the walk to the door on one side, while a huge flowering shrub partially blocked the other side. The winding path they take to get in an among the dozens of shrubs and flowers was dirt.

Some enthusiastic trimming and a lot of bags of mulch (to define and enhance the path) will change the first impression from crowded and unfriendly to charming and welcoming.

I hope they let me know when they are done doing the staging. I am looking forward to seeing the lovely results.

Have a great Wednesday!

Despair

My stager friends and I are somewhere between despair and anger.

A few months ago, one friend looked over a neighbor's house. The neighbor had done their own 'staging'. I told you about it in a previous blog: tschotkes everywhere - beautiful, expensive porcelains arranged in huge grouping of dozens of objects; gorgeous, expensive furniture arranged to live and to block or hide the room's best features. A wonderful house, but arranged to live and not, definitely not, to sell.

The neighbor chose to list the house that way. After all, the listing agent said the asking price was reasonable and there was no need to stage.

They just dropped the price $50K.

Assuming the stager did the work - the most expensive way to stage - professional staging would have run under $2K, with a small on-going cost for a storage unit to protect the excess furniture and decorative items.

Would staging have made a difference?

We stagers think it would.....and we each have stories to re-enforce that thought.

Today, I do a Staging Consultation (what I call an Informal Staging Plan) for a new client who is selling by owner. Smart person - my charge will be minimal, they will do the work themselves, and they will greatly improve the marketing of their house.

Have a great day!

Would you buy a used car from this house?

When I say a house feels 'trustworthy' to a potential buyer, what the heck am I talking about? Do I mean the buyer feels the house is honest? Has nothing to hide? Will sign and back an IOU?

Pretty much.

In 'the science and art of staging' on my website, I have a large section called 'tell them about it'. This is all about ways a seller can tell buyers about the location and condition of the house. The more a buyer feels they know about a house, the more likely they are to follow their first impression and, if it is positive, buy the house.

This means if something is wrong that the seller is unable to repair, the seller should be up front about it and not wait for the legal disclosure to mention it. Waiting for the legal disclosure 'feels' like a lie..."Why didn't they mention that earlier???" Having a printed list of issues, and the approximate cost and time needed to fix them, will scare some buyers away, true, but it will make others feel they really know the house - that there are no gotcha's lurking.

That is why I encourage my client's to have a home inspection, address everything they can, write a letter explaining what they did, then put the home inspection report and the letter out where potential buyers can read them. This is a great way for you, the seller, to tell everyone that YOU trust the house. And, if you trust they house, they can too.

So, I suggest my clients be very up front about the physical state of the house.

With one kind-of exception:

Maybe you are the world's most amazing house cleaner. Maybe this means you sterilize the kitchen each time someone gets a drink of water. Maybe this means you figure once a month is good enough for cleaning your bathroom, and your baseboards have never been cleaned.

If the house is clean and neat and staged and all stains have been removed when it is shown, history does not matter. What matters is the house is clean when the potential buyer sees it. Here, cleanliness implies it has always been kept that way. In turn, this implies you, the seller, have always taken good care of every aspect of the house.

Gotta trust someone who cares that much. Gotta trust a house that is so honest about it's flaws and has, fundamentally, been well maintained.

In a previous blog, I said I believe buyers are helped when a house is staged. A staged house should be honest and trustworthy. A staged house markets itself by showing off all positive aspects and explaining any idiosyncrasies. I believe a well staged house never tells a lie.

Living In Your Staged Home: Clean, clean again

There are a lot of awesome cleaning products on the market. Many come with their own, disposable applicators (mop pads, cleaning wipes). This really bothered me because, while I loved the convenience of the product, I hated (a) spending money just to throw the applicator away, (b) thinking about what all those tossed applicators were doing in the landfills.

One day, in the local all-a-dollar store, I found a packet of 20 white cotton wash cloths. These border on being paper-thin, but are very strong. I bought two packs. Then, I got a bucket, a bottle of generic cleaner, furniture polish, and a bottle of white vinegar. I carry the wash cloths, the generic cleaners, and a few specialized cleaners (for special products like granite) in the bucket. Tied to the bucket handle, I have the drawstrings that close a plastic bag.

When I clean house, I use the wash cloths and the cleaners. When a wash cloth gets dirty, or when the specific purpose (like furniture polishing) is complete, the cloths go in the plastic bag. When I am through cleaning, I transport the plastic bag to the laundry where the wash cloths are washed.

When I mop, the wash cloths fit on the solid surface, flat 'mop' I use. Too cool.

In this way, I reuse the cloths, my garbage load is reduced, I save money, and the landfill rests in peace.

Almost three years, two houses, and the original packs of cloths are still going strong. Oh sure, a little stained, worn in spots...yep, in another year or so I will have to go find another pack.

...................................

There is a theory, held by some stagers, that cleaning products should be hidden. That we do not want to remind buyers that they are going to have to clean the house.

I do not agree with that theory.

I think a clean house in combination with the products used to do the cleaning, sends a message to potential buyers that the owners care for the house. This makes the house more trustworthy, a good thing, emotionally.

I do tell my clients that, because cleaning products can be toxic or cause bad reactions when touched, all such products should be stored out of reach of children. Buyers visiting a house may bring their children. We do not want those children exploring and playing with chemicals. We do not want parents worrying about whether their children are safe in the house - this is altogether the wrong emotional message.

So, use 'em frequently (even if you have a weekly cleaning service, you may need to clean between visits), and store 'em high!

Happy Tuesday!

Living In Your Staged Home: Clean

Remember a few days ago when we counted the number of accessories and furniture in a room? (see: I have a theory.)

It is likely, if you live in a fairly average house, your calculated count was greater than 7. And, if you live an average life, your baseboards have not been cleaned in awhile because just keeping the room in general clean takes up your available 'cleaning' time.

Now, think about how the room will look when it is staged. Most of the decorations will be stored. Quite possibly some of the furniture will be stored.

Mopping and vacuuming will go faster - not so much furniture to navigate around.

Dusting will go faster - not so many things to pick up.

In fact, there will probably be time to clean those baseboards.

In fact, on average, Staged Homes are much easier to clean than unstaged houses. Which is a good thing because clean sells houses. Clean houses smell better (really, dust has an odor some people can smell). Clean houses imply high home maintenance standards. Clean surfaces, shining or glowing, are emotionally welcoming.

All of which means, once you get the house cleaned, you need to keep the house cleaned.

This, also, is easier in a Staged Home. Running the broom or sweeper over the floors, dusting can be done on a schedule or when needed - daily if you have furry friends - in a matter of minutes.

This is one of the reasons sellers frequently Stage their new home when they move.

Tip: replace all air filters when you stage your home. Then, replace them again on a regular basis. Say, every three to six months.....of course, it is our hope when we stage a house that, in three to six months, you will be long gone.

Welcome back - I hope everyone had a great holiday weekend!

Living In your Staged Home: little boxes all over the house

It has way over a year since I sold my last home. Today, when I buy five pounds of sugar (it's the hummingbird season, you know) I pour the sugar out of the messy-once-opened bag and into a large storage container. Then, I label the box, secure the lid, and stack it neatly under the container I am about to empty (it's the hummingbird season, the only way to survive is to plan ahead).

Actually, I repackage all of my dry goods. I never, ever mix boxes. Instead each label lists what the item is, when I bought it, and the best-by or use-by date from the box ("sugar", 7/3/09, 7/10/10). This way, I do not risk cross-contamination (dry goods can undergo chemical changes as they age), I know what to use first, I know when to toss, and my pantry looks neat and has extra open space because the boxes stack neatly.

Of course, it took me some time to get in the habit of repackaging. Hmmm, yes, I remember, after I tried it one time while staging my house I made it part of my routine forever more.

To enhance the repackaging, I store like things together (rice with rice, enriched flour by the rice and with the regular flour, sugar with the no cal sweetener.......). And I rotate so the oldest container of each item is always on top and easy to reach.

It takes a little time to do the initial repackaging/staging in a pantry. After the first time, with the pantry neatly organized, time saved, and stress relieved the process of continuing to repackage is usually easy. It takes much less time than the time wasted hunting for that one item in the recipe thirty minutes before you plan to serve dinner.

My husband got a zillion small storage containers and reorganized his work area in the garage. My jewelry lives in containers: a box for sets, a box for necklaces, a box for rings.....I have a box for scarves and boxes for different colored hosiery.

In a few minutes, when I am done writing this, I am taking the leftovers from the zillions of containers into the basement and organizing my crafting space in the basement. When we moved, over a year ago, things got thrown into boxes any which way...I am going to unpack the big boxes, check the paints and ribbons and trim and tools, then put them together in very specific ways.

When I tell my clients about using little boxes while staging their house, I encourage them to store the boxes out of sight (in drawers, in cabinets, on closet shelves). Because my house is not for sale, giggle, I store boxes exactly the same way: out of sight and very near the place the contained items will be used).

For me, the stress relief alone is worth the effort.

Everyone have a great holiday! I will be back on Monday.

Living In Your Staged Home: Little Boxes, bathroom

Small, plastic, clear or white boxes can help you survive selling your home. And can help you make the sale.

Really.

Let's start in the bathroom. Look on the counter: Sixteen toothbrushes, Four tubes of toothpaste, three bars of soap, Dad's shaving equipment, Mom's make-up, Susie's skin care products, and little Fardwick's rubber ducky without which there will be no bath time.

In many houses, bathrooms get a little "busy". They have to. This is a room where life is, so to speak, lived in the raw.

Four people in the family? Get four boxes. Not too big. Just the right size to all fit and stack neatly in the cabinet under the sink. (Remember how we cleaned out under the sink earlier? There is tons of room down there.) (Or, there should be...If there is not, go through everything down there and toss or store everything not used on a very regular basis. Consider putting everything else in to boxes.)

Put Dad's shaving things, soap, whatever in one box. Neatly label it 'Dad'. Mom's things go in another labeled box. Susie and Fardwick each get a box (make sure Fardwick's box is big enough to hold Mr. Duckie). Put the four personal toothbrushes aside for a moment.

Now, store the other twelve toothbrushes, that inexplicable extra bar of soap, and anything else currently on the counter. Clean the absolutely bare counter. Step back and enjoy the shine for a moment.

Now, stage the counter. Remember you are going to have to keep everything you put on there very, very clean. So, don't overdo.

Clean the toothbrush holder (thrift/buy a new one if the current one is not neutral, has seen better days, or if you don't have one). IF each of the four toothbrushes looks new,put them in the holder. If any of them are worn, replace it with a new toothbrush.

Hint: Toothbrushes can develop an odor over time and use. Odor does not sell houses. When you are done brushing, rinse the toothbrush thoroughly. And, replace them regularly.

The message you are sending is, the people who live here are very clean and hygienic: a buyer can trust this house.

What else goes on the counter? A soap dispenser that matches the toothbrush holder. Or, a matching soap dish. (The people who live here are very clean and hygienic and concerned with beauty: a buyer can trust this house and will live here surrounded by beauty.) (Okay, one toothbrush holder and a coordinated soap dish are not going to invoke this subconcious 'beauty' thought all by themselves, we are going to subtly coordinate where ever we can all over the house. It all adds up.)

What if you cannot afford or have no time to find and purchase, a new soap dish? Whatever goes on the bathroom counter should always, obviously be clean, clean, clean.

What else goes on the counter? Nothing else is necessary. A live or very, very nice silk floral arrangement can be a nice touch for an Open House, but may get in the way during day to day life. A folded, coordinated hand towel is a good idea.

Bottom line, I usually put a soap dispenser in every bathroom - to help send the clean, clean, clean message. After that, I let the size and shape of the room dictate if anything else is needed.

Now, turn to the shower and/or bathtub. Does everyone have their own shampoo, conditioner, moisturizer, and soap? Each person's box gets a few more items.

Completely clean the shower/tub. Staging this area is simple. If there is only one shampoo bottle, etc used by everyone in the family, leave them out. If everyone has their own bath things (now in boxes), well a really clean bath area, with one neutral colored wash cloth hanging or folded neatly is enough. If there is a display ledge, a bottle of bath salts is okay. Art on one empty wall can help define and enhance the space.

Staging in a bathroom simplifies the space and emphasizes how clean and usable the room is.

If the house is vacant, I sometimes put in a silk plant and/or towels rolled or folded and tied with raffia or ribbon. This is because the bathroom is not in use. Nobody is going to brush their teeth with the silk orchid at their elbow, risking splatters.

If you live in your home while it is for sale, look deeply at your family's lifestyle then concentrate on simplicity and cleanliness in the bathroom.

So, back to those boxes.

It is morning. Mom, clutching her coffee cup stumbles into the bathroom, retrieves her box from under the sink and places it on the sparkling counter. She takes items out as she needs them, uses them, then puts them back in the box. When she is showered, toothbrushed, made up, and ready to face the day, her box goes back under the sink.

When everyone is abluted, someone is responsible for wiping down the counter and shower/tub. Tah-dah, the bathroom is ready to be shown. And everyone has the things they need each readily available.

Yes, this does require self-discipline. But, living in a house that is for sale really is not like living in a home. And, yes, once they get used to this many people find once they like it so much they carry the boxes forward to their new home.

Are you wondering how these boxes help you sell your house? Good old human psychology. Remember that message you are sending? The people who live here are clean so, if I live here, I will be cleanly too. The boxes, neatly labeled and stacked send the message: the people who live here are organized and in control of their lives so, if I live here, I will be organized and in control too.

During Open Houses for Staged Homes (depersonalized, neutralized, attention directed to the house itself and not to the people living in the house) where neatly labeled and stacked boxes are used (especially in kitchens and bathrooms), I have listened to buyers comment, "I'd like to live here so I could be organized."

Really.

The degree of organization you put in your house, along with the staging, enhances buyer's perception of the house.

It is as if the house itself made the organization happen.

This can be, and is, a good feeling. This can be, and is, a selling point.

Oh, and what if little Fardwick simply cannot survive unless Mr. Duckie is sitting on the tub surround all day, every day? It is not bad to keep the room simplified, keep Mr. Duckie clean, and let him roost on the surround. Forget the silk orchids, make Mr Duckie the decorative item in the bathroom. Just don't leave out the whole menagerie.

I hope you have splendid day!

Yesterday's Staging is almost done

Wowsers, Staging Day turned into a long day.

The living room is on the small side. Plenty of space, but difficult to work with because every wall had something in it - huge opening to the foyer, bay window, large opening to the dining room, fireplace. NOT that I intend to imply I put furniture against the wall. In staging, that is a big no-no: leave room on each side of the furniture for potential buyers to walk, check the walls and flooring, and enjoy the openness of the room. But, we tried every possible placement of the loveseat (I think at one time we boosted it up onto the mantle). And found problems with each. Finally, we went with what I suspected all along: in front of the fireplace, back to the foyer. Because the back of the loveseat is the first thing buyer's will see, the room will not be as welcoming as it would be if they saw the seating on the loveseat first. To counterbalance this flaw, we layered a few interesting pieces beyond the loveseat. Just hints of these pieces can be seen from the foyer - enticements to draw them in while highlghting the best features of the room.

There was a problem with the comforter on the "bed". Can you spot it?

The "bed" is seven flip-top plastic storage boxes topped by an over-sized queen air mattress. The look is fine. It looks like a bed.

However, the queen sized comforter is too small. It almost looks like it fits...but only from the entrance side. The window side is barely covered. Today, I go king comforter hunting.


Above, I said "we" because I hired an assistant. Another local stager, Michelle from Staging The Mountains. She made the wall art over the bed. I made the wall art in the living room.

See you tomorrow!

Staging A House Today

I am staging another vacant house today.

The garage is half-full of furniture and tschotkes. A new, contemporary dining set purhased on sale a few months ago. An end table from the 'paint when there is time' pile. Four wall art pieces - created from remaindered fabric in a mad rush yesterday. Three huge vases. A pile of reminders that I need to clarify what I mean when I say "nothing the fits in the palm of your hand". Twisted willow sticks. A bright red tea pot to brighten a dark place on the stove. The love seat from my bedroom. :0) The basement is crowded with decorative items that are the right shape, but the wrong color - painted yesterday and this morning. One original painting, designed to reinforce the planned color theme in the downstairs half bath, is (I hope) drying.

I have to go rent a van. Sorry my friends, the lecture will resume tomorrow.

Have an awesome Monday, and wish me luck!

Living In Your Staged Home: the name of the game

The name of the game is Sell Your House.

Yesterday I described some things in my home that create visual clutter (linen closet stuffed full of towels and shampoo bottles), physical clutter (furniture I refurbish, paint, and use in staging), and potential emotional response in buyers (huge statue of a snarling leopard). Let me add to that list things that personalize my home (family and pet photos), and furniture arrangement that is tuned to my family's lifestyle.

All of that adds up to a house that is NOT going to appeal to the greatest number of potential buyers.

So, if I were planning to sell my house, I would have to make some big changes.

I would investigate the cost of renting a storage unit. If I could not afford that, I would ask family and friends if I could store some of my stuff in their basement or attic. If I had no friends and family, I would start winnowing (getting rid of things I truly do not need) and packing.

In fact, unless I had an extraordinarily short time to get my house listed, I would winnow anyway.

I would, literally, look at every item in every room in the whole house.

I would ask myself a lot of questions about each item:
- Is it trash? It is truly amazing how much trash gets put in cabinets and closets. If it is trash, I would throw it away. "It takes a lot of garbage bags to sell a house".

- Is it decorative? Does it serve no functional purpose? If so, I decide:
- Does it fit in the palm of the average person's hand (I have itty bitty hands, wear a size 4 ring)
- Is it personal? Does it tell more about me and my family than the room?
- Will it potentially elicit a strong response when someone sees it (not neutral)?
- Is it startling? Does it exist to catch people's attention?
- Realistically, does it's color clash with the rest of my house?
- Is it deeply important to me? Is it irreplaceable, a family heirloom passed down for generations? Would I be devastated or financially damaged if it was broken or disappeared?
- Can I use it in staging?
If I answer yes to any of the first questions, or if I cannot use it in staging, I wrap, box, and store it away. I label the box very carefully and, when I arrange the storage boxes, I put it close to the top if I think I may want to get at it before I move.

Note to sellers: Sometimes it is worth paying a stager to look your house over, make some of these decisions, and write you a Staging Plan. Then, to save money, you can do the packing yourself.

One more note: I include books, DVDs, and CDs in the "decorative, not functional, pack it away" category. But, if there is shelving to stage, I may keep a few of them out to use as decoration.


- Is it functional? Does it have sentimental value to me?
- If I do not expect to ever use it again, and it has no sentimental value, I would donate it if was in good shape, and throw it away if it was in really bad shape.
- If I do not expect to ever use it again, but it has sentimental value, I would wrap it up and put it in a box. I would box it with other "sentimental" items. I would put a label on the box that described exactly what is in there. And I would place it in my storage unit, my sister's attic, my basement, or in the last room buyers will see when they tour my house.

- Is it functional, and do I use it infrequently?
- Christmas decorations go into a carefully labeled box. Unless you are putting your house on the market on November first, we hope you are out of there before Christmas.
- Pack away the good china and the paella pan. If you host frequent formal parties, either store the good china where you can get at it when you need it, or plan to throw "theme" parties and informal barbecues, or host parties at restaurants for the next few months. If you really need a paella fix while your house is on the market, start exploring restaurants. (notice I am sensitive enough to not suggest making the paella in several different pans? If you own and use a paella pan, the intermingling and variety of flavors is the whole point.)

- Is it functional, and do I use it frequently? Here we go again:
- Is it duplicated? Yes, I do use a wash cloth every single day. But, no, I don't need 43 of them. I would discuss this with my husband, then pack away all but two wash cloths. Remove all duplicates. But label the storage box carefully just in case the original breaks.
- Will something else serve the same purpose? Keep one colander (the prettiest one) out. Store the customized pasta strainer and the fancy bowl used to wash artichokes.
- Especially if it is very large, ask yourself if you can get by without it while your house is being shown. I love fried, brined turkey. But, I would store the free-standing turkey fryer and the gigantic soaking bowl out of sight and do without for the duration.

- Is it functional, and do I never expect to use it again? Donate it.

The point here is be ruthless. Step away from yourself and assess your physical and emotional needs very, very carefully. Look for ways you can make lifestyle adjustments. And, yes, for most people, I do encourage you to contact a stager, get a Staging Plan, then make your decisions from within the scope of the plan.

Next up: Surviving and thriving while living in your Staged Home.

Have an awesome weekend!

Living in your Staged Home while you sell

My husband and I shop at discount stores a lot. And, when we find an exceptionally good deal, we tend to stock up. Big time.

Right now, in the linen closet in the master bath, there are five bottles of shampoo (regular store price: over $9; discount store price: $1), eight bottles of bath soap (regular over $5, discount $1), enough cotton balls to last us well beyond the rest of our lives, and a plethora of other, useful doo-dads all bought in quantity, all bought for less than 1/4 the regular price.

AND, we shop at thrift stores a lot. Then, we keep using things until they fall away to dust.

In that same linen closet, I count four bath sheets, eight bath towels, twenty hand towels, and - gulp - forty three wash cloths. The oldest is over thirty years old. Mind you, this is good quality stuff. Barring nuclear explosion in the bathroom, most of it will still be with me if I last another thirty years.

Mind you, this is for two people who rarely have spend-the-night guests.

In out clothes closet, I just counted my husband's cotton t-shirts: fifty eight short sleeved, twenty long sleeved (a few weekends ago, he packed most of his winter clothing and put it away). Most of it bought for between twenty five and seventy five cents a piece.

I am not the clothes horse I am married to. I spend most of my life in cut off blue jeans and a man's white cotton short sleeved t-shirt (bought on sale for a dime). Oh no, I just have a collection of vintage furniture in need or repair and painting in the basement. Specifically, filling about a third of the basement. Again, each piece cost about ten dollars.

Ours is not a Staged Home. We LIVE in it. Parts of it are as barren as the middle of the Sahara. To get through other parts of it, we have to use a machete to hack a trail.

When it is cleaned and straightened up, the clutter is hidden away and it actually looks rather nice.

Judging by homes I have staged, and by houses I see pictured for sale on the Internet, my home is pretty normal. Okay, maybe we over do it in stockpiling towels.

But, what if I was preparing to sell this house?

The vintage furniture would have to vanish, probably holding hands with a towering pile t-shirts. Three towels, three hand towels, three wash cloths are probably enough.

Straightening up would not be enough to merchandise the house. Other changes, a lot of other changes, would be needed. Framed pictures would have to come down. Furniture would have to be rearranged. Focal points would have to be painted.


Giant, hand painted, plaster snarling leopards would have to temporarily move to the zoo.


Living here would not be as convenient as it is now.


So, how would I survive? Just what is Living In Your Staged Home all about?

Tomorrow, we will begin to explore that question.

Have a wonderful Friday!

Staging Tips 101: what are accessories for?

Does anyone else ever do an Internet search on "home staging" and include a random city's name? Just to look at the before and after photos and read the staging tips?

I certainly do.

I either critique or admire the 'after' photos, make note of new tips and resources, and search the text for new staging explanations.

Doing this, I noticed a pattern.

Website after website has an individualized version of one of the fundamentals of staging: "Living in your home when it is not for sale is very different from living in your house when it is for sale."

I think I am going to discuss this in depth over the next few blogs. But, since we are already on the subject, let's begin by discussing accessories.

When you live in your home, accessories (like photos, wall art, figurines, decorative boxes, TVs, throw pillows, books, and various collections) serve three purposes:

• They are mementos, reminders of special times and special people
• They bring your personal definition of beauty into the room
• They make your life easier

And, that is as it should be. When you live in your home, everything in it should make your life easier, calmer, more energetic, happier, and generally better. (yes, yes, I know there are obstacles like cost or other family members needs/tastes. if I ever run out of staging to sell topics, we will move on to staging to live. I promise.)

When you live in your home, your accessories are usually arranged to catch visitor's attention, to be admired (by you or your company). Again, this is as it should be. If you have it, and you love it, and other people will enjoy it; show it off!

Accessories play a completely different role when you stage your house to sell.

When you stage to sell, the number, shape/color/size, and arrangement of accessories can easily become distracting, visually cluttering, too personal, too loud an exclamation about who you are and what you find beautiful.

The goal in staging to sell is to arrange the house to maximize the number of potential buyers who find it appealing.

The purpose of accessories in a staged house is to:

• Fill spaces that would otherwise 'feel' empty.
• Guide the buyers attention to focal points - show off the best features of the room.
• Explain how odd shapes, like small alcoves, in the room can be used.
• Create an overall feeling that the room is beautiful without actually drawing a lot of attention to the accessory itself.
• Invoke a 'pop', a smile, a giggle, a tiny feeling of surprise that makes the house memorable without distracting from the room.
  

On my website, I write about the Science and Art of Staging.

The Science of Staging includes: remove photographs of people (human faces are very distracting), remove political/religious symbols and opinions, remove small objects that fit in the palm of your hand, remove trophies, remove anything irreplaceable (accidents happen), remove or greatly simplify collections........

Are you getting an idea of how living in a house that is for sale differs from living in a home? Kind of scary, isn't it?

Don't panic. It is only for a time. And, one of the reasons you are staging is because you want that time to be as short as possible. This is an adjustment you can make. In fact, many people find they enjoy living in a simplified, staged home. You may like it too.

The Art of Staging rearranges the accessories that remain after the great removal. The Art of Staging concentrates on merchandising the room. So, open spaces are gently filled. Overcrowded spaces are subtly simplified. Three objects of various sizes guide the eye up, up to the wonderful mantle over the fireplace. A lamp lights a dark corner....and looks like it really belongs there so well buyers may not even notice the lamp, they will just enjoy the light. A huge, bright red vase filled with twisted willow sticks calls attention to itself for a split second, then passes the attention to view outside the window. And on, and on, and on.

The Art of Staging is the reason I encourage sellers to work with a professional stager. This is not something you automatically get right the first time. This grows with experience and trying things and repetition.

When the staging is complete, step back and look at the results very critically. Ask yourself, ARE YOU SELLING THE ROOM OR SHOWCASING YOUR BELONGINGS?

You want to sell the ROOM and take your belongings with you to enhance your life in a new location. Tune the staging.

Oh, and one hint about the cost of accessories when you live in your home: Check out thrift stores, flea markets, yard sales, estate sales, and clearance in discount outlet stores like Marshall's, Home Goods, and Tuesday Morning. Don't just go once and decide those locations have nothing for you. Visit them regularly. There is no way to know what you will find. I once bought a cup and saucer set at a flea market for $4. It was labeled "pretty set". It's book value was over $400. It still has a proud place in my collection.

Oh, oh, and another suggestion: when you are done with an item, unless it is totally trashed, donate it. You can both get help with your taxes, and share joy with another human being.

Golly, is it Thursday already? I hope you have a great day!

Staging Tips 101: I have a theory

It is possible I am a teensy bit compulsive. But, I have this thing about making sure everyone means the same thing when we talk about an item. So, these are some of my staging definitions.

Furniture
Any unattached items in the room that are big and sturdy enough to sit on, lay on, or put things on (chair, sofa, end table, bed, dresser, TV stand).

Attached
Anything affixed to, embedded in, or sold with the house by law; anything that, if removed, will cause damage (built-in bookcases, unmovable kitchen island, jetted tub)

Accessories
Any unattached item that is not furniture (silk plants, TV channel changer, figurine, telephone, original Rembrandt painting, vase, toothbrush holder, coffee maker, framed photo, statue........)

Collection
Four or more related accessories (books lined up on a shelf, pink elephant figurines, vases of flowers....)

.........................................................................................................................................

I have a theory.

It is an algorithm used to assess whether an interior room has so many accessories and pieces of furniture that (a) it really, really should be staged; and (b) during the staging some items will need to be removed, packed, and stored.

I am still refining this theory.

I would really appreciate it if you could help me test it. Please follow these instructions. Then let me know if the instructions made sense, and if you agree with my staging assessment.

Do this for each room individually (to help me test, just check a room or two)

First Step
Calculate the approximate square footage (SF) of a room. Because not all rooms are perfect squares, take measurements from the center of the room. Multiply the length of the room by the width of the room to get the approximate SF. (PS If you have a floor plan that gives SF, use it. While approximate SF is fine for my theory, being exact is certainly acceptable.)


Second Step
Count the accessories in the room.

Of course, in this kind of exercise, counting is never as simple as it sounds (if it was, I would no be asking for help)

Add 1:
- For each unattached non-furniture item (if you have tons of books or cd's, make a guess about the number)
- If the item is small enough to fit in you hand (so, that porcelain tea cup counts as 2, one for being there and one for being small)

Add 3 more:
- For each collection (so, those books count as your guesstimate plus three, those four pink elephant figurines count as seven)
- For each shelf that is more than 50% full of a collection (a bookshelf full of CDs, a display cabinet full of painted thimbles) ... (so, now those pink elephants count as 10)


Third Step
Count the pieces of furniture in the room (just count 'em, nothing fancy here)


Fourth Step
Add the number of pieces of furniture to the accessory count (four pieces of furniture plus ten accessories/collections counted equals 14)


Calculate
Divide your count from Step Four into the SF (If you totaled 14 when you counted accessories, and the SF is 150, divide 14 into 150 giving 10.71)

Check Your Results
If the results from Step Four are:

• More than 7, accessories and/or furniture should be removed, then the room should be rearranged, when you prepare your home to sell. The higher the number, the more likely the room will benefit from being staged.
  
• Range from 3 to 6, you can probably just rearrange using some of the helpful (if long winded) staging advice
  
• Less than 3, you will probably need to bring things in when you stage to sell (yes, sometimes stagers have to bring clutter in)
  

What I am hoping for with my theory is way to help people decide if staging will really make a difference, or if they can probably just straighten up.

Thank you in advance for trying this and letting me know what you think about it!

Have a great Wednesday.

Staging Tips 101: Accessories

Decorative Items
If it fits in the palm of your hand and you use it daily, find a cupboard or a large decorative box and store it between uses. If you don't use it frequently, pack it up and get it out of sight.
Reason? When the average person first looks over a room, small objects snag the eye and interrupt the visual tour. Normally, the eye sweeps right over large objects.
Result? The interrupted visual tour is likely to leave buyers feeling the room is disjointed or confusing. This tends to translate into: I don't know how I can furnish that room. This is not good.

Collections
Collections of related objects are also distracting. Very distracting. The visual tour stops, even if all of the items in the collection are large.
Result? Because the distraction is longer, buyers tend to see the room as not only being confusing, but also smaller.

Visually sweep the room. Better, get someone who does not live there is stand at the door and look from one side to the other quickly. If they exclaim, "Oh, those figurines are lovely!", it is time to get out the bubble wrap.

Ask yourself (repeatedly, for every item in every room), "Am I marketing the room? Or am I marketing the figurines?"

First Impressions, Buyer Beware.....of yourself

A few decades ago, I had a friend who needed a larger house. She told us about how the kids were getting older and each needed a separate bedroom. She chattered about wanting to be in a particular location - convenient to work and friends. She got downright boring as she droned on and on about hating open floor plans.

On the first day she went house-hunting, she fell in love with, and put a contract on, an open-concept, much smaller house over an hour's commute from her work.

Talk about First Impressions sell.

We, her friends, tried to point out the new house, while wonderful, was not exactly according to spec. Over and over, she replied, they would cope with this and adjust to that and the-other-thing would work out. Bottom line was, she loved and had to have the house.

And, does the story have a happy ending? Sort of. In a way, the ending was happy.

After the family moved in, she discovered (very quickly, like on day one) the commute was both physically draining and kept her away from her family way too much. The kids, now sharing a room that was even smaller than the room in the previous house, escalated their normal sibling disagreements. And, because they were far away from their friends, the complaint levels rose. She hated serving dinner in the space where the TV lurked.

The happy ending part is (a) this happened during a sellers market, so she was able to sell quickly and make enough profit to cover her costs (including the capital gains tax), and, (b) she learned a lot about herself. She thought and recognized what it was about the house that made her fall in love. In her case, she loved the Euro exterior.

So, she added that to her list of house "wants". And, the next house, chosen logically, incorporated this emotional need. The last time I spoke to her, she was still living there.


Buyers, it is possible where choosing a home is concerned, you are your own worst enemy.


Do an Internet search on "first impression" and you will learn First Impressions come from deep within each individual's psyche. They are the culmination of each person's life experiences. They involve feelings of love, lust, and compulsion. When they happen, they stick like epoxy.

To avoid the trap my friend fell into, you need to prepare. Think about what you want, need, do not like, and hate in a house, a yard, a swimming pool, a pond, a neighborhood, a location, a maintenance level, a bathroom, a kitchen, whatever you can think of. If you are list maker, write it all down.

Now, try to trigger your own First Impressions. Log on to the Internet and run searches for house styles, landscape plans, interior decor, whatever you can think of. Run the searches for other parts of the country - do not look at houses you might be tempted to run out and buy.

Look at photos and drawings. Look within yourself for those "love at first sight" feelings. Watch out for "hate at first sight" feelings. Whenever you have a strong reaction to a house, a yard, furnishings, anything...stop and examine that feeling. Can you tell what it is about that photo that made you love or hate it? Put that on the list.

By taking the time to think about and make lists, you diffusing some of your emotional involvement. You are reducing the risk of falling in love with the wrong house.

If you are not alone, this is a great time to make sure you and your significant other are in harmony about the new home. Write the whole list first. Then compare entries and negotiate.

Now, go looking. If/when you get one of those strong emotional reactions, use your practice on the Internet and your list to try to figure out why you feel that way. Assess the feeling and the reason. "I don't like it because it is two bedrooms and a den, but I need three bedrooms with closets and I am not going to install a closet" - this is a valid reason to move along.

"I don't know, I just don't like it" - is an emotional reason. If the house meets all of your needs, go ahead and explore it. Keep thinking about what you need, what you want. Look at your list and deep inside yourself.

If, after you tour the house, your emotional reaction is gone-gone-gone, and you think you like it now, keep it on your shortlist. If you still have negative feelings, drop the house. That is an epoxy feeling - it is not going away.

Don't be surprised if you find yourself saying, "no" to houses you started out loving. That is alright. You are taking care of yourself.

DO feel really, really good about, even love, the home you purchase. You and it may be together for the rest of you life. Good, strong, positive epoxy feelings will help you through the hard times, and enhance the good times.

I think that about covers first impressions..........

Oh, one more thing. Good staging does not try to cover anything up. Good staging does try to invite positive feelings. But, staging cannot make epoxy feelings happen - those come from within you. Staging will help you see how you can live in a house. Staging will show off the best aspects of the house.

I do not believe staging can ever force you to buy a house you do not like. Don't worry about that.

See you tomorrow!

Curb Appeal: The Other First Impression

At last we come to the traditional "First Impression"! The impression most people think of when they hear the phrase. It has been a long and virtual journey, but finally we have arrived!

Everyone in the car! We're going for a drive and look at a house.

But, before we start, let's all check our luggage.

How many people already looked at the house on the Internet and so, already have a First Impression of the house? WOW, almost 80% of us already have feelings and expectations. Um, are those good feelings and positive expectations? Interesting, some of you have a feeling that this house really could be the one, and some of you are just along for the drive.

What could cause that disparity? You want a Victorian and the house is contemporary? Yep, that could make a difference. Oh, the house is painted purple, and you don't like purple? Well, take a look anyway - paint can be changed. The house has three bedrooms and you absolutely have to have five? If you want to, you can get out of the car.

What about the rest of you who do not have a good feeling about the house? Ah, good old emotional reactions. Let's look at the Internet listing. I see the pictures are clear and well lighted, but the house does look a wee bit cluttered, the rooms seem a bit too small. And the written description is kind of sketchy, isn't it?

I can see why you feel, at best, neutral.

What about those of you who are already hopeful? You want contemporary? You need at least three bedrooms? You like purple? You really want to live in that school district? It's a good commuting distance to your office? Golly, there are a lot of reasons to have a good or bad feeling after looking at the house on the Internet.

Start the car. Let's go.

Driving up to the house now. This is exciting, isn't it? Even those of you who were not impressed with the Internet listing are curious, aren't you? Thinking maybe you could change your mind?

Stop right in front of the house.

Check the condition of the driveway. If it is in pieces, it is going to make a lot of us feel the rest of the house is also poorly maintained. Check the front yard and lawn - any maintenance issues there? Is the front yard neat and clean? Or are there gardening tools and children's toys everywhere? A cluttered front yard makes you worry about what is inside, doesn't it?

Hey, check out the front facade. Is it clean? Is the paint even or splotchy? Does the garage door sag? It is amazing how much you can learn about a house while sitting out front in the car, isn't it?

You may not have noticed, but most of you already have a strong, emotional First Impression. Those of you who did not see photos on the Internet, have you noticed, just from sitting in the car and sweeping the place with your eyes, most of you are already thinking, "yes" or "no"?

And those you who saw the house first on the Internet, has anyone's feeling changed? Not many.

The "yes" people are anxious to look further. If you can, "no" people, come along with us - just in case looking further makes you re-evaluate that negative feeling.

Let's get out and walk up to the front door, shall we? Let's try to move from emotional to logical. Okay, a few of you who just don't like what they see can remain in the car. But the rest of us, still curious or hopeful, let's get out.

Walk carefully on the pathway to the front door. Is it easy to find? Level? Well maintained? It is made of packed dirt (and did it rain recently)? Concrete? Field stones?

Up the steps to the front porch. What are the steps made of? Are the level and sturdy? Is there a banister? Are there cobwebs on the front porch? What kind of condition is it in? Is there any furniture on the porch? Would you enjoy sitting in the furniture and looking at the view? Go ahead, give it a try.

Standing at the front door now. Is it well maintained? Clean? Attractive? Would you be proud to have friends walk up to that front door?

Okay, some of you got your First Impression from the Internet and some of you got your First Impression when you drove up to the house. Now that we are unlocking the front door, how many of you have changed your minds about the house? Positive or negative, how many of you feel differently than you did when you first saw the house and yard?

Not many.

My friends, emotional reactions are powerful reactions. Study after study shows that, even if there is a logical reason to change a First Impression, that first feeling rarely changes.

That is the reason sellers need to work very, very hard to make the approach to their house look as neutral, and well maintained, and uncluttered, and generically attractive as possible. That is the reason the Internet photos should not be taken until after the house is repaired and staged.

I misled you. Sorry, but I wanted to catch your attention.

Whether it is on the Internet or in a car, you really do only get one chance to make a First Impression. Everything about the sale that happens after that, is probably going to be based in that first feeling.

Do not stage the inside and ignore the outside. You will lose some potential buyers if you do.

And, buyers, try to understand your First Impression is probably going to be emotional. Give the house a look. Sometimes, that impression will change itself. That will only happen when your emotional next impression overwhelms your First Impression. It does not happen often. But, when it does happen, it is very important.

So important, I am going to discuss it next.

Happy Saturday everyone! And, I enjoyed the road trip.

The First, First Impression: We're all living in a virtual world

Let's say you decide it is time to stop renting. You are going to buy a house. What is the first thing you do to find your house?

Maybe you already own a house. But you want to upgrade to a better home. Where do you start looking?

Or, let's say you want a vacation home in another state. How do you begin your hunt?

According to research done by the National Realtors Association, the first thing over 70% of you do is go to the Internet to look at houses that are for sale. You go to realtor.com or trulia.com or one of the other listing sites. Or you do an Internet search for 'house for sale' and the name of your chosen location. Then you click and click while you make a list of the properties you find interesting.

Am I being clear here?

Sellers, it is likely over 70% of your potential buyers see your house first over the Internet.

Agents, on average 70% of your client's potential buyers decide whether they want to see a house from the photos they saw on the Internet.

People, it is safe to assume that over 70% of your potential buyers' First Impressions come from the Internet.

First Impressions sell.

So, why are so many photos on the Internet dark? Why are they blurred? Why is the house so messy? Why didn't anybody even straighten up?

On those rare occasions that I have some free time, I go to a realty website, choose a location off the top of my head, and look at the photos. Sometimes, I admire great photos of beautifully staged homes. Sometimes, I nod and smile because, although the house has not been staged, it is neat and tidy and the photos are clear and focused.

The very first photo is taken from the outside and highlights the front door. The next photo is taken from just inside the front door looking into the house. Wow, it is just like I am walking up to and in to the house! Look! There's the kitchen! It looks so clean, so organized. I can imagine myself cooking delicious meals in there. And, oh wow, the master bedroom/living room/dining room! So neat, so light, so appealing. I want to meet this house in person. I can imagine my bed/sofa/table right...there. I think I could live here. Mentally, I am already moving in.

Sadly, a lot of the time I wonder what the agent and the seller were thinking. Sometimes I wonder if the agent and seller were thinking.

All the photos are of the yard? Well, the yard is beautiful. But I kind of have to assume something is really wrong with the house. Otherwise, there would be photos of the interior.

On the other hand, I know something is wrong with this house - look at that sagging garage door! If this is the best they can do, what are they are not showing me?

Why is it so messy and cluttered? The rooms seem so small. I would never fit in there!

Why is it so dark in this house? Is this a flaw in the camera? Too late, my First, emotional Impression is this a dark and obscure house.

Studies show over 80% of potential buyers only see the house the way they see it. They cannot overlook the clutter and the darkness and the needed repairs to imagine a neat, bright home in great condition. Subconsciously, they believe the way it is, is the way it will always be. Their First Impression is their only impression.

Oh sure, a few buyers will overcome their negative First Impression when the see the house in reality. Trouble is, a lot of them don't even want to go see the house. And a lot of them cannot get over that first, not-good feeling. You never get a chance to overcome that negative First Impression. Especially in a Buyer's Market where they have a lot of other choices.

So, what does this mean?

Should you hire a professional photographer to take your Internet pictures?

If your house is high-end, expensive, luxury, and other-big-fancy-words; and/or if you stand to make a really huge profit, yes, plan to hire a professional Real Estate photographer.

If your house is, well, not luxe, you still want to showcase it. You still want give a positive First Impression to the majority of those 70% of potential buyers. Make sure the photos that are taken are good.

Sellers, clean up. Straighten up. Repair. Paint. Stage.

Agents, encourage your clients to prepare before you take photos. Then, make those photos matter.

People, EARN that positive First Impression.



On average, the time it takes to prepare to market plus the time spent on the market, is shorter than the time spent unprepared and on the market.

Coming soon to a blog near you - Curb Appeal: The Other First Impression.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Friday!

You Only Get Two Chances To Make A First Impression

I am having the devil of a time writing this one.

I want to communicate, to both sellers and buyers, how important First Impressions are. And why they are so, well, fragile.

But, I keep sliding into Freudian examples, or into statistics about how the human brain works, or into the psychology of merchandising. I wrote several scenarios - all amusing, all excellent examples, all, I suspect, too weird.

sigh

Okay, Let's just jump in.

Let's say "My First Impression is the feeling I get when I see a house for the first time." Where does that feeling come from? And, what does it mean?

First Impressions happen fast
Psychological studies show that "First Impression" feeling (about anything) really does happen within seconds of the first look. Many, many people get a feeling about the place pretty much at the same time they see it.

First Impressions happen for a variety of reasons
There are two "flavors" of First Impressions, logical and emotional.
Logical impressions come from conscious decisions. If a buyer really likes Victorian architecture, wants to buy a Victorian, then, logically, they are going to experience a positive, hopeful, 'is this the one?' feeling when they drive up to a Victorian style house.

Emotional impressions come from deep inside. They come from life experience. In psychological terms, they are learned reactions: both harder to understand and harder to overcome.

First Impressions usually stick
Once a potential buyer has a First Impression of a house, it is likely to color everything else they see and feel about the house.


What does this mean for sellers?
First Impressions are absolutely, unequivocally, immensely critical to marketing your house. You are going to lose potential buyers if you cannot evoke positive First Impressions.

"You only get two chances to make a First Impression"
I am going to talk about this a lot more in the next blogs. Photos on the Internet are one way potential buyers get their First Impression of your house. Physical sight, driving up and looking, is the other way. You have to address both.

What does this mean for buyers?
Positive or negative, always evaluate your First Impression.

Is your reaction logical or emotional? Are you reacting to something fundamental (sagging foundation), fixable (sagging garage door), ephemeral (swing set in the front yard), or obscure (dark or blurred photos on the Internet)? When you figure out where your First Impression came from, you will be in a better position to decide whether to look or drive away.

NEVER forget to consider location, specifications, condition, and price. If your reaction is negative, but all of these are just what you want, then walk inside and view the house. Refine your First Impression.


Next up - First Impressions: We're all living in a virtual world

Have a truly wonderful Thursday!

Staging To Rent: Vacant Units

So, you have an unfurnished rental unit. A house, an apartment, a condo, whatever. Maybe you are just starting in the exciting life of rental ownership. Maybe you have been here a long time and are getting concerned because the unit is empty and, this time, no one seems to want it.

Maybe you read yesterday's blog about Staging To Rent furnished units and you wonder if Staging To Rent your unfurnished unit would be a good idea.

From a purely Staging point of view, yes, absolutely. That is because, fundamentally the psychology of buyers and renters is exactly the same: they are both looking for a home. The reasons may be different, they may be looking in different ways, but the need for a place to live is at the bottom of it all.

So, just as staged vacant houses sell much faster than empty vacant houses, staged rental properties rent faster.

If I stage a rental property, I do exactly the same things I would do if the house was for sale.

BUT...

(and it is an important but)

But, the logistics may be quite different.

When I Stage a vacant house to sell, I select then arrange for the seller to rent furniture. Some stagers keep an inventory of furniture so they can provide the rentals themselves. (That is one of the goals I am working towards.)

So, the furniture is delivered, set up, is significant in selling the house after which it is taken down, picked up, and goes away.

It can be that simple for rentals.

But, suppose the new renter leaves in a month? Suppose you have multiple rental units and another is scheduled to come open two weeks after this unit is rented.

Wouldn't it be nice to just reuse the all or part of same furniture?

If you have several rental units, give some thought to having your stager help you purchase standard furniture pieces. Purchase and store standard accessories like pictures and tschotkes too. Then, between uses, arrange a place to store them. Or rent them to other investors. Depending on where they are stored, your stager should be able to come in and set up in a matter of hours.

In the long run, that should reduce your costs and ensure you can get the unit back on the market quickly.

The next topic is one of my faves: You only get two chances to make to a First Impression!

Happy Friday.

Staging To Rent: Furnished Units

The other day, someone asked me about Staging To Rent - staging a rental unit (house, condo, apartment, vacation rental). Is it possible? Does it help?

So, as I usually do when someone asks me a question, I hit the internet. I was not able to find any statistics to support my suspicion that Staging To Rent works. But, I did find quite a few stagers who do it. In big cities and vacation locations, I found stagers who Stage To Rent exclusively. SOMEBODY out there believes Staged Rentals move faster and at a rental price that makes staging worthwhile.

And you know, that makes sense. It makes little difference. When a property is staged to move(sell or rent), the staging is designed to accomplish the exact same goals: make the property liveable, understandable, welcoming. Ensure the property inspires the buyer/renter to mentally move in and imagine living there.

In a furnished rental, I as a stager, am going to do exactly the same things I would do if the property was for sale. The only difference, in my experience, is sometimes in a furnished rental I have to bring a little clutter in. Really, this is a funny statement but it is not a joke. By clutter I mean a few pieces of art or other decorations to fill out, enhance, and merchandise the space.

When I bring art and accessories into a house or condo I am Staging To Sell, the seller usually elects to rent them. The property owner or property management company may elect to buy. Or maybe not. From my internet searches, I see some stagers go back into a rental property each time a renter moves out. Sometimes they just reinstate the staging so the unit is ready to market again. Sometimes they upgrade/update the furnishings. That makes sense: especially if the renter was there for several years, things may have worn out or been damaged, styles/colors may have changed and bit of tuning might really help the marketing.

Fascinating.

At least, I as a stager, find the whole idea fascinating.

So, yes, absolutely, furnished rentals can be staged. From the growing popularity, I suspect many furnished rentals should be staged.

Tomorrow we have some real fun: staging vacant rentals. Things get a wee bit more complicated with this one.

In the meantime, today I am taking a loooong drive to examine a vacant, brand new house in the mountains. It should be a beautiful drive culminating in a lot of photos, a lot of notes, a lot of fun, and, hopefully, a bid that is accepted and results in a beautifully staged house.

Have a wonderful Thursday!

Vacation Rental By Owner

Planning to travel this summer? Going to a business conference in another state? Going to spend several months in another state on business? Sold your house but cannot move into the new place right away?

That last one was me a year ago. My family moved to the new house in North Carolina. But I remained in Atlanta to sell the house and finish out my time in Corporate America. Someone told me about the vacation rentals by owner concept and, boy, did I have fun! I stayed a time in a warehouse loft conversion. Then, because someone else had reserved the conversion (a person who spent a month there each summer) I moved easily into a brand new high rise condo.

Just think of it. All the comforts of an apartment but no utility bills. Really nice, comfortable furnishings. All the comforts of home. Many more comforts than a hotel room, but around the cost of a hotel room. AND in each case, the owners were nice people totally motivated to ensure I had a wonderful experience.

If you are traveling for any reason, I suggest you do an internet search on "vacation rental by owner" and have some fun exploring this option.

There are potential issues. One place I almost rented was high rise with one, central thermostat: the upper floors were way too hot and the lower floors was very cold. In another place, I would have had to step over sleeping homeless people to get to the parking at 04:00 AM when I left for the office. They might have been very nice people, but I chose to look elsewhere. Some places did not have adequate laundry facilities, some had a washer/dryer right in the unit - great for evening clean up.

So, when I say you should explore this option, I mean ask a LOT of questions. Find an owner you are comfortable working with. Ask for, then contact references. Choose carefully. Then have a really good time!

Tomorrow, we are going to talk about Staging to Rent - a new phenomena that is sweeping the staging world.

Have a wonderful Wednesday, and a great vacation!

Do Staged Homes offer benefits to buyers?

Okay, I am not a complete fool (just a partial fool). I know some people think staging a house hides defects, making it dangerous for buyers to trust obviously staged houses.

AND, I know some stagers do try to hide defects. I, and the stagers I work closely with, consider that completely unethical. If there is a fiscal choice between fixing faults and staging the house, I tell my sellers to fix the faults. Then I offer very inexpensive suggestions about how to make the house show better.

Staging a house showcases it, yes. Buyers find a staged home welcoming. It is easier for them to imagine living there, in effect, it is easier for them to try it on for size. So, if it does not fit they can feel secure in saying, "This is not the one".

If it does feel like a fit, staging explains the house to them. Is there an oddly shaped alcove in the kitchen? Staging shows buyers how they can live in the house by explaining oddities. Say there is a rather odd alcove in the kitchen. Staging installs something that makes sense, like a computer desk in a large alcove or a tower of drawers in a narrow alcove. The buyer can see one way the oddity can be useful. From this jumping-off point, the buyer can imagine how he/she can use the space.

But if there is something wrong, good staging should not disguise it. Furniture or decorations should never hide nasty flaws or holes in the walls.

When I stage a house, I strive to make everything about the house very, very clear. For example, I arrange furniture to make sure buyers will be able to test every outlet and telephone connection.

Staging helps buyers. Buyers should be able to trust staged homes more than they can trust houses that are just lived in.

Staged Homes tell a story, yes. And that story should always, always be true.

Have a great Tuesday!

MPB Continued

How do I know who the Most Probable Buyer (MPB) is? And how do I know what they want?

Excellent questions!

If the house is listed, I have a long talk with the agent. If the seller is an House Investor, we have the same talk. Agents and Investors use their knowledge of the MPB to guide many of their marketing and renovation decisions. And they are very motivated to do whatever they can to ensure the staging is going to appeal to that MPB.

Recently, I put a sofa that was not clearly contemporary into a vacant house that clearly is. Before I could bring in the rest of the furnishings, the Investor (bless him, I love working with intelligent, concerned people) called to express concern. I assured him that, although the sofa was transitional, the end result was going to be contemporary. When he understood I was keeping his MPB in mind, the Investor was happy. And when I added contemporary accessories and additional furniture, the sofa "picked up" on the theme and fit right in. I used that sofa to save the Investor money. And, that worked too.

If the seller is not an Investor and is planning to sell FSBO or has not yet selected an agent, then I talk to the seller. Who has recently moved into the neighborhood? Who lives there? Young families with small children? Retirees? Singletons?

We live in a pretty atomized society. Sometimes the seller knows nothing about their neighbors.

What do I do then?

Well, I look at the seller's own furnishings. There is a very good chance they are representative of the MPB. Of course, there is always a risk that the seller loves shabby chic and lives in a warehouse loft conversion. The seller may be representative of nothing but their own individuality.

I attend Open Houses. And I make a lot of notes about each neighborhood and about what I find in each house. I keep those notes and use them as reference before I begin staging.

How do I know what what an MPB expects and needs in a house? Those Open House notes are invaluable. Beyond the notes, I read decorating/design magazines and blogs by the long ton. And, bet you guessed this, as I read I make notes.

Here are some simplified examples:
Neighborhood A is a retirement community. The MPB wants to know where the grandchildren are going to sleep and play when they come to visit. And they want a room where they can craft/read/paint/sew/do their own thing.

Neighborhood B is McMansion all the way. The MPB is a married couple, both are probably employed, with 2.34 children. They want to know where the children are going to sleep/play/do homework. They want to have plenty of space to entertain business contacts, a formal dining room is a must. And they want to know where they are going to find space for personal downtime. They may never use it, but they want to know there is a space they can use as a retreat. A really opulent master bath can really work for them.

Neighborhood C is a warehouse converted open-concept loft homes. The MPB is probably single or married, has no children, do most of their business entertaining at restaurents, and consider the whole loft to be their personal space. Contemporary/modern, sleek, and extremely uncluttered/simplified/spare is going to catch their imaginations. They need a good place to put the laptop(s), they need to see where the huge but flat TV will go.

This discussion will complete tomorrow. Does anyone have requests for the next topic?

I hope you have a great day!

Stalking the wiley Most Probable Buyer

The Keller Williams Vendor Fair was a blast. I shared a booth with a fellow stager (a great lady I frequently work and laugh with). I met a lot of great people and got a lot of good leads - going to be very busy seeing who and how I can help in the coming days. One agent had tears in his eyes when he described the very sad situation one of his client's is in. I am very hopeful staging will help that poor lady get out of her house, and her situation quickly.

Now, on to that elusive Most Probable Buyer!

Stagers depersonalize. Stagers neutralize. Stagers go in to an occupied house and remove a lot of things, then rearrange what remains to appeal to the greatest possible number of potential buyers. All that means stagers make everything as possible and don't care about design style, right?

Well, that is a very good question.

For some stagers, the answer is, yes, they just remove and rearrange. And, they get good results - the houses sell faster and hold their value better than unstaged houses.

But, some stagers take it a step further. They consider the architecture of the house, neighborhood demographics, and how the house is most likely to be used (primary residence, weekend retreat). Then, they tune their staging to the demographic most likely to buy, and to the architecture.

For example, the house is contemporary with three bedrooms. The MPB is a young professional couple still a few years away from starting their family. The Master Bedroom is staged as the master - a retreat, a wonderful place to rest and recuperate - all stagers do this. The second bedroom is staged as a bedroom, the place guests recuperate. The MPB, seeing the purpose of the room, will easily adjust and increase the purpose to "and we can convert it to a child's bedroom". The third bedroom I stage as a home office. The MPB will feel an immediate connection to this - a place to work, a place away from the TV. Staging that home office tells the MPB the house will meet their specialized needs. This is a huge help towards selling.

On the other hand, still three bedrooms, still contemporary, but neighborhood demographics say the MPB is a retired couple who are going to spend most of thier days on the golf course, volunteering, and hosting guests. All three bedrooms remain bedrooms. Or, if the house is vacant the third bedroom, the last room buyers will view, remains empty. By the time buyers get to it, they should have connected to the house and be ready to imagine using that room to fulfill any remaining needs ("I can make this my craft's room.")

If there is a desk in the kitchen, I may stage a computer on it.

Vacant downtown lofts get tight contemporary staging in a very modern color palate. Vacant country homes get relaxed more colorful staging.

In an occupied house, if I need to pack away three vases and leave only one out, that one is the vase most consistent with the expectations of the MPB - without personalizing or deneutralizing the room.

More about how to figure out who the MPB is and what they want tonorrow!

Have a wondeful day!

argh

I have been up since 02:00 AM printing handouts for the Keller Williams Vendor Fair today. Somehow, I don't think the new printer is working out.

The discussion of the Most Probable Buyer will resume after I survive this marathon.

I hope you have a really good day.

The Degrees of Staging: Take it up a notch (Advanced)

Advanced Staging, is what I call "Take It Up A Notch":
- Applies to both furnished and vacant houses.
- Brings things into the house or yard if needed.
- Incurs a certain amount of expense, depending on the staging activities.
- Sustains or enhances the asking price, even if the house is priced somewhat above it's comparables.
- Should always be considered, and frequently should be done, before a house is listed.

What does that mean? Well, for one thing it means Staging is an investment sellers make towards selling their houses. Like all investments, cost v results, should always be considered. The seller's budget is the deciding factor here. The seller may be able to afford, and choose to do, everything, Basic and Advanced, on their Staging Plan before putting the house on the market. Or, the seller may choose at first to only do Basic Staging. Then, if the house does not sell in a certain period of time, the seller may choose to "take it up a notch".

So, here we go again.....

Phase One

Prepare To Stage

Let Go
As I said yesterday, this step is emotional, may or may not happen, and does not apply to the Degree of Staging.

Get To Know Your Buyer
Understanding the demographics of the Most Probable Buyer can have an enormous impact on whether and how much Advanced Staging is done. Whenever a staging decision must be made (should I replace the carpet? Would a contemporary cocktail table make the room look better?), the answer is based on (a) the seller's budge, and (b) what will appeal to the Most Probable Buyer? As we move forward in this discussion, this will come up again and again.

Tell Them About Your House
Only component, Close Down All Home Improvement Projects, is part of Advanced Staging. This goes to the condition of the house. This goes to buyer's perception of the condition of the house. Which in turn impacts how long the house will remain on the market and what much the buyer will offer. Unfinished home improvement projects have potential costs, but need to be out of sight (either completed or stopped) before the house is listed.

Designate A Storage Area
"Think of Staging To Sell as pre-packing to move" - is Basic

Phase Two

The Science Of Staging To Sell

Simplify Contained Spaces, Declutter

Pretty much, these are part of Basic Staging. It is possible to bring in decorative storage - like attractive baskets or boxes - to hold items that are needed daily but should not be left out. So, there is an Advanced Staging component. But, fundamentally, removing clutter and emptying contained spaces are Basic activities.

Depersonalize, Neutralize

These are always Basic Staging steps.

Phase Three

The Art Of Staging To Sell

Remember how yesterday I said "I bet you are thinking, if Science is Basic, then Art is advanced."

Well, there is some truth to that theory.

Purpose Each Room/Focus/Take A Stroll
Fundamentally, staging strives for "one room, one purpose". Advanced Staging comes in when the purpose cannot be made clear using what is already in the house.

Vacant House
This is the place to decide which rooms need to be staged, and what furniture and accessories to buy or rent to complete that staging. Always, always, when staging a vacant room bring in the minimum number of items. A sofa and chair is better than a sofa and a love seat unless the room is very, very big. One big picture positioned to highlight the fireplace is better than a picture, three candles, and a trailing plant on the mantle. Everything you bring into the house must be consistent with the Most Probable Buyer's expectations. Don't bring country plaid pillows into a contemporary loft.

Occupied/Furnished House
When the Basic Staging is done, look the room over carefully. Is anything missing? Is anything inconsistent with the Most Probable Buyer's expectations? Would the room be warmer, more inviting, if curtains framed the windows? Would replacing the countryside picture with a contemporary wall hanging help buyers move in mentally? Is the cocktail table out of scale with the rest of the furniture? Basic Staging says work with is already there. Advanced Staging says rent a new cocktail table, hang the new wall art. (Hopefully, the stager has these items available for rent at a low cost, so the changes can be made quickly.)

Consider Color

Because painting can cost a lot money, I include it in Advanced Staging. But, the color of the exterior and interior can make or break a sale.

In my previous blogs and on my website I talk about painting and color over and over. This is critical. But, this is expensive.

So, painting is the #1 Advanced Staging activity sellers should choose to do.

Suppose the Staging Plan called for painting, but the seller could not afford to paint. If the house is being shown but does not move in a reasonable period of time, the grab a paint brush.

Clean

Advanced cleaning brings in a professional cleaning service on a regular basis. Weekly, monthly, every six weeks, whatever pattern works for the seller's budget....Keep it clean!

Take It Up A Notch

During all those evaluative strolls around and through the house, a variety of possible improvements will be seen. The expectations of the Most Probable Buyer come into play here. Laminate counters in an upscale house? Consider replacing them with solid surface or granite. Carpet in the living room? Consider replacing it with hardwood flooring. See my website for an extensive list. Send me suggestions and I will supplement the list. Everything here is dependent on the seller's budget and the carrying costs of the house. Because everything here costs money AND improves the chances of making a fast sale.

Tomorrow, let's discuss Most Probable Buyers - who they are and what they want.

Have a great day!