Staging has come a long way in just a few short years. Tremendous exposure and interest have also brought many misconceptions along with it. These misconceptions are an every day challenge when it comes to running a Staging business.
The majority of my business from the start has been Consultations or Reports for Homeowners who are on a tight budget and wish to do Staging themselves. I found the need early on to begin my Consultations with what I call "the cherry on top speech."
So many people out there consider Staging as a way to conceal flaws or at least divert attention away from flaws. I think the Staging community sometimes unwittingly contributes to this perception through some of the marketing I have seen, including my own. I see a lot of wording along the lines of.... buyers will focus on the overall feel and look of a property and will tend not to nit pick or notice minor flaws. This no doubt gives naysayers ammunition in the "war" on Staging that seems to pop up a lot on blogs or comments on articles about Staging. Stagers are accused of being Deceptive Decorators and other such nonsense.
So...my "cherry on top" speech is just another opportunity to educate Sellers that Staging is an effective tool if used properly. I am pretty picky and have turned down full Staging jobs because the Homeowner did not want to make repairs or upgrades I recommended. It is a hard thing to do. Of course I always understand budget issues and try to consider them. This is why all my Consultations prioritize fixes by expense and importance. Sellers need to realize that no amount of Staging will fix cracks, leaking plumbing or stained worn carpet. Of course I always try to recommend creative fixs or solutions that could save expense but some people are down right stubborn. Thus the speech.
I am writing this because I lost a job just this week for this reason. The Seller told me he was in a hurry and did not have the time (or money) to do the recommended fixes. He wanted me to go ahead and Stage and "let's see what happens." Yes, let's see what happens. My company name will be mud and he will be out money that he could have used to fix a few things. I could do it......nope not gonna do it. I am sure he will find someone else who will, with my report in hand no less. Days like these.
