My client got a 1000% return on her investment of a paid home staging consultation!
A few days ago, my assistant Terri and I went to do a home staging consultation on a nice two story home in Sunland, CA. I talk and Terri takes notes and measurements. The homeowner showed us around the main floor, and we discussed the necessary repairs and improvements she and her husband were planning to do.
We went upstairs, and as she was showing us around, I suggested that she might want to freshen the high-quality creamy beige carpet covering the entire second floor, by having it steam cleaned. The carpet was not obviously soiled, and there were no visible stains (this woman was an amazing home-maker, even with a very energetic 3 yr. old son) but I knew once we removed the furniture steam cleaning would be in order. She told me that they thought they were going to have to replace the carpet (to the tune of $3,500). After looking at the carpet again - and I should add that they take off their shoes before they walk on the carpet - I told her, in my professional opinion, the carpet was in wonderful condition and that they wouldn't have to spend that $3,500.
Needless to say, she was thrilled to save the money, which she will be able to spend decorating her new home. The consultation cost $350, so she wound up saving 10X the cost of the consultation or $3,500. She also got a 7 page written consultation to use as a road map to help get her home ready to put on the market.
I don't know about you, but I would be thrilled to get a 1,000% return on my investments. Heck, I'd be happy with 10%! I'm not saying that you will save that kind of money every time you hire a professional home stager, but a good professional home stager will be very knowledgable about what does and does not need to be done to get a home ready to put on the market.
Paying for a home staging consultation may be the best money you spend before you put your home on the market.
Moving Mountains Design & Staging is a full service home staging and interior design company in Pasadena, CA. We offer comprehensive home staging consultations to help you get your home in tip-top shape and ready for market. Don't settle for second best. Hire the company with a great track record of helping to sell homes faster and for the best price and the statistics and referrals from happy clients to back it up. Call us today to arrange for your comprehensive home staging consultation (626)441-8975 or visit our web site at www.MovingMountainsDesign.com.
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Moving Mountains Design is a full service home staging company providing exceptional service and value in Los Angeles, Pasadena, Arcadia, San Marino, Los Feliz, Beverly Hills, and the Valley.
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Michelle, I loved how you used your "real world" example to show the value of a staging consultation. In this particular case you two did a phenomenal job in not recommending the replacement of the carpet based on your take of the situation but rather the steam cleaning. The 1000% ROI was super! Be sure and capture a grateful testimonial from this homeowner to show future prospective clients what a great job you do.
Without a doubt. Would love to print this for my next client presentation. They always like hearing ti from someone else. Good work and of course it goes without saying that they respect you for telling them the truth. It makes it easier to tell someone the hard stuff when they respect you and your motives from the beginning.
Gary: Thank you so much for the compliment and for the recommendation to "capture a grateful testimonial".
Terrylynn: I'm flattered. Thank you. And you are absolutely correct regarding respect. I will be very suprised if this homeowner doesn't do everything on the consultation to a "t". She trusts me to tell it like it is.
Get example, Michelle, of professionalism and hiring the RIGHT Stager. To many would jump to say "Rip it out, it has to be replaced" ~ but, if it aint broke don't fix it; just shine it up a bit! ;-)
Connie: I just hate the thought of them wasting all that money and filling up the landfill unnecessarily.
Michelle: Wow! what a great example of being a professional home stager. A true pro knows what to keep, clean or replace and you one of the best. Hey where did you get that graphic for the blog. Need to get up to speed on these things.
Excellent example of what a Professional Home Stager offers the client at a Staging Consultation. I followed a very inexperienced and unprofessional Stager the other day, who recommended replacing all the seller's furniture with his own. This was beyond unnecessary in my opinion. Simple rearranging and updating the color of the accessories did the trick at much less cost. I didn't calculate how much these sellers saved, but it was definitely in your 1,000% range. A lesson is in here. Not only get a Professional Staging Consultation to save money but get it from an experienced, Professional Home Stager!
One of the most difficult challenges a homeowner faces is understanding which items they NEED to make in order for their home to showcase better. That's exactly what a professional home stager brings to the equation. Great post, Michelle!
Kathy
Terri: I have not paid a lot of attention to generating demand for consultations. I have been doing them lately and really enjoy them. Regarding the photo, I use www.istockphoto.com to purchase photos to illustrate some of my blogs (I only use photos of my own work to illustrate home staging however)
Pat: Very well spoken and so true.
Kathy: Thank you. It feels good to be able to help homeowners sell their homes with a minimum of muss and fuss.
Great story to share, Michelle. I don't think I've ever thought of putting the savings into those terms before, but I can say, I will start putting it in those terms going forward! Thx!
Michelle you are so right! Great testimony on the cost effective and ROI benefits of a home staging consultation from a professional like yourself.
Karen D: Glad to be of service. We need to think of new ways to market our services to help clients understand what we do.
Karen O: Thank you, Karen. See above;-))
Aloha Karen,
Creating value in staging services can be tricky with the uninitiated. However, your example that you so eloquently stated in your post, speaks for itself. Great post.
I choose one blog a week to receive the ilima maile lei of excellence award. Congratulations, you are this weeks recipient!
Peace,
Hi Kimo: Michelle here. Thank you so much for your kind praise and the award. I will treasure it always;-))
Michelle I think you are so right to recommend the carpet cleaning. Often, I discuss the option of cleaning as a fairly inexpensive risk to take prior to replacing carpet. Sometimes even the best of cleaning doesn't do the trick but the cost of cleaning as a potential to save on replacing carper can be worth the risk.
Hi Jo! I agree. This carpet was in beautiful condition. It would be a total waste to remove it. Thanks for commenting:-))
Kudos to you Michelle for doing the right thing and for sharing with us the results of having done so. You are one wise lady indeed. Love it!!!
Thank you, Yvonne. Glad you like it.
Great story with a happy ending! It's GREAT when you can save homeowner's money! :) Your professionalism shows!!
Janice: Thank you!