"I Cannot Recommend Staging To My Clients At This Price"

That was the response I received from a Realtor this week after he took a look at my bid on staging one of his vacant properties. He went on to say that the activity on his listings is very slow right now. (He primarily lists "2nd home" lake properties.) He explained that if he were having 5-10 showings per week, the price for staging would be justified; but with little activity, he and I might be the only ones seeing the work.

So how did I respond? "While I admit that your situation is a little different in that your properties are not 'mainstream,' please keep this in mind. Eighty percent of all buyers are shopping for properties FIRST on the internet. They have a tendency to click right past vacant homes, as they are not warm and inviting and, being empty, do not show the full potential of the space. But if the property is staged with furniture, accessories, and warmth, they will be much more inclined to actually visit the property personally. Once there they will see the home in its best possible light with proper furniture placement, directed traffic patterns, and carefully placed accessories to make it sparkle."

So, can I guarantee that his home will sell once it is staged? Of course not. Can I guarantee that his chances of getting the property sold will greatly increase when the home is staged? Absolutely!!! Is the price of staging worth it? Only if you want to sell the home.