STAGING -- SHOULD IT BE A REQUIREMENT FOR A LISTING?

There is no one more convinced than I am that staging must be a part of most re-sale homes at the time the listing is taken. That is especially true during times when the housing market is drifting toward an increasing number of unsold homes.

In fact, I am considering making staging a requirement for me to accept a home listing. I think all diligent Realtors should be evaluating this as well.

Last week, my friends W. Neil "Doc" Gallagher, his wife Gail, and I asked one of my two favorite stagers, Barie Pinnell, to let us listen in on one of her consultations...a consultation for two of my clients.

We all showed up about 7 PM, and Barie brought her voluminous and very specific presentation. After she showed each recommendation to us and told us the "why rational," she then took my clients through the house to make certain they were comfortable with how the home would be rearranged.

Barie's figures show that the average number of days homes that she stages are on the market is about thirty-one. Barie is an Active Rain member, by the way, and serves the Dallas-Ft. Worth Metroplex through her WRE interior consulting firm.

<<<===The Home - 3150 Stone Creek, Grapevine

<<<===Gail and Doc Gallagher

(Doc Gallagher is known as the "Money Doctor")

Barie Pinnell, ASPM, Instructing Clients

The staging has now been completed. I'll let you know in a follow-up how many days transpire before we get an acceptable contract.

Finally, let me add one more comment. Staging is NOT interior decorating. Staging is visually showing the prospective buyer how their furniture can look swell in the home. Interior decorating is showing how swell YOUR furniture looks in the home.

In my opinion, a home decorated for the taste and convenience of the homeowner is a huge hindrance to selling that home to someone else. The more expensive the home, the more of a hindrance this becomes.

BILL CHERRY, REALTOR

214 503-8563

DALLAS

MY 43RD YEAR SELLING TEXAS

Copyright 2008 - William S. Cherry