Dale Staggers - Dramatic Home Staging

Do you know when to start packing? How is the "Rule of Three" applied? What's the best way to make the laundry room appeal to buyers? What can you do to make the room look larger? What is an affordable item that can be used throughout the home for staging?

I found this quiz to test your Staging savviness on Realtors.org. Its short and fairly easy, for stagers anyway. Some questions make you think twice, however. Barb Schwarz, of Stagedhomes.com, help create this quiz.

If you score 100% rest assured you have a talent for staging and should use that talent to help sellers sell their homes in a shorter time period and for top dollar. If you score 70% or below, consider having your home staged by a pro!

Recent comments about how and when Home Stagers are paid were discussed on my last blog, "It Is Not Good For Realtors To Be Alone..." , hence this blog. I am very interested to know both realtors and home stagers opinions about payment for home staging services.

First, should Home Stagers be paid after the staging services have been completed? or Should Home Stagers be paid after the closing transactions as Realtors are paid.

I just want to be paid as agreed and there are some cases when stagers agree to be paid after the closing transaction. But it seems to me that a stagers job is completed when the staging contractual agreement is fulfilled. But the realtors job is completed when the house is sold.

Secondly - Who pays the stager? My opinion on this question is that if the realtor contacted the stager directly, payment should come from the realtor. If the homeowner contacted the stagers without a referral from a realtor, the homeowner is obligated to pay. If the homeowner was referred to the stager by the realtor, then who pays?

I really want to get feedback on this topic, so please leave a comment as it pertains to the above questions, which are not rhetorical.

Thanks in advance for your feedback.

...they need a helper. Everybody needs somebody, including Real Estate Agents and Brokers. You need somebody-a strategic partner, who cares about you and your business, your clients needs, and your goals and quotas. I'm sure you could use a trusted friend - someone to listen to you and who you can confide in and trust wholeheartedly. Someone devoted to you. Someone dependable and reliable. Someone who won't let you down or disappoint you. Isn't it wonderful knowing that there is someone you can pick up the phone and call and they respond "Sure, I can help. Just tell me what you need me to do." Someone who can handle the pressure and and make you look good all at the same time. This really does sound like a marriage partner, doesn't it- LOL!

No, it is not good for Realtors to be alone - so, God sent them Professional Home Stagers throughout the land.

Agents! Why are you spending hours walking through homes telling clients what they need to do and change to prepare the home for sale. Haven't you already missed at least two calls on your cell while during this walk-through consulation. Tell your clients that you have a professional stager on your team who will be assisting you/them in preparing the home for sell. Then let your stager work his/her magic, turning the house into a Model Home that sells quickly and for top dollar.

Do you really have time to help sellers de-clutter and de-personalize their homes - let your Stager do that so you can continue meeting with new clients and listing and marketing.

Your Home Stager, your strategic partner, is skilled and competent at preparing your clients home. Your Home Stager can do the furniture rearranging so that the best features are highlighted; and, do cosmetic touch-ups or changes; or deordorize the home; and, modernize the home; and re-design or re-purpose the space; and improve curb appeal.

Now with all that said, don't you think you need a helper - A Professional Home Stager. Visit RESA (Real Estate Staging Association) online to find a qualified home stager in your area. Or, search "stagers' on AR. JUST Don't wait! Spring is almost here and folks(qualified buyers) have an extra $8,000 to spend on home purchases. And we all are ready to go "back to work".

I spent several years in workforce development as a professional seminar facilitator coaching job applicants on how to dress to get the job. The classroom would be filled with job searchers whose goals were as diverse as the participants. They consisted of welfare recipients and business executives and were all shapes, colors and sizes. They all had one thing in common - they wanted to know how to dress to impress the interviewer and get the job!

Let me paint the scene for you - There are two job applicants applying for the same office position. The first applicant enters the reception area in ragged blue jeans, beat up boots, and Hawaiian print shirt - he needs a shave and a bath. Applicant #2 enters the same reception area wearing a dark suit, white shirt, and a tie with polished dress shoes - he is well-groomed, neat, and squeaky clean. When the interviewer enters the reception area, which applicant will he immediately favor? Which applicant has made the best first impression?

I hope you answered Applicant #2. And, if you did select the right applicant, then I have a question for you! Why are home buyers (the Interviewer) still touring homes (the Applicant) that are not prepared for the listing and open house (the Interview)?

ATTENTION REALTORS and SELLERS! PLEASE DON'T STOP READING AT THIS POINT!

Because this could very well be your story; the scenario you deal with week-in and week-out. Buyers (interviewers) view and study your on-line photos (we'll call that the resume or application). The tour your property (the applicant) - What impression do they get? What message is your property sending to buyers? If your property is not dressed and prepared for the listing and open house (the interview), that buyer(interviewer) will form a first impression in less than 30 seconds - starting at the curb - and it won't be favorable!

Every Realtor and every seller should want to impress the socks off buyer the minute the arrive at the property. Curb appeal should "Awe!!!" buyers; The entry should "WOW!!"; All during the tour the Realtor should hear expressions of favorable impressions!!!

And, what about those vacant properties? That's like a naked applicant in the reception area - the floors are shiny, the windows are clean, but the house is cold and bare! Don't leave the imagination up to buyers. It's reported that only 10% of buyers can visualize the home's potential, anyway.

Your property should be staged by a professional home stager to help "dress the applicant" so that it look its best - like a Model Home - in the eyes of the buyer (the interviewer). Home Staging is a science and professional home stagers are skilled experts with proven techniques to get the home sold and success stories to prove that staging an occupied or vacant property will sell faster and for more money.

Pay a little for the interviewing suit and you'll get the"job"! - SOLD!