What is the going rate for a staging consultation? What does it cost to stage a vacant property? What updates will bring a seller the best return on investment? Should a Realtor stage their own properties?
Realtors, investors, and builders can learn a lot from the Staging to Sell: What Every Agent Should Know class offered by The Real Estate Staging Association through MetroTex Association of Realtors. It’s a three-hour, three-MCE-credit course that provides an enormous amount of information for $25. Talk about bang for your buck.
The course is taught at various MetroTex locations by one of only three accredited RESA-PRO teachers in the Metroplex — Amy Fedosky, Karen Otto, and Karen Eubank. Yep, that’s me. So here’s the inside skinny on why this is going to be one of the best classes you can ever take.
Most people have very large misconceptions about staging in general. We always ask for a show of hands at each class to see who has used stagers. I’m happy to report the number of hands has more than doubled in the last year. Our next question is “So why aren’t the rest of you using a stager?” The answer is always,“It’s expensive.” No it is not.
The simple truth is every single home deserves a consultation. It’s approximately $200 to $250 to have a professional stager give you great information that is going to help that house sell. Plenty of stagers write reports or of course the seller can take notes, and with that information 80 percent of homeowners can DIY their staging. Who pays for that consultation? That’s entirely up to you but we go over the pros and cons of both in class.
How long does it take to stage an occupied home, and won’t the sellers be annoyed with having their stuff touched and moved? No, they won’t and it does not take that long to stage an occupied home. Sellers love stagers. They are generally energized and happy when we leave. They have a plan, we’ve confirmed they do indeed have great taste and we’ve made friends with their dog. We’ve also made sure they know they have a fantastic Realtor.
What about vacant properties? Yes, it’s more expensive to stage these than to deal with a seller’s own furnishings, but here’s the most important thing to remember, staging is going to cost less than the first price reduction. It’s going to take several days between the consultation and the installation, but your seller won’t have to lift a finger.
Maybe you want to stage your own properties. We’ll tell you everything you need to take into consideration to do just that, including where to get insurance and what you should remember to put in your contract.
The class is not about selling staging. It’s about giving the right information out, ensuring everyone has a common language, understanding the process, dispelling myths, and understanding expectations. It’s about getting you and your seller the most money for their largest asset. I think you’ll like what we have to tell you.
But, wouldn’t it be better if you found out yourself? The next class is Tuesday, April 5, at MetroTex headquarters. Sign up here.
