revised edition stand out from the competition an agent’s guide to seller staging strategies...

REVISED EDITION

Stand Out from the Competition

An Agent’s Guide toSeller Staging Strategies

Breakthrough to Mastery

2An Agent’s Guide to Seller Staging Strategies

Main Ideas

1. Perspective on Staging

2. Convincing Your Sellers to Stage

3. Options for the Staging Consultation

4. Evaluate the House

5. Implementation

6. Staging an Empty House

Pages 5-6


Perspective on Staging

Benefits of Staging

Staging is your ticket to getting your listings sold. In a shifting market, there is more competition than ever—your listings must stand out!

» Staging is nonnegotiable in many parts of the country.» Agents like great-looking homes; they are easier to sell.» Buyers are looking for value.» Staging enhances your reputation as an agent.

Pages 7-8


Perspectives on Staging (continued)

Staging at a GlanceAs you walk through the seller’s home for the first time, watch for:» Plants» Paint» Pictures» Fixtures» Furniture

Page 9


Convincing Your Sellers to Stage

First Things First: Get the Listing

Staging can be a sensitive topic. Don’t risk losing customers over what they may perceive to be unnecessary, or worse, insulting recommendations.

“Your ability to get people to stage the home is going to have a direct impact on whether the home sells, how

quickly it sells, and at what price.”

Dave Jenks Keller Williams Realty International

Pages 10-11


Convincing Your Sellers to Stage (continued)

Tips for Discussing Staging» Inform sellers that the return on

invenstment will be higher with staging, and that you will only recommend changes that promise a return for their time, effort, and money.

» Give real examples.» Gauge their reactions and adjust your

presentation.

Pages 11-12



Explain Staging» Talk about what staging is. » Give them printed information.» Supply a checklist for the process. Getting Your

Home in Top Selling Condition from the KWU course CAMP 4:4:3 is an excellent resource.

Pages 13-14



Take a Consultative Approach» Take pictures of cluttered and uncluttered rooms

and ask your sellers which one they think buyers would like.

» Point out how much money they will lose by not staging.

» Learn new scripts and dialogues.

Pages 15-17



Set Expectations» Be diplomatic.» See with buyer’s eyes.

Pages 18-19


Options for the Staging Consultation

Do It Yourself

Pros• You will spend more time

with your sellers, enabling you to build your relationship.

• There is no monetary expense.

• You have control over the finished product.

Cons• You become the bad guy.

• It may cost you more in time (which you could otherwise spend lead generating) than it would to pay for a consultation.

• You may not have the skills or resources to stage different types of homes.

Page 20


Options for the Staging Consultation (continued)

Tips for Doing It Yourself» Study the principles of staging. For more

information, contact www.stagedhomes.com, www.IAHSP.com, or www.qcdesignschool.com.

» Prepare checklists.» Develop a network of professionals for jobs such

as painting, carpet cleaning, and landscaping.

Page 21



Train Your Employees to Do It

Pros• You can train them to your

standards and have control over the finished product.

• Sellers appreciate a specialized consultant.

• You don’t deliver the bad news.

Cons• Depending on their role on the

team, it may cost you more in time than to pay a consultant.

• They may not have the skills to stage different types of homes.

Page 22


Options for the Staging Consultation (continued)Tips for Training Your Employees

» Have them shadow you on both the listing presentation and the staging process for a number of months.

» Supply them with your checklists and reading materials.

» Explain all your procedures.

» Hold them accountable for results—follow up on their work by asking your sellers to evaluate the service.

Page 22



Use Professionals Pros• Professionals deliver top-notch

quality.

• You don’t deliver the bad news.

• Homeowners react more quickly when a professional delivers the news than when an agent does.

• They have their own props and storage facilities—no overhead costs for you.

Cons• You relinquish part of your

perceived value in the eyes of your seller.

• Covering their fees is an expense.

• You have no direct control over the finished product.

Page 23



Tips for Hiring a Professional» Before choosing a stager, learn their reputation.» Visit a listing currently on the market that was staged

by someone you are considering working with.» Go over your expectations and the standards you

expect them to achieve and maintain.» Hire the stager for an hour of consultation after the

listing agreement has been signed.» Provide the consultation as a free service to the seller;

pay the stager a nominal fee.

Pages 23-24


Evaluate the House

Review the Property» Make the appointment to go through the home

as soon as possible after the listing agreement has been signed.

» Ideally, review the property when the sellers are not at home—the evaluation will go more quickly.

Page 25


Evaluate the House (continued)

Review the Property» Start by evaluating the curb appeal.» Inside the home, look at the layout and determine where

extra furnishings can be distributed throughout the house.

» Note rooms that are painted bright colors or have strong wallpaper that won’t have mass appeal.

» Note clutter, imbalance, and light.» Check flooring for wear or bad color/pattern.» Check ceilings, baseboards, windows, and doors for

cracks.

Page 25


Evaluate the House (continued)

Make Your Recommendations» Email the recommendations to the seller within

twenty-four hours. » To help ease the process, you can also supply:

A calendar to show each stage and deadline A list of your subcontractors

Page 26


Evaluate the House (continued)Make Your Recommendations

» Hold your sellers accountable.

» You can formalize this arrangement in the listing agreement. In the section titled “Special Provisions,” leave the date blank and write this phrase:

“This listing will go on the market and in the MLS on the date the agent determines the

house is ready.”

Page 26


Implementation

Overall Considerations

1. Declutter

2. Clean

3. Maintain and Repair

4. Create an Atmosphere

1. Entryway

2. Living Room

3. Kitchen

4. Master Bedroom

Page 27


Implementation (continued)


“One of the key skills of a successful real estate

agent is mastering the basics of how homes should be presented and staged properly.”

Gary Keller

Page 27




Simple Staging Consultation versus Extensive Services

SimpleRemove clutter

Clean

Paint

Rearrange furniture to create space and flow

Remove clutter

Clean

Paint

Rearrange furniture to create space and flow

Significant home repair

New flooring and window treatments

Upgraded kitchen features

Rent furniture and plants

+

Extensive

Page 28



Overall Considerations Pets

Keep food areas and litter boxes fastidiously clean.

For open houses and showing appointments, put the dog in doggy day care, and leave the cat outside or crated indoors.

Children

Small children need to select their three favorite toys and put the others in storage.

Teens need to remove all personal photos and take down their posters.

Page 29



Overall Considerations Make a Good First Impression

» Paint or replace the front door, and make sure the doorbell works.

» Clean and polish all door hardware, or replace altogether (door knob, kick plate, house numbers).

» Buy a new welcome mat, and put potted plants next to door.

» Repair cracks on paving and on stairs.» Clean windows and keep entry swept and clean.

Page 30



Decluttering and Cleaning» Decluttering and cleaning are the two most

important steps in staging.» Keep on track through the use of checklists,

available in this guide.

Page 31



“Decluttering” » Our clutter is part of our lives, but it works

against sellers when they are trying to sell their house.

» Potential buyers react well to open spaces.

Tip! There is a hidden benefit to decluttering. Your sellers will be halfway done with their packing by the time they have finished!

Pages 31-33



Cleaning» From the baseboards to the ceiling fans,

everything must glow, shine, and be squeaky clean.

» Buyers will notice, even if only subconsciously, that the house smells and feels fresh.

Tip! Recommend that your sellers consider hiring a professional to do a deep, thorough cleaning. Then, all they have to do is a lighter cleaning for the showings.

Pages 34-36



Maintenance» Often, cleaning and decluttering will make the

need for maintenance and repairs more obvious.

» Depending on the severity of the work that needs to be done, your sellers may want to call in subcontractors.

Pages 37-38



Create an Atmosphere» Set the mood by using music, lighting, fresh

smells, and props.

Tip! Think function and form. If the light is good in a particular corner, place a chair with a throw cover and an open book that will suggest how relaxing the room is.

Pages 39-40



Keep Up Appearances!» Give them a checklist to follow so they will be

able to quickly and easily maintain the staged look.

Page 41


Staging an Empty House

Why Stage an Empty House?

Don’t Leave Rooms Empty When Selling a House

1.Empty houses lead buyers to question why the house is vacant.

2.Size is difficult to visualize when a room is empty.

3.Without furnishings, buyers will get bogged down in negative details.

Pages 42-43


Staging an Empty House (continued)

How to Stage an Empty House

Refer to your checklists and follow the same procedures as you would for an occupied home. Merely omit the jobs that have anything to do with furnishings and belongings.

Rent furniture and add pictures, silk flowers and cushions to create a warm, lived-in look.

Arrange for light maintenance.

Pages 44-46


The Bottom Line Staging is not about trying to put lipstick on

a pig! » You don’t want your sellers to disguise problems or

mask flaws; you just want them to show their home in its best possible light—clean, decluttered, and repair-free.

» Buyers should only see what is right with the house, not get focused on what is wrong.

“Price gets you in the game. Staging gets you the offer.” Tony DiCello

Keller Williams Realty International

Page 46


Scripts

» A picture is worth a thousand words.» Can’t we sell the house “as is?”» We’re moving out, why should we spend any

more money on this house?

Pages 47-49


My Action Plan Don’t put away this guide without

developing a plan to put what you have learned into action!

Refer to the Action Plan on pages 50-51of the guide to assess your strengths and areas for improvement.

Write down steps you will take to improve your skills—complete it, share it, and commit to it!

Pages 50-51


Take the other courses in the Breakthrough to Mastery Guide series!

Gaining Mind over Market Upshifting Your Lead Generation Seller Pricing Strategies Lead Capture and Conversion Internet Lead Capture and

Conversion Creating Urgency to Buy Bulletproofing Transactions Expense Management Effective People Leverage Short Sales, Foreclosures, and REOs Financing Solutions


Thanks for being here!

Please complete an evaluation for this session.

revised edition stand out from the competition an agent’s guide to seller staging strategies...

Documents