It seems as though Staging Consultations are coming back into focus. This is my 6th year of staging and I can truly say that staging consultations for occupied homes were my bread and butter for my first 2 years of staging. My REAs paid for each consult because they wanted each listing to stand out, especially with the occupied homes. Now that shortsales and foreclosures have taken over, our agents just don't have the $$ to pay for them anymore. To walk into a homeowner's house and help them prepare their home for sale is always very rewarding for me. Most of the time, they have no idea HOW to prepare the home.
So what has changed? Well, there are still homeowners who need to sell their home. Better yet... there are homeowners who are preparing now... 6 months to a year ahead of time.
For those of you that have left this part of your service... I say, re-instate it! For those of you who haven't done that yet for your clients... you need to add that to your services.
Here are some recent blogs about staging consultations...
http://activerain.com/blogsview/1557478/the-best-money-i-ever-spent-
http://activerain.com/blogsview/1556444/i-don-t-let-fingers-do-the-talking-anymore-
Realtors... do you have an occupied home that could use a consultation? Not a full staging, but just some expert advice on how your clients can prepare their home for sale? Why compete with a bank owned property that has been trashed. Let your occupied listings stand out. Please have a stager near you come and help ALL of you out.
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Lori Kim Polk is owner of Premiere Home Staging, a full service Home Staging and Design Corporation and nationally recognized leader within the home staging industry located in Roseville, California. Lori Kim has a warehouse full of unique accessories and quality artwork to better serve their growing list of clients in the Sacramento areas. She has been featured in Staging Standard Magazine, Sacramento Magazine, Sacramento News and Review, KFBK radio and SMUD's Home of the Future. Proudly serving realtors, homeowners and investors in Granite Bay, Rocklin, Lincoln, Sacramento, and surrounding areas with exceptional home staging.
Lori Kim has helped stage and market hundreds of homes in the Sacramento, Roseville, and surrounding areas since 2005. Our stats say it all.....current DOM with our staging is 18 days. Call us today at 916-300-0402 for our premier services. "We are changing this market one home at a time!"
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Consultations have always been a strong part of my business. Written, detailed and "walk and talks" - they are the bread and butter that keep things running smoothing.
Lori Kim,
A great post. In my area there are quite a lot of stagers/stylists willing and able to stage a vacant property. Whilst I can provide that service as well, there are few, if any stagers willing to work with occupied homes and that sets me apart.
I was speaking with a top agent in my region who told me that whilst they do have a stager who works with vacant properties, 90% of their sellers need a stager who works with occupied homes.
Thanks for bringing this up.
I adore consultations! What is clutter, really? What is a distraction? What calls buyer's attention to the best features in each room? How does color help or hurt a sale? I truly believe the discussion helps the seller make the transition from living in their home to selling their house - frequently an emotional journey, but a journey that goes a huge distance towards selling the house. When I leave, they have an inclusive plan to enhance the presentation marketing of their property. Then they can do the work according to their own budget, schedule, and interpretation of our discussion. And, I have had the fun of seeing the house, imagining how the house can be, and being part of giving my clients some portion of control over their own lives - in a time when many things feel out of control. Total win-win.
Hi Lori, I do a consult on each and every home. It is the bread and butter as you say. I do not perform the decluttering process. Only the consult and the staging day for the listing photos. Works well and I am always busy. Congrats on the great photo above.
Thanks for a great post. My "walk Thru" is my bread and butter...
Lori, This was one of my fastest growing services as a new stager. Still today, years later..I have agents that regularly pay for occupied consultations. They stay with me for busy and slow staging times. Thank you agents. And thanks to my occupied home owner clients too!
Thanks for the Great post ,
Leslie
Hi Lori - I have actually been doing alot of these lately not just for home staging but redesign consults as well. I provide a full written report (it looks like those inspection reports) with pictures, ideas and recommendations for paint and new updates. Homeowners love it as they can have it in front of them when they go thru the process and it allows them to take their time to plan and get to projects when budget permits. I love it because it is fast, fun and very profitable. I also do walk and talks and people love those too as it gives them a chance to talk about their ideas and get my viewpoint as we walk thru their home.
Lori- When I started, I did primarily Occupied consultations, not by choice but it's just the way it turned out. I've since done vacants as well. I love the challenge of working with what's already there. I've been trying to "sell" the less expensive and less time-consuming Verbal consultations (no written report) to help sellers who are in tight situations.
Hi Cathy Lee... I know you do lots of them... that is why you are so successful ;)
Hi there Donna... thank you for stopping by. You are so right. I does take alot of creativity and thinking to do an occupied. And the more you do the faster you get. I think my first consult was 3 hours long... oh, my. I wanted to be so thorough for my clients. They really do make you feel like you know your business.
Hey Nancy Lee... thanks for commenting. You bet it is a win-win. It is the perfect way to get your foot in the door for the next step in your staging service.
Hi there Michelle... Boy do I hear ya!. Just going in and telling the clients what they need to do can be a godsend for them. As for the picture... it is great when a client has something to work with and you just add to what else is needed ;)
Hi Mary Lou... thanks for stopping by. By doing just a couple a week, you can keep your biz afloat with no inventory...just your professional advice, how cool is that!
Leslie... Hey there girlfriend! Congrats on your new niche. I think it should be the foundation of any staging business. If you can't tell someone else what they need to do, then how confident are you in doing it yourself? LOL!!
Lori, I really appreciate the consultations now because the occupied stagings are so labor intensive! It's so nice just to be able to talk instead of running up and down stairs. I have never been reposted before. I'm flattered but I know it's not just me... there were some great comments and suggestions.
Great post Lori.. it really gives me pause to think.. I've been going wild with vacant stagings lately.. which when having to rent furnishings.. delivery etc.. are not that profitable when ur up in the double digits of homes staged.. I'm really missing the occupied staging consultations.. where I get to really connect and empower a client without spending alot of money and expanding my inventory beyond my warehouse walls..
I've been equally excited about the rise in "Decorating Clients" who need my expertise and direction but not a boatload of time.
Happy Staging
Lori ~ I LOVE doing consulations for my homeowner and Realtor clients! Just this morning my phone was ringing off the hook for more of these appointments, and nothing could make me happier. It's so rewarding to help these clients get the home properly prepared for selling ~ they really need the advice of a professional stager to identify the "must do" items to take care of.
You are so right Lori Kim.... even though my main focus is on Consultation's, it seems that the past few jobs are vacant stagings. But that's okay, I'm REALLY starting to build my inventory now. But I really like the consultations the best, building that rapport with the client. I just received an email from my last client that I did a consult for, she stated that they completed everything on the written consultation that I provided them, except the painting, (they were going to do this, the up coming weekend), but before that time came, someone looked at the house and bought it.
So needless to say, a good consultation, can turn into a sell for the client!
"Make It A Great Day"!!!!
I love your furnishings, Lori Kim!
I think staging consults are really important. To go on market thinking all you have to do is tidy up a little is really naive these days. I have several regular Agent-Clients that don't even think twice about calling me in! It's worth the small fee to them, as the property becomes a lot more marketable.
Staging consultations are great - quick in and out. I had also success in turning the consultation in additional business of staging to give the final touch. My most recent client was so happy that they want me also to help them with the "move in" design once they find their new home.
Consultations are great, it is truly the least money a seller can spend for the biggest effect...IMHO : )
Consultations were the bulk of my business last year. In the first quarter of this year, I've been swamped with them as well. Yes, I don't get quite the same satisfaction from a consultation that I get after completing a staging job, but it's still a very valuable service that I love providing.
Leanne... well, take the kudos girlie because you inspired me to write this blog ;)
Chuck... you HAVE been doing tons of vacants. Whoopeee! They can be alot of work as well as the design jobs! Don't forget to market your consults ;)
Maureen... your phone was ringing off the hook...Fantastic! I love consults just for the reconnect with my clients. Vacants can be so impersonal sometimes ;))
Randy... you hit the nail on the head. Consultations get your foot in the door for more work. Thanks for stopping by.
Deena... thank you for the compliment.. the house had some great stuff to start with. Consults can be worth their weight in gold, so keep it up!
Birgit... isn't it great to "double dip"? Glad that you are doin those consults.
Cindy... I will take YHO anytime girlfriend!
Charleen... thank you for stopping by my Canadian sister. Glad to see that consults are alive and well in your area.
Lori , I love doing consults. It generally leads to some hands on staging work for me. Last year, my entire year consisted of occupied properties, with only a few vacant and some design projects. I must say, I really like doing them. I believe it is the bread and butter of staging.
Trisha... you are so right. Consults can be the whole foundation of your biz. It also is nice to communicate your expertice with homeowners... you just don't have that with vacant homes ;)