"Your Job Sounds So Fun!" - The Reality of a Home Staging Career

If I have heard that once, I have heard it 100 times. "Your job sounds so fun!" and to be fair, I suppose from the outside looking in, it DOES seem like a "fun job." Most recently as I was boarding a plane the flight attendant spied my carry on that promotes my Staging business and exclaimed how fun my job must be . . .

What the public sees is the transformation of a house - room by room - where we use creativity and skill to enhance what the public sees when buying a house. What they don't see is all the work and planning that went in to that successful transformation.

Seems that most people believe that Home Staging is a "fun" job . . . probably ranking up there with Genie, magician, dolphin trainer, or some other "job" where a person appears to get to do something others perceive is lots of fun but don't really understand all the work behind the result. I haven't asked, but I think they believe that we just move a bunch of decor around and diddle with fabric or bedding, and tossing pillows is the most labor intensive thing we do.

To most, they probably figure we have an army of "workers" at our disposal, like those people on TV - that work for free, and make magic happen with their saws, lumber, and materials they just pull out of their magic trucks or vans. If there are Stagers that do this, it is a very, very small percentage. Most of us are the ones doing the work, moving the stuff, and lifting the furniture.

What they don't realize is that although Home Staging is "fun" it is also a lot of work. Home Staging itself is very physical too, or it can be. Home Stagers sweat. Home Stagers strain. Home Stagers can even stress out.

The reality of Staging is that it is not glamorous and the "fun" is not about the ease of what we do, but about the reward of a job well done. Most professional Home Stagers I know that actually work a business, and don't just preach about it, are in the trenches getting sweaty and schlepping stuff from point A to house B.

The days when I Stage, I show up in my "uniform" which is comfortable shorts and a tank top, sandals or tennis shoes, and my hair up in a clip. To be brutally honest, on days when I wake up and know I am Staging a vacant house, I don't bother with makeup, except maybe some lipstick, and - shocker here - don't even bother to style or comb my hair. Why bother - I am going to sweat - and I am not going to see a client so vanity goes out the window. I just stick my hair up in a scrunchy or hair clip - and off I go to "work." Where I live, the temps can reach over 110 degrees in the summer, and just loading up for a Staging project brings a workout. We don't "perspire." We sweat.

In the winter, we bundle up and deal with the cold temps and freezing weather - and hope that our projects "beat the rain" or other bad weather, but we've Staged during near hurricane winds, and with fog so thick we can hardly see to drive. God bless those Stagers that deal with hurricanes, tornadoes, blizzards, sleet, and any other weather related challenges. Like the mailman, come rain, wind, snow or shine, the show must go on!

I have been physically injured numerous times from Staging. I have broken toes, injured my foot, pulled muscles, gotten bruises, cut myself, gotten tennis-elbow from lifting furniture, and had a bungee cord snap back in my face, splitting my lip open. In that case, the show went on, and we Staged a house because we needed to get it done, with my lip bleeding for 9 hours. Good news is it was my lip - a few inches higher and it would have taken out my eye. I have had sore back, legs, arms and neck from Staging - and over the years have gotten smarter about how much physical labor I personally do, opting to hire movers and manual labor help whenever the budget allows. There are "tools" we can use to help minimize some of the physical strain - furniture lifters, movers, and such, but the bottom line is that we cannot escape the physical nature of Staging. Even if we are just pulling inventory and loading our truck, that is physical.

Home Staging is fun because we are helping others, we do get to see the transformation of a space happen relatively quickly, and we get the reward of accomplishment when the house sells faster than expected - compared to the marketed un-staged competition. But it's not "fun" in the sense that it's easy to do.

Working with clients and providing Staging reports is not physical, but it is mental. We may not sweat while preparing the Staging report (unless the homeowner does not have their air conditioning on), but the mental side of coming up with a plan of action on the spot, and then having the ability to convey that plan with compassion and kindness to a Seller that may or may not be ready to hear the suggestions, or be excited about moving, can be a challenge and be somewhat stressful. The emotional aspect is something we have to be prepared for each time we work with a client. We never know what response they are going to have to our plan, and much of the time we act in the role of compassionate counselor, encouraging them to make changes that will ultimately benefit them the most in the sale of their property.

The longer we engage in business, the more confidence we get, and the better prepared we feel going in to work with a client, but I don't believe we ever fully get over that feeling of pressure to perform Staging magic, using what a Seller has or bringing in some "WOW" factor, with the hopes that everything will turn out great. We have a vision, we work to carry that out to the best of our ability, factoring in what the seller has to work with, any limitations we may have, the necessary timeframe, and budget.

My last Staging report was done late one afternoon, and the next day we showed up to do hands-on Staging to finish it off, with the clock ticking from a Realtor that wanted to get the house on the MLS - ASAP! Of course, the Realtor was thrilled and the seller got a real kick out of seeing how we used her things, combined with some basic inventory - to get her house show ready. She even said, "You were not like those people on TV - you treated me very kindly and I appreciate that." Working with pressure is not something every person can handle, and yet professional Stagers do it every day.

My greatest satisfaction comes not just from seeing a room come together with my ideas that transfer from mind to reality, but from the reaction of a client that cannot believe how nice their house looks, and from a Realtor who is thrilled at a tranformation of their listing. And it comes from a part of me that feels great joy at using my talent and creativity in a way that helps someone else.

Ultimately, when I finish a Staging project, there is a part of me that just wants to high-five someone, or do a celebration dance. As I have shared with colleagues - having a "theme song" is important and keeping the actual Staging fun - by sharing it with other professional ASP Stagers is what make it fun for me as well. As I learned from my mentor, Barb Schwarz, "having a party with myself" is half the fun of Staging - and that happens when I do something unexpected with Staging, when my creativity comes out and we use something in a new way, or make something out of "nothing" in order to achieve a goal. I love that feeling.

However, the "work" behind Staging never ends. Any successful Stager will tell you that getting the business is always on our minds. We are managers, marketers, and workers. Besides the physical labor that leaves us sweaty and tired, there is the constant marketing that has to occur. We can never just sit back and "wait" for business but must constantly find ways to reach our target audience with our message of how we can help them achieve their goals of selling faster and at the best price.

As a markets change, we have to change our strategy for getting business, so we are also adjusting to economic trends that impact our business. Any successful Home Stager will attest to the reality behind reinvention, and carving out market niches to stay viable.

Yes, our "job is fun" but it is also a lot of work - mentally and physically. We have to have endurance to make it through the tougher times, we have to have optimism to keep our hope alive when the going gets tough, and we have to rejuvenate our creative spirit by continuing to find new ways to test our skills and transform houses and spaces that truly need our Staging touch.

So those of you out there looking from the outside at Home Staging - and believe it is one of those "fun" jobs - what it is really is a passion that we have turned into a career. Despite the physical, mental and even emotional work it takes, we love it because it feeds a part of our soul or spirit that nothing else meets.

THAT is the real "fun" behind Home Staging.

Sellers - Are you READY for your Close-Up? by Jennie Norris, ASPM, IAHSP

“All right, Mr. DeMille, I'm ready for my close-up" - Gloria Swanson, Sunset Boulevard, circa 1940.

Those famous words helped immortalize the great Cecil B. DeMille. And it got me thinking. How many times have you had photos taken of yourself where you really were not prepared for that “close-up?” Or worse, been on television with a camera inches from your face showing every pore? It reminds me that there is nothing like preparation – lighting, makeup, positioning – that allows us to take that great photo or be on television without fear of looking “bad.”

When applied to Home Staging we have to ask . . .

How many Sellers are ready for their Close Up?

My experience as a professional Home Stager tells me – not many. Even with the glut of television shows on Home Staging that should help educate the public to do SOMETHING to their houses before putting them up for sale, the fact remains, most Sellers are NOT prepared for their close-up.

However, when Buyers come in to a house, they notice EVERYTHING – and they do get Close-up. They notice not only the floor-plan, but how well cared for the house is. They notice smells. They look at grout, window tracks, windows, sinks, toilets, carpet stains, caulking in the tubs or showers – and if there is mildew, dirt, or debris, the assumption is that the house is not well-maintained. This causes a Buyer to be hesitant about purchasing a house – because they assume that they may have deeper issues to deal with should they purchase a house that is not “Show Ready.”

Why aren’t Sellers ready for their Close-up?

In most cases, it’s because Sellers believe that their house is “fine the way they have lived in it” – and don’t fully understand the WHY behind prepping it for the Buyer.

In other cases, the Seller allows emotions to cloud the need for prepping their house – feeling slighted or insulted when suggestions regarding cleanliness or de-cluttering are made.

And in some cases, it’s because the people involved in helping sell the house lacked the courage to tell the Seller the truth about their house.

Telling the Truth can be Tough

It can be tough to tell someone the truth – but are we truly helping a Seller when we refrain from letting them know about key issues or concerns we KNOW will impact the Sale?

NO. We have an obligation to help Sellers – and the key is to use proper timing and couch it in kindness. This is where someone that is trained to handle Sellers – stands out from those that use criticism and sarcasm (like on television) to tell the “truth.”

How do we get a Seller ready for their Close-Up?

Sellers need an HONEST assessment of their house – and independent third party that is able to be subjective in the house and come up with a plan of action for the Seller.

Sellers need to be willing to implement the independent suggestions – in order to make their house appealing to ALL Buyers.

Where do Sellers get an Honest Assessment?

Sellers can hire a professional Home Stager who will come in and prepare a detailed Home Staging Plan – that addresses how to prep the house room by room, inside and outside. The Home Stager can also help implement the Staging Plan based on how much time and effort the Seller has.

The best place to locate an individual who can provide accurate recommendations is through the www.Stagedhomes.com directory of professionally trained Home Stagers.

Clean is a Relative Term

We need to help Sellers put aside their feelings and realize that Clean is a relative term. But when it comes to Selling, there must be a high standard of CLEAN applied to the house, and a Seller that truly wants to sell will be willing to put added effort into the preparation of their house so that the house stands up to the highest level of Cleanliness.

How much does it Cost?

Typically, a Home Staging Plan ranges from $150-$450 nationwide for an average size house (2,000-2,500 square feet), and is based on the size of the house and the time it takes to prepare the Plan.

Hands-on Staging could be an additional $200-$2,000 or more – again, depending on what is needed. What you want to stay away from is the “Stager” that tells you to remove everything from your house and replace it with trendy, costly decorations and furnishings – a tactic employed by those intent on Selling their “stuff” and not your house. Around the country, these “Stagers” charge in the tens-of-thousands of dollars to Stage a house – which is a disservice to Sellers.

Vacant houses do require a higher investment than when a Seller has things to work with in the house – furniture and décor. However, the statistics show that even having to rent furnishings and décor to Sell a house in most markets costs less than a price reduction.

Ask for Credentials and Insurance Policy

As a Seller – you can ask to see a Home Stager’s credentials – and ask them what they mean. An Accreditation is the highest form of training for the Home Staging industry. Only one reputable company offers this form of training, and is linked to the National Association of Realtors (NAR) to provide education on Home Staging. The Accredited Staging Professional® (ASP®) Course has been around for over 10 years and has nearly 40 years of experience behind it.

Also - be wary of Stagers on blog sites that have a lot of “points” – this does not make them an expert Stager – just someone that blogs a lot online. Think about it - if they are online blogging all the time they could not be “out there” actually Staging. Ask for references and referrals. A quality and qualified Stager will be able to produce both.

Lastly, make sure the Home Stager is INSURED. Without a valid insurance policy, YOU are at risk when you invite this person in to you house. If something is damaged or broken, and the Stager has no insurance policy, the repair costs will be on you.

Posers - All Talk but Little Walk

I was watching this media segment on some celebrity nonsense, and they kept referring to people as "Posers." In fact, one urban dictionary definition of "Poser" is:

A poser is someone who tries to fit into a profile they aren't. People who try to give off the impression that they are one thing when they are really another.

Also, a poser can be one who says they can do something that they can't.

I know we all have Staging Posers in our markets. I ran across one that was hired to do a Staging project, and turns out he was a Realtor "Posing" as a Stager - who picked out rental furniture that was a total mish-mash, but was cheaper than a real Stager. End result - the house did not sell when it should - and the client ended up spending way more money to have it done right the second time around!

These Posers are people that claim they know how to Stage but really don't. This person could be anyone from the homeowner who thinks because they watch HGTV they can successfully Stage their house, to a person that reads a book or a "how-to" pamphlet created and all of a sudden is an "expert" on what to do, to someone that actually starts up a Staging business, but really has no idea what Staging is all about. Although some of the media shows and publications help, the GIFT of Staging is not something you can just wake up one day and claim to have. To me it is a God-given gift was have from birth - the abiltiy to see things in a new way, to picture and envision rooms, yards, houses transformed. Not everyone has it - so not everyone can be a Stager.

According to one website: Calling someone a poser is the same thing as accusing them of being fake or inauthentic. They may talk the talk, but they don't walk the walk

How do we overcome the Posers in our own industry?

First, I hate to say it here on a blog site, but just because someone is writing about it - does not mean they are actually doing it. The public has to be savvy about not just picking someone because they have a bunch of points. Sadly, some are impressed by that, but as I blogged in the past, http://activerain.com/blogsview/371376/If-You-Are-In-Here-You-Are-Not-Out-There if a person is always in "here" blogging, and on numerous other sites posting things, they could not possibly be out "there" as much as a they claim, unless they literally never sleep. That, to me, is a Poser.

Writing about it and DOING it are two totally different things! Now I know Blogging can be like a full-time job - and it IS for some that actually get paid to comment on life, websites, etc., or for those that want to parlay their blog sites into publiciations. . . However, when our full time job we "blog about" is Staging - how can we be wearing both hats and be legit in our business? I know there are some that make it work, but a non-Poser will have a balance - not spending all their time on a blog site, and have real examples of productive work - which brings me to the next point.

Hopefully the public is savvy enough to actually look at the portfolios of the potential Stager - and makes sure that the photos included are of their work. And a Stager that is really out there running a business will have RECENT examples of successful Staging work, and statistics they track. Or at least they should. If they are promoting the same old photo from a year ago, chances are they have not really been "out there" Staging and are "posing" with those that have been out there working.

I know the tough market has meant business slow down for many markets - mine included - and yet because we are in this long term, we have recent examples and success stories we could share. A Poser will not have those.

Next - ASK for Credentials. A Poser won't have any. That is a pretty simple solution there. A Home Staging Poser will most likely talk about how much they love decorating, or perhaps they even came from a different parallel field, but they really won't be able to talk too much about how they have self-educated themselves in this field, or reference classes they may have taken.

How about ASKING for Insurance: A Poser probably will not have made the investment to insure a business that does not really exist. They want to be considered a Home Stager, but they don't really want to make the investment in a business. Not only does it leave their clients at risk, but they are putting their own family at risk by not insuring their business.

How about this important distinction: A Poser will not have success. Because they really don't know what they are doing, their houses don't sell and they cannot toot their horn over fabulous Staging transformations that result in record sales, or other stats that help sustain the Staging market.

Finally I think this question really weeds out the Posers from the Home Stagers that really plan on doing this as long as their minds will allow . . . Ask the Poser "How long do you see yourself doing this and why?" The Poser usually looks at Staging as a quick buck, and gets out as fast as they got in when the going gets tough. Or the Poser does not understand truly how Staging can work to sell a house - and will just dump in basic decor or a ton of greenery and call the house "Staged."

Posers are all talk and very little walk. They want to be like those that are successful in this fun, exciting, roller coaster ride of a business we call Staging - but it's time to identify the Posers so that the public does not get led down a primrose path of false expectations.

Jennie