THE SEVEN C'S OF STAGING

I've been getting in touch with my "right brain" lately. That's the creative side, and for a die-hard analytical, it's a bit of a journey into the unknown.

I'm reading "Staging to Sell" by Barb Schwarz, who is widely considered to be the inventor of what we refer to today as "staging" a home for sale. Even though I am not a right brain person, my left brain clearly understands and recognizes that staging works, which is why I always arrange for a professional staging consultation whenever I take a listing.

Johanna Wells is my stager, and she often plays "bad cop" to my "good cop". By that I mean, if I see clutter, colors, or crazy arrangements that are likely to send buyers sprinting back toward their cars, Johanna can point it out. I can preserve the relationship with my sellers, while Johanna can lay down the law.

Staging works. Based on 15 years of experience, this is indisputable. Buyers see, but they rarely envision. Buyers work from a WYSIWYG ("What You See Is What You Get") mindset. That's why making a home turnkey ready is critical, especially in markets where there is ample competition.

THE SEVEN C'S OF STAGING

From the book, Schwarz identifies the Seven C's of Staging:

CLEAN - you must deep clean, and this includes the spots we tend to forget like the top of the refrigerator, inside the cupboards, and along the window sills and tracks.

COLOR - dark rooms feel small, light rooms feel large. Green is tranquil and associated with prosperity, purple is harsh and overwhelming.

CLUTTER - buyers cannot mentally move into a space when it is occupied with stuff. Clutter eats equity.

CREATIVITY - our goal is to stage affordably. That means sometimes we simply rearrange the ingredients of items in a room. Something in the basement could look great in a bedroom... while stuff in the bedroom may belong in the basement (or Public Storage).

COMPROMISE - sometimes we can't fix everything. Painting the trim isn't as good as painting the whole house, but it helps. Instead of retiling a bathroom, we can change the color of the towels and shower curtain. When we can't change the substance, we can still change the feel.

COMMUNICATION - every room conveys a feeling. Light, bright and open... or dark, cluttered and mysterious. Buyers want certainty. We must work together to ensure each space communicates a warm and inviting feel.

COMMITMENT - once we've painted the canvas, it's important that you not put your fist through it! How you live in a home is different from how you sell a home. It will take work to preserve the staged feel that we have created. It's part of the process of selling a home, and it does involve commitment and some inconvenience. However, the payoff is worth it!

As I have said before in this space, the first 21 - 30 days are absolutely critical when listing homes for sale. Your best chance for a solid, full-price offer are in the first days, not 45 or 90 or 180 days down the road.

After 30 days, you're going to begin to bleed equity. We don't want that to happen.

In my opinion, pre-inspecting and staging a home for sale are critical components of an effective marketing plan. These two steps will also put your home above the competition, and justify a higher price.

Staging is one of those key activities you cannot afford to dismiss.