FIRST, DO NO HARM: When It’s Personal, And A Stager Isn’t The Answer

Being able to create a pleasing aesthetic is mistakenly thought to be the most vital of tools a Stager can possess.  But as a physician evaluates and determines the best treatment option for each patient, an effective Stager does the same:  looks at the big picture, and uses their knowledge and experience to evaluate,  set a strategy, and even say NO when appropriate.

Home Staging is anything you can do to better it’s standing in the market, so it will sell quickly, for the best price. Sure, everyone wants a property that looks great-and I love to be the person to do just that-BUT  if there are holes in the roof, a basement full of mold, or other signs of neglect show there are bigger problems to deal with, and that’s an obvious NO.

Slightly less obvious NOs:  When the goals, time required, costs or the sellers expectations do not match. A owner ambiguous about selling, or unrealistic about the market.  Agents who are removed and not encouraging about the process. Sellers who really want to get their decorating ya-yas out. Agents who are are “verybusy”, and have a stable of old, old listings with bad listing photos.

The commitment to first doing no harm requires taking a long and broad view of all the circumstances. Here are two unexpected NOs I have come across,  and how I handle them.

When there is a very serious, or terminal illness within the household

The idea of focusing on getting a property ready for sale at this time can be a welcome diversion. Sometimes it’s seen as motivation toward getting better, sometimes a coping mechanism, and others, it’s a race against time.

On paper, honorable intentions all; but all too soon the reality of the situation become paramount. Added stress, expense, and pressure to make decisions is not needed. I have lived this story before, with my own family, and with clients. Buyers can pick up vibes from a house.  Incomplete, or haphazard projects tell people more than you may want them to know.  So in this case, instead of no, we talk of first things first, postpone til it’s a better time, and I keep in touch.

If there is a messy divorce going on in within the household

If it is civil-to-amicable, and we all feel we can focus on the task at hand, then YES, we can get some things done-but communication is key.  But in my experience, rarely does a badly divorcing couple want to wrangle with properly preparing a house for sale. More realistically they want to wrangle with each other, and I’d just be another way to (inadvertently) help them do that-so I’m out.

The Refreshed Home believes in keeps the focus on what CAN be done, and where there’s a will, there’s a way.  So I’ve coached REALTORS, using their pre-listing photos or video- we frame out what to say, and what to do. This way the message gets through, but there’s not  another person causing  distractions, or mucking things up.

 

TOMORROW: Toile-Fest, and “Retro” bathrooms!

The Refreshed Home~Because Experience Matters, and Kindness Counts