One of my goals this new year was to reach out and connect with local agents I know in a meaningful way…find out how their business was going, see if they had any thoughts to share…and you know, a number of those I’ve already reached had the same thoughts I have recently had about Staging, so I’m re-evaluating.

Not the process or the need or the business, but the word.

Wrote about it last year, and have been slowly working change into conversations, and into my writings.

The word ‘Staging’ does not seem to be a word for our time. By nature, it’s fluid and varied, so there is no real baseline.  BUT! Everyone seems to know what is is…kinda…besides too expensive, that is. 

 But it’s also  little forced and pretentious-sounding. Even now, as our economy is showing some real improvement, agents tell me their sellers  still hear ‘ca-ching’ when the topic is brought up.

In our area, even 6 or 7 years ago, homeowners would think nothing of moving out of their first home before it was sold, and into their new home, as getting the first home sold was just a formality.  I remember this, yet it seems so. ..quaint. Today, many need to live in the house right up til the closing, and the process of getting a property ready for sale involves managing the people, the process and their expectations, as well as their stuff.

So here is where I’m going with this in the new year: I am PREPARING properties for sale.

Not much else will change in how I run my business, but PREPARE is more in line with the nature of the job. People understand ‘PREPARE’ It is familiar; not intimidating, or created.  It is also something associated with stuff we kind of have to do…we prepare dinner, taxes, presentations.

What do you think?   Does PREPARING a house for sale sound more reasonable, even palatable? More to the point, doesn’t (insert whatever you resisted or chafed at before) now seem like part of PREPARING the  house for sale?? 

SERIOUSLY!  Inquiring minds want to know!!