Staging a home to sell a house

By Jennifer Thomas jthomas@centredaily.com

It’s all about first impressions when it comes to selling a home.

And these days more people are turning to home staging, where the goal is to create a scene that entices buyers and helps them make an emotional connection.

“You have about 30 seconds to do that,” said Judith Fishman, who owns Sold on Staging based in Port Matilda. “It’s very hard to get a second impression and fix that first impression.”

Fishman’s love of interior decorating pushed her to take an intensive three-day class and start her own business in June 2005.

It’s a growing industry, fueled locally by a slower real estate market and homeowners’ desire to maximize the return on their property. “I don’t go in and tell people they need to knock out walls,” Fishman said, adding her suggestions often can be done in a weekend or less. It could be as simple as moving furniture, repainting a room or rehanging artwork to maximize the home’s appeal.

“You will never spend as much on staging and improvements as you will on that first price reduction. Every day it’s on the market costs money,” she said.

Countywide, homes were averaging 67 days on the market as of the most recent figures from April, according to the Centre County Association of Realtors. Homes took the longest to sell in Penns Valley at 82 days followed by 70 days on the market in State College. The Bald Eagle and Bellefonte areas each saw homes sell in 60 days.

“It’s a tough market, so anything you can do to try and differentiate your home is important,” said Larry Walker, an associate broker and partner with Kissinger, Bigatel and Brower. “Home staging is very important.”

He’s even begun adding home staging to the list of services included for home sellers.

“I’m on board with any tool we have at our fingertips to help get the house sold,” he said.

According to study from 2004 to 2006 by stagedhomes.com, homes staged before being listed sold in 8.9 days compared with 13.7 days if they were staged after being listed.

“It’s all about staging it to get top dollar for the owner,” said Barb Schwarz, a pioneer in the staging industry.

She started staging homes in Seattle more than 35 years ago and trademarked the terminology tied to the staging business.

“I was shocked at the way houses looked when they were coming on the market,” she said.

She began to set the scene in homes she was selling — relying on clean, clutter-free and minimal color as guidelines — and found that buyers were receptive. It blossomed from there.

“All of the sudden we’re seeing the space, not the things,” she said. “We need to set the rooms according to the buyers you feel would want to buy your home for it.”

Today, she is the founder and president of the International Association of Home Staging Professionals and operates the education and accreditation program Staged Homes through her Staging University.

She said her Accredited Staging Professional courses are the only certification for both stagers and real estate agents nationwide, despite other courses being available. There are about 15,000 graduates of her program, including 4,000 professional stagers.

The industry is self-regulating at this time, she said, adding that she expects the number of accredited agents and stagers to grow because people are looking for a professional that’s taken that extra step. The training helps the two realtors and stager work together more smoothly, and ultimately get the best price for the home, she said.

“The way you live in your home and the way we market and sell your house are two different things,” she said. “It’s all about staging it to get top dollar for the owner.”

It’s a concept that local real estate agents are beginning to rely on more frequently.

Barb Loviscky, a real estate agent with Re/Max Centre Realtors, said she had three listings sell within the first week on the market during the last month.

She attributes the quick turnaround to pricing and staging — costing between $500 and $1,000 — which seems to have an impact on the slower moving homes. Loviscky said she had several homes tied up for 90 to 120 days, and after staging they sold within 30 days. Loviscky said she’s not shy about telling clients what needs to be done before listing a property, including staging, because it could mean avoiding an extended time on the market and gaining thousands of dollars.

“I’m a big believer in staging. It makes our job easier to have the professional stager do the work,” she said.

The calls for staging services come every week these days, up significantly from a year ago, said Jessica Dolan, owner of Room To Breathe Home and Office Organizing.

Staging now makes up about 50 percent of her business, which also offers consulting and services such as clutter control and organization of rooms for those looking to simplify their lives.

“People now know what it is — how important it is,” she said. “It is a recognized business.”

While she’s not certified through Schwarz’s program, being a certified stager is a goal, Dolan said.

“I’m simply there to get their house sold as quickly as I can for the most money,” she said.

She said owners need to break that emotional tie to their home, which often means packing up items such as photos and knickknacks, even before the home hits the market or sells.

“You want a buyer to see the house, not the stuff in the house,” she said.

Dolan also offers a service for those with an empty home, where a room or entire house-full of furniture can be brought in. It’s intended for higher-end homes priced at more than $350,000.

Different options for home sellers make the process affordable to clients at all levels, said Jacki Rutter, a real estate agent with Re/Max Centre Realty.

“People can take what they need from it,” she said. “It’s only as expensive as you want it to be.”

She recommends the staging because it brings in an outside voice.

“It’s a suggestion, and the owner can take it and use it how they choose,” she said, adding there’s been a major jump in the number of people using staging in the past year.

“It’s made a major difference in the houses we’ve dealt with,” she said. “I think all of us fail to realize clutter and how much we accumulate.”

As a real estate agent for Kissinger, Bigatel and Brower, Jennifer Roth has seen the benefits of staging from both sides. Her own home in the Good Hope Farms II development of Ferguson Township went on the market about a month ago and sold in three days, something she attributes to staging and proper pricing.

“I had just seen the value in the homes that are staged selling faster and for higher percentage of the asking price,” she said of why she took part in the process.

It’s something she sees gaining momentum and becoming a more routine part of home sales.

“I think that it is evolving here. The more people see the value, I think it’s going to grow in a sense exponentially,” she added.

Jennifer Thomas can be reached at 231-4638.