Advanced Staging for RE Agents

1. Advanced Staging for RE Agents Beyond RESE Stage Coach Services LLC 2014

2. “The Stage Coach” Stage Coach Services LLC Your Instructor Victoria Guillot, CSS/CRS Stage Coach Services LLC 2014

3. Beyond RESE Let’s recap what you learned in RESE certification: Staging has 6-13% impact on price Staging reduces days on market by up to 40% Much improvement can be achieved for free or very little investment • Which improvements yield greatest return, where to put $ • Lighten, brighten, clean, declutter, landscape, furniture, plumbing, electrical, kitchen & bath How to use staging to prospect differently and get in front of more clients How to take more listings • How to sell more listings I’m going to give you access to more tools to help you in your listing presentation so you can secure more listings. Stage Coach Services LLC 2014

4. What We’ll Cover Today Beyond the checklist. What comes next? When to refer to a specialist How to broaden the buyer pool Eliminate excuses not to buy or low offers Merchandising assets How much is “enough”? Know the competition. How does your listing compare? Know your buyer Priority areas Paint Psychology of selling Online photos Basic furniture recommendations Have we cleaned and decluttered the life out of the house? What next? How to work as a team with your stager. Focus on your strengths. Benefits of bringing in a pro and timing. How NOT to sell a house Stage Coach Services LLC 2014

5. Staging involves preparing and presenting a property for sale. Your certification covered preparing very well. Today we will focus on basic presentation topics for real estate agents. Broadening the Buyer Pool We do that by eliminating excuses to not buy or to make a lower offer. We eliminate turnoffs. We emphasize assets. We create harmony and tranquility and a sense of “home”. Our basic goal is to make the house appeal to the broadest buyer pool possible to create demand. Stage Coach Services LLC 2014

6. Priority Areas • Curb appeal. They won’t get out of the car to tour the inside if they don’t like what they see. • First view from entry. You have 5-15 seconds to form a first impression. The rest of the tour will turn into confirmation of that impression. • Kitchen • Master bedroom • Bathrooms • Final view exiting home leaves last impression Stage Coach Services LLC 2014

7. Identify Turnoffs Dingy window treatments or overly elaborate Dated carpet Dated kitchens and baths Florals everywhere or taste-specific patterns Worn and stained recliners Cramped feeling Dated brass and glass light fixtures Strong wall color Wallpaper Reptiles (Relocate them. Enough said.) Drab, colorless exterior ~Dark

8. Addressing Turnoffs First Step: Powerwash. Paint front door or trim a fresh color. Next step: Landscaping! Add life and color with blooming plants. Stage Coach Services LLC 2014

9. Addressing Turnoffs (continued) Dingy or dated window treatments: Try removing them to brighten and update. Stage Coach Services LLC 2014

10. Addressing Turnoffs (Continued) Raise blinds, expose maximum window pane Stage Coach Services LLC 2014

11. Addressing Turnoffs (Continued) Simple drape panels, no swags or tie-backs. Stage Coach Services LLC 2014

12. Addressing Turnoffs (Continued) Increase wattage in lights to maximum Stage Coach Services LLC 2014

13. Addressing Turnoffs (Continued) Remove excess furniture Stage Coach Services LLC 2014

14. Addressing Turnoffs (Continued) Remove excess furniture Stage Coach Services LLC 2014

15. Addressing Turnoffs (Continued) Remove excess furniture Stage Coach Services LLC 2014

16. Addressing Turnoffs (Continued) Tone Down Dated or Taste-Specific Patterns Stage Coach Services LLC 2014

17. Addressing Turnoffs Paint cabinets, replace hardware, update ceiling fixtures. Stage Coach Services LLC 2014

18. Addressing Turnoffs (Continued) Update bathroom light fixtures and faucets. Paint walls a soothing, rich color. Stage Coach Services LLC 2014

19. Addressing Turnoffs (Continued) Replace outdated ceiling lights. Upgrade entry. Stage Coach Services LLC 2014

20. Addressing Turnoffs (Continued) Appliance or counter skins to upgrade kitchen (Photos taken from manufacture’s website.) Stage Coach Services LLC 2014

21. Paint Color Fixes Stage Coach Services LLC 2014

22. Paint Tip I caution against recommending white paint throughout. Seller usually ends up with a cold, sterile effect that negatively impacts appeal. Subtle contrast highlights architectural moldings. A safer color choice in most homes is Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter HC-172 with White Dove trim color. Nice neutral, rich effect. Not too warm, not too cool. Works with all art, furniture and flooring colors. Reflects light well. Broad appeal. Home looks more expensive. Stage Coach Services LLC 2014

23. Addressing Turnoffs (Continued) Bye bye wallpaper. Either remove or paint over it. Stage Coach Services LLC 2014

24. Identify Assets • Light and space sells homes • Hardwood floors • Architectural moldings • Bay windows • Views • Privacy • Outdoor living areas • Fireplaces • Spa showers • Stainless steel appliances Stage Coach Services LLC 2014

25. Highlighting Assets ~Remove unnecessary area rugs ~Paint can highlight moldings ~Furniture arrangement ~Window treatments highlight bay windows ~Expose window panes ~Furnish outdoor areas ~Focus furniture on fireplace Stage Coach Services LLC 2014

26. How Much is Enough? Make seller understand they are entering a competition. How do you decide where to draw the line? Study comps for sale Know your buyer demographics What assets does competition offer? What is overall impression of comps? How does your listing stack up? Does it appeal to your target buyer? Does it allow the buyer to picture dream lifestyle? Stage Coach Services LLC 2014

27. Psychology in Selling You’re selling the dream lifestyle • Lovely, carefree entertaining • Easy to maintain • Plenty of room and storage • Moving up from current home • More luxury, more space • Or downsizing for easy care Stage Coach Services LLC 2014

28. Subliminal Selling Cupboards no more than 75% full Closets 75% rule, clean and organized Cans and boxes in pantry face label forward, upright. Cleaning products not visible. Box and remove for showings. The house cleans itself. No garbage cans showing. Fluffy spa towels used just for show. Personal hygiene products hidden for showings. Stage Coach Services LLC 2014

29. Listing Photos 90% of buyers rule out properties by looking online first. Online photos = critical component “HGTV effect” The bar has been raised. Make sure styled and ready for close-up Drapes open, lights on No coats on sofa, briefcases, vacuum cleaners, pots and pans or trash in photo Photograph assets. Will the listing make the online cut? Only post favorable shots. You must get buyers in the door or they won’t buy. Post to capture biggest wave of interest Keep photos updated Stage Coach Services LLC 2014

30. Basic Furniture Arrangement Tips Don’t block entryways or windows or traffic routes How many dressers do you really need? Float in conversational groupings, don’t line up like soldiers along walls. No screaming distance. Should the recliner go? Don’t have view behind wood furniture or TVs Conceal cables and wires, tape to furniture legs, tubes, or place decorative accessory to cover. Lose small cluttery furniture and accessories Ideal is often placing bed on the wall you see from doorway Reduce chairs at dining table and remove leaf Consider removing china cabinet for more space Know when to seek advice from a pro Don’t block fireplace Stage Coach Services LLC 2014

31. Have you Cleaned and Decluttered the Life out of the Home? What comes next? Stage Coach Services LLC 2014

32. Working as a Team with a Stager If you suspect you will need a stager, bring them in as early as possible. They may have a better paint suggestion, prefer different furniture be stored, have better use of funds, etc. Before too late. Good cop/Bad cop. Protect your relationship. Reinforcement of what you already told client Best use of your time and skills Stagers are trained and have resources You will get maximum impact from staging when you work with a good professional stager. Stage Coach Services LLC 2014

33. A Study of Properties that Linger Let’s review a quick online search of listings in my town with price reductions and analyze why they aren’t selling. What would you advise these sellers? How much equity might these sellers have saved with a small investment in staging? Remember, all the following are published listing photos. Do they sell the dream lifestyle of comfortable, effortless entertaining, upgrading from current home, harmony and tranquility and luxury? Stage Coach Services LLC 2014

34. There must be a kitchen in there somewhere… Yes, the bottom photo is the kitchen. This property is priced at top of range The listing has expired once. The second listing will expire soon. There are 7 photos of the top room from every angle. What issues that we have discussed can you identify here? Take a deep breath. There are a lot. Stage Coach Services LLC 2014

35. Little Soldiers and Screaming Distance This room has the potential to make a lovely impression. It can be improved easily-- for free. Backdrop has nice paint, moldings, floor. The furniture is lined up like soldiers around the perimeter of the room. This does not create a comfortable conversational grouping. Buyer won’t feel comfortable and won’t be able to identify why. The person in the armchair has to turn and scream to the person on the sofa. The fireplace is not highlighted sufficiently. Weakest art, clutter. Too many small pictures and accessories, not in right proportion to wall spaces. Area rug in wrong place & covering too much wood. Stage Coach Services LLC 2014

36. The Dresser Lineup Room Balance How many dressers and wood pieces do you really need in a bedroom? Watch for furniture crammed off to one side. Remember about bed on wall you face from doorway. Two wood pieces side by side can be awkward. Stage Coach Services LLC 2014

37. Blocked Passage Sofa blocking access to kitchen Room arrangement feels very awkward Child’s play corner distracting eye from fireplace Stage Coach Services LLC 2014

38. Whew!Very personal taste! Wild wall color is not going to appeal to most buyers. Many buyers are afraid or unwilling to paint. Why reduce potential buyer pool? Different color in every room. This property has been on the market for just shy of a year. Paint neutral tones to cast a wider net. Stage Coach Services LLC 2014

39. Is This Room Staged or Not? This room is the first thing you see when you walk in the front door. Priority area. First impression. They have cleaned and decluttered. They have nice furnishings and pretty hardwood floors. Why hasn’t it sold? Front window is blocked by TV. Entry to dining room is blocked by sofa. Long wall available for long sofa feels blank. There is an awkward and cramped feeling created, and there was plenty of room to arrange the furniture properly. Even if you don’t know how to arrange the furniture, you can identify blocked passages & windows and know that you have an issue to address. Consult a pro if necessary to resolve the impediment to sale. Stage Coach Services LLC 2014

40. Protect Seller Equity We need to do our best to help seller protect equity. Staging is a tool to do that. Many agents are intimidated by staging because they think it’s expensive. You have learned that it doesn’t have to be. Much cheaper than price reduction. My consultations are not pricy. The best agents are good at shifting responsibility to the seller, and I’ll show you some tools to do that. Stage Coach Services LLC 2014

41. Photo Consultations • Email or upload photos+ phone conversation • One problem, one room or whole house • Only pay for what you need • Wholesale rate for RE agents • Bill in 15-minute increments • $50 minimum Stage Coach Services LLC 2014

42. Real Estate Agent Tool Kit Listing presentation aids and seller responsibility Why you should sell a staged home Recipe for a sale Statistics sheet on staging impact on DOM Statistics sheet on staging impact on sales price. My tips on how to maximize staging benefits Photo examples PODs discount offer Sample customizable gift certificate with marketing suggestions Order at: www.stagecoachservices.com Stage Coach Services LLC 2014

43. The Stage Coach Book of Staging Tips for Home Sellers Why you should sell a staged home 70-page guidebook contains 258 tips Recipe for a sale Statistics sheets on staging impact on DOM and sales price Photo examples Detailed checklist with staging tips for all sellers Seller tips for best showings Open house checklist Identifying common buyer turnoffs and how to address them Study of listings that linger Bulk order discounts for real estate agents www.stagecoachservices.com Stage Coach Services LLC 2014

44. Coaching Services • One-on-one private coaching services • Monthly group sessions so affordable for all agents • No contract time limits. As needed. www.StageCoachServices.com victoria@StageCoachServices.com 267-221-1569 Stage Coach Services LLC 2014

45. Training Classes at Your Brokerage Contact me at: www.StageCoachServices.com victoria@StageCoachServices.com 267-221-1569 Stage Coach Services LLC 2014