Is staging a home subjective?

It is an interesting experience being a property presenter (or home stager) in that you can encounter some negative feedback from people who have never used your services. I recently heard 2nd hand comments from an agent who had advised their vendor not to consider staging a property as the process was 'too subjective' and really only reflected the ideas of one person.

This raises an interesting point. Having your home evaluated for sale by a home stager IS a subjective practice. It is the review of one property by one person. So in that case, how does the home stager know what the buying audience is actually looking for? Well, I would suggest experience, training, knowledge of home types and the fact that as a stager, I am independant of that property as some pretty good reasons. I have no emotional link to the property other than to see it presented in the best possible light.

It is also knowing what the buying audience is NOT looking for in a property. How many times have you seen property listings in the real estate guide or online where you struggle to see the carpet for the boxes packed up on it, or the kitchen counter colour is hidden due to last night's dishes being piled up waiting to be done. While these are easily sorted, it is the issue of funiture layout, the quantity of furniture and the amount of knick-knacks that go with it that people cannot see past.

Buyers struggle to determine the use for any given room in a property unless it is clearly defined. As they walk around the property viewing what could be their potential home they need emotional involvement. Defining the property and the way it is presented is what stagers do, it is what they know. They use their skills to create emotional involvement for potential buyers and to make the process of selling a home easier for the agent.

So is the process of professionally preparing a home and staging it subjective? Yes. But that subjective opinion is just as professional as that of a doctor or a lawyer as we offer insight into making the most of the marketing of a home at sale time.

Shift by Design offer full property presentation and home staging service to the greater Hobart area (Tasmania, Australia) and can assist with the preparation of occupied homes, or professionally staged vacant apartments or homes with their own stock of rental furniture and accessories.

Visit the Shift by Design website for more information