Often we are challenged in our industry to give quotes knowing a client is getting quotes from another company as well. From a consumer stand point this makes complete sense. Check out your options get the best deal. HOWEVER, not all staging is equal, and what might seem like a great deal…can often cost more to the consumer. The number one reason their research fails, is because they only compare price, and do not realize all the other factors that go into making sure you have the right professional for the job.
Here are some serious ramifications when you choose the wrong stager:
- They do not have the same goal as you do. If you find a stager who is much lower in costs, often they are hungry and desperate to get the job. Most consumers might feel this is a great thing, in reality…it means their goal is shifted, they are no longer working to ensure you get the best return on your property investment, they are quoting the job to get ANY MONEY, and then they have to cut corners so they can justify and pay not only the costs of staging but make a living themselves.
- Your property is showcased less than the competitors who have fully professionally staged their listing. Even if your property looks better than when it started, doesn’t mean it is good enough to compete with the other properties in your location and price bracket. You might as well have thrown your staging dollars away. It is just not good enough, and your property sits on the market longer, while you incur monthly carrying costs, and stress over the property not selling.
- The buyers can still find faults with the property and chip away at the asking price, because the stager only got paid minimal and it was not in their budget to address all the challenges that could have had you avoiding the dreadful PRICE REDUCTION.
- Hired an untrained stager, and they focused more on decorating than marketing. Common problem, with the untrained stager, is their work looks beautiful, but they do not have the understanding about the phycology of preparing the property as merchandise, designed to attract the most likely to buy.
- The experience is painful. A stager who charges less, has to do more volume, and often can not afford to get the right inventory, staff and doesn’t have the right resources to make the job run smooth. In the end, the homeowner suffers, as they deal with their expectations not being met.
- Your stager is not insured and something goes wrong. When pricing is low, the cuts a business owner makes, might be in the backend where we do not see it. Should someone get hurt, fire, theft, your own property insurance might not cover. This could cost the homeseller drastically in the long run.
If PRICE is only one factor to consider when choosing a home stager. When getting quotes, what are some things to look for if the price is drastically lower? More than $100-200 off, then ask these questions:
- Why? What is the difference between the two staging companies?
- What corners is the cheaper stager cutting? Inventory? Advice? Backend Business Structure? Service?
- What is the goal of each of the staging companies? (Getting a bit of your money or getting the best results?)
- Are the results of each company comparable? Do they have stats? References?
- Do they have a professional website? Can they back up what they say? Are the prices on their site? Maybe they are just pulling them out of thin air?
- Are they educated? Maybe they are cutting their teeth in the industry on your dollar? This is okay, but you might be the one paying for their learning curves.
Ask yourself, “On a scale of 1-10, 10 being very important….How important is selling your house fast, and for the most amount you can, and how important is it to avoid a price reduction and/or monthly carrying costs? Remember…CHEAP DOES NOT ALWAYS GET RESULTS but professional staging does and saves you money!!!!!