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Photo by Kevin A. Roberts
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Photo by Kevin A. Roberts
Terrie Stiles’ experience as a professional stager has taught her to see beyond what’s in front of her and find the hidden potential inside every home. But when she was in the market for a Florida condo about a year and a half ago, she found herself dismissing many of the options she saw online because the photos lacked aesthetic appeal.
“Even though a listing matched my criteria, if the house wasn’t pretty, if the photos didn’t draw me in, I was moving on,” she says.
The rise of websites such as Realtor.com and Zillow.com has made staging services an integral part of the residential real estate industry, because an increasing number of buyers decide which properties to view on the basis of online photos alone. For those considering a move, it’s never too soon to call a professional to suggest ideas for a fresh color palette or other décor upgrades before easing into the process of purging.
“The more time [we have], the better,” says Stiles, co-owner of Hometenders Home Staging & Design in Chesterfield. “I find that sellers are not quite ready to jump in and start getting rid of stuff.”
When a home is empty, stagers can more easily style the furniture and décor to give the house a sense of scale and a neutral warmth. In properties that are occupied, stagers assist homeowners by helping them cull collections and remove clutter with an objective eye.
“Really, [it’s] just kind of depersonalizing and decluttering,” says Deanna Fasnacht, founder of the St. Louis–based staging and design firm Peek Interiors. Kitchens seemed to be the most challenging room to purge, because “people tend not to want to get rid of their coffeepots and toasters,” Fasnacht says. “All the stuff that lives on the countertops really needs to be cleared out for the photos so that buyers can see what the kitchen really looks like.”
Factors such as the neighborhood, the home’s architectural style, and the target buyer are also considered in the staging of a property. Take, for instance, a 120-year-old, 10,000-square-foot Second Empire–style property in the Central West End. A home with such presence requires the use of large-scale furniture and a focus on a few key areas, such as the kitchen, the living room, the bathrooms, and the master suite, says Gregg Williamson, of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Alliance Real Estate.
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Photo by Kevin A. Roberts
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Photo by Kevin A. Roberts
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Photo by Kevin A. Roberts
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Photo by Kevin A. Roberts
“The plan is to skillfully blend classic and contemporary pieces in a way that makes the modern-day buyer feel at home,” he says. Williamson, who is partnering with Flair Home Staging, is considering styling the dining room with a glass-top table and traditional chairs and accents.
“It’s very important that a potential buyer walk into a house and picture living in it with their family, and…not everyone has 120-year-old furniture!”
Regardless of the home’s size and style, the most important goal is for a home to never look too staged or too stuffed—even if the current owners still live there, says Fasnacht.
Staging services can also help clients begin the necessary process of mentally separating from a house that will soon be home to someone else. Christopher Thiemet, an agent with Circa Properties, likes to tell his clients that the property is essentially his from the moment that the listing contract is signed, helping sellers cut their connection to it.
Think of a successful home staging project as a reminder of your favorite fashionable friend’s home.
“When a house looks stylish and cozy, it taps into emotions,” says Fasnacht. “Homebuying is always an emotional process, so we hope that a buyer will walk in and immediately feel a sense of belonging.”
That’s what seems to have happened when Fasnacht staged homeowner Betha Whitlow’s vacant Tower Grove East condo last year.
“The condo sold quickly, profitably, and to a motivated buyer,” says Whitlow. “I received a signed contract within two hours of the house’s going on the market.”
What’s telling is that the buyer purchased several furnishings and accessories from Fasnacht, suggesting that the staging had inspired the buyer not only to buy the property but also to see herself living in the space.
