Estate Agents - when should you suggest staging?
We appreciate that recommending that a property is staged can sometimes be tricky conversation with your seller. There are, however, some key points in the timeline when it may be easier to convince your client that staging is the way forward. Here’s our quick guide:
When You are Discussing a New Instruction
We understand that your priority is to win the instruction ahead of your competitors, and this can be time critical – you may need to act fast, and your timescale may not always allow you to talk about additional services such as staging. It is, however, the perfect time to discuss how best to present an empty property. When you partner with The Property Presenters, we can provide you with successful case studies to help this process and convince your seller that it’s the right thing to do. If your buyer decides to stage from the outset, your marketing is perfect from day one – an eye-catching listing, a beautiful brochure and an enhanced viewing experience.
When a Seller Asks You Why There Hasn’t Been Much Interest
Statistics tell us that staged properties attract more early interest than empty properties. Many people will scroll past unappealing pictures of empty rooms, and this may be a reason for low engagement. If you find yourself in this position, it could be a good time to re-evaluate the marketing and suggest that a property is staged. It’s very likely that the investment in staging will cost less than a price reduction. Get a quote from us, then present it as an alternative to your seller – they’ll think you’re doing them a big favour! It will appear that you remain confident in your valuation, but that the property just needs a bit of help to get the presentation right.
At the End of a Sole Agency Agreement Period
In our experience of working with a lot of estate agents, no-one wants to lose the exclusive marketing rights on a property. If you believe your seller may be considering instructing another agent, maybe this is the time to suggest staging. Again, the perception will be that you, as their original chosen agent, still care about their sale, and that you have considered the marketing strategy to continue to achieve the best outcome.
When You are Instructed as a Joint Agent, or a Seller Moves to You
So, one of your competitors has failed to sell a property, and the seller now wants a fresh pair of eyes. This is a great time to suggest that an empty property is staged as part of an enhanced marketing approach. If the other agent has never discussed how the property is presented, and you have a professional staging partner, the suggestion will give you the competitive edge. You’ll get fresh, engaging photography and a stunning property to assist with your viewings. You can succeed where your competitors have failed.
To Summarise
As a property professional, you understand your sales process better than we do, so not all of these suggestions will work for every agent, every time. What we hope these do are give you a few ideas about how and when you could incorporate a conversation about the best way to present an empty home. Quite simply - staging sells properties, it works, so if you’re not currently offering it as part of your service, give it a go – there’s nothing to lose and lots to gain!
Whilst you’re here, you might also be interested in this reading this blog published by House Wow Services, which explores more about agents who recommend property staging, and why some agents don’t.
If you’d like to have a chat about how The Property Presenters can help you win more instructions and get faster sales, contact us here or call us on 01992 668091.