Staging Looks AWFUL - What Do You Do?

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Staging Looks AWFUL - What Do You Do?

Mindy JensenPro Member
BiggerPockets Money Podcast Host · Longmont, CO · Member since 2014 · 7k+ posts · 10k+ votes

Someone in a Facebook group I'm in posted pictures of their house's staging. The listing agent suggested they hire a stager, who cost them a lot of money.

The house looks awful. Older or downright weird furniture, bedspreads, pillows, etc. Colors clash, patterns clash, and honestly it looks so ugly it's like the sellers are still living in the home.

The seller is not happy. What would you do?

@Russell Brazil @Dawn Brenengen 

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Russell BrazilBusiness Member
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Real Estate Agent · Washington, D.C. · Member since 2012 · 17k+ posts · 30k+ votes
7y

Fire the agent.

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  • Mathew Wray
    Real Estate Agent · Portland, OR · Member since 2013 · 412 posts · 219 votes
    7y

    Mindy, thanks for spotting this and sharing with everyone!!

    I’ve found that virtually everyone judges themselves by their intent and others by their actions. Rather than jumping to the “fire immediately” I’d suggest they call the realtor and see what happened. The whole point of using a referral is to be able to lean on the pre-existing relationships to help solve problems.

    I can’t imagine the realtor looks at those pictures and is happy...so call and get them working on a fix.

    I think polite but firm is the best approach-nobody I know likes having their work questioned and most people get defensive. So instead of saying, “that’s hideous...what were you thinking? You must be awful at your job!” Try, “although I could see that decor in a loft appealing to hipsters, I’m really not sure it’s the aesthetic that will attract buyers to this house. How are you planning on resolving this really unfortunate situation?”

    That puts it in their court...then depending on the answer is how you respond.

    And, as a final plug, this is why not all realtors are created equal...maybe your friend who just got into real estate or your neighbor’s cousin who does a deal a year isn’t the person to represent your best interests. In an ideal world, the agent would’ve seen the pictures and had that stuff yanked out of there and replaced before the client ever knew what happened or at least been the one to alert the client to a problem and have a solution.

    Mathew

    0Reply
  • Cassandra Sifford
    Rental Property Investor · New Castle, DE · Member since 2016 · 376 posts · 158 votes
    7y

    The staging is bad, but the house looks like it's pending a sale. The buyer saw the value in the home and looked past the staging ... luckily! As the seller, I'd request a refund of the staging cost as it didnt do the home ANY justice. Not sure if the refund comes from the stager or the realtor, but the client surely deserves their money back.

    1Reply
  • Will C.
    Rental Property Investor · Richmond, VA · Member since 2016 · 279 posts · 133 votes
    7y

    @Mindy Jensen

    Bad stagging aside, why would they do all that work to the house and leave the moldy looking, water damaged wood ceiling in the basement?

    0Reply
  • Sarah Lyons
    Member since 2019 · 1 post · 3 votes
    7y

    As a real estate Broker I get questions all the time about staging. In the DFW market, our homes are selling fast enough that it isn't needed under the $500,000 price point. I think this person was going for mid century modern look and didn't quite get it right. The MCM style is actually pretty hot right now in my submarket.

    The most cost effective solution for them would be to pull the stuff out and have it completely vacant but pay to have some spaces virtually staged. There are many companies offering virtual staging for $5-$30 a picture. Only the living room, dining room, and master bedroom would be needed.

    Although, if you think about it, their loud colored furniture was genius, even if unintentional. We are talking about this house! That's the agents job, maximize exposure.

    3Reply
  • Wayne Brooks
    Real Estate Professional · West Palm Beach, FL · Member since 2012 · 23k+ posts · 13k+ votes
    7y

    OMG, I don’t have a creative/artistic bone in my body.....but looks like all that furniture came from random LSD themed flea markets. 

    0Reply
  • Clinton Davis
    Rental Property Investor · Memphis area · Member since 2018 · 103 posts · 51 votes
    7y

    not that bad....take the twig wall stuff out and that bed spread and i'm buying the furniture and house as a package....[somewhat sarcastic thumbs up].....says the house is pending so i guess it worked....[shoulder shrug]

    0Reply
  • Scott Mac
    Austin, TX · Member since 2019 · 5k+ posts · 5k+ votes
    7y

    Hi Mindy,

    That staging seems to be "Cutting Edge", where things seem to be going in staging.

    I recognize it, and it's not to my taste but I have seen the colors used before.

    If I were living there I would not want those colors, but did the client see another staged house by this designer and say make it like that one, or just say stage the house?

    If someone went to get a new suit made in the 1960's and just picked a tailor and said make me a suit, with no specifications, one tailor might make it in Purple with Bell Bottom pants, and even though that's not what the customer wanted, that is what he "Asked For".....

    Supposedly people all wanted Grey-beige (Greeje) and now so many commercial buildings are painted outside some tone of grey, (who thinks this up?) and interior consultants recommended paint a contrasting wall deep Grey. Before that paint the contrasting wall deep Red or deep Blue...and like Lemmings off a cliff that's where things went...

    Take a look at some new construction staging in HOT areas, you will probably see a lot of the same elements and colors.

    Though it's not to my taste either, it is a beautiful house.

    Good Luck!

    1Reply
  • Lee Bell
    Real Estate Appraiser · Isabella lake, CA · Member since 2018 · 628 posts · 491 votes
    7y

    I say fire facebook.

    1Reply
  • Ahmed Afifi
    Investor · Evansville Indiana · Member since 2019 · 9 posts · 4 votes
    7y

    I would focus on what's important and tell your friend to Google staging tips. There is nothing a Realtor can teach you that is not already online. Firing the realtor might be a bit late depending on your state, however, let that be lesson learned for the next one. Interview agents before hiring them. They all get licensed the same, but they DON'T all build their business the same :-)

    0Reply
  • Ikaika Johnson
    Member since 2019 · 18 posts · 5 votes
    7y

    Fire the agent or have the stagers re-do at no cost.

    0Reply
  • Ozzie Ausburne
    Member since 2019 · 1 post · 0 votes
    7y

    I have a specific “#1 rule with my stager (s).” 

    If anyone leaves the property discussing the staging good or bad, then we have failed the seller. Staging should be neutral, reflect the style of the property and demonstrate the size and scope of furniture that can be placed. If I get comments discussing the staging and not the property I want it redone. 

    When you define the expectation to a creative then you are assuming permission to say “this does not work”  when you have a stager that is going to get photos for marketing out of the deal they will stretch their  creative muscle sometimes accidentally not working in the best interest. 

    0Reply
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