Real Estate agents often ponder the question of whether they should recommend a “Home Stager” to their clients.

In the real estate market, obtaining the sale is an important question. Another important question is how you spend your time and money promoting real estate. Promoting homes that have little or no appeal amounts to wasting those funds. Homes that have received treatment from a home stager are easier to promote. Home Staging maximizes the time and money spent promoting homes for sale.

Professionally trained home stagers look at their client’s homes through the eyes of a highly critical buyer. Their whole profession depends on how appealing the home is made to look. Their recommendations focus on creating the best first impression for potential buyers. They want to sell the homes as much as the real estate agents do. Their services allow a home to stand out from the other properties. The ability to stand out benefits both the seller and real estate agent. It creates a clear win-win situation.

It is important for real estate agents for homes to ‘show’ well. When your listings show well, it reflects well on your professionalism and helps your clients sell quicker and for a higher dollar.

When you are a real estate agent, it is your name on the sign on the front lawn. It is not just a sign, it is your reputation. People driving by the property look at whether your listings say "SOLD" or whether they sit for a long period of time. Having your name associated with “SOLD” enhances your reputation and your pocketbook. Wouldn't it be nice to be known in your market for always having listings that show well? Having a reputation for good listings also increases the likelihood that other agents will include your listings as well.

The faster your listings sell, results in less hassle and higher profits for you.

Real Estate agents are familiar with being stuck with a weak listing. Clients call daily wondering why it hasn't sold, when you'll be running another ad or when your next open house is scheduled. They want to know what you are going to do next. As this continues week after week, it is a huge drain on your time, energy and pocket book!

Realtors know the issue isn't how many ads you run but how bad the house shows. When you run out of ideas and cannot think of any further changes to make, or you simply do not want to discuss other options that you feel might upset your clients, you can have a Home Stager address issues you may not feel comfortable discussing with your clients.

Home Stagers are familiar with tackling sensitive topics like odor problems, ugly decor, etc. in a diplomatic way. When the sellers can't agree on anything, wouldn't you rather a Home Stager be in the middle than you? After all, realtors don't want to jeopardize their listing by taking sides. Home Stagers broach these subjects and consult with the client. In this way the realtor obtains a better listing without having to face an uncomfortable conversation or confrontation with your client.

Home Stagers free the real estate agents’ time to focus on what they do best.

Although real estate agencies may offer de-cluttering or repair suggestions, they often do not go to the same level of detail that a stager would. Real Estate agents also need to consider whether that time spent de-cluttering is the best way to be spending their time. Profit is made in obtaining and turning listings.

Home Stagers take over the worry of making a home showing-ready and on time for your photography and agent open house. Imagine how nice it is for realtors showing up for an open house knowing that all they have to do is open the door and everything else will be perfect!

Who pays for it?

Some agents pay for home staging consultations as part of the service they offer homeowners when they get a new listing. Although this practice is common, it is not the only option. Homeowners or Home Stagers should not necessarily expect real estate agents to pick up the tab for a home staging consultation.

Just because a realtor recommends home staging does not mean they have to pay for it; in the same way realtors are not expected to pay for a real estate lawyer or home inspector recommended to a client.

When homeowners pay for the initial consultation themselves, they are more receptive to what the Home Stager recommends. This is in contrast to homeowners who only have a Home Stager there because their agent is paying. Often when I do a consultation for homeowners whose agent is paying for my services, they continuously look at their watch hoping I don't go over my time because they have no interest in investing any of their own money in the process. Such homeowners are less likely to act on many of my recommendations because they're just "playing along." For them it's free advice so they don't necessarily value it.

Home staging makes a huge difference in the presentation of a home. And for real estate agents this translates into homes that sell faster and for higher amounts. It's only common sense that more buyers will be attracted to a fabulously presented home and be more willing to pay more for it.