Sep. 5, 2007 - Buyer's vs. Stagged Homes

Most Sundays, I have every intention to sit down and read the paper, but rarely the follow through.  This past Sunday, because of the holiday weekend, I was able to at least take in the Real Estate section of the Chicago Tribune while I sipped my coffee.  Through Mary Umberger's weekly column, I learned of an association I was not familiar with; the National Association of Exclusive Buyer Agents (NAEBA).  The NAEBA does not seem to have any affiliation with the National Association of Realtors and I had trouble gaining information about them from their site.  It turns out, members of the NAEBA only work with buyers, they never represent sellers.  They had recently conducted a survey of it's members in regards to staged homes that I found interesting.

I recommend giving this study a read.  As a Realtor who has earned both the ABR (Accredited Buyer Representative) and the ASP (Accredited Staging Professional) I could make an argument to support either the positives or the negatives of staging.  The study by the NAEBA sites examples of how staging covers up flaws in the property and distracts from what should be the main focal point, the house.  As a buyer's agent, I have shown many staged homes and seen my clients become excited about the property.  I have never had a client become angry with me because I would point out issues with the house, because as I have instructed them, that is my job.  The study claims that that staggers intentionally arrange furniture and hang paintings to hide holes in walls and put up window treatments to hide broken windows. 

Overall the study was self serving for the NAEBA, as it continually urged buyers to use a member of their association when purchasing a home.  I'll take that advice a step further and recommend that home buyers use a Realtor to assist them with their new home purchase.  The study is not entirely wrong in it's intention.  The point of staging a home before putting it on the market is to cause the home to look it's very best and appeal to the broadest audience of buyers.  Sellers stage homes to get them sold.  A buyer should understand that they are buying the physical structure, not the contents, and the buyer's agent should be there to drive home this point.

Before I take a client out to view homes I have a buyer's consultation meeting.  It is at this time that I outline the various steps in the home buying process and I let them know what to expect in the upcoming days, weeks, and many times, months.  I remind my clients that for most people, their home is their largest investment and that they need to buy it smart.