About a month ago, I was meeting with a couple in Julington Creek that was retiring and leaving the area. In getting their home prepared to put on the market, the three of us were walking through the house, clipboard in hand, room by room. When we arrived in the kitchen, I reminded them to remove their personal photos off of the refrigerator. It was then I noticed that the wife had tears in her eyes. We had a good hug and a good talk. You might be surprised at how often this happens.
A word I use frequently when discussing the staging process is: Detachment. That might seem like a strange or even an ‘emotional’ word to use when describing the transaction of selling a home! However, letting go is an important step. Selling your home is a stressful life event; an event that is full of change and uncertainty.
Think about some stressful life events – divorce, losing/changing jobs, getting married and having a child, etc.. All of these life change are all in the top ten! These life changes are also often coupled ith selling a home. Leaving your home behind, even for a great reason like a promotion or a new baby - is still understandably quite emotional!
When I’m staging a home and I make a change, I often hear the seller say “but, I like it that way,” or “that is my personal style.” However, I have to remind the client that in staging, it is not my job to decorate the home how they want to live. It is my job to stage the home so the prospective buyer can envision themselves there.
It is difficult to do, but, at some point when selling your house, you must stop thinking of your home as a home. You must start thinking of your home as a product. It’s my job to help it look its best and help transform homes into the most marketable product possible!
Once this concept ‘clicks’ with the homeowner, the staging process can actually be a lot of fun! It can be cathartic to let go of the ‘stuff’ and put the focus on the next step in the journey!
Happy Staging!
Adrienne
