"What if I don't like it?"

Hum.

That question, referring to the furniture and decor proposed for use in a vacant property, was posed to me this week by a client who has never worked with a home stager before. Although I've never been asked this question directly before, I could relate. I'm sure others have thought to ask me the very same thing just maybe didn't feel comfortable enough to ask out loud.

There are many sellers in this same predicament and some are nervous.

Home staging is an investment and it's not a small one when we're talking vacant property staging.

How many home sellers HAVE actually worked with a home stager is an interesting question.

My answer would be, "many more in the future", but I don't know if the market is even close to being saturated by examples, I'd say we still have a long way to go.

But, we're making great progress.

How we conduct ourselves, our businesses and our practices is being watched, questioned and judged whether we like it or not.

And rightly so.

Home Staging is currently an unregulated industry but a much needed one at that. The public is listening and is understanding the value our service brings to the home selling table. Make sure what you're serving is the right stuff.

Although this client says they "trust me", they were not sure about the choices I would make for furnishing their vacant home. Naturally they wanted answers.

I did not take this personally.

After all, it is still their home, once occupied by their family and adorned with their furnishings and decor. Although it is now vacant, it continues to hold memories and attachments for them.

I was prepared.

My answer to this question was honest and simply this;

"It is quite possible you may not like the choice of furniture and decor I've selected specifically for your home, however it really has nothing to do with whether it suits your specific style or taste. Home staging aims to appeal to a number of different buyer's tastes with furniture and decor that compliments your home's layout, style, detail and color palette."

I then went on to send a link to the furniture collections I'll be using and suggested they go see them for themselves prior to making the commitment.

Their vacant property staging is schedule for the end of this coming week.

Since I utilize the services of national rental furniture companies such as CORT and Brook Furniture Rental, I am assured that the collections these companies keep stay with the trends, whether transitional, contemporary or traditional and I base my choices on the homes themselves, the color palettes and architectural influences. 

I want the home to sell, not the furniture, but I want the furniture to blend and compliment, not contradict the style of the house.

It's a pretty basic and simple formula but it does take a keen eye and experience to know just how to stage a property properly.

Note: For home stagers considering branching off into this area, I'd like to say this; 

Know your limits before making the leap to vacant property staging. From price points to the inventory you keep it is not for the faint of heart. Your work represents not only your company but an industry and standards as well.

Even still for the most seasoned of home stagers, quite possibly your individual clients may not "like it" when all is said and done but then again, we're working to attract a broad range of buyers, not just one.

Sellers, I'm OK if you personally don't like it. It sometimes comes with the territory.