I published a home staging business dilemma recently that had many of you thinking!
The question was, “What if your home staging clients hate what you’ve done?”
The dilemma I presented involved a home stager leaving a staging consultation with excited clients.
After staging, while the stager and the real estate agent loved the transformation, the home sellers were devastated and seemed to hate everything.
If you haven’t already done so, please click here to read the original post and to see all of the great comments that were left.
A special thanks to all of you who participated and shared such great information for everyone to learn from.
As you read through the comments that were left on that post, you’ll notice some readers were shocked that the clients could be upset assuming that everything was properly outlined during the initial consultation.
That is a valid point, but sometimes, even though everything has been discussed in advance, homeowners still have a strong emotional attachment to their home.
Even if they know ahead of time what’s going to happen, that doesn’t mean they won’t freak out once the changes have been implemented.
I have been in this situation before. The most extreme case happened with an overseas client who found my home staging business, Six Elements, online.
She wanted me to stage a home in my city that she had rented out when she was transferred to Hong Kong. After emails back and forth explaining my services and how the process works, we spoke by phone.
We agreed to meet at the house for the initial (paid) home staging consultation when she was next in town on business.
The consultation was a long one. The tenant had left her house in terrible shape with lots of painting, cleaning and repairs to be done.
We reviewed all the changes and I took my measurements of the vacant rooms and developed a plan for her with a budget to stage her house with rental furniture and accessories.
Home Staging Client Red Flags
She was in agreement with the whole plan and paid me for my consultation and a deposit for my time to source all the rentals. So far so good, right?
But, I ignored an important red flag.
She asked me if she would have final approval to the items that were brought into her now vacant home.
It was ironic that the only client I’ve ever had ask me that was actually not living in the country and wouldn’t be there when I actually staged her house!
Surprised, I explained that it doesn’t work that way. I told her the only way to see the items would be to come to the furniture warehouse and view the inventory I had set aside for her house before the delivery.
I also explained that in doing that, she would just be looking at a “pile of stuff” with no idea how it would all fit together. Without seeing everything arranged in her space, it would be very hard for her to evaluate my choices anyway.
I reminded her that she was hiring me based on my expertise in decorating a house to sell. It would be completely impractical and very costly to have her approve (and potentially replace) individual items after the delivery truck was gone and the staging was complete.
I also explained that this especially wouldn’t work when she was all the way in Hong Kong. Looking at photos, rather than feeling what it was like to be walking through the rooms and seeing her home through a buyer’s eyes.
What Happened Next with My Home Staging Client
My home staging client seemed to be in agreement with my plan before she flew back to Hong Kong.
The agreed upon next steps were:
- She would arrange for all repairs, painting (using the colors I recommended during the home staging consultation) and a cleaner.
- I would source all the furniture rentals and accessories
- She would sign the rental contract
- I would return to her home to stage it prior to the agent’s caravan.
Her Realtor was at the property as scheduled on staging day, to let me into the property (and pay for my time that day).
I spent about 10 hours getting the whole place showing-ready. I also took all my “after” shots for my home staging portfolio.
Compared to my “before” shots from when I first met the client, the transformation was amazing!
The Realtor returned at the end of my staging day to lock up.
Proud of my work and anxious for his feedback, I gave her real estate agent the grand tour. He loved the house and said the transformation was fabulous.
Had there been any issues at this point, I certainly would have tried to address them.
At the client’s request, the real estate agent subsequently made multiple visits to show the home to the owner’s various family members and friends (another red flag).
They loved the home staging too and told her so.
Knowing all this, and as a courtesy, I emailed the client a selection of my after photos to show her the transformation. That was my big mistake.
If I’d remembered that red flag from our initial meeting, I wouldn’t have sent her the photos and just let her see her agent’s feature sheet.
What happened next completely caught me off guard.
After all, there she was on the other side of the planet and everyone who had seen her house loved it!
I got an angry email back saying her rooms looked too bare and she wasn’t impressed. She wanted various furniture pieces swapped out.
I explained that the house had been staged for potential buyers to appreciate the space. That it would be different had I decorated it for her to live in it.
I reminded her that “less is more in staging.” That she shouldn’t expect the rooms to be over-filled with props and accessories like what you’d see in a decorating magazine.
Too much stuff is actually distracting to buyers who are there to see the house, not shop for accessories.
I also reminded her that looking at a few photos was not the same as walking through the rooms. And that people she trusted had done so, and thought it was fine.
We went back and forth over multiple emails. She couldn’t let it go. She wanted to maintain control over it all even at such a long distance.
With time ticking away and my stress level mounting, finally I had to tell her that I considered the project complete. That if she wanted to change the rental pieces, she would need to do so directly with the furniture rental company.
(An excellent reason to ensure your client is the one signing the rental contracts!)
She actually did that and promptly listed her home at $100,000 over what her home was worth. A full $100,000 above the asking price suggested by her real estate agent!
Months later it was still on the market unsold because she knew better than all the experts she’d hired.
At least I continued to earn passive income on her furniture rental. That’s something I teach you how to do in the Staging Diva Home Staging Training Program.
Home stagers, how would you have handled this situation?
I find sometimes that what the client agrees to and what they actually HEAR are two different things. I’ve learned to listen for hesitation or that blank look in the eyes. Women, especially, want to be agreeable when consulted. Recently I had to tell a client that the crib in the master bedroom needed to be moved to the kids room. Even though her RE agent had told her that weeks before, and even though I told her that again in the initial consultation, and even though we spent an entire day tossing out and organizing kids stuff so that room would fit the crib, she still didn’t “get it” that the crib would be moved. I consider those kinds of problems just fascinating insights into our human behavior. Thanks, AMY
OMG Debra! Here’s my bad trip…young architect, just lost his mother, was jobless, but nevertheless flying across the country on some mission or other. Remember the article you wrote about me in May? His was the difficult to sell small old ground level 1 bedroom condo. Well, while out of town he saw the virtual tour I produced for him and loved it. Then, upon his return came to see and told the realtor that while I was lovely, he was not happy with the staging…thought it was pretty bare, thought it would be more decorated. The realtor and I knew that it was just enough for staging. I gave him a break on one month’s furniture and accessory rental (Here’s where having my own inventory really paid off!), he lowered his price $10k and sold immediately. We parted friends, but it was crushing at the time. Here’s the tour. http://firsthometour.com/virtual_tours/views/virtual_tour.asp?virtual_tour_id=8818 Enjoy!
Finally! I have been checking my emails everyday in anticipation of your response (: !
Now I will give it a week or two and start the process over again for the continuation of this interesting and plausible scenario. I hope you address this situation with regards to a staged home where the home owner is still living. Home staging is supposed to be a win-win adventure, but when your dealing with the rare “Cranky Frankie” or “Picky Vickie”, the effect on blood pressure can be unhealthy.
I enjoyed writing this comment WAY too much.
Have a sweet day…………
WOW….I know these reality checks are going to be beneficial! Patricia- my mouth dropped when I saw your tour. How could someone not like that? The responses regarding this topic just show how essential ‘Proper Communication & People Skills’ are to the success of our business. Debra- what a situation that was with your overseas client. I know it was not a pleasant experience, but I like how you stood firm in the end. QUESTION: Let’s say the client was going to see your after-work regardless of you sending the photos. What would you have done differently to avoid the client’s reaction or was it inevitable? It seemed like you addressed her concerns before you started the work.
Natasha, To answer your question.. it was inevitable that she would have seen the staging eventually. Had I let it wait until her agent sent her shots or copies of the feature sheet it would not have been so far in advance of the agent’s caravan so she might have left it alone. I honestly don’t think I could have avoided the outcome except to insist that she be at the warehouse to see the items before they were delivered, or had her sign something saying that she agreed that it was up to me to decide what should be put in her home as long as I worked within our approved timing and budget.
But given the type of person she was, that would not have mattered. She needed to feel that she was controlling the outcome and having the last word. It wasn’t really about the staging at all! What I might have done, when I caught glimpses of her nature during our initial meeting was to decline to stage her home. Instead of going with my gut feeling about her, I said to myself, “how bad could she be, she’ll be all the way over in Hong Kong?”
The autonomy that comes along with being an independent home stager is wonderful….you decide who you want to work with. Thanks for the lesson learned and lesson shared!
Debra & Fellow Stagers,
What happened to the story boards we once relied on to present to the client(s)? Am I the only one to use these religiously, especially when I anticipate drastic exterior or interior changes? Maybe it’s my real estate background, because never did I list a “ready to sell” property. [That’s how my love of color, design & never doing the same thing twice motivated me to become a real home stager.]
. Most clients need a strong visual to fully UNDERSTAND my intent to completely change their living spaces: this color paint in this room; this color palette throughout the house, used in this way; update the kitchen like this; swap their sofa for this style; personal photos exchanged for this art; etc.
. A story board shows clients my extensive staging proposal. I’d rather face a client’s valid concerns, pregnant pauses & uncertainties here than face them after I’ve finished the project. [I would observe undercurrents. I don’t need to be in the middle of a couple’s personal war.] I would mention how many days their home had remained unsold on the market, using their things, as it is. It’s my warning to take notice (a) we’re not AT ALL on the same page & (b) we discuss selling vs. their personal taste vs. why staging & neutralizing for the right buyer, right now is vital.
. I’d ask them to look over the board once more, suggesting they discuss the proposed changes between them. I’d gather my things – including my board – & ask them to give me a call. Then, I’d graciously leave.
. I’m a professional. I do not beg nor argue with a client. If they can’t see the need for staging, or are unwilling to agree to changes I’ve proposed, I want to know HERE, rather post-staging.
. I can’t tell you how many times the story board has rewritten their story & cleared up what might have been a bumpy ending. When in doubt, story board it.
I haven’t found the need to storyboard my staging proposals. Clients hire me because they trust that i know how to decorate their house to sell and they know they don’t have to live with my changes.
If I was redesigning a room (for the house they are going to continue to live it), then I might see a need for that. Although, I still haven’t created storyboards in this case either. If I’m suggesting paint colors, fabrics, tiles, countertop, backsplash for example, I just show them samples of each. I don’t draw a design of what it would look like (the way David Bromstead does on Color Splash for example), because to be honest, I couldn’t draw it that well.
Debra & Others,
I’ve done it again, haven’t I? Been unclear, and/or cut & pasted myself into oblivion? My explanation of “Story Board” was wordy & incomplete. (I’m working on it, people!) Truthfully, the visual aide isn’t to benefit a client, but assist me. I prepare a board for each project, a useful reference & professional check: am I “color & style” stale? It’s not everyone’s way, just my way.
. Since The Great Computer Crash in early 2010, when I lost years of Client Data, MLS Info, all resources, client, resource addresses, & years of “B&A” photos, *Plan B allowed me to finish works in progress. No; I had no backup to save $$$. Yes, I now have it to save $$$. (It only takes once!) Hopefully, you know why I don’t list a web site. [Miss Debra/others: like Humpty Dumpty, I don’t know how to put a web site together w/o photos. Suggestions, anyone?
. *Plan B is The Info Board. It’s proven a useful tool when showing clients proposed change(s), when updating/downsizing furnishings, or to explain why the budget should be spent this way, rather their preferred way. (Troubling, isn’t it??) The added benefit is the resource years of board projects have become: fresh ideas &/or color palettes when I pull my older boards & subtract or add a modern color, which pops – & with it – my creativity: most helpful when two of the three colors are the same in an older property I’m staging. (Boards aren’t really boards, but heavier 8 ½” by 11” or larger-sized paper: easy to organize & file, but keep handy.)
. I agree [that] most homeowners unquestionably trust their Stager: I’ve had many. It’s also true not everyone is DEBRA GOULD, world renowned Home Stager, gifted instructor, & approachable mentor w/fantastic staff. Thanks for telling us you, too, have questioning clients that can ruin your days.
… GRRRrrrr …
Sherry,
I’m a certified interior designer, and I remember doing presentations including drawing renderings of my design. It was the hardest, most time-consuming part of the assignment. So, I would never offer them to a staging client. Never. Instead I rely on my people skills to persuade them to trust my skill along with great B&A pictures and tours, of course. And, in all I’ve been asked exactly once in 5 years what I was going to put in somebody’s home before the fact.
I did have a first lately. A client and REA were in a conflict lately on the room use in a condo. The REA wanted it to be a bedroom (even though it didn’t have a closet, only a bathroom attached). She had listed it as 2 bedroom/2 bath. The owner thought it should be staged as a living room. Legally, she was right, and I agreed with her and staged it thus.
Well, it didn’t sell, and the client paid me to restage that room as a bedroom. It’s currently still on the market. We’ll see. I’ll let you know what happens. It may just be overpriced.
Oh, and thank you very much Natasha!
Patricia,
Thanks for your reply. As I stated, its not everyone’s way, just my way: I need visual. It’s for me & not the client UNLESS the changes are extensive &/or there seems client hesitation or discord: this piece of paper [as my tool] then goes w/me to show the client proposed changes. In front of me, my presentation is professional.
. I do agree, a board was initially time consuming. With laptop, I save time, working from 1 or 2 data sheets w/photos: problems, final paint choices, changes; time on market, etc: my Plan B. It’s an easy-to-keep-file for referencing. We all have one, I’ve probably called it something “creatively” different. [cOnFuSInG]
. You & the client are correct. What’s a space w/o a living area?
Wow — this was such a therapeutic read for me! I had almost the EXACT same scenario and outcome with a client a few months ago with the EXACT same red flag: would she have final approval of the items that were brought into her now vacant home? Only difference was in my case the seller initially gave me positive feedback, and I didn’t hear she hated the “terrible staging” until I came back to de-stage and all my stuff had been moved/replaced with her ridiculous selections. I gave her a one month refund as a gesture of good will which I believe she truly appreciated. But if I’m being honest, it really hurt my feelings and I questioned my abilities as a stager. It helps hearing other stagers have had this experience. I know I did a good job and like you said, it wasn’t really about the staging. It was about control and her emotional attachment to that house. I’m working on developing a thicker skin, too. Thanks for writing this.
Really appreciate your feedback Vannessa and happy to help! That was quite a gesture to give her that one month refund. Really wasn’t necessary, yet you have to do what feels right at the time.
Since you mentioned that experience causing you to question your abilities, you might also enjoy this article, “Expert Home Stager Shares 3 Dirty Little Secrets“.
what if i dont do rentals, all of my inventories are 100% mine. And the client wont take every explanation i give that its designed for buyers etc, and asking for a FULL REFUND!!? 🙁 Should I add this to my contract for next time that no refund will be issued? Im so sad because I had a lot of positive feedback with my design, but agent wont listen. Agent is so mad I used an industrial BRAND NEW chairs, and called it cheap. I sent it so many pics of other stagers using the same chairs. She doesnt care. and threatened to give me a bad review if i dont give full refund. 🙁 How would you handle this?
Jane, it’s difficult for me to answer this in a blog comment. It’s actually part of a bigger conversation about how your business model works, what you get agreement to upfront, how your contracts are worded and more.
I think if you read the many comments to this story and the original post, you’ll find some helpful ideas there.