Engaging Real Estate Client Consultation
In the last blog, I covered how to win clients with great advertising. In this edition, I will tell you how important it is to have an engaging real estate client consultation that will bring communication and education about home staging to the seller.
I am so happy that you have been reading my blog series for real estate agents. Comments have been pouring in, which will plummet us forward to the third installment and milestone for boosting real estate sales with a client consultation.
When I start staging a home, I meet with the client and usually the agents there as well. I explain to the client that we’re going to be doing a walkthrough of the home. We’re going to be looking at the house through the eyes of a buyer.
We will discuss anything that needs to be changed or addressed to appeal to the masses. I always explain to them that this is not to hurt their feelings. We don’t talk about what looks nice or not nice. It’s about how the house will photograph best. I want to talk about how the house will appeal to the most amount of people. Everyone has different tastes, but generally, some designs are neutral and will appeal to most people.
Also, we want to make sure that whatever we leave is very indeterminate. So anything that’s like super taste specific usually we remove. Then we go room by room through the house.
I’ll point out exactly what needs to be changed during a real estate client consultation.
Examples of this are, of course, decluttering. I always explain less is more. You want the room to feel bigger, brighter, and roomier. Any piles of boxes have to go. A lot of people have tons of knickknacks on their tables and mantles and things like that.
Slowly, we tell people to remove all that stuff, keep it very minimal and clean. And I also remind them that you are planning on selling your home. You’re going to be moving anyway, and this is an excellent time for you to start packing.
I’ll go through and point out anything that is a clutter and needs to go.
Depersonalize any family photos, any religious items, as well as anything that’s super-specific, such as sporting memorabilia. People sometimes don’t think about that. If somebody hates the Seahawks, you don’t want to have like Seahawks puked up in a room, you know, like the entire room is blue and green with NFL. Anything that could be debatable or that’s very personal to somebody won’t appeal to everyone.
People tend to have a hard time erasing or covering up marks created by their children. I know it’s hard, but everyone doesn’t always appreciate children’s art.
Sometimes these consultations are tough for people who have a home they’ve lived in for 20 years. I’ve had people cry during consultations. It is a touchy subject sometimes, but I always have to approach it with caution. Tread lightly, don’t offend anybody, but the same time be correct. You know, people need to know what they need to do. There are several ways to win a client over with kindness and an understanding of their situations.
Next is to move and reorganize furniture, which can be a huge step until people understand how to layout furniture properly.
The client might have overly large furniture or furniture with crazy patterns or colors and completely eats up a room. I will suggest to remove it, and I will bring in something smaller or newer. If not, then we still try to work with it. If they won’t get rid of it and it is unsightly, we can cover it up.
You have to make sure there’s flow from one room to another without having to go around a bunch of obstacles. And even though certain layouts sometimes work better for the person living there, it doesn’t mean it’s going to show well. People may put a TV on a wall since it is across from the couch. It makes sense, but the furniture might be blocking off the dining room. Removing unnecessary furniture is key.
Once the broker has established their client, they need to have a proper consultation specifically about the plan for staging. It is easier if the agent pays for half or all of the staging. Clients do not typically understand the involvement staging may have on their house or how it affects a budget. If the realtor pays for it, everything is included in limited transactions, and the realtor doesn’t have to fight clients in decisions that could make or break the sale!
There are so many details when staging, and it’s always going to be different based on the client.
These are precise steps to follow for the client and the agent, which leads to an inspiring way to make the house look beautiful for a lucrative sale.
- Discuss the Price. Is the house on the high end of the market? Or is it a motivated seller that would rather have a quick sale at a lower price? Is it somewhere in between? What kind of buyer does the seller want to attract?
- Walkthrough home with the client. Decide if anything in the home needs to be changed or improved.
- Declutter. Clean and clear areas.
- Depersonalize. (photos, religion)
- Remove, reorganize furniture
- Small improvements include new paint, clean carpets, upgrade hardware, etc.
- Follow up with clients. educate clients on the importance of staging
- (Same as #1)
- House has to be professionally cleaned and deep cleaned
- Schedule dates for photography and staging
- Follow the clear, concise plan
- End the session with time for follow up
The best part about all of this is that you are not going at this alone. I have the experience that includes all the little details that you can’t learn until you have done it again and again. It’s my job and my passion for helping you learn how your sales will increase when you add home staging and design.
I go into even more detail on my podcast on Spotify (Free for three months!) or Anchor.fm about how to have a proper client consultation and sell your house with Brilliant Staging & Design.
Whether you are in the Real Estate profession, interior design, or even decorating, Brilliant Staging can help you grow and excel. I have a passion for harnessing the power of forward-thinking and trend-casting in the staging industry that is cutting edge. Designed for the modern time, check out the Brilliant Staging Podcast. (https://anchor.fm/brilliant-staging)
Be sure to subscribe to our newsletter with all the suggestions, tips, advice, and lessons from Seattle’s experts in Home Staging by Brilliant Staging & Design. Call today to start your marketing plan for a successful home staging at 1.360.581.9660 or send an email to hello@brilliant-staging-design.websitepro.hosting.
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