Chapter 8: Actual Marketing Materials Contracts and Handouts

Here are the slogans I use for advertisements, the place I go to get my materials, sample materials and actual handouts.

The Contract I use for my  clients:

A contract is a good idea if you are actually staging a house and not just visiting for a consult.

I type  up my own contracts in the form of an email.  Usually the need for Home Staging is very time sensitive.  The home owner or realtor wants you there the same day they call and wants the job started tomorrow.  This does not lend itself to formal printed contracts that are delivered and signed by all parties.  This is why I rely on an emailed contract and an emailed reply as  the  response in a situation that I feel comfortable with.

Usually the realtor or home owner’s check is equivalent to their signature and as long as I have easy access to the property I feel comfortable with beginning a project.  With the pass code or a key I can always remove my items at any time if the client has not paid or fulfilled their end of the agreement.

Here is a contract that I had given to a client.

Dear Realtor,

Thanks so much for calling me in to assist with the selling of Mrs. Toney’s beautiful home.  I agree with you that this house is in wonderful condition and boasts charm and character that is not easily available in a new home today.   With staging and updating, this home should sell quickly.  Especially in the  case of this house a small investment now will reveal an accurate depiction of the  quality and beauty of this property and reap it’s true value in the selling price.

Fortunately, Mrs. Toney had wonderful taste and collected beautiful antiques and decorative accessories.  I will be able to use much of the furniture and decorations to stage the house.  I would like to add some additional pieces in order to update the look to the  “new country” feel.  This will mean rearranging much of Mrs.Toney’s belongings and thinning out probably half of what is there today.  I will bring in modern bedding and towels and set the rooms up as bedrooms and one possibly as a nursery.  I would like to stage the third floor bedroom as a master suite. I will remove all curtains because once painted, the wood work and divided light window panes will “pop” and reveal  beautiful views of the property and more sunlight.  (I may reuse the panels from the living room and dining room in the sunroom or downstairs den.)  I would remove the blue carpeting in upstairs hall and reveal the hardwood.

 The cost to stage the house using most of the owner’s furniture and some of my additional furnishings and contemporary accents etc.  would be $1000.  (see details below)

I would like you to consider staging the sunroom as a true family room even though it would require a space heater in the winter. The room is so large and would truly benefit any family if it were seen as a more usable part of the home.  To  accomplish this I recommend you  consider painting the paneling and house siding and also painting the windows white.  I would add a large sisal or other plain rug and contemporary (pottery barn like) furnishings, sofa and loveseat etc. and accessories to warm up the space and show its true potential.  I think this would give the house the feel of  a colonial rather than a split level.  If this is done, I would stage the downstairs den as an office and stage all four bedrooms with beds.  This would cost an additional $675.

Details of House Staging:
Living room – new paint colors, remove rug and curtains.  Rearrange furniture and accessories.  Bring in some fresher chairs but keep sofa.  

Dining room: Smaller table opened up with chairs and set in a stylish fashion.  Move large desk to office.  Freshen decorations and wall art.

Kitchen:  Modern decor and accessories, table and chairs from among the house furnishings.  Table set with decorative style. Wall art or shelf on back wall.

Bedrooms: Staged with more contemporary style.  Bathrooms, simple updated accessories.  
Built in shelves throughout house will be decorated.
Basement den will probably be staged as an office.
Sunroom can  be staged as a big family room.

Other Services: Clean the house before it’s sale: $150 Wash all windows: $320

Additional suggestions:

1. Change flooring in den to laminate or inexpensive beige carpet.  Change kitchen floor to laminate hardwood flooring.  I can have my  flooring contact give a price.  ( this is a contract between them and the owner I don’t receive any money for this)
2. Replace laundry ceiling – Can get a price for you
3. Replace kitchen counter and possibly backsplash .  Recommend stock formica that looks like black granite.  Paint refrigerator black or replace.  Can get a price if you want this.
4. Replace some light fixtures with inexpensive but updated lights – I can price this for you.

In addition, I can assist the owner with selling any of the antiques on EBAY if  desired. I can give more details about this later.  (I have an assistant who is an expert at selling on Ebay and boasts a 100% approval rating.)

RECAP of Prices

Staging entire house:  $1000  Monthly rental after first three months is $200
Staging the Sunroom as a family room: $675  Monthly rental after first three months additional $75.

House cleaning $150
Window Washing $320

Terms of Contract:
Half of all services are paid up front.   Remainder paid at time work is finished.
Homeowners insurance remains in effect and covers my belongings. My belongings should be insured for $4000.   All of my property is returned when contract ends.  If house remains on the market for more than three months, owner must pay $200 rent for items in home per month, thereafter.  I will remove all of my property within one week of being notified by the owner that the items are no longer needed.  
I will have keep a key to the house and have permission to enter the house at any time.  The furniture and home decor arrangements will remain in the positions I have left them unless I agree to rearrange the items.  I may advertise my business with flyers in the home and may use photographs of my work to advertise in other ways.  I will not be held liable for any damages that I or my assistants may cause.  

The deposit for this works signifies agreement to these terms.  Please respond to this email with your statement of agreement of these terms.

I look forward to staging this home and appreciate your business.

Sincerely
Your favorite Home Stager.

Here is the Handout I give my customers when I make a visit:

(copyright 2005) but you may replicate it.

Home Staging: Why it is important?

When the prospective buyer pulls up to the driveway, gazes at your home and then walks through the front door, you have only moments to impact their first impression. If they don’t like what they see on the outside, you’ll never get them inside. Buyers need to start making an emotional connection to the home as soon as they walk through the front door.  Many ‘yes’ or ‘no’ decisions are made within those first few minutes.

Most buyers spend a mere 10 minutes or less viewing a home and they can make the “don’t like it” decision within 5 minutes.  Home Staging insures that their initial response is as positive as it can be and that the first critical minutes in your home are memorable in the most best way. Why risk losing a potential sale because of something you didn’t know about or didn’t think mattered.  Your home stager will alert you to everything you need to know.

Over 95% of home shoppers use the Internet to search for their new homes.  Realtor.com, Trulia.com, Zillow.com, Homes.com  to name a few, as well as your local MLS and Realtor will have photos of your home available for millions of people to view.  Many homes are eliminated from consideration with the click of a mouse based on what they look like in their photos. So pictures are very important. Staged Homes do look better in pictures, in brochures and on the Internet. The photos  are the first “virtual” impact you have on a buyer, make the most of that click.

Quite simply, if you want to sell your home as quickly as possible and for the best price, then it needs to look its absolute best—every time it is shown and  it needs to appeal to the greatest number of potential buyers and agents

Why a Home Stager?

Real Estate agents can usually make suggestions about a few items that need to be taken care of, but often may not want to be totally truthful with the owner for fear of offending or jeopardizing their agent/seller relationship.

“But I already cleaned and organized, can’t you tell”?

As an owner, it’s very difficult to be totally objective about your personal belongings. Many of your most beloved possessions that make your home cozy and comfortable for living can be a hindrance when selling. Buyers won’t think about making an offer until they can “mentally and emotionally move in”.  That is why it is so necessary to minimize the personality of the owners of the home so the buyers can envision their things in the house and themselves actually living there instead of you.

The buyer’s hopes, dreams and ability to imagine life in their ‘new home’ (your former house) are absolutely critical for the buying decision and are easily ruined by too much clutter,furnishings and decor, or dark and dated rooms, or closets and cupboards that are jammed full. Many buyers want houses that are move-in ready and will simply move on to the next house that suits them better. And with a flood of homes on the market there are lots of other possibilities for the buyer.

• Staging helps prospective buyers see the real house, not the stuff in the house and puts the focus on unique features, spaces, architecture and possibilities.
• Stagers provide sellers with comprehensive, honest evaluations of their home’s presentation. They then provide ideas, solutions and techniques designed to broaden the home’s market appeal so it sells faster for more money.

In today’s market, you can’t just straighten the house, sweep the porch and then put up the sign unless you live on another planet.

It’s a good start, but there’s more to it than that if you’re looking for the highest price you can sell your home for. 

The way you live in your home and the way you market and sell your house are two completely different things.  After living in a home for a few years or a lifetime–and layering on all those special collections, decorating touches, family portraits and life memento’s–our houses really do begin to look like us. That’s great for living there, but it is not great for selling!

Why wouldn’t my home make a positive impression—I certainly like it!


Buyers don’t want to buy our homes just the way we live in them (unless we happen to be a celebrity). Buyers want to buy a house that they can make into their ‘dream’ home.
When homes are filled with our favorite decorating colors and styles, hobbies, treasures, awards and family photos, buyers feel like they are intruding on our lives or trespassing on private property as they walk through. As intruders, they won’t feel comfortable enough to let themselves “mentally move into” your home. And if they can’t see themselves living in your home—they’ll never consider making an offer to buy it and make it theirs. How could they? It’s YOUR HOME!

So in order to sell swiftly and at the best price, owners need to let go of their home, and neutralize, de clutter, de personalize their house to get it ready to sell. To encourage a prospective buyer in taking the leap, homeowners need to erase their personal stamp on their house so that they are actually giving  a buyer permission to purchase their home and make it their own!

It’s amazing how many new owner dreams have been squashed because there was too much furniture, clutter, or wallpaper. Don’t make the buyers do the work for you. Most of them can’t imagine what it would look like without all the added attractions and dated finishes.

Sellers have a very difficult time being totally objective about their own personal treasures and decorating statements and knowing what should go or stay. Even their best friends and realtors can’t see or won’t say what needs to be said. Stagers can see instantly what sellers will never spot.

The bottom line of staging is the bottom line —your money. Think of your house as a CDin the bank that is reaching it’s Maturity Date.  So who has the most to lose if the house doesn’t sell quickly –at the best price? And who has the most to gain by Staging? The seller!

My Best Tips:

Sparkling Clean with no odors.  I can refer you to a cleaning person or window washer if you would like one.
Walls:  Most home buyers want neutral walls without wallpaper.  Wallpaper is so personal it is almost always a turn off to home buyers. I can arrange for your home to be painted with today’s designer palette in mind.
Floors:  If the hardwoods are carpeted: remove the carpeting.  If the carpet is at all dated, worn or dirty replace it.  I can arrange a carpet installer that will provide you with beautiful new carpet in less than a week.
Curb appeal is one of the most important selling points.  If your house is covered with overgrown or outdated landscaping buyers will drive by.  Simply removing the shrubs is better than doing nothing at all.  However, since the walk to the front door is so vitally important why not let me redesign your landscaping to create a welcoming new look.  Often the exterior of a home can be transformed with paint.  A typical red brick ranch or cape can become a sophisticated dream home once it is painted.
MLS Photos can be critical!  These are the virtual first impression for most buyers today.  It is essential that each picture shows your home in a positive light.  If a particular view of your home is unfavorable do not show it.  If the front of your home is a dated contemporary just show the front door. If your house is covered with overgrown trees and shrubs don’t show it. If the view from your windows is exceptional show that.  If your kitchen is dated don’t show it however if your kitchen is new show it from several angles.  Be sure all personal items are put away and the house is perfectly clean in your photos.
Master Bedrooms need to look like relaxing retreats as well– not home offices or exercise rooms.  Sheets must be fresh so they don’t give an odor to the room.  Bed linens should be new or of a newer style.  This is an inexpensive fix and can be something you can take to your new home.  All personal clothing and articles should be hidden.  Excess furniture can be removed since all that must be in a bedroom is a bed and nightstands.
Bathrooms and Kitchens  The best selling feature are new kitchens and baths but if this is impossible be sure they are clean. Bathrooms must be spotless especially the shower and tub.  There should be no damp towels or personal hygiene articles. Kitchens should have counters cleared and nothing on the refrigerator.  Inside of refrigerator should be clean as well.
Windows:  Please remove all window treatments unless they are brand new.  Buyers are purchasing the windows not your curtains.  Clean windows add light and give a more contemporary look to your home while playing up their architectural features as well as the view.

Pack now!  You are moving anyway so take boxes around your house and pack away all personal collections mementos, dried flower arrangements, personal photos, handmade crafts, kids artwork etc.

• Live plants are not in style, have a friend take care of them for you.  Accessories should be streamlined and grouped in odd numbers.  The best way to hang artwork is so your gaze meets it dead-center or two-thirds the way up the canvas.
• Avoid the mistake of hanging artwork too high.  It needs to relate to the objects below it, such as on a mantel or a display table.  Remember, less is more!

Allow me to refer you to professionals who can assist you with the jobs you need done.  If you would like I can come to your home and re design your furniture, accessories, lighting, window treatments etc. to give your home a professionally staged look.  In addition, I can provide comprehensive design and decorating services.

Thank you for inviting me into your home.  I wish you the best in your future and may God bless you and your family.

Truly Yours

Mary Stager
phone
website
email

Here is a sign I had made that you can easily make for yourself at www.vistaprint.com

Make this yourself!

You can choose from many templates and have them make business cards, yard signs, car magnets – you name it.

I had this made at www.vistaprint.com and you can easily make the same one make for yourself.   You can choose from many templates and have them make business cards, yard signs, car magnets – you name it.

Here is the Brochure

Made it at www.staples.com

I made easily online from www.staples.com.

Here are some of the Slogans I use in advertisements:

Here are slogans and Text to add to a Brochure or Flyer:

WHAT CAN HOME STAGING DO FOR YOU?

Staging Slogans for Home Sellers:

Increase your homes selling price and decrease its time on the market by allowing us to provide you with a comprehensive, honest evaluation of your home’s presentation.  Let us help you present your home as a “model home” that a buyer can see themselves living in.

We can look at your home objectively and advise you on how to stage your home so it makes a great first impression on prospective buyers.

For $150 you will receive a thorough evaluation of your entire home with ideas and solutions to improve curb appeal, neutralize, de-clutter and de-personalize your home.

For $45 an hour we can even rearrange furniture, lighting, window treatments, accessories etc. so that buyers see your home in its best light.  We can recommend and direct ancillary service providers such as furniture rentals, carpenters, and painters, landscapers, cleaning services, window washers and repairmen.  Your home is your biggest asset; a small investment now can reap larger returns in your selling price!

I also purchased yard signs and car magnets from Vista Print.  But Staples, Office Max, Office Depot or your local printer can give you the same products at competitive prices.   Look for coupons and promotions from these printers.  Join their mailing lists to get coupons and offers. www.vistaprint.com, www.staples.com, www.officemax.com, www.officedepot.com