“Home Staging” Reaches New Levels

Occupied homes seem to sell better, especially in a very competitive market. Realtors and builders have used staging techniques to help sell homes for a long time, but “staging” is reaching new heights these days.

Builders have developed a new strategy to help sell their new construction in a distressed real estate market.  Johanna Calvin is a 45-year old Los Angeles event coordinator and decorator who has seen business slow. Quality First Home Marketing, a San Diego start-up,  is offering Johanna incentives for giving their townhomes a stylish look that make the home seem like someone is living there.  Usually “Home Staging” companies will charge the homeowner thousands of dollars to decorate the house with furniture, but Johanna actually lives in the townhouses for a greatly discounted rate and also receives a bonus if the house sells quickly.

Vacancy of homes is a factor that can drive the price of real estate down.  By filling the homes, the real estate will in turn gain more value.  Showhomes Management LLC, a franchise operation based in Nashville, has about 350 “resident managers” who occupy these high end homes in order to facilitate sales.  The company has reported that their revenues have increased 88% since last year!