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What's Brewing

Sometimes you have to stage it to sell it

By SUSAN THURSTON
Published November 3, 2006

It's a reality in today's chilled real estate market. Houses take longer to sell.

What used to sell in a matter of days now takes weeks, maybe months. Hoping for a bidding war? Think again.

But the situation isn't all gloom and doom. Buyers are still on the prowl. People are still moving to Tampa. Houses are selling.

The savvy owners know that unloading property takes ingenuity. You need something that distinguishes your place from all the others on the market.

Many turn to home staging.

The concept has been around for 30 years but has gained interest lately as a means to move a house quickly for the most money. Especially in this market.

For occupied houses, stagers typically remove clutter - toaster and can openers on the kitchen counter, knickknacks on the mantel - and extra pieces of furniture that distract potential buyers and make a room seem cramped. For vacant houses, stagers bring in neutral accessories and furniture to help buyers visualize their own items in a space.

"I want people to come in and see the possibilities," said Deborah Ehrlich, owner of Staging Plus Inc. "I don't want people to notice my stuff. I want them to notice the house."

Ehrlich began home staging three years ago. An accredited staging professional master, she leads the Tampa Bay chapter of the International Association of Home Staging Professionals.

Ehrlich has staged dozens of homes, from condominiums in South Tampa to track houses in FishHawk Ranch. Her philosophy is the same: Give owners as many tools as possible to sell a house.

It appears to be working. Her houses generally sell in two to six weeks, lightning speed for a market averaging 90 days to six months.

Ehrlich says small changes can make a huge difference. You might love your orange kitchen and collection of ceramic elephants but a buyer might not. You're better off spending $50 on new paint and boxing up the elephants.

Home stagers often recommend a list of changes, which the owners may or may not take up, depending on budget. Replacing a light fixture or kitchen cabinet knobs is cheap. Installing hardwood floors over outdated tile is not.

Ehrlich stages houses with her own stock of furniture, from formal dining room sets and coffee cups to chairs and beach towels for the lanai.

She charges a staging fee, which starts at $750, plus a rental fee, which starts at $550 a month for a minimum of two months. Obviously bigger houses cost more than smaller ones.

She insists the money spent is worth it. "The cost of staging is a whole lot less than your first price reduction."

Other stagers are real estate agents seeking a competitive edge.

Claudia Joiner, a longtime agent for Coldwell Banker in South Tampa, became accredited two years ago as a way to offer her clients a little extra something. She doesn't charge for the service but rather makes recommendations.

Some sellers are more receptive than others, and there can be a fine line between helping the owner and offending. Not everyone appreciates suggestions to pack up a Hummel collection.

But the results usually speak for themselves, she said.

She once recommended a client on Davis Islands rent a PODS storage container for the stuff that filled the house.

The for-sale sign went up and, bam, they had three offers.

Satisfied seller, satisfied buyer, and another house off the market.

THE LAST DROP: Seen your share of historic bungalows? Crave something more modern? The Tampa Bay chapter of the American Institute of Architects hosts a modern home tour from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, ending at a Victory Loft penthouse in Channel District. To sign up for the free bus tour, call 229-3411.

Susan Thurston can be reached at thurston@sptimes.com or 226-3394.

[Last modified November 2, 2006, 12:48:06]