Home-staging lets buyers see the home's potential

BY BRAVETTA HASSELL World Scene Writer
Saturday, April 07, 2012
4/07/12 at 4:16 AM

It took less than two hours for home stagers Emily Brown and her mother, Janet Rusley, to make a house into a home.

That morning, the women brought tubs of home accessories and accents, lamps, artificial plants and artwork to a vacant Florence Park home. Rental furniture was soon delivered, and a flat-screen TV completed the look.

Ken Ackley, owner of the home, said it was his wife who first told him about home-staging. A remodeling contractor who has been renovating dilapidated houses for years, Ackley was initially skeptical of home-staging but warmed to the idea when he saw the finished product.

"Hopefully the first people who see it will want to buy it," Ackley said.

At least five potential buyers have been shown the two-bedroom, one-bath bungalow-style home since it was listed in mid-March.

Home-staging is different from interior design, Brown said. In interior design, you're designing around your tastes. With home-staging, you're decluttering, rearranging and accenting around design principles and current trends, but most important, you are working toward your potential buyers' interests that you've researched.

"Your goal is to give the best possibilities, so you have to know who your buyer is," said Brown, who with Rusley owns Sell Smart Home Staging in Tulsa.

The buyers can be broken into three primary groups, Brown said: Generation X, Generation Y and The Joneses.

Generation Xers are those home buyers born between the mid '60s and early '80s. They like simple sleek lines, counter space and storage behind closed doors. They value open floor plans for family congregation.

Generation Yers, the '80s babies to just before the millennials, are the first-time home buyers who appreciate ease and what's modern. They love gas fireplaces but don't use them and love the luxury of stainless steel and granite countertops. They like spa-like bathrooms and a lot of space, Brown said. Electronic gadgetry is also important to this group.

And The Joneses. Well The Joneses want nice but not a lot of nice that takes a lot of attention. They are the second half of the Baby Boomers who are downsizing since their children have grown up and moved out. They enjoy entertaining and value areas such as dining rooms, Brown said.

These are generalities, and there are exceptions to every rule. But what the different groups value in the homes they are buying should be a guide to the home seller who is preparing to show his or her home.

If you're planning to sell your home, find out who is buying in your neighborhood, Brown said.

"We all have that nosy neighbor who knows what's going on down the street," she said. "Ask them."

Original Print Headline: Setting the stage

Bravetta Hassell 918-581-8316
bravetta.hassell@tulsaworld.com

Associated Images:

The addition of a few furniture pieces and accessories makes the same room come alive. JOHN CLANTON/Tulsa World

Emily Brown and Jeremie Jones of Cort Furniture Rental bring in artwork and furniture to stage a house for sale at 1639 S. Gary Ave. JOHN CLANTON/Tulsa World

An empty room fails to convey its potential to buyers. JOHN CLANTON/Tulsa World

All it takes is a few chairs and some art pieces to bring charm to this breakfast nook. JOHN CLANTON/Tulsa World

Before staging, the area lacked warmth and a clear purpose. JOHN CLANTON/Tulsa World