TCnbc Magazine - Page 25
The "Four Pile" Concept
Every house is different and every client is different, and for that reason every house will require a personalized staging agenda. What will be the same is the fact that your sellers will be looking to you for guidance.
In order to help you get your sellers organized for their upcoming move, begin by decluttering. Here we recommend that sellers make use of the "Four Pile" concept. This involves going room by room and separating the contents of each room into four piles. The ultimate goal in staging a home is for the sellers to display only those items that enhance the home. Remind your seller that getting rid of superfluous items at this stage will make moving both less expensive (less volume) and more satisfying when they ultimately unpack their belongings in their new home.
Suggest that your seller divides the contents of each room into the following four piles:
Pile # 1: Items to throw out
Pile # 2: Items to donate
Pile # 3: Items to keep and box
Pile # 4: Everything else that will be used for
staging the home
So it's all about assisting your client and helping them get their heads around the work that needs to be performed. Then together, you will create a game plan for the pre-marketing phase of the process, which essentially involves preparing the home. Now you can understand the importance of having a resource directory.
If you have a ready set of “go to” service providers that you can recommend to your clients, then you’ve effectively eliminated one of the biggest hurdles in their minds and addressed the client’s anxiety about the amount of work, time, and level of expertise required to prepare their home for listing.