Wallpaper — is it the biggest challenges a Stager will ever face? If not, at least it’s near the top of the list!

One of the main problems with wallpaper is that it’s so personal. Stager Marci Toliver of Fresh Eye Designs says of a recent conversation with a client, “I told her wallpaper is like a bathing suit. I wouldn’t wear hers and she wouldn’t wear mine!” Now that’s personal! It’s also a great way to get the point across to your clients, isn’t it?

Staging is all about creating an atmosphere that will appeal to as many people as possible, in order to sell the home quickly. You’re creating a feeling for the potential buyers of the wonderful lifestyle they could have in this house. The house is serene, calming, welcoming … and then their eyes find the bright floral/frou-frou/fussy wallpaper.

It’s about as jarring as a speed bump on the interstate.

Although the sellers might adore roosters/teacups/ivy, it’s not as likely that the majority of buyers will feel the same. Buyers are picky people with lots of choices. Wallpaper is a pain to remove, and it makes most people tired to even think about doing it themselves. Unless they’re getting a substantial discount for it, most buyers prefer to have a move-in ready home.

I have seen staging with wallpaper work wonderfully, but most of the time I think it’s worth it to take the time to remove it before listing the house. Freshly painted walls give a buyer one less roadblock to making a home their own.

I recently wrote on the Real Estate Shows Blog about using your Shows as a kind of “online presentation” you can give potential clients.

Soon afterwards, Joelle Green of Joelle & Company Designs made up one for her staging company.

About 80-85% of home buyers now begin their search online, before ever contacting anyone. They are actively searching for not only their next homes, but also the people they will employ to help them reach their goals.

The best time to try to reach these future clients is RIGHT THEN, when they first begin their search. You have the opportunity to make a Home Staging Show that will reach them and get them excited about working with you — and isn’t that what you really want?

These online shoppers are likely going to be checking lots of local sites, trying to find the right people to employ to get the job done. Make sure you’re asking for their business, and showing them what you can do for them!