The Home Staging Magazine

theMAGAZINE HOME STAGINGISSUE 1 | NOVEMBER 2021
BY THE HOME STAGING ASSOCIATION

STAGEFLOW: VAI CGTROEARTY
for HOME
DATA INSIGHTS
for RESIDENTIAL STAGING
STAGING
the HOME STYLING
HOME STAGING JAPAN: COMPANY

KON'NICHIWA

HOME STAGING!

CONNECTING
with NATURE
EHG HOME

COVID CHANGED
NOTHING &

ACCELERATED
EVERYTHING

JEREMY LEAF

Don't make this TRANSFORMING
HOME STAGING BLANK CANVASES

MISTAKE! into PRESTIGIOUS
KRISTIE BARNETT HOMES with
the DECOROLOGIST
MILC INTERIORS
i San CtTheOA MRGAREREDKC foETr TION

JONATHAN HANDFORD



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AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA Letter from
AAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Paloma Harrington-Griffin

Founder & Director of the Home Staging Association

Colin Powell once said: “The freedom to do your best means
nothing unless you are willing to do your best.”

When I started this journey with the Home Staging Association, I never
anticipated the challenges we would encounter.

The idea was to get to know like-minded professionals and create
something new. And a few months in, all of that was successfully
achieved but we were surprised by the amount of Estate Agents that
didn’t know what home staging was, a public that had no idea of the
benefits of home staging, and professionals that were thirsty for
information and qualifications, with nowhere to turn to.

Three Home Staging Reports and dozens of events later, in just over
three years, it is safe to say the HSA has grown enormously. We have
provided education to hundreds of professionals directly, and, thanks
to our work, thousands of members of the public and property
professionals now know a bit more about our activity via our several press features and our
website, courses and materials.
Our community of members has become one of the most beautiful groups I have ever been part
of. So supportive and positive, formed by genuinely good people that want to see everyone thrive
and to make our industry stronger, whilst excelling at what they do as stagers.
And it is with that mindset that we are now launching the first-ever Home Staging magazine of the
UK & Ireland. We want all members of the public to have access to Home Staging information, and
to discover what a powerful tool it is when it comes to marketing a property - whether you are a
homeowner or a property professional.
We are thrilled to be sharing our knowledge and insights with each and every one of you and hope
that this publication will be the first step towards understanding the benefits of home staging and
actually applying them to your future sale, securing a much better deal than ever imagined.
And as staging professionals, I hope you find this engaging and informative, as well as inspiring to
get you thriving even further in your profession.

The challenges of our industry and the market are real. But they are getting smaller. And when I
look back at how little connection and resources we had before the Home Staging Association was
founded, and when I think of our amazing members, facing these challenges head-on comes easy.
It is all worth it.
We have accomplished so much but the best is yet to come. The seeds we are sowing today as an
Association and as part of this beautiful community will be the triumph of the home staging
industry as a whole tomorrow, and I can't wait for all of us to reap the rewards. Together.
Together we are stronger and I can't wait to see what the future has in store for us.

Paloma Harrington-Griffin

Founder & Director of the HSA

The Home Staging Association is the trade body for Home Staging professionals in the UK & Ireland. Find
out more at www.homestaging.org.uk

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Letter from

Sanja Radovanovic

IAHSP® EUROPE President – Professional Home Staging Master®

Next year, in 2022, we will be celebrating 50 years since the concept of
Home Staging was created. The visionary Barb Schwarz, almost half a
century ago, understood the importance of properly presenting
properties for sale. This marketing tool has the power to make real
estate professionals more productive and successful because properties
do not sit on the market for long periods of time.
While it is a booming industry in North America, European home
stagers still struggle to show the real value of the Home Staging
services and how much benefits and value we are able to bring. Some
countries, like Portugal, Austria, the UK, and Germany experience more
success offering their services to the general public and service
operators, while other countries still struggle to have their Staging
services valued as deserved. Other emerging countries still have to be
properly informed and educated by both future Home Staging
professionals and the real estate sector.

IAHSP® EUROPE, together with the Home Staging Association, is working with and lobbying the
biggest key players, real estate associations and other relevant bodies towards the recognition of
our profession. Now more than ever it is imperative that home staging services are offered at a
high professional level and that our voices are in unison.
If we pretended to be back in 1972, how would we hear Home Staging being described?
“Home Staging is an act of professionally preparing a house for sale so that homes could
appeal to the greatest number of potential buyers and generate the highest sale price in the
least amount of time on the market.”
Let's remember that home staging belongs to the real estate industry and it is not designing,
redesigning or decorating a home. It is instead about detailing, decluttering, depersonalising and
preparing a seller's home to give it a "show home" appearance. When vacant, it is all about
creating the right feeling and creating that emotional connection that makes potential buyers want
to immediately move in.
Remember to share with your clients how they can stand out from the competition and receive
major benefits of working with home staging professionals: home staging makes the first
impression of the property positive and inviting while showing its full potential. It enables buyers
to picture themselves living in the house, and best of all it allows properties to sell in the shortest
amount of time and at the best price.
It might take us some time but together we will achieve our dreams: where every real estate agent
hires a professional home stager and every property looks its best when it comes on the market.
We all rely on each other, so let's do our best, one property at a time.

Sanja Radovanovic

IAHSP® EUROPE President
Professional Home Staging Master®
The HSA is an IAHSP®EU Affiliate. Find out more about the International Association of Home Staging
Professionals® Europe at www.iahspeurope.com

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IN THIS ISSUE: 50 A sneak peak of the HSA's

Home Staging Report 2021:

the latest information on the
industry in the UK & Ireland

ARTICLES:

7 Winning Business Starts

with Marketing

8 Home Staging vs. Interior Design
12 Staging Studio Presents: Mistakes

to Avoid When Pricing your Staging
Services

16 The Importance of Education
20 Facing the Future with Home Staging
57 How we Decluttered and Organised

our Homes for Covid Living

60 Home Staging in Switzerland
62 Staging Your Video Conference Backdrop
64 The Importance of Connecting with

Nature with EHG Home

68 Back to Basics with Annie Doherty,

House Doctor

74 Top 5 Skills to Become the Perfect

Stager

76 What it Means to be a Home Staging

Business with Staged4More

79 Home Staging for Rental Properties

with North East Home Staging

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28 StageFlow presents: data 42 Staged for a
insights for residential staging correction in
the market with
30 Covid changed nothing and Jonathan Handford
accelerated everything
with Jeremy Leaf 44 Don't make this home
staging mistake with
32 A great victory for Kristie Barnett, the
home staging with Decorologist
the Home StylingFEATURES:
Company
LET'S READ...
36 MILC Interiors:
transforming blank
canvases into
prestigious homes

Photo: Home Styling Company

Photo: Chris Wharton Photography INTERVIEWS:
www.chriswharton.photography
@chriswhartonphotography 22 Lukas Kucharski: Home Staging
Courtesy of EHG Home Japan: Kon'nichiwa, Home Staging!

38 Sienna Interiors: on working with
John Lewis and Partners Business

46 Luke Parle: The Housing Market
and its Different Angles

INTRODUCING:

10 The House Outfit
14 Beau Property
18 Maura Mackey Design
66 Home Staging London
72 Jane Lee Interiors

5

HSA Founding Member

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AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA WINNING BUSINESS
AAAAAAAA
STARTS with

MARKETING

Owning a home staging hangs out on social media or in
business is exciting. person. Learn their habits so you can
customize messaging. Once you know
We get to use our creativity to earn this information, your marketing
income, however many stagers strategy is much easier. Instead of
believe they should have business “hoping” or “guessing” at what type
because they have a website, phone of messaging you need or where to
number, business cards, and a desire post your marketing, you can target
to be successful. The ONLY way a this client on various platforms with
company grows is by focused social media ads and joining specific
marketing to targeted client groups. groups. It is a laser focused approach
Marketing creates Awareness, Need versus a wide spray approach.
and Want. Want and Need lead to Whatever type of Staging you want to
Sales. Sales lead to Money. focus on, your marketing messaging
Without Marketing, you will have no needs to be congruent with the client
Money. who will hire you and the benefit they
It is not enough to have an online receive, and that will lead to
presence, you need to have a plan, consistent sales, referrals, and great
purpose and process for winning success.
business.
Jennie Norris
Think about the type of clients
you want to serve. IAHSP® Chairwoman
President & CEO of Stagedhomes.com®
What industry are they in? How old CEO of Sensational Home Staging – We
are they? Where do they live? How Stage Colorado
are you helping THEM solve a
challenge and what IS that challenge?
What will your services allow them to
do or have? Your marketing
messaging needs to be focused. You
can create different marketing pieces
targeted to various groups, and the
key is to stay away from generic, all-
inclusive type of marketing. You want
to stand out. What makes you
unique? Do some research online to
understand where your target client

©IAHSP® and Jennie Norris, 2021 to present. All rights reserved. Not to be reprinted without permission. 7
IAHSP® and Stage® are federally registered trademarks of home staging inc. All rights reserved.

HOME STAGING vs.
INTERIOR DESIGN

The differences and why they matter

Everyone in the property industry works their home and bring their own ideas to life.
together to give our clients the best possible Clients can create homes with their personal
results and make connections along the way. tastes and requirements in mind, all with the
However, this does mean that specific roles in help of an interior design professional.
the property industry can get confused.
Interior designers do the opposite of stagers:
As home stagers, we notice a confusion with they personalise the property to the client’s
our fellow professionals, the interior requirements, whereas home staging creates
designers. Now we understand the confusion, a neutral space.
but we want to help you understand what
you’re in for when you employ a home stager Home staging focuses on appealing to a wide
and how they work hand in hand with interior variety of potential clients that could turn into
designers. buyers. Stagers dress a property and make
use of decluttering and depersonalising
Let’s begin with the question; what is home techniques to make space for the next
staging? Home staging is an excellent homeowner.
marketing tool that 100% of estate agents
have agreed make it easier for potential On top of this, if you’ve been living in your
buyers to visualise a property as their future home for a while and feel distant from the
home. It involves preparing a house for the previous warm feeling of the home or want to
market, within your budget, to help it sell in refresh and not sure how, home stagers are
the fastest time and at the best price. the ones to call! We will bring you and your
home back together, reuniting that special
Home stagers complete a home by bringing relationship.
together an aesthetic that appeals to the
highest number of potential buyers. The lines can be blurred between home
stagers and interior designers but now that
On the other hand, Interior Design is focused it’s clear, you will know who to call for your
on structural changes, floor plans ,and next project!
functions of space within the house. It allows Lexi Bosworth for the HSA
clients to become attached to the design of

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9

INTRODUCING:

10

Founded in 2016 by Lara Coward, The House
Outfit started its journey primarily as a home
accessories store, however, after launching a
sell out 12 piece collection of prints it soon
became clear that the business was to take a
different direction. It is now one of the
leading UK based wall art providers, with
100’s of designs to choose from; dressing
tens of thousands of naked walls around the
world. THO has built a community of over
180K interior lovers on social media and their
prints been featured by the likes of Elle
Decoration and Glamour magazine.
The House Outfit offers a vast collection of
prints ranging from photography to abstract,
and everything else in between. They also
have their own premium range of aluminium
and wooden frames. With eco-friendly
printing, above industry average paper
thickness and age resistant premium matte
paper stock, their prints are guaranteed to
stand the test of time.
Offering a generous trade discount for
professionals in the industry and custom
discount on larger projects, as well as super-
fast tracked shipping, The House Outfit is the
perfect partner and go-to supplier of wall art
for any interior projects. Whether you’re a
home stager, interior designer, developer or
just looking to spruce up your own walls,
they’ll no doubt have the perfect print/s
you’re looking for.
The House Outfit currently works with a
number of interior designers and home
stagers across the UK. They have recently
become an ambassador for the Home
Staging Association and are looking forward
to developing new working relationships with
fellow creatives within the HSA. For further
information on working with The House
Outfit or any general queries about their
prints or services, please contact Louise at
[email protected].

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STAGING STUDIO presents:

MISTAKES to AVOID
when PRICING your

HOME STAGING

SERVICES

It’s the number one question that we get from home stagers – how do I price
my home staging services? The answer is so involved and nuanced that we
devoted an entire course to the subject: Pricing Lab for Home Stagers.

Coming up with the appropriate pricing are looking for the cheapest stager,
for your staging and design services can not the best stager.
feel like shooting in the dark sometimes. • You are undercutting not only other
So let’s shed some light on it. Here are professional stagers but also the future
three common pricing mistakes we see of your own business.
home stagers make, and how to avoid The results are clear – staged homes sell
them. faster and for more money! Home staging
is the best investment a seller can make.
PRICING MISTAKE #1: Working for As a professional home stager, you are
free in the hopes of getting future bringing great value to your clients. Be
staging consultations proud of your staging skills and the
services you have to offer, and charge for
New stagers often feel that they need to them accordingly.
charge very little, or nothing at all, on their
first projects. Since these stagers don’t PRICING MISTAKE #2:
have a lot of experience, they are not Underestimating the cost of furniture
confident in their worth. Offering to work delivery
for free is a big mistake for many reasons:
Your delivery and set up should not be a
• You are promoting the false narrative one-size fits-all fee. You probably already
that you don’t know what you are doing. take into consideration the distance from
If you have been properly trained and your storage facility, but here are some
certified as a professional home stager, other important things to factor into your
you do know what you are doing. You staging delivery fee:
are a professional stager! You are not • Stairs, whether outside or inside.
making it up as you go.
Think about not only the extra
• It is very difficult to raise your prices exertion of going upstairs, but also
later because you have already set the
value of your services at zero.

• You will attract the kind of clients who

12

the extra time needed to maneuver If you are still unsure of how much to
in tight stairwells. We have had to charge for your home staging services,
resort to pulleying furniture up the Staging Studio is here for you! We created
outside of the house to upper floors. a pricing course just for you!
• Parking. This can be a big issue, To learn about the best pricing formulas
especially in urban centres. and strategies for home stagers, take the
• Lifts. When staging an apartment Pricing Lab for Home Stagers today and
that is accessed by a lift, you will set your prices at rates that get you
need double the usual amount of consistent work that makes you a nice
time as you will have to wait for profit. Never again will you wonder how
the elevator to make the trip up much to charge for staging jobs!
and down for each load. You may
also need an extra hand just to hold What you will learn in the Pricing Lab
the lift. for Home Stagers:
• Steep or inaccessible driveway. We
have staged homes where there were • How to calculate your hourly rate.
low hanging branches or a drive so • How to calculate your cost of
steep that our trucks could not make it
in close to the house. Carrying furniture acquisition for your staging inventory.
uphill an extra 30 yards significantly • How to calculate the price per room.
adds to your working hours. • How to create a vacant staging
• Loading dock. Be sure to reserve your
loading dock timeslot. Many buildings proposal that converts staging bids into
limit dock usage to a certain number of staging jobs.
hours, so it may take 2 appointments on • How to keep track of your stages
consecutive days to get everything and determine your staging value based
unloaded. on average DOM.
And of course don’t forget that what goes • The different methods of pricing,
in must come out when it is de-staged, so how to use them and the pros and cons
your cost is doubled. of each.
• How to value your staging services.
PRICING MISTAKE #3: Charging a • Secret pricing strategies.
set price for your staging packages • How to calculate the best formula
for each service: vacant staging,
Having a standard price for your staging occupied consultations, model homes,
packages is a bit like having a standard and airbnb design.
price for homes. There are an infinite • How to negotiate with clients.
number of variables that will affect what • How to raise your rates.
home stagers should charge. • How to overcome objections to your
Basing your pricing on just one factor, like staging prices.
the square footage or the list price,
ignores the many other considerations. For Take the Pricing Lab for Home
instance, the luxury level, the property Stagers today and set your prices at
condition, the location, the property style, rates that get you consistent work
the room sizes, the local market, the that makes you a nice profit. Never
lifetime value of the client, your current again will you wonder how much to
inventory level, and so much more, all play charge for staging jobs!
into it.
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INTRODUCING:

Beau Property Home Staging was launched in May 2019. As property

developers ourselves, we saw a gap in the market for high quality home
staging at an affordable price. Working closely with property developers,
estate agents, builders and landlords, we ensure projects are coordinated, on
schedule and successfully completed with minimum disruption. We offer
flexible payment plans on a rental basis, with the option to purchase. Tailored
packages include CGIs created from floor plans and engaging interactive
photo/video solutions for all media platforms. We are a young dynamic team
with a passion for interior design and selling houses; the perfect combination!

14 Registered address: 1 The Old Stables, Eridge Park, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, England, TN3 9JT

CASE STUDY: Kingswood Place is a split-level
Kingswood Place
apartment set in a prestigious
development in Royal Tunbridge
Wells. We were approached by the
vendor to stage the property as it
had been on the market for 11
months with no offers.
We developed an interiors scheme
which was inspired by apartment
life and showed off the property’s
unique space to entertain, work and
relax. We selected key pieces of
furniture to create zones, whether it
be a reading corner or study area,
choosing classic furniture alongside
contemporary artwork.
Originally, it was on the market for
£395,000 reducing to £375,000 with
no offers. After being taken off the
market and fully staged by Beau
Property Home Staging, it was
relaunched at £395,000. The
apartment was sold within 4 weeks
and the buyer also offered to
purchase the furniture.

To find out more about
Beau Property please visit
www.beauproperty.com

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The IMPORTANCE
of EDUCATION

Why does it matter in home staging?

SUCCESS The Home Staging Association UK & This is the reason why, here at the
UNDERSTANDING Ireland has always made it a priority Home Staging Association UK &
to keep building relationships Ireland, we not only promote
EXPERTISE between professionals of the network building and host events
PASSION industry. Indeed, this growing within the community but we also
network could strengthen the ties of nurture continuous education with
the home staging industry itself by courses and accredited programs
allowing different fields of the that aim to constantly be a source of
industry to cooperate for the same learning.
goal: achieve successful projects
that will keep businesses thriving. We have courses for everyone!
Whether you are an experienced
Reaching success through home home stager, real estate agent or
staging projects would mean not still new to the business, we have
only that this marketing tool is what it takes to make your business
working and here to stay but also stand out. With so many courses,
that there has to be a solid tailored to each business owner’s
foundation that will keep promoting need, we believe that you will find
how important it is to be ahead of something that suits you on our
the curve when it comes to evolving platform.
professions.
Hence, the need for non-stop Moreover, our courses are certified
education. People need to which means that they were
understand that to be a successful carefully curated and selected,
home stager you shouldn’t offering modules with true experts
underestimate the power of of the industry that will know how
education and the importance that to properly lead you into the next
it holds. No business is successful steps of your career.
without a solid foundation and We have our own courses such as
home staging is no different. the Introduction to Home Staging
course, the Home Staging Business
As a matter of fact, home staging course and the Home Staging
might only seem something that you Journey course. We also offer short
could do out of pure passion and an classes to sample new topics and an
innate creative streak. While this is extended education programme for
the basis to come up with a real estate agents.
successful activity, it is certainly not
enough to sustain it in the long run.

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AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA you need to be ahead of the game constantly
AA so that you won’t be left behind when new
trends reach your country or area of expertise.
And that’s not everything that we provide: we
have long standing partnerships, turned into As an association we don’t claim to have all the
full HSA Accreditation, with successful home answers but we are more than 100% committed
staging companies such as Staging Studio, to grow together, learn, and continue to
Staged Homes, Staged4More. educate ourselves so that we can offer the best
If you’re wondering what it means to be HSA possible education and support to our
Accredited and if you should look more into members.
that, the answer is absolutely yes! Our HSA
Accredited Programme is aimed at Staging We trust our members, our instincts and our
professionals and companies that want to stand ability to grow as an association and we’d love
out: with this accreditation you will be able to for you to check out our courses and see for
demonstrate your knowledge and commitment yourself why we believe in it this much.
to the industry.
Indeed, there is no such thing as “too much
education”; we are firmly convinced that the
more, the better. In a growing, fast-paced and
always changing industry such as home staging,

Marta Calderara Dalla Cola

for the HSA

17

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
A

INMTAURRAO MADCKUEYC DEISNIGNG:

Maura Mackey Design is run by HSA member Maura Mackey, a Cork-based interior
designer and staging professional with an eye for detail and 20 years of interior styling
experience.
The journey of selling a home becomes simpler with home staging and getting an
experienced home stager involved assures that the most minuscule details, which are
usually overlooked by estate agents and sellers, are seen instantly by a professional. An
interior designer and home stager like Maura Mackey knows a home’s best angles and can
accentuate accordingly, being a catalyst for a successful sale.
Maura Mackey Design offers interior styling for home and business, personal shopping for
hand selected interiors and home staging for sale and resale to ensure an efficient
turnaround of a space and create a new lease of life in a home.

CASE STUDY: Glanmire, Cork

This high-end house in Glanmire in Cork was put on the market for €815k but sold for
€920K, a remarkable profit with the help of a professional stager. In this case, the estate
agent recommended a stager be taken on board but there was a small window of time and
a big project at hand to get the home ready for professional photos. The stager initially
recommended by the estate agent was too busy for such a project. Maura was contacted
after the homeowner, Jill, read an article written by Maura and felt the inclination to get in

18

touch with her immediately, eventually securing the help of Maura Mackey Design and
beginning the journey of home staging success. The home itself needed ‘an injection of
love’ as said by Maura, as it had been rented for the past few years which naturally made
the home lose its personality. The act of Home Staging allows this personality to flourish
again, giving back a home its characteristics by accentuating its most desirable angles and
potential for space. Maura did this by exploring the house for over two hours, taking
pictures and noting which additions and changes the home needed in order to make the
home more photogenic.
The staging report concluded the budget and the time scale in which Maura would need in
order to complete the staging of the home. The homeowner was enthusiastic about the
suggested changes, trusting the work of Maura and her background in interiors. As a result
the homeowner, Jill, provided the staging budget funds on the spot which allowed the
journey to begin. Quickly and efficiently, the painter was arranged to come the following
day with a new colour palette for the home, commencing the staging job and the rebirth of
the home. Maura worked with the homeowner's own possessions, using original artwork
from Portugal which was produced by the homeowner's father and filling the home with
international touches, creating a breathtaking yet cherished theme. To both the
homeowner's and estate agent's pleasure, the home was staged after a few days and within
the given time frame allowing the sale of the home to swiftly transpire with an impressive
profit. This case study perfectly exemplifies the prosperity home staging provides,
furthermore showing the necessary role of a home stager in the selling of a property.

19

FACING

the FUTURE with

HOME STAGING

What a time to be involved in the housing Generation Buy. The government are giving very
market; ever since the Covid-19 outbreak little doubt that the nation feel-good factor from
in Spring 2020, it has been a complete a healthy housing market is set to continue.
whirlwind. And lastly, interest rates remain low and
borrowing money is very affordable with
First, the sector experienced complete closure mortgage lenders wanting to lend.
as part of the first lockdown. Then in June 2021, But as the heat caused by government stimulus
it experienced one of the busiest transaction starts to fade, the truth is that not all property
periods in history, as the Stamp Duty Holiday will sell in days and get over market prices. The
reduced from £500,000 to £250,000. Thirty-six home staging industry is going to play a vital
thousand people completed house purchases in role in this new phase. As competition returns,
just one day (30th June), compared to an staging your home ready for sale is essential.
average of 19,000 in a typical week*. As a result, New homes will continue to be built and will
the conveyancers were stretched beyond require virtual staging to tap into buyers
comprehension, and there was just not enough imagination. Therefore, private sellers need
removal vans in the country to cope with the education on demonstrating that their property
volume. Therefore, as we progress through the can accommodate a family living space
summer, it is hardly surprising the market is alongside a quiet workspace.
taking a breath. Although predicting the future is impossible, the
But the real question is, what will happen factors outlined suggest the housing market will
next? continue to be healthy and positive for some
Doom mongers will have you believe that house time yet. And, whilst the market is changing,
prices will fall, and the market will tip over a cliff where there is change, there is always
edge. They do make a valid point. Historically, opportunity.
after a boom, there is a bust. However, this time
it is different. We are in an economic situation Martyn Baum PPNAEA (Honoured)
like never before. People are fundamentally
changing their work-life balance, with many now Martyn has been an expert within the property industry for
working from home. The flexibility of working over 20 years. He was the youngest president of NAEA
from home has replaced the daily commutes into Propertymark in 2015 and now runs his own consultancy
the office. The need to live in or close to cities business Martyn Baum Consultancy. Martyn regularly
has reduced. As a result, a move to the country comments on housing issues in the national and local
seems not to be a fad but a new, successful way media as well as hosting the weekly podcast House of
of life. A way of life that is good for families and Property.
our mental health.
So, rather than referring to history to make our
predictions, let us look at the here and now.
Firstly, demand for property in the UK still
outstrips supply; people want to own their own
homes, and foreign investors are still attracted
to London and other major cities.
Secondly, property ownership is at the front and
centre of this government’s agenda. The
Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, said
that he wants to see Generation Rent become

20

21

An INSIDER LOOK at the
JAPANESE STAGING INDUSTRY

by leading company
HOME STAGING JAPAN

Kon'nichiwa, Home Staging!

Not surprisingly, the home staging community continues to spread
worldwide. As we expand our insights into home staging, we get to
experience the idiosyncrasies each country brings to the industry.
From different colour palettes to the feng shui of a home, it’s
fascinating to see how the techniques are expressed in each corner of
the world to the corners of a room.

With this global mindset at heart, the Home Staging Association reached out to
Lukas Kucharski, the owner of the leading home staging company in Japan:
Home Staging Japan.
Since 2013, Home Staging Japan has broken new ground in the Japanese home
staging industry, completing over 10,000 projects and continuing to create
tailored homes for each client.
Although Lukas has lived in Japan for over 13 years, where he has been
running a successful Home Staging business for 8 years, he was born in Poland
and grew up in Germany.
The idea of starting a Home Staging business in Japan came to him in 2012
when he was asked for help with selling an apartment in the centre of Tokyo.
Since no one was offering Home Staging services and properties in Japan were
sold un-staged at that time, Lukas decided to take matters into his own hands
and stage the apartment by himself in order to prepare it for the market.
The apartment was sold after 2.5 weeks at 10% over the asking price.
“I was quite surprised by the positive result and thought it would be the right
time to start a Home Staging business in Japan,” said Lukas, insightfully.
The Home Staging Association are enthusiastic to sit down with Lucas
Kucharski and absorb his creative take on home staging and the art it holds
behind its proven marketing efficiency worldwide.

22

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
AAA

HSA: an interview with
LUKAS KUCHARSKI

Home Staging Association - What was it like company and paved the way for future
to be one of the first (if not the first!) Home development of Home Staging in Japan in
Staging company in Japan? What challenges general.
did you encounter? Because there wasn't anyone in Japan who
Lukas Kucharski - Since there was no home was offering Home Staging services, there
staging service provider in Japan when I was no opportunity to learn from others who
started my business, I first searched the already had experience in running a Home
internet and looked at how it was done in Staging business. It was basically a try and fail
other countries, where Home Staging had process and we had to learn from our own
already been a common practice for many mistakes.
years. Nowadays, I am thankful for all the mistakes
US, Canada, Europe and especially Australia we have made. All of them have led us to
were very inspiring. I noticed that in other where we are. In the beginning, we didn't
countries Home Stagers were dealing directly have a warehouse and I had to store large
with homeowners and thought in Japan we part of the staging furniture in my own house.
would need to proceed in the same way. I would say that the company was literally
Therefore, I started to look for homeowners, started in my own living room. If I had known
who wanted to sell their homes instead of how exhausting it is to build a Home Staging
approaching real estate agents. business, I probably wouldn't have had the
The biggest challenge was that almost no one courage to start. Being a little bit naive was
in Japan knew about Home Staging and it actually helpful at that time! Sometimes it's
was difficult to convince sellers to invest an better just to get started without knowing and
extra amount of 1-3% of the sales price in worrying too much.
Home Staging, in addition to the brokerage HSA - Is Home Staging popular in Japan?
commission which is 3% in Japan. Have you seen an increase in interest since
After the first year, Home Staging Japan had you started your business?
done only two projects and I had to consider LK - Thanks to our main client, who happens
closing the company. Fortunately, although I to be one of the largest real estate companies
was about to give up, we still had our website in Japan, Home Staging quickly became a
online when we suddenly received an inquiry widely recognised and well-known service.
from one of the largest real estate companies They used our service for many of their
in Japan, which laid the foundation for my properties and also helped us with promoting

23

Home Staging Japan

the concept of home staging. Their activities LK - Japanese homes aren’t built to last and
were noticed by other real estate companies function rather as a short-lived consumer
who had no other choice than to start offering product than as a long-term investment.
home staging as well. Most apartments or houses in Japan are very
Over the years, other Home Staging similar in terms of size and layout. They are
companies popped up and even Japan's built following a similar scheme. Even the
largest furniture retail companies such as apartments of a modern and stylish building
Nitori started to offer Home Staging, as it also may appear as little boxes, without any charm
provides a good opportunity to market or uniqueness. Though most people are used
furniture. to it and therefore willing to accept that
HSA - On average, how many properties do conformity, many of them seem curious and
you stage per month? interested in new possibilities and ways in how
LK - Up until two years ago, we staged around to achieve a touch of uniqueness. (That may
170 projects per month. We had to decrease explain why in the past few years DIY and
the number of projects since we started to imported wallpapers became extremely
concentrate more and more on high-quality, popular in Japan).
full-staging projects, focusing on larger That lack of uniqueness actually creates a
properties. huge opportunity not only for experimental
The beginning of the global pandemic in 2020 architects but also for Home Stagers. The
also led to the fact that many real estate challenging part for us is to find ways and
companies had to cut down on their Home techniques on how to make a small room look
Staging budget. At the moment we have bigger and show potential buyers how
around 130–150 projects per month. functional it actually is.
HSA - What are the peculiarities of Japanese Additionally, we try to create that missing
properties and how does it reflect on the way unique look by choosing modern western
you stage them? furnishings and décor items that appear to
many people as very inviting and make a
home stand out and be remembered.

24

Home Staging Japan

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
AA

"...expectations towards housing
are changing and the way we
design our living space is
becoming more and more
important."

HSA - What do Japanese home buyers seem that property, regardless of whether they buy
to like the most when viewing a property? it or not. If they don’t buy the property, they
LK - Tokyo, for example, is a mega-city where just might be inspired by our arrangement,
commuting can take a lot of time. Many therefore rearrange their current place or
people will prioritise that and look for a home even end up buying new furniture.
that not only fits their budget, but is also I think that this type of inspiration is what
convenient according to their lifestyle. those who visit our properties like the most,
It is a widely-held view that houses in Japan because it will be remembered whether they
usually function as places where people go buy a new home or not. Especially now, since
back to sleep. Life at home has a different the beginning of the pandemic, as working
meaning than in Western countries. For and spending time at home has become more
example, people rarely invite friends over or common, expectations towards housing are
host dinner parties at home. Therefore, most changing and the way we design our living
people don’t pay much attention when it space is becoming more and more important.
comes to the interior and decoration of their HSA - What do you think are the main
home. That’s rather secondary. differences between staging in Japan and the
Through our Home Staging projects, we have rest of the world?
the opportunity to show numerous people LK - Our projects mainly relate to Tokyo and
different ways of furnishing and designing its surrounding area.
living spaces. We mostly follow western ideas Tokyo is one of the world’s largest real estate
and concepts and try to create an markets and full of opportunities for home
environment that is appealing to most people, staging businesses. One advantage for home
something that they like and that they may stagers when it comes to real estate in Japan
not have seen before. is that apartments and houses are smaller than
Of course, Home Staging primarily serves as a in western countries. Most homes are very
great strategic marketing tactic to sell a similar in terms of layout and size and can
property, but we don’t necessarily focus solely therefore be staged more quickly.
on that. We think of every person who enters
25

"Home Staging primarily serves
as a great strategic marketing
tactic to sell a property, but we

don’t necessarily focus

solely on that."

The challenge, however, is to make sure that I am personally very glad that we have the
not all apartments look the same. In Japan, opportunity to be in touch with Paloma
home staging is still in its beginnings. It is a Harrington-Griffin from the Home Staging
very common practice to stage only the living Association UK & Ireland and therefore get
and dining room and leave other rooms un- the chance to find out how home staging has
staged since most of them appear in standard been practiced in countries outside of Japan.
sizes. Our goal is to change that by offering In the future, we would be grateful for every
full home staging plans in order to make use opportunity to exchange home staging ideas
of the apartment's fullest potential. with other home stagers from all over the
Another difference is that home stagers don't world.
deal directly with homeowners. 99% of all HSA - Please share how people can find out
inquiries we are receiving are from real estate more about you and your company.
companies. They offer home staging LK - Even though our website, which we
services to homeowners for free as an recently updated, it is available only in
additional service, which is covered by the Japanese at the moment, I would be happy if
commission fee (3%). anyone who is interested in our activities in
HSA - What is on the horizon for Home Japan would take a look at it.
Staging Japan?
LK - We will continue to spread the idea of homestaging.co.jp
Home Staging in Japan. Our goal is to push laformajapan
the home staging industry forward. We want @home_staging_japan
not only real estate companies, but also the @laforma_japan
general public to know more about home www.homestaging.co.jp
staging.
As soon as it becomes possible again, we
want to organise events and seminars, as we
already did in the past, for everyone who is
interested in home staging.
Since we are also selling some of the furniture
that we have been using for our home staging
projects, we plan to bring more western
furniture and home décor ideas and products
to Japan.

26

Home Staging Japan

27

presents

DATA INSIGHTS for
RESIDENTIAL STAGING

Home staging continues to grow and develop in the UK with more and more stagers
setting out on their journey to transform properties for sale and achieve fantastic
results for vendors. A large proportion of referrals come through either an estate agent, a
developer or directly through the vendor. Until recently it has been difficult to find hard
data to support its success and so the concept is not yet considered essential in the
marketing of property.
Data is an extremely valuable asset to any business and in home staging it can be the
difference between winning a project and not. Industry data is still very much limited so
being able to evidence the return on investment to a vendor helps you to stand out from
other stagers and in turn helps your vendor to clearly realise the potential staging has in
achieving both the speed of sale and the offer achieved.
In order to fill this gap in the market, Lemon and Lime Interiors have created an incredibly
powerful sales tool called Stageflow, which offers estate agents, property developers and
home stagers the ability to evidence the benefits of using a home staging service.
The real-time data and reporting app provides users with the ability to log and access
home staging insights, enabling them to demonstrate the positive impact home staging
has on property sales and ultimately encouraging sellers to use the service to speed up the
sales process.

The app can be used to download real-
time text and visual reports that are
filtered by date, location, property type
and sale price – these reports can then be
used to inform marketing materials, sent
to potential clients and shared on social
media.

28

Not only does Stageflow enable users to pull
off reports about the effectiveness of home
staging, but it can also act as a project
management tool for home staging businesses.
By logging projects digitally, stagers can easily
monitor the progress of each property and use
the platform to maximise output by keeping
track of activity within the business.

SUBSCRIPTION PACKAGES

The app offers two levels of subscription, both of which allow an unlimited number of users for
each account.
The ‘insights’ subscription package, aimed at estate agents and developers, grants instant
access to national property staging statistics and demonstrates the return on investment when
using home staging services for just £10 a month.
The more advanced ‘professional’ subscription package, designed with home staging
businesses in mind and priced at £50 a month, allows access to all the ‘insight’ features, as well
as the tools to manage staging projects, access stager level visual reporting and log resource
hours and inventory.
The ‘professional’ subscription also provides home stagers with a platform to manage home
staging projects digitally, allowing them to create unlimited property records, assign properties
to consultants, update each project as it progresses, gain insights about their business along the
way and use filters to source the information they need quickly and efficiently.

Property type Introducer type

Property sold by house value Number of bedrooms

To find out more and sign up please visit: stageflow.io

29

COVID

CHANGED
NOTHING

&

ACCELERATED
EVERYTHING

- is a comment I have heard many times recently in relation to property
buying and selling!
There is no question that the pandemic prompted a once-in-a-generation re-
assessment of what people want from their homes and quickened the pace of
change.
The release of pent-up demand after so many were cooped up during lockdown
resulted in the busiest ever half year for transactions in the UK, doubling the
average number recorded between 2011 and 2019, while prices recorded their
steepest annual rise for seventeen years, according to Nationwide. In particular,
homebuyers were rushing to move home to take advantage of the stamp duty
holiday before the concession began to taper off at the end of June, even
though the savings were dwarfed by the impact of price gains in some cases.
House prices have been defying wider concerns about the economy as various
government support schemes – including furlough – start to fall away.
But even those worries seem to be disappearing. The IMF suggested the UK’s
consumer-led recovery is one of the strongest of all advanced countries, and so
upgraded its forecast for growth with an expectation that the economy will
recover to pre-pandemic levels by the end of 2021.
The stamp duty saving was not the only reason behind the home buying frenzy
of early 2021. Many have changed their working arrangements and lifestyles,
arguably for good, which is contributing to different expectations about
properties.
Larger houses and flats outside cities offering enough space to work and
educate from home with good size gardens – a trend which started before the
emergence of Covid – are proving especially popular.
Prospective purchasers are spending more time looking at videos, floorplans
and photos before arranging viewings which have become more serious.
Confidence was and continues to be boosted by the easing of travel and
lockdown restrictions, record low interest rates and increased availability of
high loan-to-value mortgages.

30

First-time buyers, who are so vital to the longer-term viability of the market,
have been further attracted by loans requiring a 5% deposit on purchases up
to £600,000 as part of the government's mortgage guarantee or Help to Buy
schemes.
However, it is perhaps the shortage of homes in areas of high demand that has
been the most significant factor underpinning property prices and is still doing
so.
Some prospective sellers have been reluctant to move because of fears of
being exposed to the virus which only exacerbates the supply-demand
imbalance. Acceleration of the roll-out of the vaccine is helping to reduce
anxiety about the opening up of homes to visitors and will help to improve
availability.
Previous levels of activity were unsustainable so it was no surprise the market
paused for breath when the stamp duty concession reduced but it is not
expected to be blown off course even if there is a rise in unemployment once
the furlough job scheme finishes. On the other hand, we found many well-
motivated buyers, who were previously unable to take advantage, who could
still profit from a smaller saving until the end of September, preferring to buy
when competition was not so fierce. Low stock levels remain a problem and are
supporting prices too. The imbalance should continue even though more
people are returning to work – at least on a part-time basis.
We have seen very little sign of a price correction or sales falling through so
expect underlying demand and prices to remain solid and unlikely to unwind for
some time yet.
Mortgage approvals are still 20% above their longer-term average even though
most of those prospective purchasers have been unable to profit from the
stamp duty saving which is always a reliable lead indicator of future market
activity. The summer has not been quiet and although we are not as busy as we
were, the trajectory of the market continues upwards.

Jeremy Leaf BSc FRICS FNAEA

FARLA, Principal at Jeremy Leaf & Co.
www.jeremyleaf.co.uk
020 8446 4295

31

PRESENTS:

A GREAT VICTORY for
HOME STAGING

STAGING SUCCESS in 9 WEEKS
after 2 YEARS of MARKETING as an EMPTY PROPERTY

Despite its blue plaque status, Hudson’s Cottage in Rutland had languished
unloved and unsold on the market for almost two years and had at least
three estate agents admitting defeat. HSA members, Denise and Stephen
Cable of The Home Styling Company, explain what happened when they
were asked to stage the most famous property in the county.

32

HISTORY
and HERITAGE

Grade II listed Hudson’s Cottage carries with it a story of royalty,
celebrity and extraordinary adventure. The cottage was the birthplace
of Jeffery Hudson in 1619. Standing at only 18 inches tall Jeffery was
considered one of the wonders of the age and throughout his life
gamely took advantage of his unusual condition – becoming the
favourite court companion of the English queen, Henrietta Maria of
France.
Although the owner had developed the cottage beautifully, it was
offered for sale in an empty condition and had failed to secure a buyer
for almost two years despite being featured in the property section of
The Times newspaper – usually a guaranteed sale boost. Recognising
the dazzling power of staging, the canny agent recruited The Home
Styling Company to work their magic and elevate the interior from
uninspiring to spectacular.
“We do love a challenge and we also love a quirky and unusual
staging commission so when we were approached to stage Hudson’s
Cottage, we were intrigued and delighted,” reports Denise, an award
winning staging professional, who heads up her family run firm based
in Leicestershire.
“Hudson’s cottage had all the glorious potential to wow buyers but
before we arrived, it was bare. We carefully assessed the space,
created a bespoke plan and curated an interior to showcase the
cottage at its beautiful best. We knew that staging would help secure
a sale where all other attempts had failed.”

33

STAGING
to SELL

The Home Styling Company dressed the gorgeous Shaker
style fitted kitchen with dining furniture to show how easily
6 or more guests could dine there and the living spaces,
bedrooms and bathrooms were brought to life with stylish,
contemporary furniture, art and soft furnishings making
them not only feel larger than before but cosy, bright and
welcoming. Even the newly landscaped garden was staged
to show how easily it could be used for al fresco dining.
“As professional stagers, we always do everything we can
to make sure the property has the best chance of selling
and on this occasion we really went to town with a social
media marketing campaign. Over four thoughtfully worded
posts, we reached over 25,000 views.”

34

the
AWESOME POWER
of STAGING PROVEN

Nine weeks later and to the delight of
everyone involved, a sale was secured.
The American buyer kindly took the
trouble to contact Denise saying,
“When looking at this home for over a
year from abroad as I was, your styling
of the cottage not only made it look
loved and lived in, but it also helped
me get an accurate idea of the room
proportions. What a help it was to see
the rooms furnished so beautifully – I
can’t wait to move in.”
We were so glad to have been
involved in helping sell Hudson’s
Cottage – it was a magnificent team
effort and a great result. We know the
awesome power of staging but it’s
always great when other property
professionals acknowledge that too.

THSC is led by award-winning Interior
Stylist Denise Cable. Denise gets hands-
on with every installation and guarantees

an outstanding result for all clients.

www.thehomestylingcompany.co.uk

35

36

37

the REAL EXPERIENCE with
SIENNA INTERIORS

John Lewis & Partners Business is the dedicated trade
team that are specialists in working with companies to
support their procurement needs. Their dedicated
trade department is here to help home staging and
interiors professionals to deliver their projects with
creativity, quality, and expertise. From beds to sofas,
duvets to cutlery, their wide range will offer you
quality and value from a brand that you can trust.

John Lewis & Partners Business is a proud Ambassador of the
Home Staging Association, being the go-to brand for all
staging needs.
Several HSA members have worked with John Lewis & Partners
Business in their projects, making sure quality and style are a
priority.
We spoke with HSA Founding Member Jo Woodward of
Glasgow-based Sienna Interiors, about her experience with the
newest HSA Ambassador.
Jo Woodward has over 14 years of experience in design and is
senior Consultant, Trainer and Mentor at The House Doctor™.
Leading the Sienna Interiors team, Jo has our trusted opinion
on all things home staging, with years of incredible interior
design speciality and property analysis.
This interview further indulges you in a backstage pass into the
intricacies of working with a well-respected brand behind the
scenes, and a glimpse into what HSA members will experience
when choosing to work with John Lewis & Partners Business.

38

Home Staging Association: You have used HSA: What products did you buy, how did they
John Lewis & Partners Business for purchasing help you deliver your brief?
home products, tell us about that experience. JW: We have benefited from a wide range of
Jo Woodward: My experience has always been products, as we mainly furnish large holiday /
one of ease and satisfaction. second homes in some beautiful and rural parts
You send your order by email to the business of Scotland can make it challenging fulfilling
team and in return you will receive a proforma our clients brief with the prospect of multiple
invoice that you or your client can pay direct. deliveries and installations at various times.
Once payment is received, delivery is arranged John Lewis have a varied range of home styles
to suit. and price points to offer our clients and will
HSA: What were the reasons you chose John deliver all over the country.
Lewis versus anyone else? We have purchased larger items such as sofas,
JW: Definitely the reliable customer service beds and branded lighting to fill the linen and
and communication between myself and the kitchen cupboards.
Business associates. HSA: How important is good customer service
Having the reassurance that when an order is to you and your home staging business? Did
placed the communication and service is quick John Lewis & Partners Business live up to your
and reliable. expectations?

39

JW: Good customer service is extremely I quickly built up a good rapport with a team
important to our business. It enables us to member and he is a dream, taking the stress
keep our projects on track and keep our out of time constraint projects and filling in
clients happy. the details that we don't have time for, like
John Lewis and Partners Business have working out and ordering a list of lamps
delivered excellent service in all of our required for new lighting ordered on my last
projects with excellent communication and project.
assistance when required. As you can see, working with John Lewis has
HSA: With so much choice from suppliers did provided a wonderful customer experience
you feel that you got great value? Were you from beginning to end, according to Jo
able to benefit from any trade discounts? Woodward.
JW: On all projects you have to weigh up the As an association, the HSA prides itself in our
best value from your suppliers to create a exceptional customer service, reliability and
workable budget for your client, for example quality. Working with John Lewis & Partners
West Elm products specified for one project Business and benefiting from the customer
had a longer lead time and added delivery care, communication, and creativity that
charges ordering direct from West Elm than everyone knows and loves, is a perfect match.
ordering the same items from John Lewis & We are excited to continue building our
Partners Business. The discount offered from relationship with John Lewis & Partners
both were similar when taking into account Business, and building still further the rapport
the carriage charges and completing the between the brand and our HSA members.
project on time.
We have benefited fully from the full discount Want to take a closer look? Take a tour of
offered on all home products and lighting and the ANYDAY collection at John Lewis &
we have also added electrical items to our Partners flagship store on Oxford Street.
orders for ease of service and delivery to our Remember that HSA members benefit from
clients. a trade discount when purchasing via John
HSA: For HSA members yet to benefit from Lewis & Partners Business who are our
John Lewis & Partners Business what would Furniture Ambassadors!
you say? For further details contact
JW: There is no time like the present, have a [email protected]
look online today for your next project and or call 03456 037 979
enjoy the service they offer.

40

JOHN LEWIS & PARTNERS BUSINESS:
Top tips on how to deliver a successful project.

1: THE BRIEF
Getting the brief right is a priority for success. Don't rush opening
conversations and ask questions so you have a full understanding of your
client's expectations. This is also a great opportunity to test early ideas
and bring your knowledge and experience to the table. Always
summarise by being clear on next steps including deadlines.

2: BE BRAVE
You want to stand out from your competition so be brave and take
calculated risks. A great example is not playing it too safe with your
colour palette and employing colour as a strategic tool to influence how a
new resident feels in the property and remembers it when reflecting post
viewing.

3: WHAT NEXT?
Where possible, always look for opportunities for repeat business. This
could be booking a follow-up meeting to gain feedback (including a
testimonial!) which would be a great time to discuss what other projects
might be in the pipeline.

41

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

STAGED for a
CORRECTION in

the MARKET?

Agencies across the world have reported a create a very unstable foundation for a
significant increase in activity throughout housing market, on paper. However, contrary
the pandemic. The market has been awash to expectations, the exact opposite has
with buyers in a race for space, gardens and happened. People have spent more time at
options for working from home. It was widely home, finished projects and spent more on
predicted that the public would be tightening their property. With holidays and
their purse strings throughout the pandemic. entertainment not as accessible in previous
Markets prefer certainty, so lockdowns, travel years the average person has had disposable
restrictions and economic difficulties would monies to invest in their property options.

42

The market in the United Kingdom has As I have said so many times before, no one
arguably been artificially stimulated with a has a crystal ball and can accurately predict
very attractive stamp duty incentive; a what will happen in the future. For the time
property tax that requires a purchaser to being the housing market appears to be as
stump up a hefty sum to pay to the resilient as ever. One thing is for sure: the
government whenever purchasing a property. properties that attract the most interest are
This can range from a few thousand pounds those that are the best presented. The ones
to hundreds of thousands of pounds subject that sell the lifestyle that comes with living in
to the purchase price. The easing of this the property, not just the bricks and mortar.
property tax created a wave of purchasers
looking to capitalise on the incentive before Jonathan Handford
the deadline. Now that this incentive has
almost come to an end there are many Managing Director
economists predicting a correction of the E: [email protected]
activity in the housing market. This, however, T: +44 (0)1926 455959
isn’t being reported from the coal face by the M: (0)7813 787 474
agents. Many are seeing a shortage of new Fine & Country:
properties to the market with buyers fighting 158 Parade,
over the same property, driving prices up. Royal Leamington Spa,
Warwickshire CV32 4AE

fineandcountry.com

43

Don't make this

HOME STAGING

MISTAKE!

with KRISTIE BARNETT, the Decorologist®

Over the years, I’ve taught professional stagers how to use the
concepts of visual perception, architectural harmony, and memory
points to put the focus where it belongs – on the architectural selling
points of the home. However, many home sellers and agents make the
common mistake of unwittingly putting the focus on the furnishings
rather than the architecture. This can be a serious problem, as it is a visual
distraction for buyers and makes it difficult for them to envision themselves
living in the property.

Prior to staging, this home had been on the Professional home staging can create a more
market for six months without an offer. Pictures positive first impression and eliminate possible
always tell the story – in the photo below, you objections (before they are even formed in
may find yourself focusing on the furnishings, buyers’ minds). It should certainly direct
on the gold wall colour, on the dated light attention to the selling points of the house and
fixtures. Maybe you notice the piano or the accentuate all the positive things this home has
scrolly sconces above the fireplace. Perhaps it to offer.
feels a bit crowded and small for your busy
family life. In the photo below, after professional staging,
you likely notice the sense of space, the view
out the windows and the architecture
(hardwood floors, fireplace, millwork and
transoms).

after

before

There may be questions or objections that arise Now, there’s a sense of architectural balance
as possible buyers view this room, such as: and ease in this living room. There’s a natural
focus on the architecture – which is what we
“How do I navigate through this space?” are actually trying to sell. The room feels more
“I’m not sure our furniture will fit in this room.” expansive, the eye is drawn to the views
outside, and it’s easy to see all the positive
“Will I be able to feel at home here?” features of this space.
“I don’t know how to update this look.”
“What colour should I paint this room?”

44

beforeI know what you’re thinking – the furnishings are different, and that’s the trick!
Well, look again. This is an example of an occupied staging, rather than a vacant
staging. Since they were still living in the home when it went on the market, all ofafter
the furnishings you see were the homeowners’ existing pieces. Some items were
moved from other rooms in the home, while others were removed and stored
away. The only “new” items are the paint colour, the less obtrusive light fixtures,
and a few pillows and florals.


Here’s a before/after from a different angle:

The staged incarnation of the space increases the perception of square footage
and opens up the imagination of the buyer.
Perhaps you thought only vacant homes need to be staged. Maybe you thought
home staging always requires bringing in new furnishings. The goal of successful
staging is to market a home by highlighting its best selling points, which can be
accomplished with judicious editing, proper arrangement and expert colour
selection. Because we’re trying to sell the architectural selling points of the
property, NOT the furnishings.

45

The HOUSING Market and AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
its DIFFERENT ANGLES:

an insight from LUKE PARLE
of FINE & COUNTRY
Clifton & North Somerset

While the broad background is one of nationally, and even
globally rising property prices, there are characteristics
that remain specific to each regional market.
Housing pricing tends to vary nationwide according to population, income growth, cost
credit availability, land policy, tax policy, and many other factors. And the way each
property is marketed is also affected by each area’s profile.
With that in mind, the Home Staging Association spoke to Luke Parle, Director at Fine &
Country Clifton & North Somerset, to find out more about the current scenario and the
main differences between London, the driver of the property market in the UK, and the
new favourite countryside locations.

An interview with
LUKE PARLE

Home Staging Association: Luke, it’s such a property market in London inspired me and
pleasure to talk to you! Please introduce my business partner Mark Hunter to set up a
yourself to our readers and tell us about your luxury real estate office in North Somerset,
background and experience within the also covering Bristol – Fine & Country North
property market. Somerset.
Luke Parle: I’m Luke, a luxury real estate
agent based in Bristol and North Somerset. HSA: Tell us about Fine & Country and your
I’ve worked in real estate since 2005 and offices:
during my sixteen years, I’ve realised what I LP: Despite a global pandemic, the success
truly care about is my clients and providing of Fine & Country North Somerset has lead
them the best possible service. us to launch a second office which we’re in
My journey began in my hometown a few the process of opening in Clifton. Whilst
miles south of Bristol where I worked for the independently owned, Fine & Country is a
highest ranked estate in the town. A few global brand and network of trusted
years on I found myself selling homes in property professionals. We provide our
London with values anywhere from £250,000 clients with the local expertise, national
up to £20m. presence and an international audience.
The summer of 2019 saw my return to the
West Country where my taste of the luxury HSA: You used to work in London, where the
property market has its own peculiarities if
compared to the rest of the country. How

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was your experience working in one of the severe lack of property. Naturally this has
busiest markets in the world? pushed property prices up considerably.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA LP: I worked the London property market for HSA: Do you stage or recommend staging
AAA over a decade and looking back I see my the properties you instruct?
time there as not just an experience but an LP: Absolutely, staging can result in a
education and an inspiration. It has to be the higher price and a faster sale, however it
best place in the world to learn about the can be very difficult to convince sellers
industry due to its diversity. Not just in that this is the case. In fact, a further
architecture; London is diverse with its difference I’ve noted between London and
people which made every day different and Bristol is that more London sellers
exciting. However, 2019 saw a new addition understood the benefits of home staging,
to my family and with that the hometown was whereas is it still feels like a new concept
calling. to many Bristol sellers.

HSA: What would you say were the main HSA: How do you see things moving
characteristics of the London property forward now post-pandemic and post-
market? stamp duty holiday?
LP: There is still so much demand and a
LP: London property varied in price, size and change in people’s priorities with regards
style as much as the buyers attracted to it. to spending more time with family and
Studio flats at a quarter of a million pounds working from home has meant an increase
saw many first time buyers and investors, a in rural and semi-rural homes.
typical 4 bed semi-detached in Battersea Personally, I feel we’re in for a strong
could set a buyer back a cool £1,500,000 but, market for the foreseeable future. I doubt
truth be told, you could spend the same on very much that we’ll see the vast increase
an small apartment in Hyde Park. Many in prices that we saw at the start of 2021,
centrally-located homes and super prime but certainly a steady increase onwards
listings not advertised on the typical portals and upwards.
hit prices up to £200m.
HSA: Please share how people can connect
HSA: What were the main differences you with you.
noticed when moving to Bristol? LP: I can be contacted the old fashioned
way by phone or via email at
LP: In all honesty, there were more [email protected].
similarities than I expected. Bristol is a You can also follow me on Instagram – our
smaller and some say friendlier version of new office address in Clifton will be
London. The main difference I noticed was announced soon!
actually how approachable the people of
Bristol were in comparison to London, where @fineandcountrynorthsomerset
many people just kept their heads down.
01275 85900
HSA: The pandemic has hit us in so many
ways and regional property markets have
reacted differently as well. How is the market
performing in your area since the pandemic?

LP: Amazingly. Low mortgage rates, stamp
duty relief and pent up demand from
lockdown has lead to an incredible market in
the area. We’ve also seen a huge amount of
buyers relocating from larger cities to pursue
a life in the country now that many can work
remotely from home. The only issue is a

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