Seeing Through the Deception of Artful Staging

Published by julia | Filed under Buyer / Seller Tips, Market Trends, Miscellaneous, Pinellas County Homes, Real Estate, Shout Outs

Staged open houses work on the same principles that the retail businesses work on, which is making the goods appears as appealing as possible.  Just as grocery stores bombard people with the smell of fresh bread, making them hungry and causing them to buy more stuff, open houses can bombard people with the appearance of space and luxury to make them spend more.  Just as retail stores set things up in front to draw in customers, open houses often have their lawns staged with lavish landscaping to draw in potential home buyers.

Everything about a home during an open house is set up to attract buyers, not show the house for the way it actually is.  If there is a leaky roof, water stains on ceilings would have been painted over.  If there has been water damage done to the walls, it may have been covered by nice wall paper.  While a realtor is required to tell you about faults if asked, the realtor may not tell you about faults without being asked.

The way the furniture is set up can also be used to make a room appear bigger than it actually is.  This use of furniture as a deceptive medium has been well documented throughout the years and is a tool of the trade when selling a smaller home.  This can lead to a sale, but may also lead to a dissatisfied customer in the end.Knowing that the open house is used to sell a house, it is important to keep the reality of the situation in mind when looking to buy a house.  Look at the numbers when determining the size of the room, rather than how big the room looks with that particular couch in the middle of it.  By comparing the numbers to the numbers of your current residence, you can determine if the space is bigger or smaller.  Check for stains or damage signs that might not have been covered with paint.  This can indicate a large and possibly expensive problem with the house.  Ask about problem with the roof and flooring.  Check to see how new the electrical system and heating systems are.

A house is often the largest investment an individual is ever going to make beyond their children.  It is important to get this investment right by asking questions and avoiding being taken in by staging techniques.