September Edition- From Empty Rooms to Big Lessons: My First Year in Home Staging
The Maley House Collective Newsletter
September Edition
From Empty Rooms to Big Lessons: My First Year in Home Staging
Hello, friends of the Collective,
ONE YEAR IN
My first year in the home staging business has been a rewarding learning experience filled with both challenges and growth. I’ve learned that success is about more than creating beautiful spaces, it’s about understanding each client’s vision, staying organized, and paying attention to the small details that make a home feel inviting. I’ve also learned the importance of flexibility, strong communication, and building relationships with real estate agents, homeowners, and other professionals. Most importantly, this first year has taught me to trust my creativity, learn from every experience, and continue improving with each project. I’m excited to take everything I’ve learned and use it to build an even stronger business in the years ahead.
The other thing a year teaches you is who showed up. The agents who took a chance on a brand new company with no portfolio. The sellers who handed us their keys. The friends who gave me a pep talk when I needed it. The family members who were unpaid employees that built and moved furniture. The people that recommended me without hesitation. Thank you does not really cover it, but thank you.
ONE HOUSE, THEN THE NEXT
We staged a home for a couple, It went on the market and it was under contract in a week, fifteen thousand dollars over asking. That is the part everybody wants to hear, and it is a good part.
Here is the part I like better. They called us back. Not to sell anything this time, but to help them style the new house, the whole thing, room by room. Somebody let us into the most stressful month of their life and then invited us back in for the calm part. I am not sure there is a better thing that can happen to a one year old company.
QUESTIONS WE GET ASKED ABOUT HOME STAGING
Does home staging actually help a house sell faster?
In our experience it does, and the clearest case we have is a home in Ada that sat on the market for three months. We staged it and it was under contract in about ten days at the same asking price. Nothing about the house changed except how it was being shown. A house that sits is not always a price problem, and a price reduction is the expensive way to find that out.
Should a vacant house be staged?
Yes, and vacant homes usually need it the most. An empty room does not read as bigger, it reads as cold, because a buyer has nothing to measure against. They cannot tell whether their sectional fits or where a Christmas tree would go. Empty houses also photograph flat, which matters more than it used to, since most buyers have already toured the home on a phone before they ever pull into the driveway.
What does home staging cost in West Michigan?
We offer a $450 design consultation, which includes an in-home walkthrough, personalized recommendations, and a design plan tailored specifically to your space and goals.
For home staging, we provide a customized quote following an in-person walkthrough. This allows us to better understand your goals, assess the space, and determine how many rooms you’d like to have staged.
As a general guideline, staging typically ranges from $1,800–$3,500, depending on the scope of the project.
Do I have to move the furniture myself?
No. We are full service. We bring everything, we place it, and we come back and take it down when the listing closes or the season ends. You do not carry a bin, rent a truck, or store anything in your garage. This is the part sellers are usually most relieved to hear, because the real objection to staging is almost never the idea of staging. It is the fear of one more project.
Should I stage before or after a price reduction?
Before. A price drop tells the market something is wrong with the house. Staging tells the market something is right with it. The order you do those two things in changes the story a buyer walks in with, and once you have reduced, you cannot un-reduce.
Do you stage vacation rentals and short term rentals?
Yes. Styling a rental is a different job than staging a listing, because the room has to survive guests and still photograph well enough to get booked. We work on rentals up and down the Lake Michigan shoreline, including South Haven, Saugatuck, and Grand Haven.
Let's Work Together
Whether you are preparing a listing, getting a short-term rental ready to host guests, or dreaming up your next project, we would love to hear from you. Reach out anytime to talk staging, availability, or to simply say hello.
With love from our home to yours, Jill The Maley House Collective
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