Real Producers Partner Spotlight

SHOWHOMES HOME STAGING
The Next Stage in Home Sales

Article by Robbyn Moore
Photos by Jermaine Buie with Perfect Light, LLC

Statistics have shown that staged homes sell faster, bring
higher offers and create happier sellers. 
Home staging also brings a home to life and can be the key to creating
an emotional connection in a potential buyer. 
For 35 years, the experts at Showhomes Home Staging have pioneered the
home staging industry by partnering with real estate agents and offering
solutions to better show and, ultimately, sell a home.

They began their business in 1986 with the concept of
transforming vacant houses – often seen by buyers as stale, lifeless and
unappealing – into fully furnished, inviting, valued show homes.  Now in their third decade of service, they
continue to be a leader in this fast-growing industry and are known as America’s
premier home staging service from coast to coast.

“We are essentially a one-stop shop,” Renee Douglas,
Showhomes Home Staging – Northville owner, said.  “Staging a home by a professional stager is
the most cost-effective way to refresh your home.  We help with decorating trends, furniture
placement, color choices, home improvements, decluttering, painting, and minor
repairs – everything to get a home ready to sell.  Essentially, we take the responsibility off
the real estate agent and homeowner, and ensure the necessary details are
managed in a timely, professional manner.”

Because most buyers are looking for a move-in-ready house
with an on-trend appearance, Showhomes provides customized staging solutions
tailored to each home.  “Options include
design and decorating, whole house or partial home stagings and restyles,” Renee
explained.  “To appeal to the broadest base
of buyers and to increase the value of your home, a few changes can provide the
greatest return on investment.”

Showhomes also has a unique home manager program where they
will stage a vacant home and bring in one of their home managers to live in the
home while it is for sale.  They maintain
the home, cover the utility costs and ensure that it is “show ready” while also
offering peace of mind that the home is safely guarded.  “This is a perfect program for larger-priced
homes that could take a while to sell,” Renee said.  “No one likes to walk into a cold,
musty-smelling home after it has been on the market for a while or walk up a driveway
that has six inches of snow on it – the home manager program solves those
problems!”

“Sellers tend to stage their home after it has sat on the
market for a while and needs attention or a refresh,” Renee said.  “However, the ideal time to stage a home is
before it goes on the market.  We want real
estate professionals to think of us in the beginning stages, not after 40 days
on the market.  It’s important to get a
home in the best possible shape before it’s listed.  Even a few minor changes can make the seller
a lot more money.”

Renee added, “We are more than a service.  We are a partner to real estate agents and
their business.  There is nothing better
than putting together a great plan and then having an exciting reveal to a homeowner.  When we see the happy look on their face, we
know we did our job.”

When COVID-19 shut down businesses, Showhomes showed their
resilience and thought outside the box.  “We
had to do everything possible to make sure our customers and employees felt
safe,” Renee recalled.  “With an
increased amount of time families were spending at home, we saw a surge in
investments and renovations in home offices and everyday living spaces.  As a result, we have been doing more design
and furniture sales than ever before.”

Showhomes is a national franchised based in Nashville,
Tennessee, with over 50 locations throughout the U.S.  The company has broad experience in real
estate, design, customer service and franchise operations.  They’re dedicated to bringing unparalleled
expertise, responsiveness, professionalism and results.  They have been honored with multiple Top 50
Franchise Satisfaction Awards from the Franchise Business Review and featured
on the TODAY show, HGTV and the Travel Channel. 
For more information, visit showhomes.com/northville.