If you’re sitting down with a stack of photos after a home staging consultation, struggling over the report you’re 
preparing for the homeowners you are really wasting your time.
Unless…
- You just love doing paperwork
- You enjoy knowing you have a lengthy report to complete before moving on to the next client
- You’re getting paid extra to write it
In my opinion, this practice is a pure waste of time…valuable time you should be using marketing your business and getting more paying clients! Preparing staging consultation reports is one of the many contributing factors to new home stagers going out of business.
Staging Diva Students learn in Course 3 “Taking the Mystery Out of Home Staging Consultations” to not do home staging reports unless all of the above conditions are true. Most often they aren’t. Unfortunately, other home staging training companies (and a certain “dummies” guide) have perpetuated this notion that home staging consultation reports are necessary.
By now, you’re probably thinking, “But everyone else does them!” Actually NOT everyone does.
I’ve staged hundreds of homes over 7 years and there are thousands of Staging Diva Graduates out there who have been following my advice for 5 years and they don’t prepare reports either.
There are a couple of reasons why doing home staging consultation reports isn’t a good use of your time.
- It’s often hours of extra work you’re not getting paid for
- If you’re services are priced properly, you’re losing hundreds of dollars with each report you write
- The client may never actually look at it
- You’re giving yourself something else to fret over
- Clients don’t want to read a great big report. They just want their house staged so it will sell faster for more money.
Home stagers, can you give me any reasons why preparing lengthy consultation reports is actually a good idea? Or if you used to do them and gave them up, tell us how you came to that decision. If you still do them, do you love it or have you found it an obligation that always feels like it’s hanging over your head?
Please comment with your own opinion and let’s discuss!
Debra Gould, The Staging Diva®
President, Six Elements Inc. Home Staging
Debra Gould knows how to make money as a home stager and she developed the Staging Diva Home Staging Business Training Program to teach others how to earn a living doing something they love.
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{ 30 comments… read them below or add one }
Debra, I’m so gald you brought this up. I HATE writing out home staging reports and I don’t care to write any more of them. They take too long and are pretty boring to put together. I plan to price the writing of a report high enough to deter any future requests for it.
Thanks for bringing this up. I’d like to know your thoughts (in another blog post perhaps) on how much information you’d be willing to give when quoting for a vacant home in need of furniture rental. I had a client this week who requested photos of the actual furniture that would be installed in his $3.5 million investment property before agreeing to installation.
Hi Debra,
Like Donna, I’m really glad you brought this topic up.
I started off writing detailed reports and am getting very tired of writing them too. I don’t want to do them anymore and like Donna, I was going to price the writing of a report separately and high enough to try and deter the client from wanting to get them. My only concern with that was that it would deter them from hiring me as their home stager.
From the consultations I have done so far (about 7 in 3 1/2 months of starting my home staging business), almost each customer has asked me for a report. I’m not sure if it’s because in Australia, home staging seems to still be a relatively new concept or because the clents seem to expect something in return for my consultation. Or, it could also simply because I am the culprit who has stated that I include the report in my consultation.
I’m very interested to hear your thoughts and other people’s comments on this topic. I’d also really love to hear what other home stagers do or don’t do on this topic of report writing.
Debra, I couldn’t resist responding to this one. This is what I do. I bring a template report with me to the consultation. It’s a typewritten piece so it looks professional. It starts out with some bullet points on why you should stage, e.g., first impressions, 90% of people start looking online etc.
Then there are sections for each room, with a typewritten intro and 10 blank lines. The intro will state something like bathrooms should be clean as a whistle, no personal toiletries, etc.
I bring two copies of the template report with me and put a sheet of carbon paper in between. I then write in my comments on the blank lines for each room, and keep the carbon copy for myself in case they ask questions of me after the consultation or want me to implement my recommendations.
Because I’m writing this up while I’m there, I am getting paid for my time. I once had a client who wanted it typed up and I charged him for my time to do this.
The only way you should be typing up reports after you leave is if you’ve built compensation for your time into the price you charge for the consultation. And I wouldn’t include pictures of their house since this is time consuming to upload and insert them and they already know what their house looks like.
Donna, in response to your question regarding providing pictures of the furniture you would use when giving a vacant staging estimate, this is what I do. I have always thought it was important to provide pictures of the furniture I would use to the client because they need to see the quality and style of the furniture before making a decision to stage or hire me. So I provide pictures of SOME of the furniture I MIGHT use, and I state such in the proposal. I would never provide pictures of every piece of furniture. Then they can take this and go out shopping themselves, or worse, order it themselves from the furniture rental company.
One last thing on the consultation reports. I charge for my consults by the hour. So if it takes me 2 hours or 4 hours, I am getting paid. Some stagers charge a flat fee for a consultation. This is a mistake, because you never know what you are going to encounter when you get there. And as Debra teaches in her courses, what if the homeowner is distracted by her children and the minutes are ticking away? Why should you be standing there wasting your time and not getting paid for these interruptions?
I don’t type up staging reports… I don’t even bring the topic up. To be frank, I spent my years in an office job pushing paperwork and writing reports, and I certainly don’t want to do it anymore. I left that office job so I could work in a more active creative way, and it’s the “action” part of my work which I market during the consult.
If a client mentions the “R” word, I immediately change gears and lead our conversation in a call-to-action direction. I say, “I’m a far better home stager than typist, so why don’t I give you a quick sample of what I can do!” Then (with their permission) I quickly stage a space in their home. This technique really gets the ball rolling! My client gets a taste of instant gratification and sees how effectively I work, even on the fly. This approach has produced lots of hands-on staging hours for me, and that’s what I got into this business for in the first place… To roll up my sleeves and get down to the actual work that I’m good at. If I wanted to sit and type at a computer all day I would have stayed at that darn office job!
Thanks Lorraine, Donna, Donna D. and Leah for your comments! This is great stuff and I know it will help other stagers.
I think it really comes down to how you shape the expectations for your clients and how you explain what’s in it for them by working the way you do.
If you make it sound like not getting a typed report is a downside (or something they should have expected), then they’ll look at it that way. Of course you wouldn’t say, “I don’t do typed reports, take your own notes.”
Instead explain how you work and why that’s a benefit to them. Leah has given a great example of how she does that. Donna D. has also given a great idea of a less time-consuming way to do a report (if you still feel compelled to do one), and make sure it’s part of the time you’re already getting paid for instead of something you have to go home and do after the fact and once you’re “meter” is no longer running.
Keep those thoughts coming stagers. This is a great discussion! I appreciate your contributions.
Fantastic topic! I have had great success with verbal consults. As a written report would cost more…. most of my clients have been very willing to take notes. Some will argue that the client may not follow direction. Either way, they are reading notes and checking off list items one by one. We always follow up with a fine tune appointment. This way we can unsure that the suggestions have been implemented by the client. Again, success stories! This practice shows results to the client and works in our business!
Gina Metzger, ASP, Inside Out Home Staging and Redesign Inc, Suburban, Chicago, IL
I agree with all of Debra’s points. Even tho I am one of her grads, I can honestly say this is not a biased comment, as I really cannot recall whether she discouraged writing reports or not – oops!!!
I make notes during consultation, take before shots & then send the client a summary of our “walk & talk” with some of the photos. Having an Apple laptop, I easily download my photos, can add letterhead or stationary of my choice. I keep it short & in check-list form so the client can refer to it & check off what they can do, what they want me to do and/or my contractors to do.
I believe in the K.I.S.S. principle!!
Sharon Charboneau, upstaging homes on the Sunshine Coast of BC
I’ll be honest, we definitely still do reports for clients. We have on our website, the option of either having a consult with a walk through or a consult with a written report. We hate writing them too and have devised a template so that many of the generic things are already included in the report. In the year we have had the two options for consults not one client has opted just for the walk through. They want the reports – they want to be able to absorb all the recommendations we have discussed with them during the consult. Many times as we walk through, our clients start getting that glazed look in their eyes after awhile and they stop listening to our suggestions so having the report is excellent as it will help them with what they inevitably missed.
Right now we are working on a template for the consult which we can fill out during our time at the client’s home. We are going to have a copy we give to the client and one we keep in their file in the event they want us to stage their home.
Many times if we get clients who opt to not read the report at all, these are the ones who would have never staged at all anyhow. I can always tell simply by talking to the client what they want in terms of level of staging service. For those who want help, I do some hands on stuff during the consult and then discuss options so that I already have a good idea of what they will need. Once I ascertain what they want, I send a quote along with the report so that they have both at the same time. Its extra time for me but its paid off big time for us getting jobs.
I’m curious how stagers who don’t do reports handle DIY clients or clients who want to do some of the stuff themselves. Do you have the clients write down the recommendations? If you are hired to stage, how do you ensure they remember to do their ‘homework’ so you aren’t running around on the day of staging doing the things the clients should have done to prepare the home? That would definitely be a waste of valuable staging time.
I used to type up reports when I first started my business, but I took Debra’s Staging Diva training to try and get fresh and new ideas for my business…and indeed this was one thing I was very excited about NOT doing! I bring a pre-printed room-by-room blank form with me and if I am doing the staging, I fill it out; if the client is a do-it-yourselfer, they fill it out. The easiest way to explain that to them (why they would do the writing and not me) is because they understand their own words and instruction better than what I might write. I have only once had someone not want to do it themselves. Plus, this gives me the ability to not interrupt my “creative juices” by stopping to write instructions. If I remember right, this was also in Debra’s course
I usually am doing some actual staging while they are catching up with my instruction they are writing and that way no one is wasting any time and the client gets more from me than just my notes.
Heather, During the last 20 minutes of my consults I sit down with my clients and help them create a short bullet list of the top prep-projects (homework) that I feel are in their best interests to do. This list is about focusing my client’s efforts on the specific tasks that will make the most significant difference in the actual sale of their home. IE: painting, updating fixtures, clearing clutter, reducing, repairs, etc. Next, we discuss how much time they may need to complete their chosen projects, and how I can be a support to those efforts. IE: choosing their colors, shopping for them, lining up trade referrals to help. While the client’s prep-projects are underway, I regularly check-in to cheer them on and congratulate them on their accomplishments.
Once all their ‘homework’ is done, I go back to the house (with any purchased accessories) and do my final staging.
Ideally, I’m the first one in and the last one out. After I’m gone, call an agent, price it, list it, and sell it!
Prior to Staging Diva training, I thought I had to write reports. Like Leah, I found that the higher I went in business, the more writing I had to do. I was a computer programmer who enjoyed writing code, not specifications, documentation and emails. Therefore, I do not write reports unless requested or required. (I do charge for this service.)
The majority of my stagings are 2-4 hour “working” consultations. A lot of “DIYs”. I tell my clients everything they can do in that time. We are hands-on as much as we can, then the home owners finish the work over the next few days or weeks.
I have found that when clients are paying $4-600 for advice they are invested, and implement the recommendations, whether it is written down or not.
I had a 70 year old client last fall who took no notes during a 3-hour consultation. He implemented all my advice and his home sold in one week. I wish my memory was that good!
Before the consultation, when I’m explaining the process, I also make sure my clients know that taking their own notes will save them money. If I am to write the notes, the meeting would take longer, and since I bill by the hour, this is the most cost effective method for them. Another great selling point, which they like a lot.
Writing their own notes also keeps them engaged in the process as they have to understand the recommendation in order to write it down.
I’ll share my secret – and I didn’t realize I did this for a while. Don’t take out your notepad. Bring one, but don’t take it out at the beginning of the meeting. After starting the consult, you might say, “Do you want to write this down?” Most often, they will initiate with, “I better write this down”. In three years, I’ve only done one written report, required for a client setting up a work day for 26 volunteers.
It is a struggle not to write reports. I battled it with my first client. I even typed up all my thoughts, and after a mental struggle, did NOT send it. When I arrived back for the final staging, they had done everything suggested – even a bit more! A great lesson for me. This showed me that they were completely capable of doing the work without my report. The home sold in one week after being on the market 5 months.
I feel that NOT writing reports makes Staging Diva grads unique and stand out from the competition. It allows us to give advice faster and more efficiently. Clients can start their tasks the minute we’re out the door. No waiting.
Even if other stagers do written reports, it doesn’t mean we have to. Besides, my mom always told me, never do something just because everyone else does it.
I’ve had a few clients who have said, “Wait! Let me get something to write on,” as I began to show them what needed cleaning, decluttering, fixing, etc. so I could stage their homes to earn them maximize ROI. None of them expected me to go home and work off the clock for them. Further, my clients frequently remark about how helpful it is when I tell them which projects they had been entertaining not to bother with, such as new recessed lighting where there was none, (I brought in lamps) or attempting to “refinish” stately wide plank hardwood floors that were well worn and separating here and there, but had a 100-year-old patina to them. Priceless.
One hundred percent of the time, my clients have done what I’ve asked them to do. Sometimes I had to explain why, but then lightbulbs went off and they did my bidding.
After 30 years as a college writing instructor and countless hours reading student essays, making suggestions the students frequently never bothered to read let alone reflect, I believe my time is of the essence. If staging clients want to sell and called me in, they understand they are paying for my time and professional expertise…I’ll say it again, as they would for a lawyer’s time and expertise.
It’s interesting to read how other stagers do consultations. As I said in an earlier comment, I write up what needs to be done while I’m there and get paid by the hour.
I think I don’t do verbal consultations because I find it necessary for me to spend time in each room ALONE, rather than me felling pressured as the homeowner waits with baited breath for me to say something. My time alone allows me to really take in the room and write down my comments. Then when I am done with each room, I walk the homeowner through the report and literally, through each room, and provide my comments verbally.
This week a received a call from a past “consult” client. I did her home staging consult in May 2008, and now that the market is perking up she is ready to list her house. She has done all the prep work we discussed back in 2008 and wants me to come next week to stage each room. What I find rather interesting about this is I remember everything about her house from memory! The layout, the color, the furniture, the artwork, everything! This boggles me because I can’t remember to pick up milk when we’re out, but I can remember the color of a client’s comforter from 3 years ago!
I rarely take notes for myself during a consult. I think it’s because I’m too “in the moment” and when I leave, the rooms replay in my mind for days. I continue to mentally prepare the rooms in my head long after I’ve left the appointment. I’ve come to trust this little gift I have, so when I’m at a loss for a solution during a consult I tell my clients not to worry… Within a day or two I’ll stop dead in my tracks wherever I may be and shout, “That’s it! I’ve got it!”
As I’ve said, I don’t do written reports (unless I’m staging for an out of town client and I just want to keep them advised of what I’m doing since they’re not there to see it. But that’s a topic for another day).
I’ve left clients with as much as 15 pages of notes, that they’ve taken while I went through their home because they wanted to do the work themselves.
I’ve also gone back and seen that they follow instructions. It comes down to how motivated they are and how much they value what you’ve told them. Because my clients pay a lot of money for my time, they really listen. If they don’t it’s their loss.
CarolAnne, Congratulations for following that process and saving yourself a ton of unpaid “homework”. It is exactly what you learned in course 3 and I’m glad it’s working for you.
Leah, that’s what works for me too!
Susan, you’ve summed it up beautifully! And you’re right, when you charge more for your services, you have clients who value what you have to say and will follow your instructions as closely as possible.
Leah, I too can remember the smallest details of a client’s home years later. It’s a crazy skill we have but we’ve found the perfect career to make use of it.
Donna, needing the alone time makes sense. I’ve had homes like that too. Although I have found if a client is writing they aren’t talking, which makes it easier for me to concentrate even if they’re there with me.
Patricia, I think we’re all guilty of having reports and documents to read that just keep getting buried under a pile of mail (be it the real kind or the virtual variety). I suspect in many cases that’s where a home staging report will end up. It would be interesting for the people who write them to follow up with clients later to find out how much they went by the report versus by memory if they had things to do.
Personally, I was sick of paper work from my previous career as a Marketing Consultant, when I used to write tons of reports. That’s why I developed a way to do it differently in my staging business.
Gosh, these comments really got me thinking but I’m not ready to give up the report writing yet. One of the reasons I do it is for the realtor who usually pays for the consultation. They like to know what advice I’ve given their seller, especially (I think) when they are using me for the first time. If the seller does not follow through with the recommendations, at least they know what I told them and see that it was clearly communicated.
For the seller, someimes the recommendations can be a bit overwhelming, With a detailed check list before them, they can sit down and stratagize on a plan of attack. People love check lists and the prospect of checking off all those little boxes can be motivating! Also, if they simply cannot do everything on the list because of financial or physical limitations, they can refer to the top priorities I list at the end of the report.
I add a lot of value in the report by providing trusted referrals for specific jobs they need to have done. I also insert pictures of appropriate light fixtures or inspiration for other recommendations. For example, one house had
a very bland, one dimentional exterior so I poped in a picture of a similar house with window boxes exploding in color and the google link to how to install them. Sometimes people can be totally bewildered by a simple suggestion for which they have no clue how to implement. I really hate it when I get to the consultation and upon the realtors advice, the sellers have already installed brand new chandeliers in the wrong finish and style and have hung it 12 inches from the ceiling!
Debra, I do appreciate your advice on this and I am wondering if I have made wrong assumptions about what realtors and the sellers really do want so I’m going to talk this over with some of my clients. Thanks!
I completely appreciate all the comments here – this has been a subject which we have been discussing changing for quite some time. Initially, even though we knew through Debra’s teaching that we could get away without doing reports – we kept getting asked for them. Well, because we are so busy, its time to change this and all you ladies have inspired me!
I agree – I do not think you get compensated financially for the time it takes to prepare a professional home staging report. In the future, I plan to write down my suggestions on a template during the home staging consultationa and give it to the client. The only problem – not having a copy for my records. Any suggestions? Perhaps putting carbon paper under the report while you’re writing is the answer?
What a great discussion! I’ve read all the comments w/much interest and learned a lot from them. Writing reports is not my favorite thing to do either, so I don’t do it! I try to discuss the things that need to be done as we go through the house together and encourage them to write it down. Since they are usually motivated to get their house sold; and since they see me as the “expert” they are willing to do most of what is discussed.
I agree that they will take their own notes, decide what needs to be done and do it. If they need my help, I’m there to go beyond the consultation. I also do a lot more of the vacant home staging. For this I usually do an estimate for new clients and the old ones just tell me to go ahead and get it done. So that eliminates a lot of report-writing!
In the 4 years of my business, I have never done hand written consultations. When I first arrive at the clients home, I explain the process we are about to begin and suggest they take notes. Often cliients are already prepared because this was discussed in our initial phone conversation. I feel our time is much to valuable. I use my hands to move a few items and show my work. Our job is all visual so why waste time writing. I often make notes for myself to reference at a later time. Clients are often amazed at how much I can remember about their house. But it’s a job we enjoy and it comes natural.
Thanks Debra !!!! Another great discussion.
An Eye 4 Change Home Staging, Nashville, TN.
This is the BEST discussion ever! I too, was frustrated with the extra work (off the clock). I love the idea of a template with bullet points, some hard rules already denoted! I am going to put this in action along with the suggestion that the home owner make their own notes.
Thanks, Ladies!
Deb @ A Good Start – I use carbon paper between sheets. Works great because I bring home with me a copy of the report I write up on a typewritten template in case they have questions or want me to do any of the work I’ve recommended. I find this works best for me rather than asking clients to take notes. But I go over everything verbally with the client.
I really love that you guys are sharing ideas here! That’s terrific. Thank you all for your contributions.
Hi Donna – thanks for your suggestions – sounds like great ideas that I’ll try too!
I am totally floor at the amount of support I feel as I read through the plethora of response about report writing and note taking. Since I am new to the Staging world, I will follow Debra’s advice and recommend the seller to take notes if the want to tackle the work themselves. However if I’m sourcing the solutions I think it is only practical to have a check list and template to refer to and I love Donna’s idea of making a carbon copy (while there of course) and giving it to them for ease of mind and reference. I “feel” my way through it, thanks ladys and gents…
Wynette