My 2 cents on staging.  First, I think it's an incredible service!  It does help to sell properties, use stagers!  So, for all you stagers and designers out there, stage away.  Second, staged properties are obvious these days.  This doesn't matter so much to me because I like staged properties but it seems as though some buyers are like "AHA, this is staged!" Almost as if they "caught" us staging a property.  It's kind of funny to see.  If I was a stager my slogan would be something like "stage a lifestyle, not a property" (maybe that doesn't make sense, maybe it doesn't matter).  My point is let's try to make the property look amazing and as though someone actually lives there.  Certain staging items are becoming cliches. They still look good but are getting a bit obvious and a smidge boring.  

I'm sitting here with some of the gang at blu and here's what we think would be awesome, staging packages!  The sports package, have all sorts of old sports memorabilia like a couple of old hockey sticks in the corner, some old boxing gloves, a few jerseys in the closet, a bunch of hats on display.  Maybe the extreme sports package, don't be afraid to showcase your skate decks, your skis, your surfboads or your wetsuit.  In the name of James Bond and Skyfall maybe you want the classic package, martini shaker, a sexy dress draped on the bed, a tuxedo hanging in the closet, a cigar in an ashtray and some other shiny stuff.  Maybe you want the fashionista package, showcase a ton of shoes, have the best organized closet in the city, throw in some old Victorian furniture.  Maybe you want the rocker package with guitars on display, some red velvet, some smashed up furniture and a couple of people passed out (just a joke, that is not my true opinion of rockers, I love rockers).  The DJ package, the artist package, of course the family package and the list goes on.  I know it's not realistic for stagers to have every item under the sun.  Their warehouses are only so big and I'm sure their budgets for furniture are only so big.  I guess what I'm thinking is this; could you stage a lifestyle instead of a property?