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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Front & Center: Sylvia Dunn adds the extra touch for home sales

Sylvia Dunn, of Home Staging Works, stands in her warehouse with hundreds of pieces of furniture, linens, dishes and knickknacks she uses to stage homes on Monday, Feb. 1, 2016. (Jesse Tinsley / The Spokesman-Review)
Michael Guilfoil Correspondent

One of Sylvia Dunn’s earliest jobs as a teenager was to coif other people’s show dogs for competition.

More than two decades later, she’s back in the grooming business.

This time, the object of Dunn’s attention is other people’s houses, which are competing for buyers in today’s robust real estate market.

During a recent interview, Dunn – the owner of Spokane Valley-based Home Staging Works – described how her industry has evolved, and offered advice for people preparing their homes for sale.

S-R: Where did you grow up?

Dunn: Northern California.

S-R: What interested you?

Dunn: I grew up on a farm and always wanted my own business. When I was 14, I sold organic eggs.

S-R: Any other early jobs?

Dunn: I babysat and worked at a dog kennel. In high school I worked at a Foster’s Freeze fast-food restaurant.

S-R: Did you have an idea of what career you might pursue?

Dunn: No. I kept switching goals in college, and ended up earning a business degree.

S-R: Then what?

Dunn: I worked as an assistant controller at an investment banking firm in San Francisco.

S-R: When did you get interested in design?

Dunn: When my older son was a baby and we bought a bigger house. I could always decorate, but I never had a system. So I started taking interior design classes at a nearby college.

S-R: Was there a moment that changed the direction of your life?

Dunn: A divorce. I had to return to work full time, and I didn’t want to be stuck in an office. By then I had taken more design classes and was consulting part time. When I learned about staging, I knew that was for me.

S-R: What brought you to Spokane?

Dunn: Northern California was pretty expensive for a single mom. I visited some friends who had moved here, and decided if they could do it, I could, too. So I moved up here with my two young boys, and started my staging business in 2006.

S-R: How’d it go?

Dunn: I was terrified the first couple of times I went on consultations. Every house and every client is different, and I used to be really shy. Joining BNI (Business Network International), where I had to get up in front of people and tell them what I did, helped build my confidence.

S-R: What skills learned in previous jobs transferred to your new career?

Dunn: I was managing the Foster’s Freeze by the time I was 18, and had started lots of other small businesses before I finished college. Without a management background, I might have been a great stager but still not have succeeded, because there is so much more to running a business.

S-R: How much did it cost to start Home Staging Works?

Dunn: The industry is not regulated, so all you need is a business license. I consulted for two years before buying a sectional sofa and some smaller pieces of furniture. Now I have a warehouse filled with enough furniture for 30 homes.

S-R: How long before your business gained traction?

Dunn: It took a while, because I relied on word of mouth. But my business has doubled each of the last two years. The local real estate market is very strong right now.

S-R: Did the recession have much impact on your bottom line?

Dunn: No, because staging works in every economy. In fact, it’s even more important in a weak economy, when sellers are competing harder for buyers.

S-R: Have channels like HDTV made people more aware of staging’s importance?

Dunn: Yes. And buyers have higher expectations, because homes on HDTV are immaculate. It used to be that people selling their house might have dirty clothes lying around or leave a bed unmade. You can’t do that anymore. And buyers are turned off by empty homes.

S-R: How many homes have you staged at one time?

Dunn: The most so far is 26.

S-R: Do you stage the whole house?

Dunn: No, we typically do the main living areas – living room, dining room, kitchen, bathroom, and master suite.

S-R: What’s been the biggest surprise about this career?

Dunn: That it never gets tiring. The busier it gets, the more energized I feel. I love seeing an empty home transformed into something amazing.

S-R: What do you like least about your job?

Dunn: Paperwork. I have a bookkeeper, but I still have to enter a lot of information.

S-R: Do you have a business philosophy?

Dunn: Go above and beyond people’s expectations. If I’m working on a house and need just one little thing, I’ll go get it.

S-R: What’s your schedule?

Dunn: Every day is different, but I’m always up by 4:30 or 5, and sometimes still up in the office when my kids go to bed.

S-R: Do you have competitors?

Dunn: A few, but they don’t have the wide inventory we have. We can stage any style of house, from $80,000 to one in Harrison that was $4.2 million.

S-R: Do you have a favorite home-related TV show or magazine?

Dunn: I’m always watching HDTV, looking for new ideas. “Fixer Upper” is one of my favorites. And I get magazines like Architectural Digest and House Beautiful, but I only have time to flip through them to keep up with trends.

S-R: Are there common misconceptions about your industry?

Dunn: Yes. Some people think staging is overpriced. They have no idea how much the furniture costs, or they don’t think it’s necessary. But it’s an investment. If your house is marketed right and staged well, it’s going to sell faster and for more. It’s an investment. Flippers who spend $2,000 on staging may charge $5,000 more than if the house were empty.

S-R: Should a house look staged?

Dunn: No. Some people put formal place settings on the dining room table. We’d rather put a stack of plates that suggest the owners were just getting ready for a party and walked away. Or we might leave a book open with a pair of reading glasses on top, as if someone was just sitting there and walked away. I think that’s the best kind of staging.

S-R: How has the business evolved since you started it in 2006?

Dunn: Back then, I’d tell Realtors I was a stager, and they’d say, “What’s that?” Now I get calls from agents who say, “I have a new client who wants to know who my stager is.”

S-R: What story are you trying to tell with staging?

Dunn: That if you move into this home, your lifestyle will improve. For instance, if I know the target market for a house is a family, I’ll put trophies in the kids’ rooms.

S-R: What are some other tips?

Dunn: First impressions are very important, so do whatever you can – for instance, paint the front door – to make a good first impression.

S-R: You mean like paint it red?

Dunn: No. Red might work on the right house, but most people prefer something elegant rather than outlandish that shouts for attention.

S-R: What else do you recommend?

Dunn: If the sellers are living in the home, make sure it’s clean. Empty the master closet of things you’re not using, then line up the shoes and the pretty purses, and make sure all the hangers match.

S-R: How about furniture?

Dunn: A lot of owners have way too much furniture in their house, or large-scale things that makes the house feel smaller. People want to buy square footage. On the other hand, clearing everything out to make a house look bigger leaves it with no personality.

S-R: What colors are in vogue?

Dunn: Gray is really popular right now. If a home’s walls are white and boring, hopefully the owner has some great art. And a little greenery with subtle, white flowers makes a home look a little more high-end.

S-R: Do you have a favorite item among your inventory?

Dunn: Yes – a gold and silver metal sideboard with a huge mirror that’s awesome and makes quite a statement.

S-R: Are some clients skeptical of your ideas?

Dunn: Sure. They think their home looks great, and it probably does. But it won’t appeal to a broad market.

S-R: Is there room locally for more stagers?

Dunn: Absolutely. I’m getting more into training people, but I never feel like they’re my future competition, because there’s more than enough work out there.

S-R: What sort of person is best suited for this career?

Dunn: Someone who’s flexible, because real estate is crazy. People call today wanting their home staged tomorrow so they can get it photographed and on the market.

S-R: Any changes on your horizon?

Dunn: We’re expanding into the luxury market – expensive second homes in the Coeur d’Alene area. We just returned from Las Vegas, where we bought two houses of high-end furnishings at the Furniture Mart.

S-R: Does your own home always look staged?

Dunn: No, because I have kids. (laugh)

This interview has been condensed. If you’d like to suggest a business or community leader to profile, contact Michael Guilfoil at mguilfoil@comcast.net.