Home staging was invented in California and a public relations firm there has now made it truly a staged production. According to the NY Times article, “Model Homes and Model ‘Families’“, the model home in a real estate development in Santa Clarita features a family living in the home. Well, they aren’t actually a family. They’re professional actors who show buyers the potential lifestyle that awaits them in the development.
“As shoppers stepped through the front door of the largest model home, a barefoot affable man in his 30′s shouted hello from the kitchen and offered juice to the buyers’ children. His “wife” — slim, blonde and agreeable — pressed them to try some fresh-baked cookies. Their “children,” 12 and 14, offered to show the visitors their rooms. A birthday card was propped on the mantel, and a chocolate layer cake with blown-out candles sat on the speckled granite countertop.”
Leave it to the folks in California to take home staging to the extreme! 
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Fran Bailey shows, previews and tracks downtown Chicago homes for sale giving her the insights needed to help her clients negotiate the best price and terms. Fran has been quoted in numerous Chicago and national publications. To schedule showings of listings regardless of broker or to contact Fran email her at fran.bailey@bairdwarner.com or call 773.793.4516. Learn More
Fran Bailey, Realtor
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
There’s something very creepy about this – in a Stepford Wives sort of way. Any indication (or thoughts from your perspective) as to whether it works?
Eww. There’s something extra creepy about that kind of marketing. I think it would make me mad if someone tried to sell me a house that way. It seems kind of Truman Show-like.
This also made me think about the Stepford Wives and I think the Truman Show is another good analogy.
For buyers who aren’t the traditional family with children or came from one that was disfunctional, I could see this backfiring. Buyers need to be able to visualize themselves living in a home. For buyers who are or aspire to be such a family, this might be a draw.
As with home staging, if this is adopted in the midwest, I expect it will be years after it is adopted on the coasts.
People will remember it as they do many commercials, more than the actual product being sold. Perhaps the buzz created will draw a few more buyers It will be interesting to see!
My experience is that buyers like to be able to wander around a home without anyone (including actors) watching them.
Do you think the “family” got SAG cards as part of the deal?
Yes it’s not something i’d like to see.
Very offputing imho.
I love stagging and find it a lot of fun. We all know its make beleive. Theres a builder locally that does this with photos of the people whom are living in the home. One is a single woman. Another a single man. And theres the grandparents. I have a ball looking for the small touches that creat the story. (hot tub and martinis for the bachelor, pink goofy poodle stuff for the single woman, extra room for the grand kids with bunk bed and games) I think stepford wives is the ideal and many builders know that there are so many variations on the family its not in their best interest to portray that now days. But buyers need to be able to see how to live in a space. Not everyone has the vision or intelect.