The house that is our competition has been reduced $35,000. In my books that mean the realtor has lost $1050 in commissions. Wouldn't it have been cheaper and smarter to pay for a consultation with a stager?
The presentation of rooms is so important. Little things mean a lot. Fresh color on the walls. Bold colors in the rooms and the correct placement of furniture.
We can call it de-cluttering, re-designing or staging. What matters is that it's done.
Marianne and I finished staging a home this past week. The sellers know when they put it on the market that they wanted it sold.
They wanted to purchase a new home then put the old one on the market. The did not want to be living in it while is was on the market.
We realize that not everyone can do this esp. in this economy. They are lucky and smart.
I started working with them last June so they had the time to do all of my little "honey do" projects.
They painted and cleaned and tweaked here and there.
Yellow paint is now gone. Bed direction is changed.
Draperies are open and clutter removed.
We used their furniture and used our bedding and extras.
This is what their small bedroom looks like now. This will be their MLS photo
This is one of their competitions MLS photo.
This is the 2nd bedroom in the house we just staged.
Before
After
The walls were painted. It's difficult to see with the afternoon sun streaming in.
Exercise equipment was removed and the bed was moved to another wall.
Our competition MLS photo and they have just reduced their price by $35,000 and are going for a short sale.
I know that if they had called in a stager first the house would have sold and they wouldn't be in this short sale situation.
What do you think??
Our living room before
After. The walls were painted. The couch from the FR was moved to the LR and slip covered.
Competition Living Room
Why aren't the realtors working with a stager to have the homes sell faster and for more money?
Sellers. Don't wait for your agent to bring up staging. Call a stager today
Stage-Show-Sell, offers affordable home staging solutions in the Birmingham - Bloomfield and surrounding areas in getting your home ready for the market. We service both home sellers and realtors. We have the experience, our own rental furniture and accessories to stage many homes. We specialize in Estate work. The house can be put into our hands for the whole process of getting the house on the market
Can you add pics of the house that you worked with before the changes?
Great point! By the way...your staging looks great.
Are these similarly priced homes? The contrast is enormous between the living room you staged and the sad, depressing looking living room of the competition. I hear your frustration and agree whole heartedly.
Virginia, great job on the staging. By the way, you should come up with another description for "the competition" because they really are not any competition to your staged home.
~ Lin
Yours looks modern and updated and the comp looks old and outdated. It's unfortunate that the comp is going into a short sale situation, it brings the other houses down too. When will sellers realize they will more than return their investment when they can get the buyer's eyes perspective of their home before it gets listed! Home Staging consults are the best bang for your buck!
Virginia- Not only did you do a great job with your Staging but you made your point in your post with your use of the other listing's MLS photos. I'd love to see the "Before" photos of your house.
The other listing looks terrible....by any standards but up against your staging....OMG!!!
The other listing looks terrible....by any standards but up against your staging....OMG!!!
The other listing looks terrible....by any standards but up against your staging....OMG!!!
I will just say "Ditto to Lin Wetzel's comment!!!"
Shanna, I added the before photos. Thanks for the suggestion
Kathy, I agree with the other listing. Marianne and I teamed up on this staging job.
P.S., I make her do most of the work :-)
Wanda, Thanks. We really appreciate it
Lin and Cathy, They are our competition on the MLS. It's a shame what happening to the prices here. Short sales and foreclosures are every where. The seller is aware and is pricing well.
Sally, I'm happy that the 'competition is not staged. That should help the seller of this home. His gain.
Next post will be the baths and master bedroom. I've found other homes in the same price range that will knock your socks off.
"P.S., I make her do most of the work :-) "
Haha! I just do the actual "staging". YOU get all the prep done, which is just as important!
Virginia - Great comparison! Hopefully, realtors in your area will see the staging connection after your staged home sells!
Marianne, you bet I do most of the work :-) Coaching sellers to paint, wash windows, replace glass that's fogged over, change knobs that don't work, update bathroom mirrors, have carpets cleaned and then clean the whole house like their mother-in-law is coming over for the white glove treatment.
Then I pack my car 6 times with items to stage with and put them in the rooms that I think they belong in, blow up the beds, move frames to where they belong, make the beds ...only to have you grab my bedding and move it to another room :-) What an interesting team we make.
Very interesting "Show and Tell" to share with Realtors. Thanks, Virginia - Julie
That's why you make the big bucks!
LOVE what you did to the place!! Especially the bedroom with the yellow walls! Love the open windows!
Carla, thank you. I truly loved the transformation. The seller was amazed that this was his home