STAGING HOME AND DESIGN BLOG
My partner and I were called this week to do a consultation on a listing, by a realtor who had never used our services before. This realtor had never used a home stager but after viewing our website and viewing some of our brochures left at his office, had decided to call us.
We arrived at the property - well drove right past it because the sign was buried in the snow and what was showing, was plastered with more snow. One of the first things we did was use our car brushes and clear off the sign so it was at least obvious the home was for sale.
We arrived at the property - well drove right past it because the sign was buried in the snow and what was showing, was plastered with more snow. One of the first things we did was use our car brushes and clear off the sign so it was at least obvious the home was for sale.
My partner and I were called this week to do a consultation on a listing, by a realtor who had never used our services before. This realtor had never used a home stager but after viewing our website and viewing some of our brochures left at his office, had decided to call us.
We arrived at the property - well drove right past it because the sign was buried in the snow and what was showing, was plastered with more snow. One of the first things we did was use our car brushes and clear off the sign so it was at least obvious the home was for sale.
The realtor was charming - my partner would say "yummy" with a great voice and lots of enthusiasm for staging. We found out during the course of conversation that the realtor felt he had been too lenient on the sellers - not really putting his foot down about getting repairs done, about insisting that cleaning and de-cluttering be done.
Our first impressions were that it was a good sized house on a great lot. The area was prime and the house had certainly been shown enough to get at least one offer - it had had 40 showings in just under two months. Not one offer however and we quickly discerned why that was.
First - the overwhelming amount of personal items - from an amazing amount of personal phots on almost every wall in every room. Cut outs of cats, fake ivy draped everywhere, furniture awkwardly arranged throughout the house and a complete mix of decorating styles. It was very overwhelming to look at. In addition, the carpeting in the living room and up the stairs throughout the upper level was dusty rose. The paint colour, which was quite neutral, had pink undertones so the overall effect was of pink - everywhere.
Feedback on the home indicated that most buyers felt the home was too dated and too small for the price point - and too much work. This is something we address with so many sellers - making sure rooms have "just enough" furniture and that the overall decor is neutral without overwhelming tones of any color. Buyers will pay more for a home which doesn't require that they rip out all the carpets and have to paint every room. We know eventually they *will* paint, however most don't want to have the pressure of doing so right when they move in.
The final sticking point was the basement. With walls crowded with personal photos, and an open area with furniture spread around the edges and no discernable purpose to the room - buyers would end up being totally confused and overwhelmed by the space. Its never good to leave it up to the buyers to figure out the purpose of a room. Always, always define it for them. That way they will be able to envision their own items in the space - otherwise they will just shake their heads and move on. Also - personal photos are important to keep and use when you are living in a home - but not when selling it.
We told the realtor that with some de-cluttering, different furniture arrangement, neutral artwork & decor, and a neutral carpet - this home would appear much larger, much more functional and be incredibly appealing. He wanted to start right away! The hard sell will be the sellers who don't want to put an ounce of effort or money into the house - however they want to sell desperately. Realistically, without these changes, this house doesn't stand a chance of selling anytime soon and for even close to the asking price. We fully anticipate having to do a "tough sell" for these home owners however, as we tell other sellers, you need to be prepared to do what it takes when it comes to selling their homes.
One thing we know for certain however, is that the realtor is now sold on our services and is now convinced how important it is to use professional home stagers to help get every listing prepared properly for sale.