With the real estate market being what it is, this single word that perhaps best desribes the opportunity home staging can bring to a home seller, agent, investor or home builder is "desirability."
According to Webster's On-line Dictionary:
1plural : desirable conditions <had understood and studied certain desirabilities- D. D. Eisenhower>2: the quality, fact, or degree of being desirable
Regardless of how we pronounce it, or what function (in this case a noun) it is, making your home desirable is KEY to getting your home sold.
What "desirabilities" does your home have?
- Is the front of the home warm and welcoming? One of the blogs that stands out and truly made an impact with me is the one written by Sue Argue titled The Most Important Listing Photograph. The burgundy door with the No. 5 is not only classy but makes for superb curb appeal. Thanks to Sue, the how-to's are provided within the blog.
- Does the home look well maintained? Making the minor repairs your home may need can go a long way with making the home more desirable. Keep in mind that when you make these repairs it means the new home owner won't have to.
- Too Neutral? One of the biggest concerns I see with most of the listings I'm called into is that the home is too neutral. Here's an example:
Before:
As you can see, the walls and carpet are all neutral. When painting isn't an option, then inject color in your bedding and accessories. Here's the "after" picture:
Simple changes such as this can make your home more desireable.
For more home staging tips, contact Georgia Interior Solutions at 678 522 8392. We're here to assist all home owners, agents, builders and investors with getting their properties sold more quickly. Our expansive inventory means we have what it takes to separate your home. We know and understand what makes a home more desireable. Home Staging in Atlanta made EASY & AFFORDABLE.
Serving In-town Atlanta, Buckhead, Roswell, Sandy Springs, Marietta, Kennesaw, Decatur, East and West Cobb in Atlanta.
Home Staging Atlanta - Kathy Nielsen - 678 522 8392
RESA Professional Stager of the Year - Southern Region 2011
Whether your home is vacant or occupied, this Atlanta Georgia Home Stager, Kathy Nielsen, understands what it takes to sell a home quickly. Her homes have graced the pages of several publications, appeared in TV commercials as well as on HGTV's hit program Sleep On it.
With years of experience and a massive inventory - Kathy makes the perfect choice.
Home Staging Website: Home Staging Atlanta
Before and After Pictures: Atlanta Home Staging Portfolio:
Email: Kathy@HomeStagingAtlanta.com
Blog: Atlanta Home Staging
- Kitchen Transformations
- Short on Space? Keep it Simple
- Tips on Selling Your Home From a Professional Stager
- Curtains. Should they stay or go?
- How to dress up your coffee table and end tables when selling
- Quick tips for table settings
- How will buyers remember your home?
- Atlanta Home Staging Consultations - Check out what the homeowner did
- Atlanta Loft Gets Home Staged
- How to ensure your home appeals to a broad base of prospective buyers
I guess something is better than nothing. But I am not totally convinced about the benefits of staging. I know I don't pay for it out my budget. I have had vacant homes sell faster than staged homes. And I had buyers tell me I was putting "Lipstick on the Pig" and requested that I move all the furniture out before their next showing. Seriously, anybody can move furniture into a vacant home. When you really get down to it...it is the home that sells itself, not the furnishings in it.
As a listing agent, staging a home is just one extra unproven expense and problem I have to deal with.
Thanks, Marina and Gail.
David - You're very welcome. Sounds like you've done your homework with respect to finding out why some homes are selling and others are not. I applaud you!
Grant - You're right, anyone can move furniture into a vacant home. If done properly, however, there's an area of opportunity to further showcase the space, features, etc... the home has to offer. In addition, it provides solution for placement of furniture. As for "staging being an extra unproven expense" - you'd be hard press to convince the seller whose condo I just staged and sold in 11 days. Thanks for your comments though. I'm still laughing at the "lipstick on the pig" analogy.
Kathy
Grant: It is unfortunate that you have such a jaundiced opinion of staging. You must have had a bad experience with an inexperienced stager, or a home owner that thought they could stage their listing themselves. You are missing out on one of the best tools available to help your clients sell their homes faster and for more money. That must have been some butt ugly furniture for a potential buyer to ask you to remove it before the next showing. Did the home sell without the furniture?
Kathy:You did a great job showing us, in concrete terms, how staging can make a home more desireable. Based upon 3 out of 4 comments above, there are clearly Realtors that understand and embrace the benefits of staging in helping to sell homes faster and for more money.
Kathy ,
I am sure statging has it's place.. somewhere... But don't get confused, the home you speak of Sold in 11 days because it was PRICED appropriately for the market area it is in. Staging does not sell a house. Pricing does.....
Kathy, Your staging work is beautiful. Your numbers, always have and always will, speak for themselves.
Thanks, Lori Kim & Michelle.
Grant - PRICING plays a critical role, I agree. However, I've seen too many homes, priced appropriately, still NOT sell. Pricing alone isn't the magic bullet. Priced competitively, a home that has been made more appealing will indeed assist in getting the home sold more quickly.
Kathy
Kathy,
You are so right. Pricing a house properly only puts that house in a group of other "properly Priced" homes. Buyers buy from emotion, and as you said, a "properly staged" home makes it more desireable than the rest of the group of "Properly Priced" homes. Any home will sell if it is "Under-priced" enough, Staging helps to get the seller a higher selling price.
Good Job,
Lynette
Kathy, well done, and a great example of when too much neutral is not a good thing.
Grant, I just recently staged a home that is priced very competitively for the area. The problem is there are some awkward places that are difficult for potential buyers to see how to utilize the space properly. Staging provides this visual for home-buyers. Do not under estimate the value in that.
Once again you did a great job Kathy! I love the bedding.
Regarding the comments... yes, PRICING is key - the #1 factor - it is understood.
However, say you have 3 houses (or more as is the case in many areas of the country - it is a buyer's market here locally) PRICED RIGHT in the same neighborhood, all factors being equal with the exception of CONDITION.
Whether vacant or a "pig", and one STANDS OUT from the competition...which house will sell quicker and for more money?
To me it's a no brainer.
Staging is not just about "putting furniture in a house", yes, anyone can do that, in fact most homes for sale HAVE furniture in the house when occupied but does the house SHOW WELL? A stager's job is not just about putting furniture in a home, we are the first set of "buyer's eyes" who help our clients achieve their goal and for a cost effective and quick consultation, our pro-active sellers can do it themselves.
Thanks, Leslie, Lynette, Sheron, and Joelle!
Sheron - I purchased the lamps at Kirklands about 4 months ago. I believe they were on sale. If not, shame on me (smile).
Kathy
Great example, Kathy. Thanks!
Great, clean & contemporary look, Kathy. I like those lamps, too-thanks for sharing your source. I get tired of putting mine on books sometimes. Kirklands offers a nice designer discount on the web,too.
Kathy