One of the agents I partner with here in Atlanta received feedback from a prospective buyer that pretty much sums up the challenges with showing a vacant home. Here's specifically what was said; "
Another new home with lots of rooms, nice features, beige walls...they're all starting to run together in my head".
I can completely relate to this feedback. As a home stager in Atlanta, I've been in hundreds of vacant homes and can attest to the fact that they all do start to run together. Fortunately, I have my "before" pictures that I've taken to help remind me of the color of the countertops, the color, if something other than beige or white, of the walls. I'm lucky as my camera goes with me everywhere.
The builder that I just staged for understood and has heard similar feedback as that stated above. Fortunately, he just listed with a Realtor that uses me on almost every listing. I was called in to see the home and grew excited with each turn I made. Why? Because I knew I could make a difference.
The home is located in Ansley Park in Atlanta. According to the National Park Services in Atlanta, Ansley Park is an early 20th-century suburban residential district. Completed in 1930, there are 275 acres with features such a curvilinear streets which are landscaped on either side like parkways. It's beauty is marked with several parks scattered throughout.
It's a beautiful area and it was an absolute honor to have been selected to home stage this home.
Here are a few of the before and after pictures of the family room:
Here are a few pictures after the home was staged:
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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
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- Atlanta Home Staging Consultations - Check out what the homeowner did
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wow this is great! I know this works! wish you lived closer!
Good morning Kathy - The house looks fantastic, you did a great job staging it. I hope it sells quickly.
WOW! Kathy this looks awesome. Staging is not as big in this area. But I use personal furnishings to stage vacant homes. It does help!
With the number of homes on the market, only those that are staged are getting offers in my market. It is a necessity here!
Thanks, Charlene, for such a wonderful compliment.
Good Morning Solaris Realty!! I too hope it sells quickly.
Katie - I bet that the items you bring in makes a big difference! Thanks for your comment.
Kathy
Good job! The change is AMAZING!
Steve - I went to your profile to see what area you are from. First and foremost, I love your profile page. You're right, Home Staging provides sellers with a great solution in getting visibility to their home and increasing the odds of the ever-so-important "emotional connection." Thanks for your comment.
Thanks, Bob!! I loved how this turned out as there's an infusion of color that truly makes this home stand out.
Kathy
Wonderful work Kathy, they probably will not have a problem selling this home!
Defintiely a big difference. Just have to make a good enough case for the homeonwers to be willing to pay for it. How do you convince them? What are the monthly charges or up-front charges and do you have any hard numbers that show a homeowners generically how they will benefit?
It does work and does look to be a huge improvement but honestly isn't it a little cluttered or busy??
Very nice, a buyer should definitely remember this place!
Thanks, Joshua and Kathy.
Michael - Great questions. Here's what I relay to all of my prospects. With the quantity of homes on the market, it's critically important to ensure their home is one the prospective buyers will remember. As mentioned in the post, after seeing several vacant homes, they all start to blend together. I also add that a vacant home is much harder for the buyer to emotionally connect to whereas a home that has been staged helps to make that connection. My fees are paid up front and cover everything involved in staging for the first 60 days. Hope that helps.
Perrin- If you could see the size of the room, I don't think it appears cluttered. For example, the plant under the narrow print (between the two sets of doors) is actually right up against the wall. In the photo, it looks like it may be between the couches.
Thanks, Mary.
Kathy
Fantastic work, Kathy! Buyers will definitely remember this one!
Teresa
Kathy ~ Looks great! It also looks like it is a beautiful home with those wood floors and the deck/porch outside. Nice to see it enhanced so that prospective buyers can appreciate those features.
Kathy, what a great looking setting you have put together. I am especially struck by the touches of red you added to the setting. It's hard to describe how much that little splash of color set off the whole scene. It's almost like fireworks going off. Great job.
You did an awesome job and your taste is wonderful. I can imagine it will sell a lot faster like that!
Kathy - your homes sure are memorable!!!
I was by an empty yesterday and overheard a viewer saying that they didn't think that there was room for a dining room table in the tiny area. Had it been staged, they would have seen that although it was a small space, a dining room table would have definately fit. Staging helps people see the potential.
Beautiful work, fantastic, amazing you outdid yourself on this one ...Whats not to love about this Staging. Congratulations on a beautiful job well done!!!
Kathy, What an impressive staging job.. I cannot imagine this home being on the market for long.. God bless,
Looks very nice. I love the buyer's comment; totally illustrates the point.
Kathy, fabulous job. I am sure it will sell now that potential buyers can imaginge how the space could be used.
Kathy, Looks like a great house. You made it feel so warm and inviting. Love the punch of color you used. Thanks for sharing, you know I'm always trying to pick up pointers from all the wonderful before and afters everyone posts. Keep them coming!
I like the second 'after' shot the best. To be able to fit that size sofa and chair PLUS a full size dining table---that is a HUGE room. It all fits comfortably and easy for buyers to visualize the functionality of the space. Great job!!!!
Yes, the stager of today has to be something other than the person who just moves the furniture from one place to another and just arranges it differently. You have to stage to the property and the demographic and find that fine balance between the two. YOU did so, what an inviting and not old feeling property. Now it just feels homey and charming. But updated. Good job.
Just gorgeous Kathy. Love the colors you chose and the plants. I love plants too ;) I hope it sells super quick for you sistah!
Kathy, Great photos! Are these professionally done? Hope all is well with you.
Nan Johnston
Newnan, Ga.
Thanks, Teresa!
Kathy P - The home is filled with spectacular features. Unfortunately, and to your point, they weren't standing out. Thanks for your kind words!
Gary - I too love the splash of colors (as did the builder and the agent) as it adds an element of fun. I also loved your analogy of the fireworks!
Thanks, LaNita.
Maureen - Awe, that was sweet of you to say. Thank you!
Lisa - You're right; having a home staged does provide solutions and gives the buyer with a better idea of what would work.
Fernando - I'm blushing. Thank you!
Cheryl - Thank you! I too hope it moves quickly.
Tori Lynn - It's so true. Buyers, in any given day, are bound to see many a home or two. It stands to reason that one vacant after another they're all likely to blend together. Thanks for commenting.
Terri - Providing solutions for the prospective buyer is so key when staging!
Donna - I too love looking at before and afters and have picked up many pointers by looking at the beautiful work done by so many talented Active Rain Stagers!
Abby - The 2nd one is also my favorite. And... I couldn't have done this without you and Kristi!!
TerriLynn - Thank you for your kind words!!
LoriKim - My dear staging sister. I've missed our email exchanges! We'll have to get caught up soon.
Hi, Nan! It's so nice to see you comment. Thank you. The photos in this blog were ones I had taken. I'm so in love with my camera and that I could just scream with joy each and every single time I use it.
Kathy
As usual another Kathy Special! Awesome job!!!!
Just a suggestion for the feedback that all the houses start to run together in the prospective buyers mind.
Have your photographer burn you some DVD's with your house on it. They can burn the image of the house on the front of the each DVD. The video movie of the house is set to music and features not only the full room pictures but close ups of the features in the house. That way the buyers can't forget your house. It is a nominal price to pay to keep your house top of mind. I offer it as part of my Staging package. The client chooses how many Staging services they want, just the consult, consult and Staging labour, consult Staging labour and photogrpahy etc. Give your clients a choice between three options and they will always pick one.
This creates another passive stream of income for you.
Good, Better, Best!
michelle@advantagestaging.ca
Kathy- You always do a beautiful job!!! I bet they loved it. It looks so much more colorful. What a gorgeous house. Great Job.
Chrissie
Kathy, you have done a wonderful job on this stage! I am sure they will remember this home because of the beautiful staging job!
All those vacants do run together -- great job at singling this one out!
Kathy - Great job! I love using that sofa, it is so versitile and I love your punches of red. I don't think the rooms look cluttered at all - they seem very spacious.
Kathy - its just beautiful love the red lamp shade. My favorite shades are always a color and I never seem to buy enough of them. Love the light in the room too. Kym
Keith & Robin - Thank you for your kind words. How are things in Hiram?
Michelle - In this case, I'm the photographer. However, I love your idea as it would be a great way to remind the prospective buyer of the home.
Thanks, Chrissie!
Patty - How sweet of you to say. Thank you!
Karen D - Thank you!
Debbie - I too love using that sofa. The rich chocolate brown works with so many different colors.
Kym - I picked up the lamp shade at Ross months and months ago and just now used it for the first time. I love the red/orange accents as it's the just the right amount of pop in a room.
Kathy
Hi Kathy, Beautiful pictures - as always. Your homes always look amazing and no buyer is going to forget this home. Congrats on the opportunity and a wonderful job!
Hi Kathy N! It is always nice to work in a home which has great bones and wonderful flooring! So many newer vacant homes have the nice features yet are lacking the 'pops' of color and texture which make a home really come together! Nice work with the deep orange! Perfect! Regards-Kathleen G
Well, Kathy, it looks wonderful. You honored the period architecture, but brought the home into the 21st century and made it look very liveable. Congratulations.
Thanks, Elle.
Kathleen - I love using deep orange as an accent color!!
Michelle - Thank you!
Kathy