I received an email this morning from a client that I just had to share. This little story shows the seller's advantage by hiring a professional home stager for a pre-listing consultation. Here is a brief recap:
In January, 2009, Looking Fine by Redesign was contacted by a homeowner in Avon, OH for a pre-listing consultation. On January 29th, my assistant/husband and I met the sellers, and did a two-hour walk-through consultation. The homeowners were "all ears" and were very anxious to hear what we had to say about their home. This was a six year old, detached cluster home in a popular Avon, Ohio neighborhood where there are at least a half dozen other homes for sale within a couple of blocks. The home didn't need a lot of cosmetic work, but did need better furniture placement, depersonalized, and a "punch" of interest.
The sellers had done a lot of traveling and LOVED to collect unique art, including wood carved African Safari animals. One of our suggestions was to use their wood carved GIRAFFE as an "eye-catcher" on the plant shelf in the VERY high ceiling foyer...something "memorable" and "unique" that a buyer would remember after touring the home.
We followed up with a comprehensive assessment and action plan for them to complete the staging on their own. Fortunately, they were VERY motivated and both had a decent eye for design so they got to work on the changes immediately upon receiving the plan. As a standard practice, I checked in with the sellers periodically via email to see if they had hit any road blocks or needed additional help. They were progressing nicely.. great!
Fast forward two weeks..the home is put on the market. I sent another email this morning to "check in." This is the reply we received back from the seller:
"You won't believe it but we sold our house in 2 weeks! We got lucky and found the perfect buyer. Inspection was last weekend and everything looks like it will fall in place. All the feedback we got from the showings was great, so thanks so much for your help. And you'll get a kick out of this, we moved that giraffe to the foyer plant shelf as you suggested and the buyer loved it so much they wanted it as part of the deal. Hilarious! Thanks again!" Cameron L., Avon, OH
WOW...SOLD IN 2 WEEKS!!! These sellers did it right from the beginning. They hired Looking Fine by Redesign BEFORE they listed the home, they rolled up their sleeves and got to work and BELIEVED that staging their home would pay off. All homeowners should understand that a consultation with a professional home stager WILL make a difference. In these tough economic times many homeowners don't have the financial resources to pay to have their home staged, but a consultation will work wonders!
Did the giraffe sell the home? No. But the staging consultation, the motivated sellers' hard work, and pricing the home right did. The giraffe obviously helped the buyer "remember" this home though! While nobody really thought the giraffe would be a part of the sale....the homeowners were happy to include it in the sale. Little changes....BIG results!
I hope you enjoyed this quirky...yet SUCCESSFUL staging success story!
Teresa Mills-Schremm, is a Certified Professional Home Stager and owner of Looking Fine by Redesign, a North Olmsted, Ohio, Home Staging and Redesign firm. Providing homeowners in Cuyahoga and Lorain Counties with Affordable and Creative Staging Solutions! Call for a consultation at 440-655-5831, or email teresa@LookingFineByRedesign.com. "Let's Get It SOLD...Together!"
I'm sure many of you have heard this before. "Staging a home is inconvenient and disruptive so it's not worth the hassle." (or at least something close to this statement). Well, yes, it can be inconvenient and disruptive for the homeowner. Just think about the daunting task of clearing all your extra appliances and "stuff" off of the kitchen countertops before a showing. Then dashing into all of the bathrooms to stash the toothbrush and personal items and scrubbing the shower from top to bottom. Oh, and don't forget about the dirty laundry piled sky-high in the laundry room. Oh, darn, the kitty potty is full of...well, you get the picture!
The reality is that when selling you will have to tweak the way you live in the home. It must be kept impeccably clean and organized. It must appear spacious, warm and inviting. And, yes, it will require sacrificing your "personal" style of living and you WILL have to take strenuous measures to tidy every room before an Open House. Having your home staged to sell can be inconvenient and disruptive.
Consider this, would you rather be temporarily inconvenienced with some disruption to your life, OR have a home that isn't properly prepared (staged) for the market and have it sit for months without any offers? Possibly having to endure showing after showing...month after month? Think about the inconvenience of not being able to move forward with your plans. What about the possibility of taking on two mortgage payments?
Looking Fine By Redesign had this very conversation with a potential client just a few days ago. After explaining the benefits of staging their home before listing, and mentally preparing them for the undeniable inconveniences that they will have to endure during the selling process, the client was able to understand that staging is definitely the "lesser of two evils."
We were able to give a few tips and suggestions that will help alleviate some of those inconveniences, (whether "real or perceived,") such as:
Place a small box or tote under the kitchen sink that can be used to "stash" the extra countertop items quickly and efficiently before a showing.
Place a similar box or tote in the bathrooms or linen closets to quickly hide away personal toiletries.
Use decorative baskets in the laundry room to hide away extra items and small amounts of laundry if necessary.
"Double-up" on the use of one or two of the bathrooms in the home. Consider having the children use the Master Bath/Shower to eliminate the number of bathrooms to clean.
Keep a "pre-set" dining table complete with fresh flowers and/or candles.
We strongly recommend, however, that you do NOT store the kitty potty in the same manner as suggested above! This is a MUST CLEAN DAILY item...no exceptions!!
It is critical that a homeowner understands that once their home is put on the market, it isn't your home anymore. While it may be the place where you live, it is now a product and in order to sell that product, it MUST be staged for maximum buyer interest and for a quick sale!
Teresa Mills Schremm, is a Certified Professional Home Stager and Owner of Looking Fine By Redesign, (www.LookingFineByRedesign.com) and Member of ASHSR. Serving Western Cuyahoga and Lorain Counties, Greater Cleveland, Ohio area. Call for your Consultation today at 440-655-5831, or email teresa@LookingFineByRedesign.com
It's amazing! We made the news for the third time this year! When we started out over two years ago, home staging was like a dirty word around here! Although it is slow to catch on...there are more and more people (homeowners and Realtors) asking questions about home staging.
We are determined to do our part to make home staging an industry standard. Maybe there is something to that old cliche'...."the squeaky wheel gets the grease." :-)
I wrote a blog a couple of months ago about feeling guilty when I cashed my clients check. Here is a brief recap of that blog:
I received my client's check for the monthly rental fees, right on time, as usual. I had recently learned that the homeowners had received an offer on their vacant house after only 52 days on the market. A fraction of the time for my area. However, the offer fell through because the house failed the inspection! At that point, I wasn't sure if I should tell my client that with a significant repair issue, all of the staging in the world wouldn't help sell the property. After blogging about this horrible "emotional" decision, I received a huge amount of support and staging wisdom from my fellow ActiveRainers! I was reminded that it wasn't MY decision to make! I was reminded that vacant homes do NOT sell as quickly and for top dollar! Thanks everybody for the "reality check!"
Well, yesterday was ANOTHER emotional day for Looking Fine by Redesign! It wasn't because we cashed another rental check. It wasn't because our wonderful client paid a lot of money to repair the issues that killed the sale. It was because of this:
AND THIS:
We DE-STAGED the house because after only 148 DOM it is ......
The new owners take possession of this great "home" on September 30th!!
While this was an emotional rollercoaster ride for the homeowner, Realtor, and Looking Fine by Redesign, it is just another example that staging works! For all you homeowners out there, when at all possible, make those repairs before you put your home on the market! Why not invest a few hundred dollars and have a HOME INSPECTION done so that you and your Realtor know if there are any potential deal breakers? If you live in the home or if it is vacant, remember to consult with a PROFESSIONAL HOME STAGER to ensure that your home shows at full potential and is appealing to the most number of buyers as possible!
Teresa Mills Schremm is a professional home stager, and owner of Looking Fine by Redesign, in North Olmsted, OH. If you are selling your home in the Cleveland, Cuyahoga/Lorain County, OH, call us today for your home staging consultation! Don't put your home on the market without a "polished presentation." Let's get it SOLD...Together! (440) 655-5831 www.LookingFineByRedesign.com
I received a frantic call last week from the listing agent for a vacant house that I staged recently. I've blogged about this house before here on AR. It's the one that received an offer in record time (52 DOM), but the deal was lost because the home failed the inspection.
Well, the good news is the homeowner who hired me, decided to have the necessary repairs done and KEEP IT STAGED! I lost sleep over that one...but thats another story! The contractors finished up the work on Thursday evening and the basement and the entire first floor was covered in white powder! Not to mention they didn't bother to cover anything! Anyway, the Realtor asked if my team could clean up the mess and get the house back in shape before the Open House on SUNDAY!
This isn't something that I would normally even consider, but this particular homeowner is the "dream client," and I really wanted to help her. So, we went in and whipped the house back into shape for the open. It looked great...the repairs are complete....the client is ssooo thankful for our help, and I truly believe the house will sell quickly!
I'm wondering if any of you offer a "vacant home cleaning service." Mine was a unique situation with extreme circumstances, but vacant homes do need to be tidied up once in a while. I don't particularly like cleaning my own home :-o, but maybe this would be another way to generate income. What do you think? Is this something that you would consider? I am very interested in hearing your thoughts!
Teresa
Are you looking for a professional home stager to prepare your Cleveland, OH, Cuyahoga or Lorain County home for the market? Are you a Realtor who needs help with a difficult property? Looking Fine by Redesign can help! We offer an array of services for the Occupied home, as well as Vacant Home Staging. Teresa Mills Schremm is the Owner of Looking Fine by Redesign, a North Olmsted, OH based Home Staging Firm. Please call for your Consultation at (440) 655-5831. www.LookingFineByRedesign.com. Let's get it SOLD...Together!
Hello everyone! There were several requests here on AR to read the July 6, 2008, Arkansas Democrat Gazette article written by our very own Amber Langston of Home Branders. I contacted Amber, and she has posted the article on her blog. I'm including the link to her blog page here. http://activerain.com/blogs/westageit. (Column Two, Set Up To Sell, 6 July)
Several months ago, I signed up to receive "listing alerts" when a new home in my area is listed on the MLS. I set aside a couple of hours each week to look at the internet photos, and send out an email to the Realtors if the property looks like it could use some staging. I'm sure this is something that a lot of us do. I know that ALL of the MLS photos won't be perfect, but I get so upset, and quite frankly, a little TWISTED, that I just stare at my computer screen in DISBELIEF! Are Realtors AND Homeowners LOOKING at these photos with BUYER'S EYES? From what you see in so many of these photos, I would have to say NO!
It amazes me that something so obvious is being overlooked by so many! I know, I know! Obvious to a professional home stager, but not to the "un-objective" eye. As a Realtor, why on earth would you think for one minute that creative property descriptions will bring a herd of buyers DESPITE a horrible FIRST IMPRESSION? For that matter even a handful! As a Homeowner, why on earth would you think that a perfect stranger, a buyer, is going to beat your door down, and fall in love with a dark, dated, cluttered room? Or your lovely purple window sheers? Then there are those "updated" and "move in ready" vacant homes! You know the ones with blank white walls, and the sterile space that has absolutely no defining features.
I recently came across some statistics that show an increase of buyers looking on the internet for their next home. It is now estimated that 87% of these consumers are looking for their dream houseon line. This is just one reason why we must keeping moving forward in our crusade to make home staging an industry standard.
I know this is an ongoing problem for all of us. I also know that staging is making a "mark" in the industry. I just get really frustrated when I look at these horrible representations of a property that has so much potential. So my plea to Realtors, Brokers, Homeowners, Builders, Investors, FSBO, or ANYBODY selling a home, PLEASE understand that INTERNET PRESENCE is critical when marketing a home for sale!
I will continue my quest to save the world through my God given staging talent, and hopefully one day these icky photos will become a distant memory. Please forgive my ranting and raving! :-) I have included a few samples of "updated, cheerful, move-in ready, light and bright" MLS photos for the Cleveland, OH area. Let me say in advance that if any of these are your listing, I don't mean any disrespect, but PLEASE call me....I CAN HELP!
Teresa
If you need a Professional Home Staging Consultant to help prepare your home for sale, or a Realtor who has "difficult" properties to market in the Cleveland/North Olmsted, OH area, call Looking Fine by Redesign, LLC. "Let's get it SOLD...Together!"
What an honor! Looking Fine by Redesign, was included in Amber Langston's "Set Up to Sell" article in the Arkansas Democrat Gazette (July 6, 2008).
The article is very informative and well written, and addresses some of the biggest mistakes homeowners make when marketing their home. Amber did a great job putting all of the comments together, and has created some eye-opening facts that homeowners should NOT ignore!
It was a true honor and I am humbled to be included among such an elite group of home staging professionals. Thank you, Amber for this awesome opportunity!
Teresa
Do you need an experienced PROFESSIONAL HOME STAGER to help you prepare and market your home? Are you a REALTOR in need of a professional home stager to prepare your listings and make your job EASIER? I would enjoy helping you meet your selling goals!
I wanted to update you on our interview with the Sun Herald. We had a great interview with the nicest reporter on Monday! She even interviewed one of our clients! We waited anxiously for Thursday to arrive...ran out to the news stand early in the morning to find the article didn't run. However, we received a call from the reporter at the Sun Herald and she apologized profusely...but apparently the local Senior Prom(s) took up a lot of space! So, the article WILL run hopefully next Thursday! It was a little disappointing, but at least we have another exciting event to look forward to in the coming week. I have to admit, I love looking at all those "decked-out and smiling faces" from the local high schools. Why it was only a couple of years ago when I attended my senior prom! OK...so it was 30 years ago...who is counting?
The day got much brighter a couple of hours after the phone call from the Sun Herald. I picked up a copy of another small local newspaper, WestLife News...and MUCH to my surprise...another connection made with the Associate Editor for our area...PUBLISHED an article that I had written and submitted a month ago! It was totally UNEXPECTED! It was a feature article in the special edition of WestLife's "House, Home & Garden." Unfortunately, since it was a special edition to the paper this week it isn't accessible from their website. But, if you live in Western Cuyahoga County, pick up a copy and let me know what you think. The article is entitled, "Attracting Home Buyers with Psychology. Does it Really Work?" You can also read the article at http://ezinearticles.com/?id=990347. It's under what else...home staging.
Well...I will update my update next week. Have a wonderful and safe holiday weekend!
Teresa Mills Schremm is the co-founder and owner of Looking Fine by Redesign, LLC in North Olmsted, Ohio. We are Home Marketing Consultants specializing in Home Staging, serving Homeowners, Realtors, Builders, and Investors. "Let's get it SOLD...Together!"
Finally! After two years in business, we were contacted by a local newspaper today, and they want to know more about what we do! There have been several articles in the larger newspaper recently about home staging and redesign, and apparently, the Sun News, wants to "get with the program" too.
We are being interviewed on Monday morning by a Reporter who knows "zip" about home staging. This will be a great opportunity to educate, not only her, but over 25,000 readers! The Sun News will also be interviewing one of our clients, and a Realtor partner! This is such an exciting moment for us...we have been waiting for the chance to get the word out about the benefits of staging through a resource such as this one!
Wish us luck....stay tuned for an update next week!
Teresa Mills Schremm, owner of Looking Fine by Redesign, LLC, in North Olmsted, Ohio helps homeowners, real estate professionals, builders, and investors to prepare and position their homes for the market. We specialize in vacant home staging, and senior relocations throughout Cuyahoga and Lorain Counties, and the Greater Cleveland area.
Disclaimer: ActiveRain Corp. does not necessarily endorse the real estate agents, loan officers and brokers listed on this site. These real estate profiles, blogs and blog entries are provided here as a courtesy to our visitors to help them make an informed decision when buying or selling a house. ActiveRain Corp. takes no responsibility for the content in these profiles, that are written by the members of this community.
AND THIS: 
The new owners take possession of this great "home" on September 30th!!
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