What do Home Stagers and a Habitat House Have in Common? 

 

 

 

Well, in this case, the Stagers are designing and furnishing the interior (and exterior!) of a newly-built Habitat house!

 

In an effort to give back to the community, the Central Long Island and the Metro New York chapters of the American Society of Home Stagers and Redesigners (ASHSR) are decorating a Habitat house that was just completed in Bay Shore, Long Island.  All 10 ASHSR designers, as well as Feng Shui consultants and a Curb Appeal specialist, are donating their services.  The Long Island Board of Realtors is sponsoring the house itself, which is actually an interesting 'tie-in' since Home Stagers, Feng Shui consultants, and Curb Appeal specialists generally work closely with Realtors when preparing a house for market.
 
CORT Furniture Rental is gifting all of the furniture for the house with the exception of the Dining Table and Chairs which Tiffany Furniture in Farmingdale, NY has generously donated.  Most Home Stagers, here on Long Island, rely on CORT when furniture is needed to furnish a vacant house.
 
The house itself contains 3 small bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a living room and eat-in kitchen.  It was built upon the foundation of another house that had been torn down.  I suppose that would qualify the house as a 'recycled home'.....
 
All of the designers who are working on the project are in the process of soliciting for Walmart, Visa or Master Card gift cards which will be used to purchase household accessories/necessities ( bedding, draperies, towels, and all of the other items that make a 'house' a home).  Everything that is brought into the house, or planted in the yard, will be 'gifted' to the new owner, the Barnes family.
 
Georgia Barnes is a hardworking, single mother of three children - her two oldest children are in their twenties, working and supporting themselves on Long Island.  Georgia has been employed as a dietary aide in a NassauCounty nursing home for the past nine years.  Accoring to her supervisor, "Georgia is extremely reliable, never tardy and is very detail-oriented."  She currently lives in Huntington Station with her twelve-year-old son, Barachel, in the basement apartment of a relative's home.  Though her current living situation has provided Georgia and Barachel with a sense of stability, the apartment is cramped and she has long wished to become a first-time homeowner.  The partnership between her and Habitat is making this wish a reality!
 
ASHSR will host a reception for invited guests and media on Friday, November 6, 2009.  The following day, Saturday November 7th, is "Dedication Day".  The Barnes family will surely be surprised to find that their home is 'move-in ready'!
 
If you are interested in making a contribution towards the household necessities, please contact either myself (516-982-2671) or Les Scheinfeld at HabitatSuffolkCounty (631-924-4966 x105) prior to October 16, 2009.

 

As the unofficial 'queen of vacants' on Long Island, I love the challenge of working with the seller's own furniture and accessories.  For this particular home, we simply added a mirror, 2 framed prints, some window treatments, 5 accent pillows and faux greenery.

When the seller upgraded the kitchen, he enlarged the space and, as a result, ended up with this small, windowless 'Living Room'.  This is the first room that you saw when you walked into the Entry Hall.  Before staging, it wasn't a defined space but, rather, was used as a storage space.

 

We 'borrowed' a chair from the Den, 'spiffed up' a console table with Old English scratch cover and turned it into a writing desk, pulled up the rug & brought in a smaller area rug from another room, hung artwork that we found in the house and the purchased mirror (Homes & Garden $40 at Walmart) to add depth and reflective light to the room, brought in a console cabinet that was in the Dining Room, and added a lamp from the Master Bedroom and various accessories (including 2 purchased faux plants from Walmart and a $8 throw pillow from Christmas Tree Shops).

Here are a few more 'after' views:

 

 

 

 

  

                                                                                                

The Dining Room only needed some 'light staging'.  We cleared out the console cabinet, shelf unit, 2 chairs, a table leaf, and the parrot print on the wall.  We also de-cluttered the china closet and table. 

 We added new matching prints ($5 each at Walmart!) and potted orchards to add some color.

The Den was a bit of a challenge because the sofa had to stay.  We removed the area rug and replaced it with a cream-colored shag to coordinate with the cream-colored chair that we brought in from the old Living Room.  2 purchased accent pillows and greenery were added while the mantle was decluttered and then enhanced with candlesticks that were found in another part of the house.  The sheer curtains were removed in order to open the view and a framed print belonging to the owner was hung over the sofa.  Sadly, the tv had to stay and we left instructions for the owner to reposition it in the corner.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here are some before and afters of the dining area in the kitchen:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As you can see from the photos above, simple changes make all the difference when presenting a house for sale.  This 'product' is now ready to compete with similar houses in the Huntington area that are currently on the market.

At Staged 2 Sell we 'set the stage for your successful sale'!

Val Allocco, a certified (HSE), professional Home Stager, is the founder & owner of Staged 2 Sell NY which was established in early 2006 and serves all of Long Island (Nassau and Suffolk Counties) as well as the boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens.  She is also the Metro New York Chapter President and Central Long Island Chapter President of ASHSR (American Society of Home Stagers and Redesigners).

Val has taught Adult Education courses on "Staging Your Home To Sell" and has also been a featured speaker at numerous Home Selling Seminars on, and around, Long Island.  She is available for seminars and other real estate related presentations and can be reached at 516-982-2671.

Please visit www.staged2sellny.com for more information and examples of our work.

 

I have been going through listings online that are more than 60 days old and felt compelled to blog about something that is blowing my mind!  Out of the 13 listings that I have gone over, 5 of them have absolutely NO photos posted - not even the outside of the house! 

Below is an example of one of the listings (I removed the some of the information in order to protect the privacy of the Realtor and the Real Estate office).  I apologize that it has definitely lost something in the 'translation' from downloaded file to being posted here - but I am not very good at all this technical stuff and I basically just wanted to let you see what I saw.

The first thing that comes to mind, for me at least, is WHY are there NO photos?  Does the house really look that bad?  Why would a Realtor take a listing and not market the house to the fullest extent - and wouldn't that include ONLINE photos that capture the interest of potential buyers?

As a Real Estate Stager, some of the things that I see on MLS drive me insane; I want to get right over to those houses that aren't showing well and do everything in my power to 'right every wrong'!  I see photos of rooms that are vacant and you can only guess what the room is that you are looking at.  Then I see photos of rooms that do not show the full potential or purpose of the space.

A Real Estate Stager can help in all the instances above.  We will come to the house and either instruct the seller on what needs to be addressed in order for the property to show at its best, or do the work ourselves.  We have access to furniture and accessories for those empty rooms that will not only help to show the purpose, but will make potential buyers want to move right into them!  We take wonderful 'before and after' pictures that can go right onto MLS, which takes some of the burden off the Realtors.

A Staged home will show better, both in person and online.  Maybe it's time to call a Stager to help sell your listing!

Val Allocco, a certified (HSE), professional Home Stager, is the founder & owner of Staged 2 Sell NY which was established in early 2006 and serves all of Long Island (Nassau and Suffolk Counties) as well as the boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens.  She is also the Metro New York Chapter President of ASHSR (American Society of Home Stagers and Redesigners).

Val has taught Adult Education courses on "Staging Your Home To Sell" and has also been a featured speaker at numerous Home Selling Seminars on, and around, Long Island.  She is available for seminars and other real estate related presentations and can be reached at 516-982-2671.

Please visit www.staged2sellny.com for more information and examples of our work.

And, speaking of "blinders", how many houses have you gone into that still have Levelor blinds on most every window?

I recently toured a vacant house that has been on the market for more than a year.  Since a picture is worth a thousand words, I will show you what I found in this $800,000+ house that was built in the late 1970's and is located in an extremely 'tony' area here in Northport, LI, NY...

 

Here is the Living Room complete with raised platform which originally 'housed' a Baby Grand piano.  A brass and glass etagere and the white sectional were left to 'stage' the room.  Notice the vertical blinds on the window and the mirrored radiator.  Under the wall to wall is sub-flooring (sorry about the Realtor and her daughter in the photo!).  My suggestion was to remove mirrored wall, Levelors, carpeting & platform (replace with more neutral wall to wall),the Etagere and patch & paint the walls.  Cost to seller for a professional to do the job: $695.00

I would prefer using more 'up to date' furniture, but would work with the sectional if need be.  The cost to rent furniture that would make this room more appealing to potential buyers: $445 per month based on 3 month rental and $260 per month for a 6-month lease.

Remember that the asking price for this house that has been on the market for more than a year is in excess of $800,000. 

Let's move on to the Dining Room, shall we?

I should mention that back in the 1980's this house was quite the showplace and built-in Mica was very big (but then again, so were shoulder pads and "Dynasty" and neither of those things are part of our lives in 2009)!

I had my contractor price out removing the built-in shelves, carpeting, blinds, 2 leaves from the table and the credenza from this room and patch & paint the walls.  All totaled it came to $420 (including paint).

The estimate to rent 6 Parson chairs was $150 per month for 3 months rental and $114 per month for a 6-month rental.

There was the most wonderful Family Room complete with fireplace, skylights, and a wall of windows that looked out to a large, private yard that included an in-ground swimming pool.  The major problem with this room was a large, custom build Mica cabinet that housed a large-screen TV.

Aside from the carpeting, the major problem in the room was the dated Entertainment Center and the fact that the Fireplace, which should have been the focal point, was dwarfed by the large sectional and secondary to the TV unit.

So, once again, I had my contractor price out dismantling the Entertainment Unit, resetting the electrical outlets in the wall behind the unit, removing the wall-to-wall, and painting the wall behind the TV unit.
Total cost:$445.00

I could work with the sectional, if need be, but adding appropriate furniture & furnishings would create a room that would be more appealing to today's buyers.  The monthly rental fee would be $285 a month based on a 3-month rental and $193 per month for the 6-month lease.

So, let's do the math, shall we? 

Total renovation fee was $1,560 for all 3 rooms.

Total furniture rental fee based on 3-month rental: $880 per month for all 3 rooms

Total furniture rental fee based on 6-month rental:  $567 per month for all 3 rooms

If the seller opted to make the needed changes and rent the furniture for 3 months, the total cost (includes 3 months rental) = $4,200

If the seller made the needed changes and rented the furniture for 6 months, the total cost (including the 6 months rental) = $4,962

It's a "no-brainer" which option gave more 'bang for the buck'!  Based on a selling price of $800,000, any of the options cost much less than 1% of the selling price.  What do you think the next price reduction will be on this house - $4,000?  No way!  With that price point, it's going to be in the $20,000 to $50,000 range!

The seller opted not to accept any of the services and instead will do the work himself. 

Val Allocco, a certified (HSE), professional Home Stager, is the founder & owner of Staged 2 Sell NY which was established in early 2006 and serves all of Long Island (Nassau and Suffolk Counties) as well as the boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens.  She is also the Metro New York Chapter President of ASHSR (American Society of Home Stagers and Redesigners).

Val has taught Adult Education courses on "Staging Your Home To Sell" and has also been a featured speaker at numerous Home Selling Seminars on, and around, Long Island.  She is available for seminars and other real estate related presentations and can be reached at 516-982-2671.

Please visit www.staged2sellny.com for more information and examples of our work.

I absolutely love preparing the Home Consultation Report; it is such a simple and effective tool to employ when selling a house.  The best news is that our Staged 2 Sell NY report is completely affordable for anyone who might be putting their house on the market in Nassau County, Suffolk County, Queens, Brooklyn or Manhattan, NY. When the suggestions/directions are followed properly, the result can be the same as if you hired a Home Stager to do the work for you.

So, you may ask, what exactly is this report and what will a Home Consultation Report cover?

The Staged 2 Sell NY Comprehensive Home Staging Report begins curbside where it addresses the overall ‘curb appeal' of the property.  Special attention is given to the exterior appearance and entry.  Aside from flower beds being weed-free, bushes trimmed, the lawn mowed and any debris (leaves, twigs, litter) removed, the front door should have a fresh coat of paint, shiny hardware and a welcoming wreath.  Seasonal flowers (that are planted in containers) at the entry help to infuse some color and warmth.  A new ‘welcome' mat will add to the appeal. The driveway might benefit from a top-coat of asphalt or fresh stones.  In addition, we make sure that there is adequate outdoor lighting and that light fixtures are updated, shiny and clean.

Once inside, each room is assessed for color, focal points and/or architectural features, furniture placement, traffic flow, flooring and lighting. Just a word about lighting here: natural light is best and all windows need to be super-clean and free from heavy window treatments.  The assessment includes every area of the home and special attention is paid to closets, attics, garages and basements because those are places where clutter tends to accumulate.  Prospective buyers want to see that there is ample storage for all of their 'stuff'!

Many times while giving the consultation, and always with the seller's permission, we might begin to move some furniture and/or remove some of the accessories.  By doing this, the homeowner can begin to see how small changes can result in a completely different look - one that enhances the room's positive qualities.  It is usually at this point that the client "gets it" and becomes excited about the changes that we are making.  It is always gratifying to watch their excitement build.  We often hear the seller remark "I never would have thought to do that...the room looks so much better!"

Depending on the size of the house, the walk-through generally lasts 1 ½ to 2 hours.  At Staged 2 Sell NY the cost for the Consultation is purposely kept low so that the service can be affordable to all.  Many times the Realtor will "gift" the report to their client as part of their service and we always give the agent a 20% discount when they pay for the Report.  As one realtor recently told me, "I would rather invest money in a comprehensive report that will help the seller to prepare the house for sale than spend money on newspaper ads".

Within 24 hours of the Home Consultation, we e-mail the client and realtor a detailed report that is broken down by room/area and addresses each necessary change in priority order.  Think of it as a ‘blueprint' for the seller with which they can do all, or part, of the staging themselves, or we can do some of all of the work for them.

I can tell you that this report is extremely effective in helping the house to sell more quickly and for a higher price than if left ‘unstaged'.  We have had amazing results from homes that have been prepared for market by this method. When the seller understands and follows the Consultation Report, the results are truly amazing!

Val Allocco, a certified (HSE), professional Home Stager, is the founder & owner of Staged 2 Sell NY which was established in early 2006 and serves all of Long Island (Nassau and Suffolk Counties) as well as the boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens.  She is also the Metro New York Chapter President of ASHSR (American Society of Home Stagers and Redesigners).

Val has taught Adult Education courses on "Staging Your Home To Sell" and has also been a featured speaker at numerous Home Selling Seminars on, and around, Long Island.  She is available for seminars and other real estate related presentations and can be reached at 516-982-2671.

Please visit www.staged2sellny.com for more information and examples of our work.

For those who are looking to sell a "Vacant" or Newly Constructed House, here in New York and on Long Island, here is some pertinent information regarding Home Staging and Rental furniture vs. Purchased home furnishings:

When I visit a newly constructed or vacant house for the purpose of providing a proposal for staging with rented furniture, I begin by touring the house and taking pictures of the rooms that need to be staged.  Normally, only the impact rooms (Entry, Living Room, Dining Room, Kitchen and Great Room or Family Room) need to be furnished in order for buyers to see the purpose and potential of each room and have a point of reference as to what size furnishings the room can hold.  In the case of older houses, however, many times the bedrooms are very small and it is difficult to visualize the size and amount of furniture that the room can hold.  In those cases, I always suggest that at least the Master Bedroom be staged with a Queen-sized bed and dresser or chest of drawers.  As you can see in the photo below of a house that I staged in Oyster Bay, LI, a staged room actually shows larger than if left empty!

Once I return to the office, I download the photos and begin planning what each room will require in order to highlight the architecture and focal points of the space.   A lot of care and thought go into this process; not only do I need to choose unique and appropriate furnishings, but I need to be mindful of the cost for each.  I am able to ‘shop' for the most competitive pricing because I work with all three big rental companies in the tri-state area.

When all the necessary furnishings have been chosen, I present the client with a written proposal which details each piece of furniture and the monthly rental cost per item.  State tax and Damage Waiver fees are added to the overall monthly fee, as well as a one-time delivery/set up/pick up fee.  The total monthly cost to rent furniture is usually a bit of a jolt for most clients because they find it hard to believe how all those small ‘per item' monthly rental fees can add up!

I realize that the monthly furniture rental fees might have a little bit of 'sticker shock' for some people, and that is understandable. The good news is that the rental fees are paid on a monthly basis and can be charged to a major credit card. What I ask my clients to take into consideration is what the overall investment will be and then to think about how much the first, or next price reduction on the house will be (not to mention that after the first few weeks on the market, a house becomes 'market worn' and will receive fewer showings by other agents).

Then I ask them to consider this:  More than 80% of today's home buyers start their search online and if the photos depict empty rooms, or even worse show only exterior pictures of a house, chances are that the viewer will move on to the next listing.  The most memorable houses are those that make an eye-catching impression which entices buyers' interest. Staged rooms help buyers to visualize the true potential of the house.  When buyers tour the house, rooms that are strategically furnished help them to connect to the home on a personal and emotional level; they will remember that house throughout the home searching process.  Remember that once a potential buyer has toured a home and has not made the necessary connection to it, you have lost that 'audience'....they will not come back again because they have already formed a negative opinion.

The newly constructed houses of today's market offer all kinds of amenities and quality craftsmanship and yet they are difficult to sell...just look at how many there are on MLS in Nassau and Suffolk Counties here on Long Island! 

When a vacant, newly constructed house is staged, potential buyers are more apt to connect to the home on a more personal level; they can actually envision themselves living there!  As part of my staging, I always include specific 'props' for different rooms, such as an open book with a pair of reading glasses perched on top and strategically placed on a coffee table in the family room...or faux vegetables in a bowl next to an open cookbook in the 'prep' area of the kitchen...or an 'interrupted' game of Scrabble in the den.  Without being too 'viewer specific' (everyone prepares meals, plays games and reads books), I want the buyers to see that this could be 'their' room...'their' HOME!  It is that connection that will ultimately sell your house!

When it comes to the builders, if the idea of spending a few thousand dollars on rental furniture does not strike them as a good business investment, I tell them that perhaps they might want to consider doing what some other Long Island builders have done, and that is to buy the furniture and then either reuse it in other models or sell it with the house (quite often the buyer loves the way the room looks and asks if they can purchase some, or all of the furniture).  The overall cost to purchase the furnishings usually works out to be in the same ballpark as 3 months rental fees for the same amount of furniture and accessories.

Val Allocco, a certified (HSE), professional Home Stager, is the founder & owner of Staged 2 Sell NY which was established in early 2006 and serves all of Long Island (Nassau and Suffolk Counties) as well as the boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens.  She is also the Metro New York Chapter President of ASHSR (American Society of Home Stagers and Redesigners).

Val has taught Adult Education courses on "Staging Your Home To Sell" and has also been a featured speaker at numerous Home Selling Seminars on, and around, Long Island.  She is available for seminars and other real estate related presentations and can be reached at 516-982-2671.

Please visit www.staged2sellny.com for more information and examples of our work.

I have been working with builders of newly-constructed homes for some time now.  The houses that are being built in Nassau and Suffolk counties here on Long Island are spectacular!  They have wainscoting on the walls, tongue-n-groove moldings, tray ceilings, spa-like baths, top of the line stainless steel appliances and a myriad of other special features.  Once completed, the house is only lacking one thing and that is ‘personalized appeal' which is achieved through Home Staging.  This specialized form of staging creates an environment which is specific to the buyer and one where they can identify themselves with the house and actually envision themselves living there!

For decades now, builders have employed a special selling technique in the form of Model Homes and have paid large sums to Interior Designers to come in and furnish every room in order to give the house a ‘home like' feel.  Today's builders, however, have discovered that the same effect can be achieved through Home Staging, but at a fraction of the cost!

Some builders prefer to stage only the ‘impact rooms' such as the Entry, Living Room, Dining Room, Kitchen and Great Room (usually combined).  They would rather rent furniture and have the Stager supply the accessories as opposed to purchasing the furnishings.  For builders who can recycle the furnishings in their other newly-constructed houses, it is more cost-effective to buy everything and either use it again in another house, or let the home buyer purchase whatever might appeal to them.  At Staged 2 Sell NY, we are adaptable and can either stage all the rooms or a portion of such.  We always work within the seller's budget.

I recently staged just such a Model Home in Hauppauge, NY (Suffolk County) for Forestbrook Homes of St. James.  The house is the model for a new community call "Horseshoe Estates" and is located off Blydenburg Road, which is just minutes from the L.I. Expressway.  This house is ideally located - even the airport is within a few miles!  This builder creates quality homes and every detail has been attended to. 

It was the builder's decision to purchase the furnishings as opposed to renting.  This was a very wise decision on his part because for less than $10,000, he was able to buy all the furniture and accessories (including area rugs, artwork, window treatments, lamps, and all other props) for those impact rooms AND pay for the staging!  When I shopped, each piece of furniture and every other item were specifically chosen not only for this house, but also for his other houses, many of which are much larger with substantially higher ceilings; this way he can choose to use everything in another Model or just sell part, or all, with the house.

I would like to show you photos of each staged room; by the way, I always stage at least one bathroom and it is usually the ‘Powder Room' on the main floor.

                                                                         

 

 

 

 

These new houses are being billed as "This NEW Luxury Community offers two standing model homes as well as 13 additional places to build your own! Our models feature full brick fronts. 5/6 bedrooms, 3/4.5 baths, 2 car garage,9 ft first floor ceilings, hardwood flooring,custom trim and molding,designer kitchen cabinetry,professional appliances,fireplace,full basement, in-ground sprinklers (front), central alarm, central air conditioning and central vacuum systems. Beautiful paver driveway and walkways! This prestigious Community backs the Hauppauge Hamlet Golf Course! LOW,LOW TAXES of $9996.00! Visit our current model located on lot#9! Directions - Rt 347 East to Mt. Pleasant Rd. South - turns into Blydenburgh Rd. - Entry to complex on Left!  

For more information or a showing, please contact the realtor, Catherine Lindstadt of Prudential Douglas Elliman Real Estate of Northport, NY @631-266-6113.  Catherine and I will be co-hosting Open Houses in September, so please call her for more information.

Val Allocco, a certified (HSE), professional Home Stager, is the founder & owner of Staged 2 Sell NY which was established in early 2006 and serves all of Long Island (Nassau and Suffolk Counties) as well as the boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens.  She is also the Metro New York Chapter President of ASHSR (American Society of Home Stagers and Redesigners).

Val has taught Adult Education courses on "Staging Your Home To Sell" and has also been a featured speaker at numerous Home Selling Seminars on, and around, Long Island.  She is available for seminars and other real estate related presentations and can be reached at 516-982-2671.

Please visit www.staged2sellny.com for more information and examples of our work.

 

Good Grief - I can't believe that it has happened, yet, again!

On Friday I went to a model, here on Long Island, that I recently staged with furniture and accessories I had chosen and purchased for the builder.  When everything was delivered 2 weeks ago, I noticed that there were scratches on a table leg as well as on an end table.  I reported this to the delivery men who quickly called the company to set up an appointment for a repair person to visit the house and correct the imperfections.

So, on Friday, while I was waiting for the repairs to be made, I casually walked through the staged rooms.  Almost immediately I began to see the small changes: chairs moved a little further into the room; kitchen counters rearranged; table settings moved; a little ‘tweak' here and there on the mantel.... and I began to wonder - who did this?  Was it someone who came to look at the model?  Was it a realtor who had nothing to do at an Open House?  Was it the builder...or one of his workers?  

Just exactly WHO is this ‘Home Staging Fairy' who comes into staged houses and does this sort of thing?  You see, this has happened to me before and on more than one occasion!  I've spoken to other stagers and they have had this happen to them as well.  Aside from it being somewhat annoying to be ‘second-guessed', I also find it rather amusing to learn that there are so many ‘would be' stagers out there (thanks a lot HGTV)!

I have a message for these ‘invisible helpers' who think that they are performing ‘home improvement' service....enough already!!  Listen...every time that I stage a house, I  leave interesting pictorial books on the coffee table along with my ‘trademark' pair of reading glasses...why not just sit and read and ‘take a load off'....just please, stop trying to ‘upstage' the stager! 

 As chapter president of the Metro NY Chapter of ASHSR, I am responsible for holding monthly meetings where area stagers can share ideas about the industry and work together to improve it.  As it happened, I had a conversation with a realtor prior to tonight's 'teleconference' in which we discussed a seller's reluctance to make necessary changes in order to improve their 'product' when it is placed on the market.   Since this topic was fresh in my mind, I wanted to discuss it with my peers.  While no solution was reached during our ‘meeting' this evening, we did determine that Stagers must continue to educate the general public and find ways to provide information that will enlighten and motivate sellers to stage prior to selling.

In light of what was discussed this evening, you can imagine my surprise when I later read my e-mail and found one from a client who was in the process of signing a lease for rental furniture for a very small bungalow that I was to stage on April 1st.  In this letter she informed the furniture rental rep and myself  that "after going over the final figures in the current market we will not be staging".  Quite honestly, I don't really understand what she meant by the 'final figures in the current market', but I believe that I might understand what is happening out there. 

I have a theory that many sellers are reluctant to make any changes to the house that would require an outlay of cash (maybe due to economic conditions) but are not opposed to selling the house for a lower price.  I think it might also  have something to do with the equity that has accrued over the years and the 'mindset' that the seller will still make a profit.  Of course Realtors and Home Stagers know that any investment made to present the house in a more favorable light will not only hasten the sale, but also help it to sell for more than it might fetch in its current state.

Although houses in California have been successfully staged and sold for almost three decades, here in the Northeast and other parts of the country, it remains a relatively new concept or, in some instances, the 'unknown'.  We're still trying to figure out how to introduce the service to everyone and teach sellers how effective staging is when trying to sell a house.  

I would be interested to hear what others think about this topic and what suggestions you might have as to how Home Stagers AND Realtors can educate and inform the public in a way that will motivate sellers to do what is necessary to present a better ‘product'.

3/20/08:  I just received this opinion from a colleague and I think it really sums it all up beautifully: 

"Here is my theory on it~ A seller does not recognize the price reduction because it is not "real" for them, they don't have any of the money yet so in their minds how can you lose what you don't have. Where as Writing a check or agreeing to a charge on your credit card becomes a "real" loss for them.

I had a scenario with my nephew's car where if we had a body shop fix a few dings and repaint we could have gotten more for it. We decided to sell as is, take the loss rather then put more money into it.

I'm not sure if people can admit or want to admit that it is not the "smart" choice. We all want to think that we are making wise financial choices.

I think it is that simple".

I recently staged a vacant Circa 1600's house on the North Shore of Long Island.  Although I worked up a detailed proposal for rental furniture befitting that style of home, the owner/investor opted to purchase the furniture instead of paying the approximately $1200 per month rental fees for living room, bedroom, kitchen and library furniture.

I must tell you that I was somewhat skeptical as to what it would cost to buy all of that furniture, but I had a rare afternoon of ‘freedom' and was excited to see if we could pull this off! 

The client and I went to a long ‘corridor' of furniture stores which is located here on Long Island.  We began our search at "Raymour and Flanagans", but found that the furniture on display was not appropriate for this type of home and it was a little 'pricey'.  We went to Bob's Discount Furniture and ‘hit a home run'!  We found an 8 piece bedroom set complete with queen sized sleigh bed for $999; a 7 piece living room ensemble (with 2 Tiffany-styled lamps) for $1499, and a kitchen table (marble and glass) with 4 wrought iron chairs for $499.  All that we needed was a loveseat and chair for the library. 

While my client was handling the financial and delivery portion of the sale, I went out to other stores in search of an appropriate loveseat and upholstered chair.  It was quite by accident that I discovered a perfect chair as I was leaving the first store.  It was marked down to $399, it was striped and I loved it!  I made a note of the style number and price and drove to a furniture store called "The Place".  I was approached by a saleswoman who proved to be very helpful in narrowing down the choices to those items that fit my needs.  I don't think that it took more than 5 minutes to find exactly what I was looking for.  I called my client who had just left "Bob's" and asked him to come over and look at the loveseat.

When my client saw the loveseat, he eagerly approved and paid the $379 that it was marked down to.  Since the ensemble contained 2 striped pillows that looked very much like the fabric of that $399 chair, I asked if we could take one of the pillows with us.  The saleslady said that it would be fine, and when the order paperwork was complete, the client and I drove over to the store where I had discovered the chair.  As soon as we walked in, I could see that it was a perfect match, and so that became the final purchase of the day.

All totaled, with delivery and tax, my client spent approximately $4500 and the furniture is his to use in other houses.  It took us about 2 hours to chose and buy all of the furniture.

Since my design tastes always ran toward traditional, I had plenty of accessories of my own that would be perfect for this house.  I also had 8 chairs that I ‘rescued' from a Chinese Restaurant that was being demolished.  Once they were reconditioned and recovered, they were just what I needed for the dining room.  There was only one ‘glitch' with the newly purchased furnishings and that was because the doorway to the library was very narrow and the loveseat would not fit through it.  I had an antique loveseat in my possession that I no longer use, and even though it wasn't what I originally wanted in that room, it still worked AND it fit through the doorway!  We actually ended up using the loveseat in a ‘family room' located off the kitchen.  It was never my intention to stage that room, however once the loveseat was placed there, I just had to give the room a complete staging!  I needed to ‘borrow' quite a few things from my own home, but the room really came together and actually became one of my favorite rooms in the house!

Here are some Before and After photos - the last picture is from the 'family room':

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