I have been racking my brain trying to figure out a way to get home sellers to stage their homes. In this terrible market, with buyers in complete control, why would you put your house on the market "as is"? At least pick up the place! I have seen so many photos with dishes in the sink, dogs laying around, laundry draped across the floor, toiletries out on display-like none of that matters! This is a beauty contest people! Your house has to be priced right and look great to get it sold. Please let me help! Staging is an inexpensive way to advertise. Vacant homes look cold and uninviting. Putting a few pieces of furniture and accessories perk up the place and make much nicer photos for the Internet (where 85% of home buyers shop first). Do you really like paying two mortgages or waiting and waiting for someone to walk through the door who might try to figure out how they could live in your house with all your stuff? Hasn't this concept of staging, de-cluttering, lightening and brightening been around long enough that everyone knows by now...marketing sells! And by the way, exterior only photos or no photos at all? Please.
I tell the sellers that I don't really care what shape their house is in because price will overcome condition so they just need to be prepared to price it for the condition it is in.
Well said Denise, ...
Jeff I don't know why you would tell your clients such a thing. Unless there are major repairs to be done in the home Staging can be done in as little as half a day and for a few hundred dollars. Why wouldn't you invest if it meant you could gain a few thousand more for your efforts?
Spaces that are de-clutter and organized take A LOT less time to tidy for each showing (I doubt you get many from the pictures on the net) ... I think you are doing your clients a GREAT injustice. You are spending more time and money then it would take a stager to stage 10 houses waiting for one to sell! As they say" Time is Money" I guess some of us have more time than others ....
WHICH WOULD YOU BUY? ... GUESS WHAT THIS ROOM WAS STAGED WITH WHAT WE FOUND IN OTHER PARTS OF THE HOME >>> TOTAL COST $$ 1 hour of Staging ... do you thing it's worth it? This Agent did.
Denice,
I agree, it's a beauty contest. The day a home goes on the market...that is it's debut!!! Would you wear a ratty or dirty dress? What about your beauty photo's...wouldn't you want them to be the best for all the world to see?
So wouldn't you look your very best for the contest...so you could be the winner!!!
Liz, I tell them that so that they realize that it does matter what condition their home is in. If they don't want to get their home in top condition OR price it for poor condition then I simply will not take the listing. There are too many opportunities out there and I for one will not waste my time on the unmotivated.
Bottom line is best price, best condition will sell. Price will over come condition, CONDITION WILL NOT OVERCOME PRICE
Liz, why would a homeowner even want their house to be put on the Internet for all to see in the condition you show in your photos (above)? Remember the old line "shows pride of ownership?" I get it if it is only an investment property or you want some crappy rental property or better yet, you get a great price and plan to flip thehouses. But most people are looking for a home. Somewhere to relax, retreat, kick back, entertain. The photo that you show us proves just getting rid of the junk and putting simple furnishings in a room reveal the room's potential. It seems to me that we should be a Realtor's best friend. !
Jeff, I didn't reply to your first comment right away (you don't care what shape the house is in) because I knew you had more to say on the subject. The best condition will sell faster and for more money. I knew you knew that! Doesn't everybody?
Denise, staging and condition will not sell an overpriced house. I believe that the better price, better condition homes will sell. If the seller does not want to get their home in top condition then they can expect a lower price. I use graphs that show in the market versus on the market when it comes to pricing properly. The best staged, best conditioned home will not sell if it is not priced to beat out the competition. Price will always overcome condition. As far as I do not care what condition the home is in, that is partly true, I will sell it no matter the condition but the price will reflect that.
Jeff, I am sure you are statistically speaking when you say the "best staged, best conditioned home will not sell" if it is priced higher than competitors. I have HUD info that states a staged home sells 17% higher than un-staged homes. We personally bought our home April '08 knowing it was probably priced a little too high, and that the market was going to slow. But we loved the house, condition, presentation and area. We, of course, made an offer lower than the asking price knowing the owner would counter with something close to his asking price of which he did. We're not sorry we bought it. In the same way, I know Macy's prices are higher than a few other department stores but I love the shopping experience at Macy's. Believe me, women especially are emotional buyers (notice magazine ads). Staging triggers that emotional response. When I sold my home March '08, it was in a newer neighborhood with 5 houses for sale on my block and brand new homes being built behind my back fence. I staged it to attract young buyers and it sold for $6,000 more than my asking price. Four of the other homes were still for sale months after I moved. One of the other 5 homes sold about the same time as mine did, but it was priced a little lower and had a few more amenities than mine (a covered patio for one which is huge on a south facing Colorado home!) I know you probably know your business well, but I hope you and other Realtors will consider staging as a dynamic marketing tool.
Denise,
I think that you and I are in agreement. I look at it like this, the unstaged home sold for 17% less, that staged home did not sell for more than market value, the unstaged home value was lower due to condition. Any home that is priced right has the best chance to sell and improving condition and staging helps to give it that chance. My point is that a staged, over priced home is not going to sell. It has to be priced correctly and in best condition to sell. If the condition is not right, it will sell for much less, 17% it sounds like according to HUD.
Good conversation, any other Realtors care to way in with their personal stats using a stager as part of their marketing team?
I work with one Realtor in particular and these are the last three stats-
Staged, listed and sold in 7 hours for full list
Staging consultation conducted, seller did not follow any suggestions, sold in 43 days for $ 34,000 less than list
Staged, listed and sold in 1 day for full list.
I think my real time stats speak for themselves.
These houses are all in the same neighbourhood. The Realtor has solid personal stats with which to present his clients on a listing proposal in regards to the importance of merchandising a product for sale. In this case, it is usually the clients largest investment so it makes sense to get as much equity out of the sale.
Note: the staging was carried out by the clients and not my staging company. The merchandising plan for the property was the only out of pocket expense.
Investment, minimal.
Impact, priceless.
Nice post and welcome to Activerain... It is the "shiny penny" that garners the attention. Proper pricing and staging are more important than ever. Look forward to more posts in the future.
I just went back and read this blog I wrote four years ago and the information is still completely relevant. I believe this more than ever. We live in a visual, over-the-top world and the housing market is in on it. Staging is as important as any marketing tool. We must hang a sign outside the home to advertise that the house is for sale, right? We must post photos so potential buyers can virtually shop. The place must look the best in its price range. And by the way, staging is not a trick so if the house is over priced it will more than likely sit on the market a long time. Staging is solid marketing. Plus, it's fun!
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