Real Estate Blog - The staging was FREE!

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The staging was FREE!

"The staging was FREE?", you ask unbelievably. Especially if you read my most recent blog.

Yes, in some cases the staging can actually be free and we who are in the home staging industry know the value and ROI that staging a home can bring to the sale of a property.

"Did you charge for your services?", would be a logical next question.

Of course! this is a business endeavor after all.

Home staging is a powerful marketing tool that can assist in the successful sale of a home. Staging is a MUST for selling a home in today's real estate climate.

With powerful statistics reported from the Real Estate Staging Association (RESA) and the testimonies of others who have experienced the benefits and success of staging a home we know it works. Indeed in some cases, the staging pays for itself and is FREE or can actually bring more money to the table.

"How do I know this can be for real?"

I'm glad you asked!

I recently received a wonderful testimony from a client. I did not know what she was going to write and when I read her letter I was thrilled to read that the staging paid for itself.

While I do not recommend adding costs to the sale of a home when it is priced right to begin with, there are cases in which a home may fall within a price range and can be priced at the top portion of that range when prepared and packaged for purchase properly.

Another powerful testimony to the fact that when working with a professional home stager staging works & can also be FREE!

"Thank you so much for all your help with staging our home. The final result was beautiful. We increased our asking price to cover the cost of staging, then put the house on the market on Monday. On Tuesday, we received two offers for our asking price! We are closing on our house within 30 days of putting it on the market. That's amazing! I am positive that we would not have had this result if we had put our house on the market vacant!! Your services were all done very professionally and efficiently. You even came and took care of everything on a day that I had to be at work. Thank you for helping us. We will not hesitate to request your services again when we need to sell a house."

T. M. Home Seller, Plano,TX

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For expert advice on preparing a home for sale contact Home Star Staging, a Plano,TX based Real Estate Staging and Consulting company.

Home Star Staging is here for you North Texas!

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Posted by Karen Otto, Home Stager, Plano, TX 469)964-0516 www.homestarstaging.com on 09/09/2009 11:42 AM

Comments (23)

Home Staging in the Home Selling Channel

free home staging, professional home stager, staging pays for itself, cost of staging, resa, home star staging, tx

Originally posted at: North Texas Home Staging - Not Your PlanO Staging Blog!: The staging was FREE!

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23 Comments on The staging was FREE!

SEP

Never deny the effects of staging. More so, when you're in charge of it. Awesome work, Karen....

I've done project management jobs to get houses in shape to go on the market - and the sellers can usually ask significantly higher prices than if we hadn't done the work. Did one a while back where they put $30,000 into the house (needed lots of repairs, updates & maintenance work as well as staging) but they put it on the market for $80,000 more than they would have if we hadn't done the work. 3 offers first weekend, closed in a month. Did another where they put $20,000 into it, and sold it for $65,000 more than it would have been listed - within 45 days. Even minor improvements and staging can make a huge impact - I know my examples here are bigger numbers but the houses needed the work. I've done jobs where the sellers only put in a few thousand but by following my recommendations - quick sales and great feedback on properties. If sellers put the effort in up front with repairs, cosmetic improvements and, of course, staging, the return on investment is usually significant in both time on market and sale price.

The investment in staging almost always pays for itself - and then some.

Thanks Loreena, I know you know!

I was anticipating having some great success stories in the comments from others like yourself Liz! I know of many stagers around the country who have similar testimonies. Thank you for sharing and each one of those is blog worthy!

While in Texas currently those same numbers do not often happen in terms of tens of thousands over asking price - getting what the home is worth and getting a return on your investment is certainly what most home sellers would like to see.

Congratulations Karen! You have converted these sellers and their word of mouth advertsing will be worth lots. Hopefully the realtor was sold too?

Hi Sharon, word of mouth advertising is the best!

That is awesome Karen! Just another example of the great job you do for your customers. I agree that its not always possible to increase the price after staging, but I'm glad to see it worked out. 2 offers in less than 48 hours is incredible. Congrats on such a great job! You certainly made an impression and I'm sure it will pay off in the near future with their referrals.

Hi John, thank you so much - it's success stories like these that the public needs to hear in order to understand the value of our jobs. It's a slow train but it's coming!

Congrats, my friend! A another great win for you, the home seller, the REALTOR, and the home staging industry! Whoo Hoo!

Hi Karen D.! Gotta keep sharing our successes anyway we can get the message across!

Makes me want to do my staged and sold dance :-)

Knowing that you helped a seller move on with their life is great.

Absolutely Virginia and this was a home that the sellers had bought for a family member who never moved in - they rented for a while to really bad tenants - and were holding two mortgages.

That's a very encouraging story. Thanks for sharing it. We staged a home a couple of months ago where the owner cleared out a huge amount of stuff and had a yard sale. She ended up making almost as much as she paid us to do the staging. That's another way for staging to pay for itself!

Karen, great job and what a nice testimonial. So glad it all worked out for the selller.

Thanks for sharing your great success Karen-made my day!!

SEP

A sellers referral is priceless, and should be shouted to the moon! I wish all sellers would read this.

Great story Karen! Congratulations!!

That is certainly another way to offset the investment in staging a house Laurie!

Thank you Luci

You are sweet Cathy!

I agree Cindy, the referrals are really priceless.

Thanks Michele!

SEP

Hi Karen its so true. Call a Stager early, call a Stager even if you are staying in your home because EVERYONE sells eventually, just call a Stager you will be repaid ten folds.

Good points Kym, calling a stager for a consultation even if you're staying for awhile before selling can give you the info you need to do the work over time. I'll be doing that for a neighbor soon too =)

I know staging works and I recommend it to my clients often.

Great to hear Ricki!

SEP

What a wonderful success story! I like that they built the Staging into their list price. I think as long as the home is realistically priced for the neighborhood, this is a great way to recoup your investment.

SEP

This is a great story Karen and never really thought about that sellers can make up the money they spend on staging in the asking price. Of course that won't work in all situations, but it makes a whole bunch of sense. The same thing with clearing out the clutter and yard sales. I have used that argument before and have seen it work. Very rarely have I ever heard a story where the client hasn't seen a better result than if they had left their home UN-staged. Thanks for sharing your success and keep up the fabulous work!

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