My desire is to help people. Therefore, I offer FREE STAGING for my clients. Still I wonder at times if I should charge a small fee. Below are some of my reasons for feeling that way. What do you think?
Entering a home for a listing presentation gives you the best time to assess and see the home, as a prospective buyer will.
The first step a buyer takes into a house, before they look at the layout, can either sell or not sell the house. Does it seem dark, small, smelly, dirty, cluttered or have no room definition? This is what they will remember.
The rooms may be very large but have too much furniture or accessories, and that makes it feel smaller. Just pointing out the fact that it is a large room crowded, with too much furniture, will not change anything.
As a Commercial Artist and Realtor, I know that most people are unable to visualize what something can look like, only what it does look like. Only what they see with their own eyes at that moment.
IF I can stage a home so that it will sell faster, I help the owner and myself at the same time.
This brings up the question how much FREE STAGING, time, and money should we spend on a new listing.
Should I have an agreement for the seller to sign, that if they do not continue to list with me, or decided not to sell their home then there will be a fee for the staging due?
What has me wondering is the experiences below.
One client had a wonderful home with beautiful furnishings and accessories to the max, just too many. There were so many it was hard to walk around in the rooms. The owner was happy to let me advice her on the items to remove, and I moved what was left to the best locations to show off her home. This was free of charge for each room. All was fine, the pictures were great, the correspondence between us was three times a week. Even extra directional signs, individual websites for the home, extra photo signs outside, and brochures at the road. My partner, and I did it all at no extra cost because, we knew how soon they needed to sell. One directional sign was stole, the seller went ballistic, and we lost the listing. I did not lose any items since we used her accessories and furniture. Still, at that point, I wished that I had charged her a small fee for my staging services.
One other client whose home was to be listed, took my advice, and loved the changes so much, they decided to keep the home longer, and enjoy the changes. This turned out good for my pride but I lost the listing. I hope when they do decided to sell they will list with me. Again, I wonder if I should have charge a small fee.
Then there is the up side in staging free. One elderly lady allowed me to help her pack away the extra photos and accessories and stage her home. We sold it in one day and had thirty calls on it from the MLS the first week. I felt great in helping this sweet lady down size to a new home.
What is the verdict? What do you think?
Norma Freeman REALTOR@
Century21 Towne Adams
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