The plain, unvarnished truth is staged homes sell faster and for more money. It's been proven over and over again for decades. Builders knew the secret to reaching their target audience and getting their properties sold long before we did. They created model homes. Buyers walked in and fell in love. It wasn't the space that sold them. It was the feeling the furnished home evoked.
It took many years for the resale market to catch up, but catch up they did. Staging is now a customary practice in much of the country. A very wise man who ran a sales and marketing company once told me "you sell the sizzle, not the steak." You may say to yourself, why would I want to put money into a house I plan to leave. But the answer is simple. It will make the process easier for you and it will free you to move on to the next phase of your life sooner and with far less stress. And, possibly more importantly, if your barometer is money, you'll walk away from the sale with more dollars in your pocket. The question is not can you afford to invest the money in your product -- your home. The real question is, can you afford not to.
Case in point, we had a vacant home on the market in Merrick with good bones. The recurring question asked was, what would you do with this space? Most people have a hard time visualizing what they don't see. Once we brought in the furnishings, it looked warm and inviting and lived in. There wasn't a person who walked past the threshhold who didn't comment on the lovely, serene space.
Another home, wonderful in size but lacking in ambiance was staged using many of the seller's own pieces. We added the "stuff" that changed it from a space that looked cold and uninviting to an elegant, sophisticated home. Within two weeks, in the worst market on Long Island in many years, we had eight offers on the property. The seller was able to pack up and move on to life's next adventure.
Preparing a home for sale, and staging it to appeal to a broad audience will add money to your bottom line. There is no doubt about it. If you're thinking of selling your home on Long Island, before you contact a Realtor® you should call in a competent stager. At the very least, have a consultation. Then you can determine whether or not you want to have her complete the transformation. The only problem I've ever had as a Broker/Stager is sellers falling in love with their new and improved home. It sometimes makes it just a tiny bit harder to leave.
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About the author:
Geri Sonkin is a Licensed Broker Associate/Stager serving Long Island sellers and buyers for over 22 years. Areas of expertise include Nassau County, Suffolk County, Queens and Brooklyn. Specializing in resales, new construction, co-ops/condos, waterfront homes, estates, short sales, rentals and preparing your home to sell for the most money the market will bear. For more information: www.LongIslandsBestHomes.com For new construction: http://2274Woodbine.GreatCustomHome.com 516-425-6098
All text and graphics contained herein Copyright © 2010 Geri Sonkin & its licensors. All rights reserved.
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