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Selling a VACANT HOME is like selling an EMPTY BOX!!!!!

By Janice Sutton

Home Stager with 1st Stage Property Transformations

October 23, 2006 11:27 AM

Would you want to buy an EMPTY BOX? NOPE. Neither would I unless I was moving and needed moving boxes! Staging a vacant home is like dressing for a job interview. Would you go to an interview in your worst condition? Nope. Neither would I. I do not understand why any Real Estate Agent or Home Seller would want to try to sell an EMPTY BOX. That has to be one HARD SELL. Staging a vacant home brings unbelievable energy into a home. When you walk into a vacant home the empty, lonely and depressing feeling can be overwhelming! A STAGED HOME is INVITING, it brings WARMTH & HAPPINESS. A STAGED HOME is a HAPPY HOME! Do not show an empty box....show the functional square footage and potential by furnishing and accessorizing each room. Buyers DO NOT want to imagine it....they want to SEE it in all it's GLORY!!! OK enough ramblin' from Jan....I will STEP off my SOAP BOX.......

Contact Janice at 1st Stage Property Transformations of Murrieta Temecula for a home staging estimate.

Janice Sutton | Home Stager | 1st Stage Property Transformation
Dir 951-704-0597 | Email | Website

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Scott Gormley

Oak Valley Mortgage-California Home Loans and Refinancing - Chico, CA

I've seen this go in different directions. Some are soooo turned off with the current decor that it limits their view of the home. On the other hand, some homebuyers look at a vacant home as an open palatte with endless potential :)

Scott

Oct 23, 2006 12:17 PM

John Novak

Keller Williams Realty The Marketplace - Las Vegas, NV

Henderson, Las Vegas and Summerlin Real Estate

What many sellers of vacant homes do not realize is that the price of staging their home is often less than the first price adjustment they make. It's all part of marketing and showing the home at its best.

Oct 23, 2006 02:42 PM

Janice Sutton

1st Stage Property Transformations - Murrieta, CA

Home Stager - Temecula Murrieta

Scott,

I agree that there are MANY types of home sellers and that everyone sees things differently. I think the home buyers "that look at a vacant home as an open palatte" are few and far between. They are the ones that have creativity BUT those home buyers only make up about 10% of the total home buyers!!! Not great odds. Wouldn't you rather have 90% of home buyers interested? It's is all about "marketing and showing the best home" as John stated.

As far as the home buyers turned off by the current decor....If it is done correctly with SCALE, BALANCE, COLOR and PROPORTION....as well as ORGANIZED, CLEAN and FREE FLOWING areas there shouldn't be anyone "sooooo turned off......that it limits their view" That too is a small minority or a bad stager.

Oct 23, 2006 04:28 PM

Val Allocco

Staged 2 Sell New York & Long Island - Northport, NY

HSE; ASHSR - Home Stager, for Manhattan, Brooklyn & Long Island

Hey Janice! I loved your analogy to the empty box! If you don't mind, I'm going to use that in the future. I have been trying to get the realtor/seller to see that without furnishings, the typical buyer cannot visualize the scale of furniture that will fit in the rooms. They also may not know what the function of a room might be.

The other point that I like to make is that once a potential buyer has toured the vacant property, you have lost that audience and they will not be back even if the price is lowered because nothing will have changed except the dollar amount.

Oct 24, 2006 07:34 AM

Val, Great point "you have lost that audience." You are so right!! FIRST IMPRESSION is very important. Only savy creative buyers and RE Investors will see the potential in vacant properties and will try to get a reduced price. Let's CAPTURE the MAJORITY of home buyers to PAY TOP $$$ instead of attracting the small minority looking for a house on SALE!!!

Oct 24, 2006 09:53 AM

Rob Lang

At Home Kansas - Shawnee, KS

Local Expert in NE Central Kansas Real Estate Home

Hi Jan...Thanks for the empty box analogy. I listed my home two weeks ago Friday and two days later my wife and I accepted the offer. We were successful in selling an empty box quickly but I have to wonder what if we had had it staged.

Oct 25, 2006 03:19 PM

Hello Rob,

Congratulations on the sale of your home! Yes, I think we will always wonder "what if"!! We "what if" a lot choices in our life and are always trying to find the best solution. Thanks for reading my blog.

Oct 25, 2006 03:43 PM

Phyllis Pafumi

ReStyled to Sell Home Staging New Jersey - Old Bridge, NJ

ReStyled to Sell Staging Homes NJ

Hi Janice

I am working with a client right now that has a vacant house, completely remodeled and beautiful I might add. They want to keep their costs down so I am not staging the whole house. Just some key areas, kitchen, family room, DR, LR and entry foyer. The master I am just putting bed and small table and nice towels in baths. When costs must be kept down what else would you suggest..

Dec 03, 2006 01:44 PM

You are doing exactly what I would do! You are staging all key rooms. By not staging all the vacant bedrooms you are keeping the costs down. Great minds think alike. :)

Keep staging it forward.

Dec 04, 2006 03:42 AM

Selling a VACANT HOME is like selling an EMPTY BOX!!!!!

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