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No Pain, No Gain . . . Is it a pain in the _ _ _, really?

By
Home Stager with Peachtree Home Staging LLC, Home Staging in Atlanta, GA

No Pain, No Gain . . . Is it a pain in the _ _ _, really?home stager atlanta peactree home staging professional

About 3 weeks ago, one of my vacant stagings was of a super cute 1950's updated home in a trendy area of Smyrna, GA close to the Vinings area.  It was on the market for a couple of weeks prior to contacting Peachtree Home Staging.  As it was explained to me, instead of posting photos of the vacant property at the time of listing, they choose to publish some older photos they had from the previous renters living in the home.

Prior to hiring Peachtree Home Staging to stage, they asked if I would provide them with my photos after the staging.  They explained that they wanted to give the photos to their agent to update MLS and the other RE sites showing the "staged" presentation vs. the current photos posted. 

My response?  "Of course!  I'll be happy to share my photos with you and your Realtor as part of my staging package."

What I'd like to know is this . . .

Many times I come across this kind of situation, where photos need to be reposted to reflect the new "staged" look.

I see that the photos quickly get updated on MLS, but often they are not updated on Realtor.com, Zillow, Trulia, etc., or even the listing agents site. 

Why is that?

My understanding is that updating MLS with verbiage automatically updates all the other sites, but photo's need to be updated on each site individually.

  Is it difficult to do, so it just doesn't get done? 

Is it a painful, time consuming task to upload the photos to each site individually?

Is it a pain in the _ _ _, really? 

Since Realtor.com, Zillow and Trulia have the highest consumer traffic for buyers, I would think the listing agents would be eager to update the photos every place they can.  With over 90% of buyers looking on the Internet first for their new home it seems to me that sellers would want and expect the new pictures to be uploaded every place possible.

LIVING ROOM MLS PHOTO BEFORE STAGING 

 before home staging

  LIVING ROOM VACANT PHOTO BEFORE STAGING

Vacant Atlanta home staging

LIVING ROOM PHOTO AFTER STAGING

home staged by www.PeachtreeHomeStaging.com

MASTER BEDROOM MLS PHOTO BEFORE STAGING

bedroom before staging

MASTER BEDROOM VACANT BEFORE STAGING

vacant bedroom

MASTER BEDROOM PHOTO AFTER HOME STAGING

home staged by www.PeachtreeHomeStaging.com

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THX for visiting this post.  Please share your thoughts -- doesn't it seem worth it to take the time to update the photos on all of the Real Estate Sites when a property for sale has been updated in its presentation? 

Isn't it true that the better the presentation the more likely the showing?

No Pain, No Gain . . . Is it a pain in the _ _ _, really?

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This home in Smyrna, GA was professionally home staged by Peachtree Home Staging

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Comments(25)

Kay Van Kampen
RE/MAX Broker, RE/MAX - Springfield, MO
Realtor®, Springfield Mo Real Estate

After having no luck paying Realtor.com, I spent several thousand dollars to be able to change photos.  I received very few leads from that site, so I quit paying.  Now, they only upload the photos that are available at the initial listing.

Zillow, after months of deleting sold properties still comes back and shows them active.  I'd rather stick with the sites that I can control.

Jul 17, 2010 02:14 PM
Maureen Bray Portland OR Home Stager ~ Room Solutions Staging
Room Solutions Staging, Portland OR - Portland, OR
"Staging Consultations that Sell Portland Homes"

Karen ~ your post makes such a good point....why invest in professional home staging if all the photos don't get updated afterwards?  Your photos of this home look fabulous!!  I agree with Kathy S. above -- that master is so elegant and the angle showing the room's dramatic architecture is such a huge improvement over the photo that was in MLS before staging!

Jul 17, 2010 04:20 PM
Linda D. Pufford
Stage with Divine Style - Home Staging - Novato, CA
ASPM, Marin/Sonoma Home Stager

Karen,

Your Staging and Photos are so great. You did an outstanding job!  Maybe it is like others have said there's a cost to update the photos on some of the sites.

Jul 17, 2010 07:57 PM
Mary Lou Teague
HOME STYLE AND STAGING LLC - Knoxville, TN
Home Style and Staging Knoxville. TN

Awesome job, the before and after phots are so nice, you have done a wonderful job on this home...

Jul 18, 2010 01:44 AM
Karen Dembsky
Peachtree Home Staging LLC, Home Staging in Atlanta, GA - Peachtree City, GA
Atlanta Home Staging

Patricia, good info.  I think in the future, when asked to provide photos, I should advise the seller to consult the Realtor on the posting options.

 

Jul 18, 2010 02:01 AM
Karen Dembsky
Peachtree Home Staging LLC, Home Staging in Atlanta, GA - Peachtree City, GA
Atlanta Home Staging

Hi Virginia-- thx for the detailed response.  Do you have a Real Estate License?  Here in the state of Georgia, I believe a Real Estate Agent, can face some hefty fines for providing the MLS password and user code to a non-licensed individual.  You may want to check that out if you do not have a license. 

I do have a real estate license; but I still would not go into MLS under another name without a specific letter of authorization.  Just my 2 cents.

At any rate, updates to MLS do not seem to be the problem (although I have had on occasion agents not even do that- no good excuse for that!)  It is the other sites I am curious about.

Jul 18, 2010 02:07 AM
Karen Dembsky
Peachtree Home Staging LLC, Home Staging in Atlanta, GA - Peachtree City, GA
Atlanta Home Staging

Thx, Kathy -- I don't get it either.

Kay -- thanks for that info.  Sounds like the other sites are not to accurate in the info they put out there.  I would like to know about your RE/Max site.  Is that easy to update with new photos? 

PS to Kay -- I am a Missouri Grad from Springfield.  I LOVE your town!

Jul 18, 2010 02:15 AM
Karen Dembsky
Peachtree Home Staging LLC, Home Staging in Atlanta, GA - Peachtree City, GA
Atlanta Home Staging

Hi Maureen -- absolutely!  I hope I receive more agent responses.  If it is difficult or next to impossible to update photo's later -- well that's a strong confirmation not to list at all until the staging is complete.

Hey there Linda - maybe it is a Pain in the _ _ _ cost!

Jul 18, 2010 02:25 AM
Karen Dembsky
Peachtree Home Staging LLC, Home Staging in Atlanta, GA - Peachtree City, GA
Atlanta Home Staging

Hi Mary Lou!  Thx so much -- I am blushing!

Jul 18, 2010 02:27 AM
Sally Weatherley
EXIT STAGE RIGHT - Vancouver, BC
Vancouver Home Staging, Home Stager Vancouver, B.C

Karen - I don't know about how all the real estate sites work.  All I do know, is you did a great job staging this house.  I love the seating area at the other end of the master bedroom - oooh, and that bedding is gorgeous!

Jul 18, 2010 05:14 AM
Shar Sitter
Rooms With Style - Minneapolis, MN
Home Staging and Redesign Minneapolis/ St. Paul, M

Beautiful staging and great photos. May I ask what kind of camera you have, were the pictures taken with a wide angel lens?

Jul 18, 2010 09:03 AM
Karen Dembsky
Peachtree Home Staging LLC, Home Staging in Atlanta, GA - Peachtree City, GA
Atlanta Home Staging

Hi Shar -- thx so much for the kind words.  I use a Nikon D5000 -- love it and highly recommend it!  But take some photography classes.  Yes, I use an attachable wide angle lens.  

Jul 18, 2010 11:45 AM
Cathy Lee
CL Design Services Home Staging - Danville, CA
ASP, IAHSP, RESA Danville, CA

Your camera makes all the differance-really beautiful Karen.

Jul 18, 2010 05:45 PM
Karen Dembsky
Peachtree Home Staging LLC, Home Staging in Atlanta, GA - Peachtree City, GA
Atlanta Home Staging

thx, my friend -- always a pleasure to read your comments, Cathy L.

Jul 19, 2010 01:05 AM
C. Bartch
Newark, OH

Gosh Karen what a huge difference you made, it looks so fresh and inviting. You are an artist when it comes to staging:)

By the way what new camera are you using....the photos are superb!

Jul 19, 2010 02:00 AM
Karen Otto
Home Star Staging - Plano, TX
Plano Home Staging, Dallas Home Staging, www.homes

This was something I've been wondering about myself Karen D. I see updated photos sometimes on the Realtor's personal web page but not on Realtor.com or Zillow etc. I imagine it isn't easy but to me it's worth the time invested to get the better photos up since buyers are shopping online first. Thanks for sharing your great work!

Jul 19, 2010 03:06 AM
Karen Dembsky
Peachtree Home Staging LLC, Home Staging in Atlanta, GA - Peachtree City, GA
Atlanta Home Staging

Hey Cynthia!  US two LOCAL ARTISTS should get together for lunch sometime! :-) The camera is a Nikon D5000 and I have a wide angle lens attachment.  Makes all the difference in the world.  LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this camera!

Hi Karen O.  -- I appears to be difficult and not something all agents can do easily.  When this situation occurs it seems as if a solution would be to withdraw the listing (A 25$ fee in GAMLS) and then re-list it with the new photos.

 

 

Jul 19, 2010 03:31 AM
C. Bartch
Newark, OH

Thanks for the intel on the camera Karen...again I say fabulous photos!!! I sent you an email.

Jul 19, 2010 03:46 AM
Sharon Tara
Sharon Tara Transformations - Portsmouth, NH
Retired New Hampshire Home Stager

What a transformation!  Your work is beautiful!   It is frustrating when you make such a drastic improvement and then the pictures aren't used to do their job and bring in the buyers.  I've never understood it.  Why spend the money and then not use the photos?

Jul 19, 2010 01:07 PM
Karen Dembsky
Peachtree Home Staging LLC, Home Staging in Atlanta, GA - Peachtree City, GA
Atlanta Home Staging

Got it -- thx Cnydee -- go get that camera!!

Hi Sharon! thx for the blushing moment you have bestowed upon me regarding my staging. :-)
Regarding the updated photos --  I am still questioning the reason.    Maybe this needs to be rebloged to some REALTOR groups to more feedback????

Jul 19, 2010 01:15 PM