Home > Blogs > Sue Argue > Home Staging New Hampshire>>NH Professional Home Stager

The Secret Option for Builders to Stage a Model Home

By Sue Argue

Home Stager with Staged First Impressions

August 19, 2007 03:31 PM

There was a time when new condos in seacoast New Hampshire couldn't be built fast enough. Our population here in Hampton swells from roughly 20,000 to over 100,000 in the summer months. The winters are long and cold, but plenty of folks like to keep a vacation condo here for the summer months.

But times have changed. Too many condos have been built. Builders that get stuck hanging on to multiple units need to get creative in order to sell. As a home stager in New Hampshire, I've been asked, "What are my options?"

This model condo pictured below is 2 miles from the ocean; it is harder to sell than new condos located right on the water. Being a 55+ community, this also narrows down the buyer pool. This builder needed to get creative!

We agreed upon a budget of $7,000 for complete furnishings and staging of one unit.

I purchased everything and designed the space.

The builder kept all receipts and owns everything outright. (No monthly rental fees)

When this condo sells, all items will be moved into another unsold unit and used again. This means the model furnishings can be used to stage again and again, at no further cost to the builder.

If a buyer wishes to purchase a unit furnished, the builder can bump up the asking price and recoup the staging fee.

If you're gasping at the price of $7,000 and wondering, "Where the heck am I going to get that kind of money?" think about this: your first or second price reduction is probably going to be more than $7,000, am I right?

Another option is to work with a stager who furnishes a vacant home using rented furniture and accessories; there are monthly charges accrued. The option to sell the model furnished to recoup staging costs is not available. There would be continued monthly charges if furnishings were moved to another unit to be used again.

The vacant condo above was staged & photographed by Sue Argue of Staged First Impressions, a NH home staging company. Please call 603-926-2676 for a home staging consultation. We're here for you, NH.

Comments(43)

Comment

Show All Comments

Sort:

Cindy Lin

Staged4more School of Home Staging - South San Francisco, CA

Host, The Home Staging Show podcast

FABULOUS! I love what you did with the unit. And great point on them buying furniture themselves. I haven't thought about pitching it that way. Great ideas ;)

Cheers,

Cindy

Aug 20, 2007 02:13 PM

Sue Argue

Staged First Impressions - Hampton, NH

NH Home Stager

Cindy, I always look forward to your comments.

I know you do a lot of vacant staging in San Fran. Do you think your builders might go for this option to save some money?

Aug 20, 2007 02:16 PM

Margaret Ann Innis

Decorate To Sell - Merrimack Valley Real Estate Staging - Andover, MA

Real Estate Staging - MA & NH

Sue - Looks great! Wonderful job! Bit by bit, job by job, client by client - New England understand's Staging Works! The knife sets off red flags.

Graphic: olosapo - tiny dog

Aug 21, 2007 12:11 AM

Sue Argue

Staged First Impressions - Hampton, NH

NH Home Stager

Margaret, yes, the knife, see above comments! New England is last to catch on, but it's happening.

Aug 21, 2007 01:21 AM

Juliet Johnson

Vizzitopia - St Johns, FL

Jacksonville Photography & Digital Marketing

Sue, drapes, too? And a really lovely iron piece. I got to find me some of these. You've made the boxes into rooms that combine into a home. Nice job.

Aug 21, 2007 02:01 AM

Sue Argue

Staged First Impressions - Hampton, NH

NH Home Stager

Juliet,

The drapes were not expensive, but I concentrated on the items that DID matter a lot. For instance, in front of the fireplace, those are recliners, not just chairs! And the couch is a sleeper, which is important because the condo is only a one-bedroom, thus a sleeper converts to a guest room. The wooden coffee table cubes open up for storage; there isn't a lot of space here!

These details make the condo much more "turn key" appealing to folks who might buy this furnished to use as a beach getaway.

If a seller can sell a staged unit furnished, they can recoup their staging costs...and that's pretty nice!

Aug 21, 2007 02:30 AM

Ann Krewson

A.L.I. Designs, Inc. - Houston, TX

A.L.I. Designs; Staging Houston Homes; Allied Member of A.S.I.D.

Joan, Thanks for making the $7000 sound reasonable. I work with builders as well and I prefer it. I get my furniture at cost make them sign a 3 month contract upfront and then get my furniture back when the house sells. I believe it is the easiest sale I can do. The builder is happy when they see the finished product and will use you over and over again.

Aug 21, 2007 08:52 AM

Sue Argue

Staged First Impressions - Hampton, NH

NH Home Stager

Ann, my name is Sue, not Joan.

And I don't find $7,000 reasonable, that's why I wrote this post. This post is about creatively helping builders afford staging.

Aug 21, 2007 09:58 AM

Yvonne Root

rooms b.y. root - Prescott, AZ

Home Stager - Northern Arizona

Sue, Once again you have done an excellent job of telling the story with both words and pictures. This is fantastic. I'm guessing no blow up beds here. :)

Aug 21, 2007 10:03 AM

Sue Argue

Staged First Impressions - Hampton, NH

NH Home Stager

Yvonne, thank you. I did suggest an inflatable bed, but they wanted to keep it real. I have to admit, a real mattress does make the linens look a little nicer :)

Aug 21, 2007 10:06 AM

Yvonne Root

rooms b.y. root - Prescott, AZ

Home Stager - Northern Arizona

Sue, Once again you have done an excellent job of telling the story with both words and pictures. This is fantastic. I'm guessing no blow up beds here. :)

Aug 21, 2007 10:12 AM

Ann Cummings

RE/MAX Shoreline - NH and Maine - Portsmouth, NH

Portsmouth NH Real Estate Preferrable Agent

Ross Colony? That's what that reminds me of if it isn't that complex.

Nice job making those spaces come alive, and it certainly does help potential buyers see the possibilities, especially in rooms that might initially appear to be challenging to them.

Ann

Aug 21, 2007 11:55 AM

Sue Argue

Staged First Impressions - Hampton, NH

NH Home Stager

Ann, yes it is. Can you find a buyer or 2? I worked with Becky Lufkin on this project, a very nice lady! These condos are a fantastic buy, very affordable and convenient to everything.

Thank you for the compliments, Ann!

Aug 21, 2007 12:25 PM

Sue Argue

Staged First Impressions - Hampton, NH

NH Home Stager

Ann, yes it is. Can you find a buyer or 2? I worked with Becky Lufkin on this project, a very nice lady! These condos are a fantastic buy, very affordable and convenient to everything.

Thank you for the compliments, Ann!

Aug 21, 2007 12:25 PM

Ann Cummings

RE/MAX Shoreline - NH and Maine - Portsmouth, NH

Portsmouth NH Real Estate Preferrable Agent

They are nice units, and I've already shown them so am familiar with that project. Beautifully maintained and a great location. I met both Becky and her brother - very nice folks indeed.

Aug 21, 2007 01:02 PM

Karen Otto

Home Star Staging - Plano, TX

Plano Home Staging, Dallas Home Staging, www.homes

Sue this looks fabulous!

I've been thinking about this "purchase" option myself and over the long run it does make more sense if it's going to used again and again. Investors and home flippers may like this same option too. I have offered this for small furniture and accessory only jobs for a cost effective alternative to renting to some of my homeowners and it seems to be a coming trend that makes sense and cents. May I ask, who delivered the larger pieces and who will move them when the time comes? - this is where having a company or contractor (with great rates) in the moving biz handy - or a strapping young guy with a truck.

Aug 22, 2007 02:18 AM

Sue Argue

Staged First Impressions - Hampton, NH

NH Home Stager

Ann, have been working on a RES for the condo, will try to create a Localism blog that does the place justice :)

Aug 22, 2007 07:51 AM

Sue Argue

Staged First Impressions - Hampton, NH

NH Home Stager

Karen, the large furniture pieces were delivered by the furniture store and I was there to meet them and show where to place pieces. When the time comes to move the furniture & accessories to a new condo, it will be in the same building complex, and the builders/owners will take care of setting everything back up.

If they need any help primping the next unit, I'll jog over and primp :)

Thanks for stopping by Karen my friend.

Aug 22, 2007 07:55 AM

George Tallabas

RE/MAX Advantage - Nampa, ID

Idaho Real Estate

Great post Ms. Argue and yet another masterful piece of writting. And here you told me before you were nto a good writer. You silly rabbit!

Aug 22, 2007 07:59 AM

Sue Argue

Staged First Impressions - Hampton, NH

NH Home Stager

Hey George, thank you so much:)