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You Know a Home is Staged Well When the Buyer Wants the Furniture!

By Cynthia Larsen

Real Estate Broker/Owner CalBRE# 01433049

September 07, 2010 07:48 AM

table, chair, flowers I showed a home in Sonoma County last week where the buyer asked ... Do you think they would sell us the furniture? I knew this didn't include the wine glasses with the fake red wine (although their son was fascinated with them). The home was staged very well and the house showed beautifully.

I explained to my buyers that the stager owns the furniture, that she brought in pieces from her inventory that fit the size of the home. A dining table that was not too small, not too large. A pair of easy chairs that were not too small, not too large. Every item in the living areas of the house were proportional to the size of the room.

I offered to ask the stager if she would consider letting go of some of her inventory. This was a first for me and a credit to the stagers out there who are doing a terrific job of helping us sell our listings!

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Lora "Leah" Stern 914-772-4528

Coldwell Banker, 170 N Main Street, New City NY 10956 - New City, NY

Real Estate Salesperson

What a great accolade to the stager. It's not usually the actual furniture, but the finishing touches coupled with it that does the trick. Just get the name of the source of the furniture and pass that along.

Sep 07, 2010 08:04 AM

Cynthia Larsen

Cotati, CA

Independent Broker In Sonoma County, CA

Leah - this time it was the actual furniture! The pieces were of high quality and in excellent shape for being moved around so much. If the buyer wants to follow through with an offer I will certainly approach the stager.

Sep 07, 2010 08:28 AM

Carla Muss-Jacobs, RETIRED

RETIRED / State License is Inactive - Portland, OR

Oh, no . . . we'll be saying "Do you want furniture with that?" from now on. HA HA HA

Sep 07, 2010 08:32 AM

Marian Goetzinger

Pine Knoll Shores Realty 252-422-9000 - Pine Knoll Shores, NC

Crystal Coast Real Estate NC

Cynthia, It reminds me of the many times I've said to a seller, "If you're attached any item in the house, take it out now. It never fails that will be the item we wind up negotiating on rather than the purchase price."

Sep 07, 2010 09:16 AM

Carla - LOL, maybe this could be a great new way to sell furniture ... who knew!! All that was missing was the price tags!

Marian - oh, I know what you mean, sometimes I feel like a buyer is furniture shopping instead of house shopping. They can get so mezmerized on the furnishings!

Sep 07, 2010 09:24 AM

Robert L. Brown

www.mrbrownsellsgr.com - Grand Rapids, MI

Grand Rapids Real Estate Bellabay Realty, West Mic

That tells the stager that they are professional in what they do. I'ts good to do business with professionals.

Sep 07, 2010 09:55 AM

Malcolm Johnston

Century 21 Lanthorn Real Estate LTD., Trenton, Ontario - Trenton, ON

Trenton Real Estate

I'm sure the stager would let the furniture go for a decent price. I'm also sure s/he will be tickled pink to hear this story. Stagers really do great work Cynthia.

Sep 07, 2010 10:54 AM

Anna "Banana" Kruchten

HomeSmart Real Estate - Phoenix, AZ

602-380-4886

Hey Cynthia - I have run into this quite often as many homes - our winter visitors - like furnished homes all things being equal of course. Some of them are 'staged' not always wth the stagers furniture and accessories but she does go in and arrange it all. They always fall in love with the designer! I always make sure they have her card!!

Sep 07, 2010 12:28 PM

Paul S. Henderson, REALTOR®, CRS

Fathom Realty Washington LLC - Tacoma, WA

South Puget Sound Washington Agent/Broker!

That seem to be a theme these days. Could we buy some of the furniture also. A friend of mine sells some of his own staging furniture if the client wants it...

Sep 07, 2010 01:01 PM

Robert - I agree, the more professional the easier this business is ... and it isn't an easy business!

Malcolm - I'll have to find out who the stager is, she didn't have a business card there like many of them do.

Anna Banana - Interesting, we have folks who relocate here on rotation, 6 months at a time. When I worked at a large national brokerage, I would get paid to drive folks around on a "rental tour". After they selected their apartment/condo/house to rent, I'd set them up with a furniture company who would come in and arrange their temporary home with rental furniture. It's funny how every region is different.

Paul - Selling staging furniture makes sense to me. Then you don't have to move it out and you will have money to buy new up-to-date furniture. Seems like a win-win to me!

Sep 07, 2010 01:14 PM

Mary Kay Hopkins

Mary Kay Hopkins, LLC e-PRO, GRI, CRS, CRB - Lake Charles, LA

e-PRO,GRI,CRS

Cynthia, good for you for going the extra mile to make the inquiry AND for giving kudos to the staging community.

Sep 07, 2010 02:50 PM

Carra Riley & Declan Kenyon

Brokers Guild Cherry Creek Ltd - Westminster, CO

Helping people Transition at all ages!

Cynthia.....That's a big A+ for the stager!

Sep 08, 2010 05:43 AM

Mary Kay - these buyers know I'm serious and will call anyone with any question they have. Besides, then I get to learn something too!

Carra - I thought so too!

Sep 08, 2010 09:09 AM

Endre Barath, Jr.

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties - Beverly Hills, CA

Realtor - Los Angeles Home Sales 310.486.1002

Cynthia, I love good stagers, I had a house that was second house in from a busy street with a shared driveway if it would not have been staged, I do not think it would have sold. Especially since we tried it three months without staging and no one wrote an offer.

Sep 08, 2010 07:21 PM

Endre - those houses are hard to sell! I am trying to sell one of those now!

Sep 09, 2010 03:56 AM

You Know a Home is Staged Well When the Buyer Wants the Furniture!

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