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Are Quick and Over Asking Price Home Sales a Thing of the Past?

By
Home Stager with Creative Concepts-Home Staging and Contracting, Salem Oregon CCB #180695

The times of sticking a sign in the yard and receiving a full price offer is highly unlikely — BUT — we are seeing amazing things happening this fall in the real estate market throughout the Willamette Valley.

All the homes we staged in September have sold (except one builder model).  Coincidence?  We don’t think so!

In the first two weeks of October, we staged 11 houses – and by October 22 five of these homes are under contract.  No they weren’t foreclosures or short sales or undervalued.  They were priced well by their agents and prepared for sale with great care. These houses sold in two to 14 days – prices were from $165,000 to $575,000 – and the houses were located in Salem, Albany and Corvallis.

Here’s one example from a September staging job:

We often deal with estates and out of area heirs who have many aspects of their parents estate to handle.  Rather than bargain price the estate, this family chose to have some updating performed, hoping for a quicker sale.  Within a few weeks an estate sale was held, wallpaper removed, painting done, new carpeting installed and property was staged.

Here are some before pictures on how the home looked on our first visit:

 

Think this house is a candidate for a quick sale?  Probably not.

How about now?  Here is how it looked when it went on the market:

 

We didn’t even have time to get professional photos taken . . . it went on the market on Friday and by Monday had more than one offer . . . and yes this home sold for OVER the asking price.

Looking for the best possible way to market your home?

You can’t change market conditions, the competition, or your location.  We can help you change the presentation of your home.

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Doug Rogers
RE/MAX Coastal Properties - Destin, FL
Your Real Estate Resource!

Looks great! Staging makes a big difference. Sure wish some of my clients would go for this.

Oct 24, 2011 04:30 AM
Wendy Tomm
Beyond the Walls - East St Paul, MB
CCSP, RESA-PRO, BBB - Wpg Realtors

Great stats makes for great stories. You were busy and from the looks of the photos very successful. Congratulations for your great staging on this project.

Oct 24, 2011 04:51 AM
Maureen Bray Portland OR Home Stager ~ Room Solutions Staging
Room Solutions Staging, Portland OR - Portland, OR
"Staging Consultations that Sell Portland Homes"

Hi Margaret -- good to see that staging is helping those well-priced homes to sell so quickly!  We find the same situation in our area too, if the homes are priced right and show in good condition, they're selling like hotcakes.  Great news for smart sellers and their agents!

Oct 24, 2011 06:14 AM
Valerie Baker
Exit Real Estate Professionals - Spokane, WA
Spokane Realtor

Margaret - That is a wonderful staging job! Is it a little easier to convince people they need to change when it is an estate?

Oct 24, 2011 07:14 PM
Michelle Minch
Moving Mountains Design Home Staging, Pasadena, CA - Los Angeles, CA
Home Staging Los Angeles and Orange County, CA

Great job, Margaret! The before pics were a little scary! Most of the homes we've staged this year have sold very quickly, several for over asking price. The ones that haven't sold - overpriced homes with stubborn sellers. There is only so much we can do!

Oct 25, 2011 04:19 AM
Ginger Foust
Certified Staging Professional - Oakhurst, CA
Home Stager Oakhurst CA, Dream Interior Redesign & Staging

Great staging and results Margaret.  Wish our local agents and the sellers would step it up and get on-board with pricing homes properly especially when most of them remain blasts from the past.  Glad it's working for you and your Salem area clients! 

Oct 25, 2011 06:15 AM
David Peterson
Synergy Staging ~ specializing in vacant home staging - Portland, OR
Home Stager Portland OR-Synergy Staging-Portland Oregon

Margaret - Great transformation. It's always a treat when clients are willing to do so much work in order to make their home sell quickly. If only everyone understood the advantage to a small investment before selling can lead to a profitable sale quite quickly.

Oct 25, 2011 07:24 AM
Michelle Finnamore
Toronto GTA, Alliston, Newmarket - Vaughan, ON
Preparing your property for sale

Hi Magaret, You are smokin' hot with this staging job. Another staging success story, no suprize knowing your work here on AR. I could swear that you were in my area with the before pictures.  Truly a day and night transformation.

Oct 25, 2011 01:52 PM
Debra Landy
StageTwoSell LLC - Horseheads, NY
PA and NY Home Stager

There must be a lot of homes like your "before" out there....I've seen tons of them here on the east coast....imagine how many there are in between!   This s a huge transformation.  Your staging work is great.  Just enough of the right pieces to make the rooms show beautifully.  Love it.

Oct 25, 2011 04:43 PM
Kathy Nielsen
http://atlantahomestaging.net - Marietta, GA
Atlanta Georgia Home Stager

I agree with Michelle F. - you are smokin hot!  Your after pictures are proof positive of the value of home staging. Great staging, Margaret (as always).

Congratulations. Your home staging is being featured in the group Staging Before and After Pictures.

Kathy

Oct 26, 2011 02:57 AM
Eve Rusakova
Studio 74, Home Staging and Redesign - Toronto, ON
Home Stager, Toronto, ON

Great stats, Margaret. And great staging job that gives amazing results!

Oct 28, 2011 07:15 AM
Cathy Lee
CL Design Services Home Staging - Danville, CA
ASP, IAHSP, RESA Danville, CA

Your work is exceptional-really makes me smile!!!!!

Oct 30, 2011 05:33 PM
Margaret Oscilia
Creative Concepts-Home Staging and Contracting, Salem Oregon - Salem, OR
Home Stager, Salem Oregon

Hi Doug - We've found that once agents have a track record with a stager, it is much easier for them to communicate the benefits and great results to their clients.  Educating home sellers is timely and doesn't always work, but usually it helps them see they end up with more $$ if they prepare to sell correctly from day 1!

Thanks Wendy - Yes - it has been busy!  Always fun to have such great success for our clients!

Maureen - I think your wonderful staging has something to do with how quickly those houses are selling as well!  

Valerie - Often times in estates it is even more difficult because there are so many family members involved and sometimes cash isn't easy to obtain through trusts, etc.  BUT, we've had so many really good success stories I think it makes it easier for them to see the value of staging!

Michele - I'm with you!  Wallpaper is scary to home buyers!  It wouldn't have sold looking like that for a decent price!

Ginger - There are still plenty of education opportunities in our areas as well!  LOL!

Oct 31, 2011 02:26 AM
Victoria Linton
First American Title Company of Oregon - Beaverton, OR

We are seeing some multiple offers in Yamhill County as well (when the price is right and the home has been staged well). Other homes just site on the market. It sure makes a difference when the home is properly prepared.

Keep up the great work Margaret!

Nov 02, 2011 06:51 AM