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Proof that staging sells - an exact property comparison

Everyone seems to ask for proof that staging sells.... I've been watching a property for a while now (and trying to convince the seller - who is a corporation - that they NEED to stage!)

Both of these properties are on the same street, they are the exact same floorplan, built at the same time. The cabinetry, flooring & countertops are all the same. Neither home has made improvements since it was constructed in 2005. They are virtually identical.....

House #1: 2328 Daniel Island Drive, Charleston

originally listed on 12/14/2006. original list price $349,000

expired & relisted on 03/16/2007 $345,000

House #2: 2338 Daniel Island Drive, Charleston

originally listed on 03/01/2007, original list price $345,000

on 03/16/2007 both homes were vacant, on the market at the exact same time at the exact same price...

We staged House #1 on 08/08/2007

House #1 CLOSED on 09/27/2007 for final sale price $320,000

House #2 is STILL ON THE MARKET with now current list price of $314,800.

I charged $1800 for the staging job on House #1..... so far they have saved 2 months of carrying costs and the home sold for $5200 MORE than the same exact house is now listed for.....

If you still don't think staging is worth it - you really need a paradigm shift!

Posted by Melissa Marro www.StagingAndRedesign.com www.RedesigningCharleston.com on 11/28/2007 11:18 AM

Comments (45)

Originally posted at: Staging And Redesign - My View of the Industry: Proof that staging sells - an exact property comparison

Post is included in group: Stage It Forward...

45 Comments on Proof that staging sells - an exact property comparison

NOV

2007

Melissa: This is a perfect example of the power of staging, and also a testament to your amazing talent. It is hard to deny when you have such a clear representation. Thank you for sharing this with us.

Melissa, now this is certainly the type of statistics that should get people to stand up and take notice! Kudos to you and a job well done.

Michelle - Thank you for your kind words. I only wish we had more exact matches like this one to show agents/sellers the power that we offer. When they are laid out like this it is difficult to say it was 'coincidence'.

Judy - Yes! I am considering using it in my next newsletter... except that the one property is still for sale & I don't want to offend the agent.

I LOVE it! Even if you wait until house #2 sells before you use those stats in your newsletter, it's still great info!

Melissa, it is awesome that you can put forth this type of REAL WORLD information with the comparison. LOVE IT!

Where are the photos? I love seeing your work!

Melissa, I've been waiting for this!

Thank you for the comparison. Can we use the info to show as an example of the difference home staging makes?

Roberta - that's why I keep following it... eventually it should sell, right?

Ginger - I don't have great photos of this property. It was after midnight when we finished & they had a professional photographer coming the next day (I didn't get copies). I never went back to take more... click here for the before & afters though...

Dane - You may use this info! ABSOLUTELY!

Melissa, What a wonderful job. The photos are great before and after. This is what staging is all about and you "got it"...keep sharing those stories with us..

Melissa, comparisons that are this close are hard to come by. I would absolutely pound your target market with this info, especially the builders.

Melissa - OK, you are being hired to stage the other property, right? How can anyone argue with those facts?

Jackie

Melissa,

Your staging is beautiful! Such a tranquil feel to it. Thanks for giving us this great example. I will definitely use the info!

PS LOVE the bedroom!

Elaine Manes-A Wonderful Space Home Staging & Redesign

Mary Lou - Thank you!

Gary - I'll probably wait until the other property sells, is withdrawn, or something - out of respect for the listing agent. The listing agent is actually one of my good clients but the corporate owners don't want to spend the money - I know... crazy!

Jackie - I've been working on getting this client to stage for 6 weeks (longer than it took the other property to sell) I did copy the bulk of this post to the agent to send to the client as a reminder.... we'll see....

Elaine - Thanks! I like things to be simple.

Thanks for posting this, Melissa! It is another wonderful example of the importance of staging! In addition, well done!

Julia

You go girl. That is hard to refute and sometimes people just don't want to see it, but this can't be ignored. I am sure you use this in your marketing all the time. Great job. You see, you stage, you conquer. Thanks for sharing

Thanks for sharing Melissa, I had the same situation with 3 town homes. I blogged on it a couple of months ago. I think that all of us should keep an eye out for sales like this and put together a little online collection. Maybe we could start a group (I know, we need another group like we need a third nostril) that features "apple to apple comparisons".

NOV

2007

Great stats... definitely information that realtors and clients should take note of! Its amazing to me that following the sale of house #1 that house #2 didn't take advantage of your services. Hmm... reduction of $5200 or expense of $1800... not a very hard choice!! Thanks for sharing your success with us.

Lisa Sherman ~ Interior Aura

Great example and great marketing for your next newsletter. You can't argue with those facts. Let's see how long it takes house 2 to "get it".

Melissa ~ Wonderful! I love hearing these comparisons - there's the proof, what more do they need! I hope you'll show us some pictures, too, when you get time.

Congrats on the sale! Please send this post to every Realtor site out there!

Cool! I always wanted some proof that staging works.

Great post. I'll definitely use your example in presentations.

That's so awesome, Melissa! Thanks for sharing those stats with us. As I gaze into my crystal ball, I see that you'll be staging that other property sometime in the near future!

WOW, very impressive work on both your amazing staging work but also on your accurate data in regards to the power of staging a home and the effects of not doing so. The way the market is going now, it can be worth it to many Sellers to invest in someone like yourself.

I've never used a Stager. Are you saying for onl $1800 you allowed the seller to use all the furnishings? This may be a dumb question... be patient with me.

Wow, these are fantastic comparisons. Would it be okay for me to use this example with pictures in my materials?

Melissa - yes, staging works, but it's hard to find an example as concrete as yours. Do you have photos to compare them staged and not?

Excellent Post - congratulations on the feature, it was well deserved! - Julianna

Melissa, I believe staging works. I may just send your link to sellers who need a little nudging.

Melissa- this is the kind of "hard" evidence that is difficult to ignore. Staging works! Thanks for the post.

Marla Hofstee, Burbank, CA. stager

Great example. and i agree, a staged home furnished nicely does seem to be more inviting than one that is vacant or highly cluttered.

I bought a home from a friend (took it off their hands) recently. It was brand new-never lived in, no appliances, etc. It sat vacant and for sale for 2 years going through 3 realtors with no serious offers.

They were happy for me to buy it for what they owed (I could have gotten it for less but I got a fair price).

I told them what they needed to do to sell this house in my opinion before I bought it. They said they didn't want to go to the trouble and would like to just sell it to me.

So, I bought it, put some brand new appliances in it, modestly staged it (the house was certainly nicer than the furniture I used) and advertised it. Within 3 days of advertising it, I got an offer and it sold. I told them its hard to look at empty homes-that they needed to stage it but they didn't believe me.

Was staging the only reason this house sold? Probably not. I'm sure timing was a factor as well. I also advertised the home a lot more than the 3 realtors had.

Just my experience.....Thought I'd pass it on....

Looks like you have some great information to share.

Great example.Congratulations on the feature

More and more examples like this will help to convince the public, sellers, and people in the real estate business that staging does work. Nice post!

Staging is merchandising--it doesn't SELL a home. There are many forces at work: people, strategy, tactics to make that the sale come about. Ultimately, the staged home has to make it to the closing table. It's important to remember that it's a team effort.

Hi, Melissa!

Thanks for another solid piece of evidence to sway the uneducated masses!

Kathy

Melissa,

very well said, and love the facts that you've posted.

Although, I was hoping to see some pictures of the rooms staged :)

Great job, Melissa. In this market, I would think stagers have a golden opportunity to market themselves to listing agents of REOs or the bank directly! The proof is in the pudding. They are so overwhelmed with inventory, the idea of spending another dime to get the product off their inventory seems foreign to them. But it sounds like smart business to me! Clean it, fix it, paint it, stage it and sell it! With an investment of a couple of weeks and a couple thousand dollars, these properties would sell quicker and for a lot more than they are now.

It is really hard to get any kind of stats on staging. Stagers swear by it, and so do many investors that I know. Others say there is no real proof that it works. You have come as close to getting proof as anyone. Thanks for the great post.

wow! Thanks for all the great comments! Since there are just too many to answer each individually....

As John March said above, it is a TEAM effort! He is correct that the staging did not sell the home, but clearly it helped. I can tell you that the listing agent for house #2 is a well respected and hardworking agent who is marketing this home to get it sold. Staging DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE - the evidence is clear!

The idea of staging is simple, clear and easy to understand & yet still difficult to market to some agents & sellers.... I just don't get it!

Really good comparison. This type of thing is what the sellers need to see.

Oh yes, staging makes a difference. Very much so. Thanks for the post.

This is a great way to explain the effect of staging. I think this example leaves little room for argument. I think the biggest problem in our area is that it has been a tough year for most agents and they can't pay for the staging and the seller won't!

NOV

2007

Great post, we would love more photos. Anyone else have a blog on staging in NC. I'd love to see your work.

more photos: http://www.kodakgallery.com/marrofamily/vacantproperties

more res shows: http://www.realestateshows.com/show/inventory.php?userid=20415

Enjoy!

Melissa, I love hearing stories like this. Thank you so much for posting. Betty

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