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Keep it Real!

By
Home Stager with Design Results


There is a growing controversy as to whether a home can be over staged. I’ve been to private homes where the staging itself becomes the main focus!

Attention is drawn to details like a load of laundry in the dryer, a flat of pansies with a little dirt dribbled on the kitchen counter accompanied by gardening gloves and a spade. There might a book set down open-with the spine up – and reading glasses perched at an angle on top.

                           Props.

 An entire showing can become an amusing and distracting view of make believe and over the top efforts to create the impression of an occupied home!

                                  Need a clue? Open the fridge! Yep. It’s empty.

The owners are long gone and the lingering question becomes why go to such lengths to sell a home -instead of why buy the home in the  first place? Not surprisingly, this scenario is typically found in upper end homes in this area.

Visit my site for grins...   http://www.design-results.com  I just launched it this week. It's not perfect- the Transformations photos still need to "hover" but it's getting there! Let me know if you have any words of wisdom- its WordPress and I can modify it.

Have a great day!

Daryl

Sharon Parisi
United Real Estate Dallas - Dallas, TX
Dallas Homes

Keeping it real is important so that the buyer can imagine how to use a particular space. I agree that overdoing can contribute to buyer distraction.

Feb 29, 2012 01:03 PM
Fred Griffin Florida Real Estate
Fred Griffin Real Estate - Tallahassee, FL
Licensed Florida Real Estate Broker

When I started in Real Estate, you taught a Buyer to visualize "everything gone and removed" in the House.

Then came Staging, for a lot of psychological reasons and visual appeal.

 How far do you take it?  

 And what do you do when the Buyer says, "include all the furniture and decorations in the Offer to Purchase?"

Feb 29, 2012 01:05 PM
Jon Zolsky, Daytona Beach, FL
Daytona Condo Realty, 386-405-4408 - Daytona Beach, FL
Buy Daytona condos for heavenly good prices

I am trying to understand how a load of fake laundry can affect the sale of the house?

Feb 29, 2012 01:30 PM
Elite Home Sales Team
Elite Home Sales Team OC - Corona del Mar, CA
A Tenacious and Skilled Real Estate Team

I have always needed to know how to tell if the home was professionally staged.  I will open the refrigerator. 

Feb 29, 2012 01:31 PM
Winston Heverly
Coldwell Banker Access Realty - South Macon, GA
GRI, ABR, SFR, CDPE, CIAS, PA

I must be working in the wrong price range, staging seems to be non-existent under 300k. Sorry I have yet to see it even come close to being real.

Feb 29, 2012 02:34 PM
Daryl Bright Rosenbaum
Design Results - Wilmington, NC

Fred,

It is interesting that according to ANR only 1 in 10 buyers can visualize living in a home. Staging really does help. Go to RESA and download "statistics" if you can't find it email me and I will send the report to you to you.

Some stagers might sell some of their inventory- but it can be the case that the 'flat screen TV is actaully cardboard.

In the end it is the house that is being sold... however you can refer a buyer to the stager to achieve the same look.

I'm happy to answer any questions you might have.

daryl@design-results.com

http://www.design-results.com

Keep in touch & have a great day!

 

Daryl

Feb 29, 2012 11:30 PM
Daryl Bright Rosenbaum
Design Results - Wilmington, NC

Jon,

A load of 'pretend' really isn't a big deal- it's easily overlooked.

However when combined with

  • 'pretend' reading
  • 'pretend' just left the house because the garage door is open
  • 'pretend' gardening
  • 'pretend' just took a shower because a towel is cast sloppily over the shower door to look casual  
  • 'pretend' the baby just went for a stroll because you almost trip over stroller

and a lot of other touches to create the impression of occupancy- and a load in the washer and dryer does- the extra effort does become distracting- if not amusing. If the washer & dryer are Duet they warrant a second glance.

With many personal touches... an empty fridge is really odd.

While staging is a great tool to sell a house -over staging as described can make buyers suspicious. No one really likes to be fooled.

Truly it's just my observation and opinion. You may be right- but the REALTOR who showed this particular house is a Top Producer who listened to comment after comment about how funny the house was - did he sell it? No. Could he have- probably.

Just a thought. Have a great day!

Daryl

Mar 01, 2012 12:06 AM
Daryl Bright Rosenbaum
Design Results - Wilmington, NC

Mark & Tim,

Opening the fridge is a neat trick.

I've envisioned and been tickled by the thought of plastic vegetables, empty cartons of milk, eggs, butter etc!

It's a great way to tell though!

Have a great day!

Daryl

Mar 01, 2012 12:11 AM
Daryl Bright Rosenbaum
Design Results - Wilmington, NC

Winston,

Homes under 3ooK can fly off the market if staged. If you want more of an idea how:

email me @ daryl@design-results.com

 I'm happy to give you more info. Or peek at the RESA site (The Real Estate Staging Association) and their Statistics report. Believe me good staging can really get a house sold much faster and for much more.

I'd love to stay in touch. Have a great day!

Daryl

Mar 01, 2012 12:20 AM