Special offer

floorplan with a BAM!

By
Real Estate Agent with Majestic Properties 3061802

Selling an empty condo unit is not an easy task.  Ideally a seller will follow the advice of his/her Realtor and will hire a Stager to furnish and make the unit more marketable.  When staging is not an option, a rendered floor plan is always a good idea.  Sometimes developers will create furnished floor plans that are used as sales materials, but other times, Realtors need to resort to other creative methods, like hiring a draftsperson, architect or designer that can render the boring floor plans.

We currently have a listing in a brand new complex called The Preserve, just South of Miami Shores.  The unit has never been lived in and although in a great location, it is empty, the walls and carpeting are light beige, and buyers have a difficult time visualizing the space.

Living/Dining Kitchenfloor plan

This is what the unit looks like.

It is open, airy with lots of light. 

It has a great simple floor plan.

So why could a unit like this be difficult to sell?

We have shown this property to dozens of people and although they like it, they don't love it.  They find it plain, It is not exiting.

This is what we have created to entice buyers into the property.  The same floor plan shows possible furniture layout with some depth and color.  It is by no means a professionally rendered floorplan, but it gives an idea of how the space could be utilized.

 floor plan with furniture and color

 

 

 

It is up to us, as Realtors, to come up with creative ideas to market properties.  A simple sketch of a space could help sell a property without a major expense.

 

Rick and I always ask our sellers for floorplans, will produce renderings like this and will have the drawings easily available at each showing to help buyers visualize.  We try to use as many tools available to us as possible to ease the selling process.

 

A little "outside the box thinking" could mean the difference between selling or sitting on a property like this.  Please visit our website at http://www.yourpropertypros.com/ www.miamism.com for additional information about this and other listings in the South Florida area.

 

 

Comments(23)

"The Lovely Wife" The One And Only TLW.
President-Tutas Towne Realty, Inc. - Kissimmee, FL

BAM...Wink. Wink. (smooch)...

 

 

 

ROAR!

Jan 10, 2007 11:11 PM
Carol Spengel
Prudential Rubloff - Wheaton, IL
Wheaton IL
I'm not a stager, but also adding real furniture - even just a small amount in the right places help buyers to picture what should go where.  I'm sure you can find some really good stagers in your area or here on Active Rain.
Jan 10, 2007 11:35 PM
Rick & Ines - Miami Beach Real Estate
Majestic Properties - Miami Beach, FL

Thansk Ann - that's the idea, to give them something to start with.  There are not many new complexes in this area - I also like the exteriors.

TLW - I knew you would like the BAM!

Kevin and Sherry - Unfotunately, real furniture is not an option here.  The local stagers I have contacted do not stock furniture and the rental would run about $400 per month. 

Jan 11, 2007 12:02 AM
"The Lovely Wife" The One And Only TLW.
President-Tutas Towne Realty, Inc. - Kissimmee, FL
:)
Jan 11, 2007 12:11 AM
Carole Cohen
Howard Hanna Cleveland City Office - Cleveland, OH
Realtor, ePRO
WOW I am so impressed. What a fantastic idea! I don't think I could stay in the lines to draw that but wow!
Jan 11, 2007 01:19 AM
Renée Donohue~Home Photography
Savvy Home Pix - Allegan, MI
Western Michigan Real Estate Photographer
Great idea!  We have access to floor plans of resales too.  Good thing my husband knows how to draw!
Jan 11, 2007 02:46 AM
Rick & Ines - Miami Beach Real Estate
Majestic Properties - Miami Beach, FL

Carole - if you don't know how to draw, sometimes it is as easy as contacting your local college for students that can do these drawings (interior design and architecture students). 

Renee - if the floorplans are to scale, they sell furniture templates or you can also do them in the computer. 

Jan 11, 2007 03:50 AM
Derek and Mariana Wagner
The Artisan Group- Keller Williams Premier Realty - Colorado Springs, CO
The Artisan Group - Colorado Springs REALTORS®
Ines AKA Crayola Queen- That makes SUCH a difference! I never thought about utilizing floorplans, but it could be a great tool, especially when we need all the tools we can to move our sluggish listings! Thank you! ~flap flap
Jan 11, 2007 08:09 AM
Rick & Ines - Miami Beach Real Estate
Majestic Properties - Miami Beach, FL

sketch

There's the butterfly!!  correction:  it is Mrs. Prismacolor to you!  I have even done freehand sketches of front facades for the marketing of historic homes, those renderings are a big hit and it makes a nice gift to the owner.

Jan 11, 2007 08:24 AM
Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400
HomeRome Realty 410-530-2400 - Pikesville, MD
Sell Your Home With Margaret Rome

Rick and Inez,

Fabulous idea to "color in' the floor plans. Might be a good idea to have some copies of the floor plans and some colorful markers near by. "And M/M Buyer what are you favorite colors." Or " little Janie, what color would you like your room to be?"

Jan 11, 2007 08:26 AM
Rick & Ines - Miami Beach Real Estate
Majestic Properties - Miami Beach, FL
That's a great idea Margaret - I always have floor plans with me at open houses and play around with distribution with customers all the time but the idea of incorporating color when kids are around is definitely "out of the box thinking".
Jan 11, 2007 08:46 AM
Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400
HomeRome Realty 410-530-2400 - Pikesville, MD
Sell Your Home With Margaret Rome

How about an art contest for the kids? Most colorful etc. and do it by age groups. But of course, everyone would be a winner. Love your ideas also!

www.homerome.com

Baltimore,Md

Jan 11, 2007 09:21 AM
Rich Jacobson
Fathom Realty West Sound - Poulsbo, WA
Your Kitsap County WA Real Estate Broker
Depending on the number of units you are marketing, it might make sense to actually stage a model unit. I have 7 condo units currently on the market here, but the market/price doesn't justify going thru the staging hoops. The price/location is what will draw them in. A neat idea, Ines! I love having more marketing options in my realtor tool belt!
Jan 11, 2007 09:52 AM
Rick & Ines - Miami Beach Real Estate
Majestic Properties - Miami Beach, FL

Margaret - I'll keep the art contest in the back of my mind for when I start seeing a lot of kids in showings and open houses - great idea!

Rich - I totally agree with you if the units are in the same complex - although it can backfire because everyone wants the "model unit" - so it would pay off to stage the one in the worst location to make it more marketable.  As for the floorplans, they easy and just another tool.

Jan 11, 2007 12:29 PM
George Souto
George Souto NMLS #65149 FHA, CHFA, VA Mortgages - Middletown, CT
Your Connecticut Mortgage Expert
Ines, I have never seen the Realtors that I work with do this, but I think it is a great idea, I am going to share this with them, especially one that has a vacant Condo right now.  Thanks.
Jan 12, 2007 12:39 AM
Rick & Ines - Miami Beach Real Estate
Majestic Properties - Miami Beach, FL
Thanks George, please share away.....that's the whole point!
Jan 12, 2007 12:47 AM
Ken Smith
Suburban House Hunters - Arlington Heights, IL
Empty homes are so hard to sell. That is a great idea!
Jan 12, 2007 03:41 AM
Rick & Ines - Miami Beach Real Estate
Majestic Properties - Miami Beach, FL
Glad to be of help Ken - it should not be difficult to find someone to produce these either.
Jan 12, 2007 11:52 PM
Chris Drayer
FloorPlanOnline & Finch Mktg - Shawnee, KS

Staging can get expensive per month!

An under $200 option is www.floorplanonline.com The Service providers will take photos measure and draw the floorplan, then inlcude your community photos on the tour as well - Sell the sizzle, not the steak!

 

Apr 09, 2007 10:46 AM
Rick & Ines - Miami Beach Real Estate
Majestic Properties - Miami Beach, FL
Chris - thanks for the link.  If it costs only $200 to get floorplans, it is a steal!  I sent the company an e-mail to ask how they work.
Apr 09, 2007 01:12 PM