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Proof you need to stage vacant houses..right from my clients mouth!

By Tara Boettger

Home Stager with HOMEGIRL Home Staging

February 26, 2008 02:12 PM

This week I was working with an organizing client of mine and she started talking about how her and her husband were thinking about moving into a bigger home. She told me she would like me to stage her home when she was ready and even stage her furniture when she moves into her new home.

I then asked her if she had started looking at any houses. She told me that they looked at a house a couple of weeks ago and it was very nice. They only problem was that it was very open and a different layout than she is used to seeing. And then told me..here is the proof...she couldn't figure out how the furniture would fit or be configured in this space! So they just walked away from it!

What if this was your home or listing? You would have just lost a buyer because they couldn't figure out where to place their furniture! When will the next buyer come through? Isn't it worth the investment in staging to make sure your buyers can see your home in its full potential?

Controlled Chaos Home Staging and Organizing, services Dutchess, Putnam, Ulster, and Orange counties in NY. Call today to find out more about our services. 845.430.0726

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Patrice Estess

PB APPRAISALS - Kerhonkson, NY

How interesting...I believe strongly in staging...people don't have the vision to see what it could be

Feb 26, 2008 11:37 PM

Melissa Marro

Keller Williams First Coast Realty - The Marro Team - Orange Park, FL

Jacksonville Real Estate and Home Staging

Excellent! This happens just all too often, doesn't it?

Feb 26, 2008 11:55 PM

Fernando Rosado

West Palm Beach, FL

561-906-0050 or 561-840-8950

Tara you are so right . Staging is THE only way to go on todays market. Great blog!

Feb 27, 2008 03:09 AM

Debbie Holmes

John L. Scott - Boise, ID

Gets the job done!

Certainly gives me something to think about.

Feb 27, 2008 03:12 AM

Kathy Riggle

STAGING SMART N SOLD - Houston, TX

Houston Home Staging

So true, Tara. I love the name of your business!

Kathy

Feb 27, 2008 07:55 AM

Bevin Googer

First Impressions Home Staging and Interior Redesign - Mount Pleasant, SC

www.StagingAndRedesign.com

You are so right - buyers walk away from perceived 'awkward' places all the time. I recently had an agent client, that specializes in high end homes, tell me he had buyers walk away from a home where they hated the furniture. Apparently the homeowner's had attempted to stage it themselves and rented cheap furniture, and the potential buyers specifically blamed the furniture for them not taking serious interest in the house! Of course, he has contacted those homeowners and says I should be expecting a call any day now :)

Feb 27, 2008 08:14 AM

Sharon Tara

Sharon Tara Transformations - Portsmouth, NH

Retired New Hampshire Home Stager

Tara Great post, we can always use more examples of the value of our services! I love your business name and your website is beautiful!

Feb 27, 2008 10:06 AM

Kathy Nielsen

http://atlantahomestaging.net - Marietta, GA

Atlanta Georgia Home Stager

Great post, Tara. I especially liked your question; "what if this were your home or listing?" as it makes an excellent point.

Feb 27, 2008 01:51 PM

Betty Haney

Haney Consulting - Calgary, AB

Tara, your post is right on! Recently my sister was looking for a condo and like 80% of potential home buyers, she started on the Internet. Vacant homes were passed right over because she couldn't tell scale or if her furniture would fit. Loved your post. Betty

Feb 27, 2008 02:41 PM

Kristi Oliver

Atlanta Staging & Design - Atlanta, GA

Great post Tara! I find this especially true if the homeowner was a good decorator or had "vision." They just can't imagine that someone else may not have that vision. Once they've moved out of their nicely decorated home, the buyer just can't imagine it being cozy or working for them.

Feb 28, 2008 01:28 AM

ZEESHAN SHAH

STAGE IT FIRST - Houston, TX

great post Tara! further validates us stagers!

Feb 28, 2008 04:19 AM

Kelly Townsend

Coldwell Banker - Santa Rosa, CA

CDPE, Realtor

Tara -

That is a great point and one that I always bring up to sellers about vacants. Most people don't have vision. That's what we are hired to do, figure it all out for them. Thanks for sharing.

Feb 28, 2008 12:30 PM

Cindy Lin

Staged4more School of Home Staging - South San Francisco, CA

Host, The Home Staging Show podcast

great testimonial! would love to see this in the next home staging blog carnival!

cheers,

cindy

Feb 28, 2008 02:43 PM

Susan Peters

Dove Realty Inc. - Seattle, WA

The Better it Looks the Better it Sells

Tara,

The more a buyer has to visualize, the longer it takes them to write an offer and the slower they are to write an offer the lower that offer will be.

Feb 28, 2008 03:01 PM

Cynthia Pagiatakis

Initial Impressions - Warren, ME

Why make it any harder for potential buyers than it needs to be? We have a serious buyer's market here in midcoast Maine ... proof that we need to have a terrific web presence and grab the buyer's attention right from the start.

Cindy

Feb 28, 2008 11:26 PM

Sharon Price

Best Price Stagers - Denver, CO

BestPriceStagers.com

I have an appointment tomorrow to potentially stage a vacant remodel in a trendy neighborhood. Initially they wanted to list the house for 10 days before "suffering" the expence of staging. Thanks for giving me a little more ammunition in convincing them that my service is warranted prior to listing.

Sharon Price, Best Price Stagers

Feb 29, 2008 05:02 AM

Kathleen Lordbock

Keller Williams Realty Professionals - Baxter, MN

Keller Williams Realty Professionals

Sharon - If they list and show and stage after - they have lost many potential clients already. Tell them why they call them vacant houses - because they appear empty, lifeless and have vacant stares.

Tara - thanks for this blog I see you captured the attention of a few Realtors.

Mar 02, 2008 11:21 AM

NANCY LILLY-HAMILTON

CTX MORTGAGE - East Fishkill, NY

Tara, You make a great point. How many deals are lost because a client can't picture how the house would look with thier furniture?

Mar 21, 2008 08:49 AM

Jennifer Fivelsdal

JFIVE Home Realty LLC | 845-758-6842|162 Deer Run Rd Red Hook NY 12571 - Rhinebeck, NY

Mid Hudson Valley real estate connection

Tara - This is so true, sometimes the prospective client just can't picture where the furniture would go; if property is stage it is much easy to envision.

Apr 02, 2008 02:20 PM

Michelle Pimentel

Empire Home Staging Solutions - Upland, CA

ASP, IAHSP Empire Home Staging

This is so true. Even as stagers we come into different home layouts and some can be very challenging as far as furniture placement. If a buyer can't visualize what to do with furnishings in the space, they will loose interest real fast. I truly believe staging works in any situation! Continued Success to you!

Michelle Pimentel, ASP,IAHSP, Empire Home Staging Solutions-So.CA

Apr 06, 2008 03:44 PM

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