It's not uncommon for Real Estate Investors to snub home staging. Many believe that home staging is simply too expensive, especially for homes under $200,000. In the greater Jacksonville market, more and more are finding that the real cost is NOT staging their properties. Often what is required, however, is another big time investor stepping in and giving a serious push to the non-believer.
This Jacksonville flip sat on the market for two months unstaged.
The call typically sounds something like this... "I'm a local Real Estate Investor with a home that's been sitting on the market, XYZ customer (in this case Kyle Passkiewicz, from Corner Lot Properties), told me about you and said I should call. I have a house that has been sitting on the market for X number of days (in this case, 60 - OUCH!) I don't really believe that staging will work, but he says he does it and it's what I need to do."
This same customer was discussing doing a price reduction, that was significantly more than the cost of staging. After discussing all the options, we decided on our Investor's package, which includes all of the interior spaces of the home, for 1% of list price, with a minimum base.
Staged, this Jacksonville flip sold in only 9 days! Not only that, but it closed $2000 above list price!
When I was at the home, meeting with the real estate investor, I advised him that my opinion on why the home hadn't sold was because buyers didn't know where to watch TV. The open concept floor plan seemed awkward with no clearly defined setup. Worse yet, the cable outlet was on the wrong wall for optimal seating. When the home is vacant, that's all buyers have to go on.
The seller, after having received feedback that the home was "too small" believed that it was a child's room that was hurting the home sale.
Even this question was put to rest when simple furnishings were added to each room of the home, including the "too small" child's room.
Jacksonville Real Estate Investor now a believer!
Because success comes from action, not words, this Jacksonville Real Estate investor has already staged his next flip, and is working on two more, which I'm told will be staged as well. Thankfully, he is no longer a skeptic, following the words of another successful investor. Instead, he is a believer, that others will follow because of his success!
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