In today's sluggish real estate market, sellers may cut corners when preparing their home for sale so they will take the advice of their realtor or a friend as to what may be needed to "stage" their home. Is it always good advice?

Yesterday, I was called in for a consultation to a home that has been on the market for ONE YEAR and no offers. Upon my arrival I immediately saw some major issues. The first being PAINT COLOR. As you can see this was the color chosen for the MBR the first time the house went on the market!

Every room starting from the entry foyer had a different shade. The colors ranged from pinky/peach to yellow and GREEN. The house still had way too much furniture and clutter and entrances to many rooms were being blocked by either couches or beds.

I asked the client if she knew the feedback from potential buyers and her response was that everyone says it needs too much work. I had to agree with her, BUT THE WORK that everyone is complaining about is NOT MAJOR WORK. It is all cosmetic!

Here is the problem...the client does not want to spend any more money on painting or decluttering because based on her last realtors RECOMMENDATIONS she had already done all that. I asked if the realtor recommended colors and her response was NO...these are the colors that I like, afterall I have to live here while the house is for sale. The realtors advice consisted of declutter and paint the rooms...THAT WAS IT! I have said this over and over again...DECLUTTERING IS NOT STAGING!!

A simple staging consult report for a minimal fee was  what  the client needed! I am not sure if the clients realtor worked with a home stager or not, but the recommendations should have been followed up with some guidelines. FREE ADVICE in this case cost the client much more than expected!

I then had to sit with the client and educate her on the benefits of home staging, depersonalizing her space and choosing the RIGHT colors to prepare her home. I had to keep reminding her to forget what the past year did or did not bring in, I was coming through her house as a NEW BUYER that was seeing the house for the first time and never saw it before she did any of the recommended work and I still see these problems. THEY MUST BE ADDRESSED!

Even her son turned to her and said MOM, we need to do this. She was still concerned about spending more money, so I asked her how much did she already lose by having her home sit on the market for one year!

The answer was YOU'RE RIGHT, let's do it!

When preparing your home for sale it is important that you not only work with a REALTOR who is experienced, but also work with a realtor that not only believes in the benefits of HOME STAGING but actually works with a HOME STAGING PROFESSIONAL! Together they will help sell your home!

For the cost of a consulation report, this client now has all the right colors needed to enhance the house as well as a proper furniture arrangement design and a step by step plan for decluttering and addressing cosmetic repairs needed.

All in all these were NOT large jobs, so the client has employed the services of her son and some of her friends, and together WE WILL HELP HER HOUSE SELL!

If your house has been sitting on the market with no offers I recommend you take a second look at it. Review it through the eyes of a buyer. Call a professional Home Staging Expert in for a consultation report. The cost of the report may range from $150.00 - $300.00 but the information you receive will be priceless.

To schedule your in home staging consultation, please call Phyllis Pafumi of ReStyled to Sell at 732-995-3425. We are in the business of helping sellers MOVE ON!