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Do You Know what Helps Real Estate taste Good for Buyers?

How many times have you attended a wedding or birthday party and looked forward to tasting the celebratory cake? Cake

Do you tactfully maneuver your place in line to grab that prized corner cake piece, lush with sugary icing or do you hope that your random cake slice served at your seat is mostly cake-only with minimal icing?

The whole experience begins with admiring the carefully hand-piped decorations and overall appearance of the cake. It doesn't matter if you are an icing junkie or a cake-only lover. Everyone can appreciate the overall thrill when we first spot the beautiful cake.

Now you might ask: Kathleen, what does this analogy have to do with selling a house?

Professional Home Staging is the ‘icing' of Real Estate. Everyone pays close attention to the first impression a home makes on them. The concept means in order to achieve success in real estate, sellers need to offer a taste of both cake and icing. When combined together, they keep more buyers interested and asking for seconds.

Of course the cake itself must be edible quality in order to build a good foundation. Yet, think about it...would a bare and plain baked cake make your mouth water all on its own? Probably not.

Therefore, please do not scrimp on the icing. It's the ‘finished' dessert which creates the visual magic for all of us. It is the home staging which makes the difference.

Think of this idea when you are trying to sell your real estate. Have you iced and decorated your property listing or simply left it plain and unadorned on the cooling rack, hoping for the best?

Remember, selling a house is not really about whether people love the icing or the cake-only; it is about impressions made when buyers take a first look at your ‘cake'.

Warm Regards,

Kathleen Garvey

KATHLEEN GARVEY of ENHANCED INTERIORS & HOME STAGING located in the Fort Myers - Naples, Florida area. Providing home staging services in the following cities: Naples. Bonita Springs, Estero, Sanibel Island, Ft. Myers, Fort Myers Beach, Cape Coral and Punta Gorda, FL. (239) 849-6009

Please visit my website: ENHANCED INTERIORS

Posted by Kathleen Garvey - Stager Idol - Florida Home Staging in Naples Ft. Myers on 10/06/2008 04:51 PM

Comments (30)

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30 Comments on Do You Know what Helps Real Estate taste Good for Buyers?

OCT

I like to use this same analogy Kathleen - the "icing". Yes indeed I love it! I also use the jewlery on an outfit comparison or lipstick on your face - it just completes the look and makes one stop and take notice. We all know what a well baked cake looks like unfrosted... plain and unappealing - the frosting makes it mouthwatering.

OCT

Hello Karen-Sometimes I think we must keep explaining what we do and how it appeals to the buyers. I am an icing lover and besides the sugar rush, the sugar is what makes the look so fabulous! (eg. ICING!) People need to remember to add some professional icing to their listings....and change how their house is viewed! Thanks for stopping by Karen! Regards-Kathleen G

OCT

YUMMY! I have not eaten yet and now I am starving....great post and great analogy Kathleen.

Kathleen, this was a great blog...btw..I like the corner piece!

Hello Cathy Lee! Ever since I wrote this blog, all I can think about is eating CAKE! LOL...I want one of those really beautiful iced birthday cakes (and no, it is not my Bday!). So sad that many local bakeries are no longer in business. Those were the good ol' days! Thanks for stopping by! Regards-Kathleen G

Hey Marci! I too luuuvvv the corner piece! All that icing...with a little bit of cake is perfect for me. I have to confess, I was one of those kids who would even finish the icing from my brothers' plates if they didn't want it! (My mother would attest to this oddity!) Thanks for commenting! Regards-Kathleen G

Hi again! I could not find any cake or any strawberries in my refrig. This was a very rare stay at home, catch up work in the office day for me-but I found mini frozen cinnamon rolls in the freezer....for shame!!!! They were so darn delicious!! Thats what I get for working from home. oink, oink!!

OCT

Hi Cathy-I too am behind a bit on my paperwork and am trying to catch up between appointments, calls and setting up stagings. When it rains it pours in this business! A little sweets here and there are good for the Soul..hopefully you enjoyed those cinnamon rolls...once again, the icing always makes the event special! Regards-Kathleen G

Kathleen- Great analogy ! Great post! BUT- I probably will be snacking all night now :)

OCT

Hello Wendy- Thanks for reading! Yes, everytime I see this photo my stomach is ready for fresh strawberries and frosted cake! Bless sugar! Regards-Kathleen G

Kathleen: Very good analogy. Home staging is the frosting on the cake. Even the most delicious cake is enhanced by the right icing. When you go to the bakery, they don't put unfrosted cakes in the window and say they will sell it to you cheaper if you don't demand it be frosted! Of course not. They know they would rarely sell any cakes that way. Every cake is frosted and decorated perfectly because a successful baker knows the cakes have to look enticing and delicious in order to sell.

I see carrot cake in my future today!

Kathleen,

Just got back from a wedding this past weekend! You are so right... people were lined up for that much anticipated cake. The servers couldn't pass it out fast enough! This same principle does apply when selling a home. If you entice your buyers with the "icing" they will be tempted to bite!

Great post!

Hello Michelle M.- I am home for lunch right now and would love to have a taste of carrot cake. It is one of my personal favs! Actually, I made carrot cake/cupcakes for a neighbor last weekend and ended up eating most of them...the cream cheese frosting is the best! LOL... I hope you fill your carrot cake desire today. Yum! Regards-Kathleen G

Hi Michelle P-A tasty wedding cake is one of my favorite parts of the meal during a wedding. Such a treat! I see so many of those elaborate and well-decorated cakes and simply can not help being attracted. The same cake unadorned and without icing would not have the same impact on the guests. : ) Now you have me wanting wedding cake icing!! Each time I answer posts on this blog, I feel hungry! Regards-Kathleen G

Kathleen ~ Your analogy is very tasty! Most of the time it's the icing that makes us want the cake in the first place, regardless of the cake flavor. It's all about enhancing the cake to make it irresistible. Your photo is making me hungry!! :-)

Hi Maureen- Thanks for reading today! Yes, every time I see that creamy chocolate icing in the photo above, I want to swipe my finger along the cake for a taste. You are correct--it is the 'enhancement' of a cake which makes it irresistible.

Last weekend I baked carrot cake/cupcakes and was working on my decorating techniques. I used fancier foil cupcake liners and loaded up my icing bag with the right sized tip. Now I must confess, my swirling around with the icing needs a little more patience than I was willing to give at the time....yet, the finished product made the effort worthwhile! I need some cake and a major bowl of icing after today's day.....thanks for stopping by! Regards-Kathleen G

Don't do it Kathleen. Step away from the icing bowl!

C'mon Michelle....it has been a really wicked day for me....puh-leeeez don't hold me back!

PS-I hope you indulged your sweet-tooth and found your piece of carrot cake today! : ) That cream cheese icing gets me everytime...oh yah, and the cake too! LOL...

We have a high end grocery store here in Los Angeles called Bristol Farms. They sell their carrot cake by the slice and it is outstanding in every way. 1,100 calories/slice and 80% of the saturated fat for the day. I told you it was outstanding. Every once in a while I'll buy a slice and my husband and I will share it. If he is out of town, I divide it into thirds and enjoy it over three days.

Some how your post has degenerated into a feeding frenzy. Sorry:o))

It's the corner piece for me, too. In my book, cakes are primarily frosting-delivery devices (though I too love a nice carrot cake...). My partner and I do a presentation to realtors where my partner makes a cake and we buy another (with fondant icing and gorgeous sugar roses) from a professional bakery. We then compare amateur and professional staging with amateur and professional cake decorating. We have a drawing for the cakes, and there's always a keen desire for the pro. cake. The realtor who wins the homemade cake is generally disappointed (though Susan is an excellent baker, and I'm sure they enjoy eating the cake!). It's been fun to do, and seems to really drive the point home. Maybe someday I'll do my own cake blog...

Hey Michelle M - Bristol Farms opened after my days of living in Los Angeles. I understand there is one where the restaurant Chasens used to be....wow. Sounds like my kinda place to shop! You divide it into THIRDS? I am impressed with your willpower lady! BTW - I use 'Plugra' in my cream cheese icing and it must send the calories shooting to the moon! Next time I am in LA, I will meet you for carrot cake (2 pieces!) at Bristol Farms! : ) Regards-Kathleen G

Hello Laurie- What a cool idea! I would be crying if I won the un-iced cake at your meeting...lol! Those sugar roses are always eye-catching for me. I love that you and your partner use this analogy 'real time'.

What fun and such a neat idea to make the frosted vs un-frosted cake theme a part of your presentation! I think you should write it up as an AR blog and share the idea Laurie! It may inspire a few stagers out there to try a new angle!! Thanks for stopping by....Regards-Kathleen G

Kathleen: You're on, my treat! I'll even spring for lunch (the appetizer for the main course... desert!)

All Right Michelle - THAT will be a definite date! And yes, dessert first...naturally. I will look forward to our lunch one day soon. In the meanwhile, keep enjoying the delectable carrot cake from BF. A gal has to maintain her curves and give her Spanx a workout!!! LOL... Regards-Kathleen

OCT

Kathleen, Staging IS the icing on the cake! I staged a vacant home that brought the potential buyers back FOUR times. They fell in love with it the first time they saw it, but it was just over their initial budget. Wisely, they decided to check out the competition. Something kept drawing them back to this home. I am certain that if the home was vacant it would not of had the same draw for them. Our staged home was decorated/complete with "icing" - the competition proved to be unfrosted.

Cute Analogy Kathleen!

Hi Michele H-Thank you for reading today! I agree with you that IF the staged home had been vacant when the buyers first saw it, I doubt the draw would have been the same. And yes, checking out the competition is wise and even though that staged property was priced higher, ultimately it brought in the sale! Home staging is a powerful draw. Your work on 'icing' the house/cake 'iced' the competition! Great! Regards-Kathleen G

OCT

That's right, it's not much of a wedding without the cake, BUT without the icing there are no oohhhs and ahhhs...nice post.

Hello Terrylynn! You are right...not much of a tasty dessert to look forward to at a wedding or big party if the cake is unadorned. How blah and boring. The oohs and ahhs are the feelings a good staging will evoke with potential buyers! Thanks for reading...Regards-Kathleen G

I've read about stagers taking two cakes with them to realtors offices -- one plain and one fabulously decorated -- an illustration everyone can understand! This is a wonderful post -- great imagery!

OCT

Hello Margaret- Yes, the imagery makes a good case for the difference 'icing' makes on the product. It really is not difficult for people to understand once examples are spelled out for them. There are so many examples of this marketing edge that most people forget to market and dress up their own house for sale. It makes a difference! Regards-Kathleen G

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