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Are you serious about selling your home?

Today I saw a post by David Painter of Keller Williams in Spartanburg, SC entitled "Dress Your House Well So It Will Sell."

In his blog, David points out how the national stats are clear that sellers need to have their homes "priced right and staged right" in order to sell in this highly competitive buyers' market. He goes on to say how buyers are looking for homes in move-in condition and don't want to spend time painting and remodeling after they move in. I couldn't agree more!

Especially in today's market, it is crucial that your home appears well-maintained and move-in ready or buyers will simply move on to the next property on the list. Some buyers even tell their agents they only want to look at Staged homes.

When you properly prepare your home for sale, you are telling the buyer:

1) You're not desperate.

Have you already purchased your new home and moved in, leaving your old house completely empty except for the cobwebs? That is a clear clue to a potential buyer that you are likely paying two mortgages and are desperate to sell. Hiring a professional Home Stager to Stage it with furniture and accessories will create a beautiful lived-in look that has buyers breaking down the door to view your home! It also shows buyers that you're serious enough about getting your home sold that you've invested in Staging to show it in its best possible light.

2) Your home has been well-maintained.

Today's buyers want a home to be move-in ready. So as they walk through your home they are assessing everything they see, trying to determine whether the home has been well-maintained, or whether they will need to do lots of work before they can move their family in. Not to mention that when they see something that hasn't been well-maintained, they often jump to the conclusion that if the paint/carpet/fixtures haven't been kept up, there are probably many other problems that have been left untended in the home.

Today's buyers are also looking for any reason to ask for a credit to lower your asking price. Is the carpet worn? Credit. Is the paint old and peeling or too bright of a bright color? Credit. They may have mentally taken $15,000 off your asking price before they've even gotten to the back door.

A professional Stager will advise you on the necessary updates you need in order to get your home in proper showing condition. If paint and carpet are required, we will select a neutral yet appealing paint color and the proper carpeting to make your home look brand new and ready for any family to move right in. Once the initial updates are complete we can add the extras that make your house show like a model home.

If you're still living in the home and prefer a Do-It-Yourself option, a Staging Consultation will provide you with a comprehensive checklist of what you can do using mostly what you already have in the home to properly Stage the property. If you want a professional to do the work, a Stager can bring in art, plants and accessories to enhance your home's appeal. If you have a vacant property, we can bring in furniture, art, rugs, plants and accessories to create that model-home look that will entice any buyer!

According to the latest Staging statistics, 94% of Staged homes sell in 35 days or less. If you are serious about selling your home, consult a professional Home Stager.

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Annie Pinsker-Brown | Stage to Sell
Owner & Principal Designer
310-384-1084
www.stagetosell.biz

"We get you to SOLD so you can get on with your life!"

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Stage to Sell is the premier West Los Angeles Home Staging Company.

Owner & Principal Designer Annie Pinsker-Brown is an ASP Home Stager, a member of IAHSP (International Association of Home Staging Professionals), an affiliate member of the Beverly Hills/Greater Los Angeles Association of Realtors and a member of the Culver City and West LA Chambers of Commerce.

Annie has Staged LA homes for Bravo's hit show "Million Dollar Listing" and TLC's "Property Ladder." She has also been featured in recent articles on Home Staging in Los Angeles Magazine, The New York Times, Costco Connection and Frontiers Magazine.

If you would like to see more of our Home Staging work, visit our website. There is an extensive gallery of before & after photos, as well as a list of our Staged properties currently on the market.

Posted by Annie Pinsker-Brown | Stage to Sell, Los Angeles Home Stager on 03/11/2009 07:05 PM

Comments (63)

Home Staging in the Home Selling Channel

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63 Comments on Are you serious about selling your home?

MAR

standing by iron railing Annie, this is a very well written article.

I was interested to read you have staged for Million Dollar listings; that must be an interesting experience.

Best wishes from Canada!

Hi Sharon, Yes MDL was interesting to say the least! Crazy client, famous person showed up at the open house, etc. I was on the first season so it's been many years ago now. Thanks for stopping by!

I agree. A staged (non vacant) property shows better and demonstrates the sellers position.

What can we say other than dres it well and it will sell.

I think a lot of today's buyers just assume that every seller is desperate to sell, given the economy. And that's simply not the case! Thanks for sharing.

It is more important now than ever to stage homes. There are so many to choose from out there. Let me repeat what Sandy was saying, Dress it well and it will sell.

Annie, this is true! Staging works and if you want to sell your home quickly you need a great realtor and a great stager on your side.

Excellent points Annie! I wrote an article today about some of the low cost items a seller can do to make their sale more likely to occur.

Well STAGED TO SELL Annie, another terrific post with sage advice and options. EVERYONE should stage, and a consult from a good stager will help, IF you can't afford more. At least do that. You are cheating yourself out of $$$ if you don't.

You've got it right. Nice article.

Thanks Annie, great post. A well staged home can sell for a much better price in this market.

Soo true! Especially -- "They may have mentally taken $15,000 off your asking price before they've even gotten to the back door."

Isn't it crazy how buyers always assume a simple thing like repainting a room will cost thousands and thousands of dollars? Rather than argue, it's just better to take care of it ahead of time.

Excellent post with 2 great points about telling the right story about a house.

Great post Annie, and congratulations on the Feature. Buyers are looking for any excuse to get the price lower. If they think it is a distress sale or there are condition issues, they will mentally deduct far more than the condition issues would have cost to repair in the first place. Well done!

This is something the banks should take note of too. REO properties could often recoup more for the banks if they would take a clue from some of the 'smarter' agents. Some banks listen, and turn the properties relatively quickly. Some don't

Very excellent post-as usual-Annie! Your points only show how experienced you are in this industry.

It is amazing to me how well a staged home sells. Go to any new home neighborhood and ask what sells the most, usually it is the model home.

Home staging drastically improves the buyers ability to notice and ENJOY the features of a home. Staged homes turn into happy, appealing and desirable places to live. Good news for your sellers!

Annie - We are a big believer in staging. Those stats are pretty impressive. We have a condo on the market right now that we own that is staged. We pretty much recommend staging for the majority of are listings for the reasons you recommend in this great post !

Annie, What a great post and well deserved feature! A staged home DOES say your not desperate and you have cared for the house. People want a well maintained home and you make excellent points.

Annie: Great information.. A staged home does have better appeal than a plain vacant home.

Annie, thank you for such great information. I wish home staging would catch on here. I just don't get it. I am doing my best to bring it here though, but fight such a tide. Even agents, with the attitude that they have been in the business for x amount of years, and certainly can stage a home without any help. It is very difficult. I am bookmarking your post!

Great post! Thanks for mentioning my post. We always recommend staging and really appreciate what you guys can do with a property.

Staging has really caught on....People finally realize how this will enhance the home you are trying to sell.\

Patricia/ Portsmouth NH Real Estate

It's amazing what a little staging can do, especially in a vacant home. It gives the place a welcming and cared for look and the items and furniture pieces don't need to be costly to make the statement. It costs alot less than just one reduction and it'll get the house sold alot faster.

Hey Annie from Galveston - Great post! I really enjoyed this post tremendously.... I forwarded it on to a client of mine. Wish you were in the area here still...

Oh my goodness! Was out for work in the afternoon and actually got my first featured post! Thanks everyone!

Gary, great way of putting it. It does "demonstrate the seller's position" as a position of power.

Sandy, couldn't have said it better myself! :)

Emily, so true. And Staging is one step that the non-desperate buyers can take to stand out from the crowd.

Really good information, thank you for sharing.

John, yes the competition is fierce out there and anything you can do to make your home stand out is well worth the investment.

Tanya, true! It has to be a team effort. A smart and savvy realtor who prices the property well and a great stager who properly prepares the home.

Bill I'm off to read your article as soon as I finish replying to these comments! :)

Terrylynn, thanks as always! Yes, people have to know there are levels of cost with Staging. A consultation is a great low cost DIY option for many sellers who can't afford the whole nine yards.

Norma, thanks for stopping by!

Gabe, true. It used to be that Staging could help properties sell for way over asking. Now that still happens, but it is more common for the property to sell in a very short amount of time for very close to or right at the asking price. In this buyer's market that is SUCCESS!

These are interesting and likely very accurate statistics. I know that many clients react well to homes that have been staged.

Juliet, yes it is crazy. That's why sellers have to invest the smaller figures up front to fix problems rather than deduct much more on the back end.

Michelle thanks! My first feature! Guess I earned a star below my name. :) Yes buyers are looking for excuses to put in a lower offer now so sellers have to do whatever it takes to fix the problems ahead of time.

Michael YES! So true! There are some banks and REO asset mgmt companies that "get it" and invest in Staging their foreclosures. But many more of them don't want to spend a penny to recoup thousands. How can we convince them?

Cathy, thank you my friend! I appreciate your support.

Jamie you're right. We always have to move our models from unit to unit because everyone wants to buy the model!

Sara so true. Staging is about drawing attention to those positive features of a home that buyers will love. Sometimes those get lost in an over-cluttered or an empty home.

Hi Annie -- I couldn't agree more with you. We stage, redesign and even renovate homes for sellers, to great success and multiple offers oftentimes.

Chris & Stephanie, I'm so glad to hear you recommend Staging to all of your listing clients. Realtors that don't at least bring it up as a valuable option are dong a disservice to their clients.

Carole, thanks so much! Proud to have my first feature.

Roland, so true. Thanks for stopping by!

Andrea I feel your pain! When I started my Staging biz 4 yrs ago, Staging was a hard sell in Los Angeles too. People thought it was only for multi-million dollar properties. Check on AR for a great Stager in your area and TEAM UP with him/her. Bring the Stager into your office to do presentations. It will catch on eventually!

David thank you for inspiring what turned out to be my first feature! :)

Patricia glad to hear Staging has caught on in your area too. My vision is that every home that goes on the market will be Staged (in my utopian future!)

Lora, thank you! Can you be my new marketing director? ;) Staging ALWAYS costs less than a price reduction! It's my mantra.

Hey Brian from League City! Wish I was there too, but there are great Stagers all over the place. Find one you love and team up! Hope your client gets the hint. :)

Holly, thank you! Glad it was helpful.

Christine, yes it's true. Your clients will never be disappointed when you show them a well-staged property. With all other factors being equal, they will choose the Staged one every time!

Chris, I am thrilled to hear you are a believer. No doubt your attitude toward properly preparing your listings for sale makes you a leader in your field.

Annie

I can only imagine how many sales would be lost if Developers, selling their new homes projects decided not to stage their model homes.

Isaac Bensussen-www.besthomesinlajolla.com

I love your point that the empty house with cobwebs blooming makes it seem that the seller is probably desperate - thanks for the added arguments!

I truly agree with your opener. When my buyers ask about the seller's motivation, it's really easy to pop back with "Well, it's vacant isn't it? It's obvious they have moved on."

I think that the general public thinks that it is 50% off plus on every listing out there! Undoubtedly, a properly staged home increases the chances of it selling. Thanks for the post and congrats on the feature! Take care and happy blogging to you!

Isaac, you're right. Models are the only way many buyers can envision themselves in a space.

Lise, it's so true. Just a different way of looking at it. Hope these extra arguments help you to convince your sellers to Stage (or at least clean the cobwebs!)

Vickie, vacant is dangerous in today's market as you have seen from experience!

Jason, sometimes it does seem that buyers want unrealistic price reductions. I think that's why we still are seeing inflated list prices on some local listings. The agents feel they have to start high so they have wiggle room.

Congrats on the Feature! I have a hard time making sellers understand that a few dollars up front in the now, could mean thousands more down the road, and sooner! Sometimes, even with the staging training I have had, having a Professional Home Stager tell the seller like it is, is just what they need (kind of like when your husband doesn't like your new haircut, but your friends tell too that it isn't too flattering - it sounds better coming from someone not so close)! =) Cheers!

MAR

great points - we bring in a stager on just about all of our listings for a least a consultation

When a home looks great and still doesn't sell then it is likely a price adjustment is in order.

Thanks Annie! It is great to connect with you here on Active Rain as well as in the Home Staging Channel. Blessings to you.

Well maintained homes definitely stand out among the sea of foreclosures that are mostly dirty and not kept well at all.

Thank you for the post.. Pricing and Staging... Sell the homes...

Amy, LOVE that analogy! :) LOL

Randall, I'm so glad to hear that. I'm sure that makes your listings look better and sell faster than the competition.

Phillip, absolutely true. Pricing is the first factor, Staging is the second. No matter how good it looks, if it's not priced right it will not sell.

Aron, thanks! And thanks for the HSC connection as well.

Bob & Carolin, yes. It's still unbelievable to me that the banks let those REOs sit there in a dilapidated state and think they'll sell for anything more than bargain basement pricing.

Darren, couldn't agree more!

I think this is an interesting market as there are a lot of buyers simply shopping for value which they will often find in foreclosures.

For the rest of the buyers in the market that are looking for a home, staging is clearly the way to go.

Mark, it's true that foreclosures can provide huge value for buyers. But how much value is determined by the condition of the property and Staging can boost that value in the eyes of the buyer. Thanks for stopping by!

Annie, What a great post! Lots of valuable information....I agree--make a small investment on staging the property and the home will sell, sell, sell. Congrats on your first featured post....

Essie, thank you so much! Glad you enjoyed the post.

MAR

The part about not giving buyers the idea that you're desperate to sell is important. It leaves lots of room for negotiation when a buyer believes the seller is desperate - opening the way for low ball offers or no offers. Eventually when the house doesn't show well it will be reduced anyway so making the intial investment in getting it show ready is key for selling and saving / making money in the end.

Congrats on your feature Annie!

Karen, thank you so much! I agree that giving that feeling of desperation is only bad news for a seller. And yes, a reduction is usually inevitable, so better to invest in Staging ahead of time to protect your equity!

I have staged more than one property AFTER it's been on the market for as long as a YEAR !!!, And of course there have been SEVERAL price reductions during that time.. One Realtor had actually told one of the homeowners that she "didn't believe in staging!".. Fortunately they found another agent who "get's it" and the house is recently back on the market looking like the appealing home that it is.. because it has been STAGED.. ( Now we are holding our breath for the first open house!)

And about "model homes"... Would the developers bother with furnishing them if it didn't work??

Anne, Oy! Hard to believe they let the property linger for a year and multiple price reductions before finally Staging. I'm sure it will sell quickly now!

MAR

Anne Great post, Buyers do not need to make price concessions on their asking price if they give due diligence to in preparing their home for sale and staging.

keep posting..

MAR

Louise, good point! Thanks for stopping by.

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