Well, okay .... it just APPEARS to have added square footage! Once again I was out at a property meeting with both the seller and the broker to determine the rooms to be staged in a two bedroom condo. When we got to the second, smaller bedroom ... and I DO mean smaller ... I recommended that it would be very worthwhile to go ahead and stage this room because otherwise buyers would worry that it might not fit a bed. As most stagers can relate to, I got some resistance. Both the seller and broker were very worried that the bed would fill it up too much and that the room would be very crowded. They said maybe a twin bed, but not a queen size .... definitely that wouldn't fit! I told them absolutely yes, a queen size was precisely what I would put in there so that buyers can see it works. I just had to laugh when the seller was still expressing concern that it would just be too crowded when she stopped in mid-sentence and said, "Oh, I guess this is the kind of worrying buyers would be doing, huh?"
Long story short, we did stage the small bedroom, and I just got off the phone from talking with the broker who said that the room really does look bigger with the queen sized bed in it.
So, the moral of the story is: if the room is small, STAGE IT! But don't try to add the square footage to the listing :-)
Update:My client just returned from out of town and finally saw the condo. Here is a quote from her email:
"I just checked out the place and think it looks amazing! I'm really happy with it. The second bedroom is such a surprise. Pangaea, you were right - its not cramped at all. It really highlights the differences between this place and the one bedroom next door."
Before and after photos below for your enjoyment.
Pangaea Interior Design offers home staging in Portland Oregon, Re-Design services and full Interior Design services.
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