Special offer

Selling the Unsellable Home

By
Home Stager with Creative Concepts-Home Staging and Contracting, Salem Oregon CCB #180695

Recently our staging company was contacted by the listing agent to submit ideas to an out of state owner.  Why was this Corvallis Oregon home not selling?  It had been on the market with no offers and was in a beautiful location.  When we visited we found:

  • unfinished maintenance projects
  • an awkward floor plan
  • laminate, tile and white walls, all that felt very cold when vacant

We gave the owner a prioritized list of repairs and updates needed.  We look for improvements that give sellers a “big bang for their buck”.  Often when selling a home, the budget may not allow for everything to be put into perfect, tip top condition.  Evaluating which repairs should be done and that have a strong impact on home buyers is important. 

We also gave the home seller a staging proposal that would give a purpose to each room, and show buyers how this home would be perfect for them.


Sub-contractors were hired and with a small investment many updates were completed. The home was staged and the listing agent held a broker open house.  We loved seeing the reactions of agents that had seen the home before its transformation!  They were amazed at how minor improvements and staging had made this home marketable!

Within two days an offer was received and a backup offer received shortly after.

 

Cold tile, dated paneling gave buyers a bad impression

Curtains, rug and cute decor showed off this room beautifully!

Painted floor and built in desk gave buyers a poor impression

Once staged this space became an enviable bedroom!


The too narrow family room

 

CLICK HERE to read original post in its entirety.

 

 

 

 

Posted by

Moving or improving?  Creative Concepts-Home Staging and Contracting has the expertise to showcase your home's full potential, stretch your budget, and maximize your time. 

Professional Home Staging - Reliable Contractor Repairs - Beautiful Results!

  View our website  See our YouTube Videos  Connect with us on facebook!  Subscribe to our blog

Comments (18)

Scott Lewis
The Bald Man Group - Post Falls, ID
REALTOR, e-Pro,CIA,IMSD,GRI & CNE

Powerful touches to create a vision for the potential buyer. I like it!

Apr 11, 2010 08:31 AM
Margaret Oscilia
Creative Concepts-Home Staging and Contracting, Salem Oregon - Salem, OR
Home Stager, Salem Oregon

Thanks Scott!  As a KW agent, I'm sure you promote staging to your clients like Gary Keller advises!

Apr 11, 2010 08:38 AM
Robin Dampier REALTOR®
Coldwell Banker King - Hendersonville, NC
Hendersonville & Western NC Real Estate Source

Gosh, just that small amount of updating and staging did make a huge difference for the better.

Sue of Robin and Sue

Apr 11, 2010 09:01 AM
Michelle Gibson
Hansen Real Estate Group Inc. - Wellington, FL
REALTOR

Margaret - The before and after pictures along with an receiving an offer just proved that staging can make a big difference.

Apr 11, 2010 09:27 AM
Cathy Lee
CL Design Services Home Staging - Danville, CA
ASP, IAHSP, RESA Danville, CA

I envy the dream art you have in the pink bedroom!!! I need that for my job on Wed!!!! Great job and congrats!!!

Apr 11, 2010 09:44 AM
Mary Lou Teague
HOME STYLE AND STAGING LLC - Knoxville, TN
Home Style and Staging Knoxville. TN

You have done an excellent job...the bedroom is really nice..

Apr 11, 2010 09:48 AM
SHARON CHARBONEAU
UPSTAGING YOUR HOMES - Sechelt, BC

Great blog Margaret & great staging.   Thanks for sharing.

Apr 11, 2010 11:22 AM
Michelle Francis
Tim Francis Realty LLC - Atlanta, GA
Realtor, Buckhead Atlanta Homes for Sale & Lease

Margaret, 

The best results take a lot of work to get there.  It's not just as simple as putting a sign in the ground to sell a home.  It takes a strong effort by a seller to get a home in great shape to give it a chance to sell in our tough market these days. 

Great post. 

All the best, Michelle

Apr 11, 2010 02:00 PM
Sally Weatherley
EXIT STAGE RIGHT - Vancouver, BC
Vancouver Home Staging, Home Stager Vancouver, B.C

Margaret, I love the furniture arrangement you created in the living room with "four doors"!  You really solved a buyer's dilemma in where to place furniture.  And sold in two day?!!!  Way to go!

Apr 11, 2010 04:11 PM
Travis Newton
Salem and Bend Oregon FHA, VA & USDA 503.931.4490 - Salem, OR
FHA, USDA, VA, LOAN EXPERT - Salem OR Homes For Heroes SALEM OREGON

Great job once again. It's amazing what your eye can see that others (like mine) can not :)

Apr 11, 2010 05:40 PM
Karen Otto
Home Star Staging - Plano, TX
Plano Home Staging, Dallas Home Staging, www.homes

Love these successs stories Margaret! Simple, affordable changes that the keen eye of a home stager can address made all the difference in the world! congratulations on the successful sale!

Apr 12, 2010 12:49 AM
Virginia Tatseos
Stage-Show-Sell - Bloomfield Township, MI

Very nice job.   It's too bad they didn't ask for help earlier.

This does help prove that staged homes sell faster than vacant.

Great job

Apr 12, 2010 04:09 AM
Michelle Molinari
FEATURE THIS... Real Estate Staging & Interior Decor - Lafayette, LA
Feature This Real, Estate Staging & Curb Appeal Concepts

Yep - that home had "issues" and you addressed all of them! Just another great example of how pulling a professional stager in, prior to sale,  would have been a "best practice" recommendation for that agent to have strongly insisted upon.

~Michelle

 

 

Apr 12, 2010 06:04 AM
Liz Gallagher
LG Home Harmony - Home Stagers & Organizers - Montreal, QC
Montreal Quebec RESA member

Love the stripped bedding and that DREAM artwork. Nicely done!

Apr 12, 2010 02:28 PM
Debra Landy
StageTwoSell LLC - Horseheads, NY
PA and NY Home Stager

Great work Margaret.  I'm sure that RE agent was glad they called you!

 

Apr 13, 2010 02:36 PM
Sharon Alters
Coldwell Banker Vanguard Realty - 904-673-2308 - Fleming Island, FL
Realtor - Homes for Sale Fleming Island FL

Margaret, this may be the best example I have ever seen of the transformation that is possible with staging and a creative eye. Secondly, your photos are the same angle which gives the reader a perfect comparision - so many times the After photos are a different angle, and it's really difficult to get the full impact. Brilliant work!

Apr 13, 2010 03:25 PM
Gary Swanson
Century 21 Harris & Taylor - Grants Pass, OR

Great job Margaret.  I think it is so hard to sell a vacant home, they feel so cold and austere.  Just a few furnishings can make such a large difference.

Apr 13, 2010 05:26 PM
Mika Webb
Coldwell Banker Mountain West Real Estate, Inc. - Salem, OR

I see it everyday as a real estate agent/REALTOR, and yes, sometimes the hardest part is getting the seller to "see" what sometimes very simple and inexpensive things can really make the impact needed to get their home sold. Great job Margarette, I have seen your work first hand, and you do a wonderful job!

Mar 25, 2011 09:02 AM