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Hickory Dickory Dock.....

By
Home Stager with GreatStages Home Staging and Redesign

Oh, the things that we professional homestagers have to handle!  Our company was recently asked to stage a country home that had been vacant for many months. As we were finishing the staging, guess who appeared???

 

Yes, the current occupant!

 

I wasted no time in calling the owner to tell her that pest control was needed - PRONTO!

 

 

Her response was quite calm as she told me not to worry, that a mouse in the house was a very common occurrence out in the country.

 

I then explained that not only was this a "distraction" that potential buyers didn't need to face, but that she would also be responsible for any damages to my upholstered furniture or linens should her little housemouse take up residence in my inventory. Now I had her attention!

 

As the weather turns cooler you can expect all sorts of creatures to look for the comfort of a warm and dry home to spend the winter in.  Be sure to thoroughly inspect vacant homes for signs of unwanted occupants and move to evict them immediately!

Sandra Steele
Wise Choice Properties, Sedona/Verde Valley Branch - Cottonwood, AZ
Integrity, Knowledge - 37 Years of Experience!!!

amen

Aug 28, 2010 05:05 PM
Maureen Bray Portland OR Home Stager ~ Room Solutions Staging
Room Solutions Staging, Portland OR - Portland, OR
"Staging Consultations that Sell Portland Homes"

Hi Kathy ~ Love your photos!  And the message is clear ... a mouse in the house is not a good thing when you're selling.  Can you imagine how a potential buyer might have reacted if this happened during a showing?  EEK!!

Aug 28, 2010 05:26 PM
Kathy Alexander
GreatStages Home Staging and Redesign - Vancouver, WA
Home Stager Camas WA, Home Staging Southwest WA

Desert Dwellers - glad you are in agreement! thanks for the comment!

Maureen - I like mice in photos, not in homes. Selling is a challenge already without adding things like rodents to the mix! Thanks for stopping by!

Aug 28, 2010 07:29 PM
Kathy Nielsen
http://atlantahomestaging.net - Marietta, GA
Atlanta Georgia Home Stager

You can be rest assured that should I ever tour a home and see a mouse, you will hear a blood curdling scream.  I will no doubt break the ear drums of those around me.  Not kidding.  Best to get rid of those temporary residents asap.

Kathy

Aug 29, 2010 12:40 AM
Julia Maher
Nestings: Connecticut Home Staging and Model Homes - Fairfield, CT
Connecticut Home Stager

Kathy:  We live in a old house, and usually have unwanted tenants by October.  We find them when they set off the motion detectors in the basement!  Julie

Aug 29, 2010 03:12 AM
Karen Otto
Home Star Staging - Plano, TX
Plano Home Staging, Dallas Home Staging, www.homes

Kathy, you made a great point about the condition of your items - mice eat anything - including glue, paper and cloth (they will actually tear up cloth to make bedding for their nests.  I would definitely inspect everything when you get it back and be prepared to have the client pay for any damages.

And you're right, I don't care how expected critters are in the country, most people want them OUTSIDE not inside their homes!

Aug 29, 2010 03:22 AM
Sally Weatherley
EXIT STAGE RIGHT - Vancouver, BC
Vancouver Home Staging, Home Stager Vancouver, B.C

Kathy - I don't suppose you could include a large, hungry cat with your accessory package?...  no, never mind.  Good thing you noticed this little fellow before you left all your furniture etc. at their disposal!  They are very distructive, and will also pee and poop everywhere.  As soon as it's rainy season here on the PNW, they all head indoors.

Aug 29, 2010 06:39 AM
Kathy Burke
Sensational Home Staging~~Danville, CA - Danville, CA
S.F. East Bay Home Staging

It is a good thing you saw him...before he got into your staging inventory!!  Gave you the opportunity to put the seller on notice!!  Country or not....get rid of the critters!

FUN post!!

Aug 29, 2010 08:27 AM
Cathy Lee
CL Design Services Home Staging - Danville, CA
ASP, IAHSP, RESA Danville, CA

I was NOT in the country when this guy met in in the garage! I'm sure the neighbors thought someone was stabbing me I screamed so loud!!  :)   

The joys of staging!!! :)

Aug 29, 2010 11:37 AM
Kathy Alexander
GreatStages Home Staging and Redesign - Vancouver, WA
Home Stager Camas WA, Home Staging Southwest WA

Kathy - I am surprised that you didn't hear the blood-curddling scream all the way to Georgia that my assistant let out when she saw him! She doesn't want anything to do with that house now and is dreading de-staging.

 

Julie - I would be totally freaked out if the motion detector started going off. I am most definitely not a country girl!

 

Karen - You are so right that the damage caused by rodents could be horrific over the period of a few months. Since there is no food in the house my inventory would be the next best thing to chomp on.

Aug 29, 2010 03:55 PM
Kathy Alexander
GreatStages Home Staging and Redesign - Vancouver, WA
Home Stager Camas WA, Home Staging Southwest WA

Sally - Do you think a big 'ol mountain lion might do the trick? I was told that one was spotted near the property recently along with a couple of bears! That is way too much wildlife up close and personal for me.

 

Kathy B. - Thanks! The topic is kind of icky so I had to find a way to make you smile :-)

 

Cathy - I hope you called pest control! Where there is one, there is sure to be more! By the size of the tail on yours I think you had a rat!

Aug 29, 2010 03:59 PM
Maureen Bray Portland OR Home Stager ~ Room Solutions Staging
Room Solutions Staging, Portland OR - Portland, OR
"Staging Consultations that Sell Portland Homes"

Kathy -- jumping back in here ... I thought that photo of Cathy's was a rat too!!  The tail was a big clue --- now that is truly gross.  Mice I can handle ... rats, NO WAY!!

Aug 29, 2010 05:06 PM
Kathy Alexander
GreatStages Home Staging and Redesign - Vancouver, WA
Home Stager Camas WA, Home Staging Southwest WA

Maureen - I agree with you completely. A rat is way beyond anything I can handle. Now I am getting scared of going back in that house! What if my Mighty Mouse has become Ratatouille?

Aug 29, 2010 07:10 PM
Linda D. Pufford
Stage with Divine Style - Home Staging - Novato, CA
ASPM, Marin/Sonoma Home Stager

Kathy,

Mouse or Rat they are not are friends... I don't know of anyone who would want them just roaming around a house (a cage is one thing).  I'm glad you put your foot down when the owner saw no urgency to have the unwanted visitor removed. 

Though you do have some very cute pictures of those critters!

Aug 31, 2010 09:04 AM
David Peterson
Synergy Staging ~ specializing in vacant home staging - Portland, OR
Home Stager Portland OR-Synergy Staging-Portland Oregon

Nice of the current occupant to pose for your picture =)  I don't think that's something we've ever come across - I'm sure the client wasn't happy to think about what it could do to your furnishings!

Sep 01, 2010 07:32 PM
Phil Leng
Retired - Kirkland, WA
Phil Leng - Retired

Hi Kathy,

Now that's a story out of the ordinary.

Thanks for sharing

Phil

Sep 02, 2010 06:41 PM
Kathy Alexander
GreatStages Home Staging and Redesign - Vancouver, WA
Home Stager Camas WA, Home Staging Southwest WA

Linda - I am not a fan of any creepie crawlie critters either! I grew up out in the country and  my parents were never nonchalant about pest control - nor am I!

Hi David - Ha! I never thought that perhaps it was a crash course in nature photography! Hope to see you and Nik soon.

Phil - Yes, in staging we do come across some unusual situations! Thanks for stopping by.

Sep 03, 2010 05:18 AM
Cindy Bryant
Redesign Etc. Home Staging - Houston, TX
"Houston Home Staging Pros"

I came across an alligator...still need to blog about that one!

Sep 23, 2010 05:00 PM