I’ve never been someone that enjoys wondering the mall and combing through stores just looking for something to strike my fancy. I’m very task oriented so I when I shop, I know what I want, and I’m reasonably sure where I can get it. I want to park, pick, pay, and go. One exception to this has always been antiques. Not the fancy antique stores but the fairs in the country where vendors come together and set up booths to sell their wares two or three times per year. It’s really a mix of antiques and junk, but for whatever reason, I enjoy just walking around looking, remembering, and imagining.
Getting a bargain is fun too. Last week, I bought a king size bed in a bag for $30. Comforter, sheets, shams and skirt for $30! There was a problem with the packaging; hence the reason for the markdown, but the bedding was perfect. I didn’t have to dig through piles of stuff to find the comforter. It was as if it was just sitting there waiting for me. The high from that buy lasted all day.
Recently, I’ve enjoyed the joy of the resale shop. Resale shopping is the perfect combination of history and big bargains. There are three near downtown Houston that I especially enjoy. The donations they receive are gently used and frequently have some history. My husband’s grandmother bought a pair of chairs at the shop I love best several years ago. They are beautiful, comfortable, and currently in my house. I was benefiting from resale before I even knew how awesome it can be!
Now I’ll let you in on a secret. Sometimes, I use items from resale shops when I stage. The items I use give character to my work, and can make many of the houses I’m staging feel more homey. Trust me, I don’t use anything that is not beautiful, or that I wouldn’t feel comfortable using in my own home. Really, why spend $95 on a large vase when I can get the same thing for $30? Another advantage of using items from a resale shop is that they keep my prices down.
Some say staging is too expensive. Trust me home staging is a lot less expensive than a price reduction. Highly qualified Home Stagers will work to keep their prices reasonable while focusing on making your home marketable. Since home staging costs only a fraction of your house’s asking price, and staged homes sell faster than homes that haven’t been staged, the question you need to ask yourself is, “Can I afford not to stage?”
Helping buyers feel like a house really could be their home is the goal of staging. So, while it can be traumatic to have your personality removed from your house, you will be smiling when your house sells faster and for more money than the folks down the street that didn’t stage. My job as a Home Stager is to help sellers, sell their house faster than if they hadn’t staged, for the best price possible and to make it affordable. Using items from resale shops as well as other bargains I find helps me do just that.
Wishing you a quick sale!
Kathy Strader, ASP
www.MemorialStagedHomes.com
Kathy@MemorialStagedHomes.com
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