How to Make a Sunken Living Room Disappear (Home Staging in Houston, TX)
The first thing she said to me is, “I need your help.” She went on to tell me about a house that had been on the market for about 160 days, and had not received an offer. It was in a neighborhood that was in high demand and many buyers had taken a look at the house, but nothing was happening. When I asked her what the problem was she replied, “The sunken living room.” Apparently buyer after buyer had complained about the sunken living room.
The Realtor® went on to tell me that this was not her listing, but that she had learned the current Agent’s listing agreement was about to expire. She asked me to go with her to the listing appointment so she could present staging as part of her marketing plan. The Realtor® believed that the house would sell if staged and marketed appropriately. I agreed. Apparently the Seller agreed also because the Realtor® got the listing and he agreed to hire me to stage the house.
So now what? Making the sunken living room literally go away was cost prohibitive and hiding it was not possible. The only thing to do was make the sunken living room not that noticeable. You see, the living room had a wonderful high ceiling, there was a beautiful backyard, and a kitchen was to die for. Buyers weren’t seeing these features because the house was empty and therefore cold, and not at all inviting.
The Realtor® instructed the Seller to do some general cleanup of the yard and make some minor repairs around the house. The house was professionally cleaned, and then I went to work staging. My goal was to draw the eye upward and outward when buyers saw the house from the entry. The room was made warm and inviting by using furniture with rich warm tones. The bright, colorful print over the fireplace served to draw the eyes up so buyers would see the great ceilings. I opened the shades, which let lots of light into the room to make it appear bigger and as soon as buyers entered the house they could see the great back yard.
The combination of a smart Realtor® that did a great job with marketing and effective Home Staging got this Seller a contract in eight days. By the way, none of the buyers that saw the house after it was staged mentioned the sunken living room. Hmmmm, I guess you can make a sunken living room disappear.
Has your house been sitting on the market for a while? Contact Memorial Staged Homes and we can talk about how Home Staging can help you sell your home faster and for more money than the competition that didn’t stage.
Wishing you a quick sale!
- Kathy Strader, ASP
- www.MemorialStagedHomes.com
- Kathy@MemorialStagedHomes.com
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