I ask myself all the time why one would take money off the table when there may not be a need to. I'm hearing that home prices are rising, rates are low, there are buyers but not enough homes for sale. So, if this is true, why aren't the properties that are on the market not selling?
I think that we all would agree that the right pricing is critical to the success of selling a home. Second to that success is probably location. And third, condition. Obvously pricing is under our control. If the property is priced correctly, you're one-third of the way there. Location though, not much one can do to change that. But still, you bought the house because you liked something enough to overlook the location so chances are there are buyers who will also. That leaves condition. The home's condition is going to be the thing that makes or breaks the sale. And we definitely have control over the condition.
The goal of every seller is to get the most money possible for the property and to get it sold as quickly as possible. The longer a house sits on the market, the more likely there will be a price reduction and less than full price offer. But there are things sellers can do to help avoid this from happening to them. And it costs a whole lot less than a price reduction. What is it? Home Staging. By this time, you have heard about it, you know what it is. If you're looking for a new place to buy, chances are you've seen properties that have been staged.
So what is is that is holding you back from taking advantage of one of the most advantageous, successful investment and marketing strategies available? HomeGains 2012 annual survey ranks home staging at #5 on their list of top improvements when it comes to selling a home, What should be noted is that the top 4 improvements are all part of home staging.
Pro Staged Homes staged 4 properties in the last few weeks. All of them are now in escrow. Since the time they were staged, there were no price drops. Each one sold within days of being staged and listed. The average price to stage these 4 homes? $3700 for a 60-day contract. None of them will exceed their 2-month contract. A $3700 investment that gives you a nearly 200% return and you're going to reduce your price by $10,000? Pro Staged Homes averages less than 54 days from date staged to close of escrow - 6 days less than our minimum contract term. The Real Estate Staging Association (RESA), who tracks sales as date staged to accepted offer puts the national average at 42 days. Using RESA's method, Pro Staged Homes # of days staged-to-sold is less than 10.
For example:
On the market nearly 50 days with no offers. Staged and offer accepted within 20 days.
Staged with open house - opened 45 day escrow less than 10 days later.
Purchased one day after the open house by a couple who viewed the house unstaged and didn't think it was the right house for them!
This sophisticated stunner received an offer the week after the open house.
With results like these, isn't the investment in home staging a much wiser and faster route to selling your home than a price reduction?
Proven results in priced right-staged home sales.
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