Admin

What KIND of SIGNAL is your vacant home sending?

By
Home Stager with Chicagoland Home Staging LLC

When it comes to selling your house whether in the Naperville IL area or anywhere, the one thing Buyers demand these days is Value. If you are looking to SELL YOUR VACANT PROPERTY there are some steps you can take in order to maximize your home's value and minimize your time on the market. As a Leading Home Stager in the Chicagoland area, we strive to help our clients to achieve these goals and make the selling process easier by providing selling solutions that work. Following is our first article from our Why Stage A Vacant Home series.

 

What kind Of Signal is Your Vacant Home Sending?  
Why Stage a Vacant Home                                            

 

To a potential buyer, a vacant house for sale may signal opportunity. A buyer may immediately assume since the seller has moved on they are desperate to sell, add in factors like the condition and how long it has been on the market and the seller could fall victim to lower offers and extended market time. To sell a vacant house for top dollar, it is vital that the homeowner effectively package the home to enhance the buyer’s perception of worth.

It's important to remember just because you have a good product it doesn't mean the packaging doesn't matter. A perfect example is a fabulous property Chicagoland Home Staging recently had the opportunity to stage, this beautiful 10 unit townhouse complex purchased by an investor mid-construction had all the bells and whistles, and by all accounts they should have been selling fast but to their surprise 3 months later they still didn’t have one sale. Determined not to sell below market value they sought out a new plan of action and found a new Realtor with a different approach to marketing; package the property to appeal to its target market (AKA stage it) and leave the current selling price as is, within just days of launching the newly staged townhouse 2 units were under contract at list price and third in negotiations within a week.

This Chicago area home staging company turned lookers into buyers by increasing the perceived value of the property by creating a warm and inviting environment the target buyer could make an emotional connection to; they played up the properties strengths and made it easy for the selling agent to close the sales. When homes are vacant, every flaw is exposed and that puts equal emphasis on the positives and negatives of a house. The CHS team redirected the buyer’s focus, emphasizing the positive features of the home while visually diminishing the negatives.

 

Here are some photos:

Chicagoland Home Staging Before and After photo

Tip: Only a small percentage of buyers can visualize, so when they walk into your home, the vast majority won't actually be able to visualize the home's potential. By staging the first room the buyer sees we grabbed their attention immediately to insure a good first impression.  

 

  
  

Chicagoland Home Staging before and after photo

TIP: In a vacant home, most buyers have difficulty determining the actual size of the room and what would fit in it. We immediately erased any doubt and showed buyers this room would be a comfortable inviting space to live in.  

 

 

 

  Chicagoland Home Staging before and after photo

TIP: Without furniture most buyers focus on the negatives; they will plainly see oddly placed windows, doors, or electrical and worn carpet and paint take center stage. By properly staging the room the buyers can easily focus on the positive aspects and often remove the objections.

 

 

 


MORE AFTER PHOTOS:

                                    Chicagoland Home Staging after photo

 

                         Chicagoland Home Staging after photo

  

                            Chicagoland Home Staging after photo

 

                            Chicagoland Home Staging after photo

 

______________________________________________________________________

 

If you’re not sure where to start and what’s right for your home?  Chicagoland Home Staging can help; the CHS team has an amazing track record of success with over 250 million dollars of staged properties sold.  Join the Realtors, Investors, Banks, and Homeowners who maximized their homes potential and sold quickly. Please visit www.chicagolandhomestaging.com for more information or Call Margaret Gehr 815-530-3566 or Kathy Lobkovich 630-631-7426 today!

 

To read our Top 10 Home Selling Tips to get you house ready for sale click here.

 

To view our portfilio here

 

                     

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted by

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Margaret Gehr is the principle owner of Chicagoland Home Staging, servicing the greater Chicago area for home staging, redesign, and design projects. We work in both occupied and vacant homes. 

 

Karen Dembsky
Peachtree Home Staging LLC, Home Staging in Atlanta, GA - Peachtree City, GA
Atlanta Home Staging

Your work is so outstanding.  I started to comment that your bedroom was my favorite and then I fell in love with all of the rooms.  BRAVO, my friend!

Jul 26, 2012 03:46 AM
Maureen Bray Portland OR Home Stager ~ Room Solutions Staging
Room Solutions Staging, Portland OR - Portland, OR
"Staging Consultations that Sell Portland Homes"

Beautiful work as always, Margaret!  Your post will help educate sellers on the benefits to them of staging a vacant home.  I'm looking forward to your series!

Jul 26, 2012 04:38 AM
Margaret Gehr
Chicagoland Home Staging LLC - Naperville, IL

Hi Karen - thanks coming from you that's a real compliment!

Hi Maureen - Thanks! hey congrats on being a speaker at RESA conference. I was thinking about skipping this year but now I might have to reconsider after seeing your speaking.

 

Jul 26, 2012 11:49 AM
Mike Warren
Real Estate - Colorado Springs, CO

Wow. Great job! You've nailed it. It looks more spacious and elegant. You're right, potential buyers tends to look at the negatives when it is empty but after they see the potential of it, they will surely love it.

Jul 26, 2012 12:07 PM
Margaret Gehr
Chicagoland Home Staging LLC - Naperville, IL

Thanks for your comments Mike. it's funny but buyers really look for reasons to eliminate a house verses buy, or walk in one and fall in love instantly. the staging definitely makes a difference.  

Jul 26, 2012 12:21 PM
Kathy Nielsen
http://atlantahomestaging.net - Marietta, GA
Atlanta Georgia Home Stager

Your stagings are beautiful, Margaret. Your selections were perfect for each of the rooms! I understand completely why the units are now SELLING!

Kathy

Jul 26, 2012 09:27 PM
Julia Maher
Nestings: Connecticut Home Staging and Model Homes - Fairfield, CT
Connecticut Home Stager

The commitment to Staging made by the investor has certainly paid off!  Well done Margaret!

Jul 26, 2012 11:28 PM
Margaret Gehr
Chicagoland Home Staging LLC - Naperville, IL

Thanks Kathy & Julia...now on to How to convince more home sellers on how investing in

staging works! 

Jul 27, 2012 01:34 AM
Karen Ellis
Refreshing Homes - Home Staging Maryland - Ellicott City, MD
Home Stager - Howard County MD/Central MD

Love your furniture/accessory choices. Wondering who you rent from or if you own all of your own inventory?

Jul 27, 2012 12:21 PM
Margaret Gehr
Chicagoland Home Staging LLC - Naperville, IL

Hi Karen, I have slowly built up a large inventory of furniture and accessories which I have packed into a 3000 sqft warehouse, everything you see in these photos is mine but I still do rent occasionally from Brook or Cort. I purchased from wholesale sources as much as I can but we are no strangers to Homegoods, Value City, and Pier One.

Jul 27, 2012 11:21 PM
Kathy Burke
Sensational Home Staging~~Danville, CA - Danville, CA
S.F. East Bay Home Staging

Margaret......BEAUTIFUL results!!!  And....excellent examples of the difference an INVESTMENT in staging will make!

Jul 28, 2012 01:38 AM
Sharon Tara
Sharon Tara Transformations - Portsmouth, NH
Retired New Hampshire Home Stager

I love the furnishings, I love the accessories, I love the colors!  Beautiful work!!

Jul 29, 2012 09:27 AM
Melissa Marro
Keller Williams First Coast Realty - The Marro Team - Orange Park, FL
Jacksonville Real Estate and Home Staging

Lovely examples. I love it when I see furniture or accessories that I own in another stagers' stash. We have 2 of those great striped slipper chairs. Fabulous!

Jul 31, 2012 01:59 PM
Margaret Gehr
Chicagoland Home Staging LLC - Naperville, IL

hi Kathy - it's definately a great feeling when you can help a seller achieve their goal and certainly one of the best parts of being in the business

Thanks Sharon..all in a days work right

I know what ya mean Melissa me too:) I've seen many of the same peices in both our inventory, sometimes I get so distracted with recognizing inventory that I stop looking at the room...fun   

Aug 01, 2012 11:44 PM
David Peterson
Synergy Staging ~ specializing in vacant home staging - Portland, OR
Home Stager Portland OR-Synergy Staging-Portland Oregon

Hey Margaret! Haven't been to AR for a while. Great to see your post and beautiful work. Hope to see you in January! =)

Aug 13, 2012 02:47 AM
Margaret Gehr
Chicagoland Home Staging LLC - Naperville, IL

Thanks David, I was thinking about passing this year but after seeing you, Maureen, and Lori are speaking I might have to reconsider!

Aug 14, 2012 12:33 AM
David Peterson
Synergy Staging ~ specializing in vacant home staging - Portland, OR
Home Stager Portland OR-Synergy Staging-Portland Oregon

Well I sure hope to see you there! =)

Aug 15, 2012 01:42 AM
Heather Cook
Beyond the Stage Homes - Kitchener, ON
Delivering beautifully staged spaces

Love the transformation!! Very elegant and welcoming at the same time. Great job!

Sep 06, 2012 11:28 AM