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"Location, Location, Location" Refers To More Than Just The Address

By
Home Stager with Sharon Tara Transformations

"Location, Location, Location" Refers To More Than Just The Address

 

It's the real estate mantra...."Location!  Location!  Location!"  As a professional Home Stager in New Hampshire I've had clients at both ends of the spectrum.....from ocean front to landfill directly behind.

 Location does matter.

Here's something to consider if you're planning on listing your New Hampshire house for sale.  Location isn't just about the property address.  Location of furniture is also very important!

Furniture placement can make or break a home sale.  Sure, some buyers can see past the furniture, but it's only about 10% of them.  The other 90% of potential buyers can't visualize.

If a room looks too small because the furniture is too big....too bad.  

Your furniture placement is based on comfort and convenience and it may work for you, but it won't work for potential buyers...most of whom won't take the time to imagine a more spacious floor plan.

For a house to show it's best, and for the best MLS pictures:

Arrange furniture to show space and establish function in each room.   The following photos are examples of how changing furniture location can improve the appeal of a room.  All of these transformations are from owner occupied listings...the result of a 2 hour consult....using nothing but existing items.

 

living room

living room

Den

master bedroom

Sunroom

entry

Family Room 

Selling your New Hampshire home?  Remember....

 "Location, Location, Location" Refers To More Than Just The Address

Comments(84)

Sandy Acevedo
951-290-8588 - Chino Hills, CA
RE/MAX Masters, Inland Empire Homes for Sale

Hi Sharon, great analogy of the location idea applying to furniture. The before/after photos are great!

Aug 18, 2012 03:47 AM
Evelyn Kennedy
Alain Pinel Realtors - Alameda, CA
Alameda, Real Estate, Alameda, CA

Sharon:

It takes the eye of a professional stager to make rooms go from looking OK to looking great.  You have that ability.

Aug 18, 2012 04:32 AM
Sharon Sanchez
Ace Home Realty - Carson, CA
Your Number "1" Source For Real Estate.

Hi Sharon.  Your before and after photos definitely prove that the location of your furniture makes a different.  I showed  a buyer two homes that had the same exact floor plan and they choice the uncluttered house over the cluttered one even though the cluttered one was cheaper and in better condition.  They just couldn't see beyond the junk.

Aug 18, 2012 06:45 AM
Sally Weatherley
EXIT STAGE RIGHT - Vancouver, BC
Vancouver Home Staging, Home Stager Vancouver, B.C

Sharon - The cost to rearrange the homeowner's furniture is minimal, but the end result is priceless!  It's amazing how your clients can benefit from a mere consultation.  Money well spent!

Aug 18, 2012 06:55 AM
Mary Padilla
YES! Realty - Albuquerque, NM

Great information!

Aug 18, 2012 07:48 AM
Dana Hollish Hill
Hollish Hill Group, JPAR Stellar Living - Bethesda, MD
REALTOR * Broker * Coach
I love the before and after pictures. Great post! As an exclusive buyers agent, I can tell you that my buyers would prefer your "after" pictures. Sometimes my clients know something is staged, but usually that is a good sign that they are paying attention to the home.
Aug 18, 2012 07:50 AM
Cyndi Carver
The Carver Home Team - Covington, WA
Newcastle & East Renton Specialist

Great before and after photos. Since I do my own staging, I move furnture all the time. My photographer and I generally spend at least 2 hours at a house staging it before we shoot it. Staging also includes where you take the photo from.

Aug 18, 2012 08:10 AM
Sharon Tara
Sharon Tara Transformations - Portsmouth, NH
Retired New Hampshire Home Stager

Roger:  God forbid we should piss off Ilene!

Jana:  You are so funny!  You made me smile, and I thank you for that!

Sandy:  I appreciate that!  I don't always get pics of my work, and when I get good ones, I love to share them.

Evelyn:  I'm not sure these rooms qualify as "ok"....I would say they had no where to go but up, LOL!

Sharon:  Being able to see past the junk can save buyers a lot of money!  The house I just bought was on the market for several months with no offers, taken off the market, and relisted.  I saw past the paint colors and baby stuff and knew it was the house for me.  I thought I was going to get a great deal but instead someone else saw past the stuff at the same time I did and I ended up in a multi offer situation.

Sally:  I like how you said that:  The cost was minimal but the results were priceless!

Yes Realty:  Thank you.

Dana:  Most of my clients are consults and there's not much chance of them being "over" staged.  Most of them don't appear "staged" at all.  

 

Aug 18, 2012 08:20 AM
Sharon Tara
Sharon Tara Transformations - Portsmouth, NH
Retired New Hampshire Home Stager

Cyndi:   Most people have preconceived ideas of what staging is....I agree angle of the photos is part of the staging process.  Simply put, "staging" is anything and everything that goes into preparing a home for sale.

Aug 18, 2012 08:36 AM
Dana Basiliere
Rossi & Riina Real Estate - Williston, VT
Making deals "Happen"

Sharon,

You do a great service. I am a believer in staging, professional if possible. It makes a huge difference. (Inside and out) We had an on staff stager in 2004 to 2006 but the company cut back. It was quite expensive to have a staffer. I love your examples.

 

Aug 18, 2012 11:08 AM
Patricia Ebrahimi
SHOW SMART! HOME STAGING & Color Consultant - Rockville, MD
Home Staging the Washington DC Area from Rockville MD
Sharon: Clever use of the idea of Location! Location! Location! and SO SO true! superb use of Befor & After pics to demonstrate the principle, too. My pet peeve is lopsided scale...huge furniture in tiny rooms, etc.
Aug 18, 2012 01:38 PM
Ellen Caruso
Daniel Gale Sotheby's International Realty - Glen Head, NY

Sharon, seems so basic, but for many so foriegn. You did wonders for all. Size and scale key elements to go with location!

Aug 18, 2012 01:53 PM
Peg Barcelo
Fluff My House! Home Staging Inc. 250.486.6369 - Summerland, BC
The FlufftasticStager from Summerland, BC

Congrats on the well deserved feature Sharon! Why does everyone cram their rooms with furniture? I think one of the most common words a Stager uses is Edit...

Aug 18, 2012 02:04 PM
Kathy Nielsen
http://atlantahomestaging.net - Marietta, GA
Atlanta Georgia Home Stager

Awesome examples of just how important location of furniture is when selling!

Congrats on the feature and....

Congratulations. Your post is being featured in the group Staging Before and After Pictures.

Kathy

Aug 18, 2012 09:21 PM
Lyn Sims
Schaumburg, IL
Real Estate Broker Retired

Great visual examples of staging benefits. Gosh I hate that mauve ......

Aug 19, 2012 01:26 AM
Sharon Tara
Sharon Tara Transformations - Portsmouth, NH
Retired New Hampshire Home Stager

Dana:  Thank you, and thank you for your support of the staging industry.  Too bad the staging position didn't work out...I hope the stager is still being used on an "as needed" basis.

Patricia:  All the furniture against the walls, and/or all the furniture on one side of the room are two other things I see that need to be addressed. 

Ellen:  I forget sometimes just how ignorant people are on the subject of furniture placement.  It's always a surprise to my clients when I rearrange things.

Peg:  So true!  A new mantra:  Edit!  Edit!  Edit!

Kathy:  Thank you!  I appreciate the Feature!

Lyn:  I hate mauve too.  In this case painting was not in the budget.    Turns out the other changes we made were enough.  It sold right after staging.  The house had already been on the market for quite some time prior to staging with no offers.

Aug 19, 2012 07:23 AM
Bob Crane
Woodland Management Service / Woodland Real Estate, KW Diversified - Stevens Point, WI
Forestland Experts! 715-204-9671

Hi Sharon, not what we generally expect when we hear that mantra, location, location, location.  Your pictures look great!  and illustrate the benefits of good staging.

Aug 19, 2012 07:40 AM
Gene Riemenschneider
Home Point Real Estate - Brentwood, CA
Turning Houses into Homes

Excellent post.  You have to keep sight lines and walking lines open for people.  It makes the home look bigger.

Aug 19, 2012 01:52 PM
Kalene Bagwell
Realty Executives Of Kansas City - Blue Springs, MO
Realtor - Selling Blue Springs - Kansas City Metro

I love your before and after photos! What a superior job you did and your point is well made!

Aug 20, 2012 01:17 AM
Sharon Tara
Sharon Tara Transformations - Portsmouth, NH
Retired New Hampshire Home Stager

Bob:  You can expect the unexpected here at my blog, LOL!

Gene:  I love that...."sight lines and walking lines" - Thanks!

Kalene:  Thank you!  I love your name....I've never seen it before!

Aug 20, 2012 07:36 AM