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The cow and the bear or how not to stage a home

By
Real Estate Agent with Keller Williams - Broker Associate

I was showing a home to a wonderful young couple last week. This couple had two beautiful young girls ages 3 and 4 who were with us at the showing. The couple and I had all looked at the MLS listing and pictures on the internet. The home looked great. (We all know how that goes, right?)

Anyway we entered through the front door into a very nice foyer with a dining room to the left and a study to the right. Very nice and I am starting to cross my fingers. We viewed those two rooms and transisted the rest of the way through the foyer into the living room. All of a sudden the three year old starts screaming, crying and pointing at the right wall. Naturally all three of us adults turn our head that way and what do we see.....yep the big cowhead on the wall. It was huge....I mean Texas HUGE! It was so big you almost didn't notice the broken bicycle leaning against the leather couch. My buyer wife is starting to look just a little unhappy about this time.

Now as long as we are here we might as well check out the upstairs just in case there is something really nice up there. Remember now that "really nice" is a subjective term. Up the stairs we go and what greets us at the top of the stairs? A bear....a real big stuffed bear. Can you say crying child again? I almost got run over by the wife and kids as they bolted down the stairs.

The morale of the story? The cow and the bear did try to eat Goldilocks but she ran away and won't be back to buy this home or don't stage your home with dead animals.

Have a great day!

Ron

 

Fred Hernden, CMI
Superior Home Inspections - Greater Albuquerque Area - Albuquerque, NM
Albuquerque area Master Inspector

Yes, I would say that staging your home with dead animals is a bad idea! Looking in that window from outside seeing that bear would be kind of strange too!

Jan 16, 2013 12:57 AM
Wika Hutchinson
Eugene, OR
Broker, CRIS, SFR, CDPE
I agree with you Ron. I think leaving dead animals or animal heads in the house we're trying to sell can be a huge turn off. I did an open house for my associate a while ago; the house was decorated with animal heads and most people who came in were turned off by it except for one guy who was a hunter. Even I did not want to stay inside when no one was there....!
Jan 16, 2013 01:05 AM
Ricki Eichler McCallum
CastNet Realty - Corpus Christi, TX
Broker,GRI,ABR, e-Pro, TAHS

Hi Ron,  I totally agree and people in our area do this a lot.  We had one seller remove all his animal heads from the house and while showing one day, one of my agents opened the storage building door and there they all were.  Stacked to the ceiling, needless to say, the buyers bolted just like yours did.

Jan 16, 2013 09:52 PM
Cara Marcelle Mancuso
Golden Girls with SW Desert Homes - Tucson, AZ
Call a Marana neighbor, I'm THERE!

I totally agree.  I tried to convince current clients of that very same thing recently.  Fortunately, they are relocating soon, because I don't believe any PETA supporters will be putting much value on a home with a stuffed head.

Jan 22, 2013 10:22 PM