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I'm So Glad This Home Was NOT Staged Prior To Listing - Now I Own It!

By
Home Stager with Sharon Tara Transformations

Most Saturday mornings this time of year my husband and I head out sailing.  He goes to the sailboat and I go to the yard sales.   I love finding bargains and treasures of any kind, but my primary goal is toys for the grandbabies.

This past Saturday I scored big....I bought a house! 

As I was walking down the driveway, toward this sweet little dream home, I wondered why it was still sitting there.  My first thought was it must be over priced.   I took a peek inside and saw it was vacant.  

As I started to walk away the seller came over and said

"Isn't it beautiful?  Note the curved stairway, detailed windows and the crown molding. The price was just reduced....it's a great deal."

I laughed as I said  "you sound like a real estate agent".  I told her I was a Home Stager and joked about vacant homes being harder to sell.  Even at the reduced price I wasn't interested in a dollhouse without furniture.  

 

The seller explained that the furniture was included in the deal.   All the pieces were mixed in with other toys in a plastic bin, further down the driveway.  She also had the original box the house came in.  

Using the pictures on the dollhouse box, I was able to identify and find every piece of furniture and restore the home to it's origianl glory.  I even found the doll family!   Probably the most FUN staging job I've ever had, LOL.

 

I purchased this house, late in the day,  fully furnished, after a price reduction for only $20.

 

Had this seller bothered to take the time to stage the dolls and furniture in the house, it would have sold long before the price reduction and long before I arrived on the scene. 

 

 

I am so glad this house was NOT STAGED prior to listing!

 

Comments(96)

Bill Kennedy
Keller Williams Greenville Upstate - Greenville, SC
Homes For Sale Greenville SC

Cute post! Nice to see some positive things in the world!

Jul 31, 2014 01:07 AM
Sharon Tara
Sharon Tara Transformations - Portsmouth, NH
Retired New Hampshire Home Stager

Karen:  Thank you!  I love using humor in my posts, glad you enjoyed it.  As for the house....you should always keep resale value in mind!

Bill:  Thank you!

Jul 31, 2014 03:32 AM
Denise Watkins
Samson Properties - Upper Marlboro, MD
Realtor Serving DC and MD

I really enjoyed reading your very nice and refreshing post.

Jul 31, 2014 05:48 AM
Kristin Hamilton CA REALTOR
Berkshire Hathaway California Realty - Beaumont, CA
(909) 557-6966- Specialize 55+ Communties Banning

I have always been a doll collector but never had a doll house. I always wanted one and this would be the perfect pink house for me. Thanks for sharing and what a great conversation piece.

Jul 31, 2014 01:22 PM
Whitney Watson
First Heritage Mortgage - Henrico, VA

Sharon-You are a great writer! That is an awesome house! Congrats on the new home ;)

Aug 01, 2014 06:25 AM
Sharon Tara
Sharon Tara Transformations - Portsmouth, NH
Retired New Hampshire Home Stager

Denise:  I really liked reading your complimentary comment!

Kristin:  You really need to find yourself a nice little doll house!

Whitney:  Thank you!  What a nice thing to say!

Aug 01, 2014 11:30 AM
Claude Labbe
RLAH / @properties - Washington, DC
Realty for Your Busy Life

You know Sharon, if the home had been properly staged, you'd have had to pay another $50 for it, right?

Aug 01, 2014 04:17 PM
Wayne Zuhl
Remax First Realty II - Cranford, NJ
The Last Name You'll Ever Need in Real Estate

Very clever post!

Aug 02, 2014 06:28 AM
James Renfro SRS, SFR, CPRES
Renfro Realty Group - San Diego, CA
Internet Marketing Specialist

Your use of the doll house WAS very clever. This is so true about staging. Thank you!

Aug 02, 2014 08:59 AM
Sharon Tara
Sharon Tara Transformations - Portsmouth, NH
Retired New Hampshire Home Stager

Claude:  It would have sold long before I got there!  I was lucky that nobody else knew furniture was available!

Wayne & Jean Marie:  Thank you!

James:  One night I was watching tv and the doll house was on the floor near by and I got the idea to write the post.  

 

Aug 02, 2014 10:08 AM
Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400
HomeRome Realty 410-530-2400 - Pikesville, MD
Sell Your Home With Margaret Rome

Adorable find. What's the commission on a $20 house?

You once again are proving that unstaged houses don't sell as fast!

Aug 02, 2014 11:01 AM
Sharon Tara
Sharon Tara Transformations - Portsmouth, NH
Retired New Hampshire Home Stager

Margaret:  Good question, but I don't believe there was a commission...it was fsbo, LOL!

Aug 02, 2014 11:16 AM
Sally K. & David L. Hanson
EXP Realty 414-525-0563 - Brookfield, WI
WI Real Estate Agents - Luxury - Divorce

This could become a great "hands on" tool for illustration of before and after for your own business !  Sure to bring a smile....and I bet a lot more !

:

Aug 02, 2014 08:10 PM
Sharon Tara
Sharon Tara Transformations - Portsmouth, NH
Retired New Hampshire Home Stager

Sally & David:  It would certainly get their attention, LOL.  Thank you!

Aug 03, 2014 01:07 AM
Sharon Parisi
United Real Estate Dallas - Dallas, TX
Dallas Homes

Sharon,  this is the buy of the century for a doll house!  A motivated seller and a talented stager/shopper/writer with a good eye created a very clever post!

Aug 19, 2014 12:09 AM
Sharon Tara
Sharon Tara Transformations - Portsmouth, NH
Retired New Hampshire Home Stager

Sharon:  Thank you!  Ever since my grandson pointed out that it doesn't have a living room, I've been on the lookout for some furniture to add, LOL.

Aug 19, 2014 01:04 AM
Ana Hitzel
AccentPositives Home Staging - Corona, CA
Professional Home Stager Inland Empire

Score! One man's trash is another's (stager's) treasure:)

Aug 21, 2014 02:34 AM
Sharon Tara
Sharon Tara Transformations - Portsmouth, NH
Retired New Hampshire Home Stager

Ana:  Score is right.  Love that little doll house!

Aug 22, 2014 07:14 AM
Jeff Dowler, CRS
eXp Realty of California, Inc. - Carlsbad, CA
The Southern California Relocation Dude

Very clever post, Sharon. It's an interesting analogy combining your love for garage sales and staging.  Congratulations on your purchase. Glad the seller didn't stage it and expect more!!

Jeff

Aug 02, 2016 01:45 AM
Sharon Tara

Thank you! Two years later and my granddaughter still loves this doll house!

Aug 02, 2016 12:23 PM
Sybil Campbell
Fernandina Beach, FL
Referral Agent Amelia Island Florida

Sharon, that is some buy on the doll house and I loved that sales pitch that sounded just like a REALTOR

Aug 02, 2016 12:19 PM
Sharon Tara

Thank you!  Still loving this little house!

Aug 02, 2016 12:24 PM