The story I am about to tell you occured in October 2005. It was not my first staging job, but it was the most efficient.
While attempting to grow my business, I contacted a Realtor friend of mine and asked her if she had any listings that could use some help. I needed before and after photos and a story to tell, so I offered to stage 2 rooms for one of her clients for free. She immediately put me in contact with a seller who had been listed with her for over 12 months.
The agent shared with me that the home was undoubtedly over priced and that the biggest obstacle she faced was that she could not get the seller to leave during showings. The seller felt that noone could show the house better than she, so that is what she did.
During a brief meeting with the seller, I discovered that she was very much in financial straits and was desperate for the house to sell. She said she could only afford to spend about $150 for improvements, but did not know how to most effectively spend it. She asked me if I felt her listing price was on the mark and I quickly explained to her that her agent would be the only authority on the subject and that if she was not satisfied with the price she should discuss it with her.
The master bedroom housed a twin bed, a desk and a playpen for the great granddaughter who also resided in the house. The living room was massive, but all of the furniture was pushed against the walls so that the baby would have room to play. The current arrangement of the home was confusing to buyers. Also, when the house was built, the builder failed to have the metal front door painted and after years of wear and tear, it was now rusted and the trim paint was peeling.
With the sellers $150, we purchased new paint for the front door and trim and a queen size camping bed plus bedding for the master bedroom. We rearranged the furniture, defining the living area and confirming that there was in fact a master bedroom.
I had a long talk with the seller about leaving during showings (something she claimed the agent never told her - don't they all say that?). The new photos were placed on the MLS, along with a more acceptable asking price, and the house was sold in 7 Days!
Comments(14)