Many years ago I was the listing agent for a lovely colonial in Glenn Dale, MD. The sellers were repeat clients of mine and trusted my opinion on how to get their home looking its best - online and in person. I edited their belongings, removed some items, and brought in others. It paid off. We were under contract rather quickly. However, the week of closing - and after my sellers had fully vacated the property - the contract fell apart because the buyer had lost his job but "forgot" to mention it to their agent and lender. When the lender called for final verification of employment, he was told that the buyer had been fired. So back on the market we went. This time, however, the home was completely empty, and new potential home buyers struggled to visualize it as their home. The dining room was too small. The primary bedroom was too big. The house was just okay. After we heard these complaints multiple times, and no offer came in, we regrouped.
We took the home temporarily off the market and searched for a professional home stager. My sellers hired Jessica Flavell with Flavell Home Staging who worked her magic. She staged the main areas of the house, showing buyers how furniture in the family room can be arranged, and how the primary bedroom can be divided into a sleeping and lounge area. The sellers and I brought some furniture and accessories back to stage a secondary bedroom and the finished basement. After staging was complete, my professional photographer returned for a second shoot and I updated all the pictures in the MLS. It is important to show what the house looks like in its current state, otherwise, it can be quite a disappointment to buyers. Truth in advertising should never be optional.
Not one feedback we received the second time around included comments about the room sizes. It was 100% positive and culminated in three offers... two above list price. It's important to note that this was a much more balanced market back then, and multiple offers weren't the norm. The final sold price was 11K above list price with the seller recouping more than double the amount they had invested in staging. Had the house remained empty, we would not have achieved the result that we did. I am certain of that.
This experience showed me how truly important and valuable staging is. I've been a firm believer ever since and have been assisting all my seller clients with either staging their homes while they are still residing in the property or enlisting the help of Jessica Flavell for vacant ones. Jessica and I collaborated on a few listings over the years, but, unfortunately, she retired from the business some time ago.
However, it prompted my broker and I to increase our staging inventory to be able to assist our sellers better and include staging in our listing services. We are always adding to our inventory and are in the process of expanding our office to have more space to store it all. Catch a glimpse behind the scenes when we staged a Silver Spring, MD home for sale.
Does staging a house really work? You bet.
Staging serves multiple purposes. Besides showing buyers how furniture can be arranged in a home, it also shows them what size of a couch or bedframe could fit, or what that oddly shaped room, or nook in the corner, could be utilized for.
A staged home shows better in all visual presentations and online marketing. It warms up a space and turns a vacant house into a home. The listing pictures are the very first impression a potential buyer gets of your home, we have to make it a great one!
A staged home also tends to elicit emotions. Few buyers will make an offer on a home that does not feel like it could be their home and leaves them unexcited. The goal is for buyers to walk in and be wowed, to fall in love and make their best offer. Staging helps accomplish that.
Are you hoping to receive the same or better results than my Glenn Dale clients did? Then call me, Andrea, at 240.593.2860. I would love to connect with you! After 20 years as a licensed, full-time REALTOR® in Silver Spring, MD, and beyond, I can confidently say, I know how to stage, price correctly, market efficiently, and get it SOLD. References are available upon request. I very much enjoy the process of collaborating with my sellers, enlisting the expertise of our in-house contractors (if needed), staging it, and sending my clients the professional photographs when it's picture-perfect... and hearing them say Wow. This is my house? It looks amazing!
Did you stumble upon my blog post from another part of the country (or the world) because you are looking for a REALTOR® who stages? Please contact me. I maintain a network of the very best agents and can help you find the best fit.
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