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Your Home has SOLD but don’t De-Stage just yet.

By Terri Lucas

Home Stager with Exclusive Home Staging

October 23, 2008 05:59 AM

Exclusive Home Staging was hired recently to stage a vacant home that has been on the market for over a year in beautiful Palos Verdes Estates.

The homes architecture was more contemporary and upon entering felt very cold and uninviting.

Graphic Image of vacant home

Terri Lucas of Exclusive Home Staging went to work and listened to both the Home Seller and Buyers concerns. It was simple; the home had great bones and needed our home staging services to help buyers see the beauty of the home.The new marketing strategy developed with the Realtor and Home Seller was Stage, Adjust the price and bring in those buyers.

Graphic Image of vacant home

It SOLD in 70 days after a year on the market. Unfortunately, the Home Seller requested that the home be de-staged immediately.

The Home Buyer continued to visit the home with inspectors; to take measurements, etc. and were welcomed by an empty home that unfortunately didn’t connect with the initial emotions that made them want to live there. The Home Buyer withdrew the purchase 1 week before close of escrow.

Moral of the Story… Home Seller’s, keep your home staged until all contingencies are lifted and up until the close of escrow.

If you have a home lingering on the market let Exclusive Home Staging help get it sold fast. We work with the Home Seller and Realtor to create a fresh new marketing approach to get your home sold. Terri Lucas, lead designer and owner can help get your Los Angeles Home SOLD. Call us today at (310) 408-1115 or email us at terri@exclusivehomestaging.com. We are licensed and insured.

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Comments(30)

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Lisa Roy

SPACELiFT HOME STAGING, Greater Vancouver - Vancouver, BC

Would never have thought that buyers would pull out because of the staging being pulled out but thanks for the tip. It makes sense....... I feel bad for the sellers, now they face listing again without the benefit of the beautiful staging.

Oct 23, 2008 04:07 PM

Robyn Guinn

StageAZ - Phoenix, AZ

Home staging, Arizona

Hi Terri, wow, very sad for everyone. The one I am de-staging on Saturday closes on Monday. So we leave until the latest possible time. Do did they lose their earnest money by backing out?

Oct 23, 2008 05:06 PM

Terri Lucas

Exclusive Home Staging - Redondo Beach, CA

Exclusive Home Staging Los Angeles

Kathi: Oh, how I know. I feel so sorry for everyone involved. Great idea to give the CD.

Patti: Please, Please use it. I wanted this post to not only benefit us but the home seller. Better to learn from mistakes that have been made than to repeat.

Michelle: Thanks for the comment. It is sad but, hopefully, this misfortune will be passed on to other home sellers to learn from so it does not happen to them.

Oct 23, 2008 07:02 PM

Terri Lucas

Exclusive Home Staging - Redondo Beach, CA

Exclusive Home Staging Los Angeles

Lisa: We create a vision of space, living and atmosphere. If the home buyer visits the home before owning it and finds it empty the vision of how they will place their belongings, best use of the space, etc. is gone. Thanks so much for commenting.

Robyn: That is also my rule of thumb. My client was adamant about it and I had to abide by their wishes. I am not sure about the earnest money. I will check into it and let you know.

Oct 23, 2008 07:20 PM

Emma Vargas

Simply Staging - Cameron Park, CA

Simply Staging

Oh wow, that's a painful lesson to learn for the home seller. I had a similiar situation and did everything possible to convince the sellers not to deStage just yet, but they insisted. The deal fell through which was too bad because we got the house sold in less than 30 days, after we deStaged, the house has been on the market 6 months and counting. It's not worth trying to save a few bucks on the staging people!

Oct 23, 2008 08:01 PM

Kathy Nielsen

http://atlantahomestaging.net - Marietta, GA

Atlanta Georgia Home Stager

Good advice for homeowners. I always request that the de-staging happens the day before closing. Ninety nine percent of the time, this has worked effectively. I say 99% because I did have one that was suppose to close on a Tuesday. I de-staged on Monday and then the next day the loan fell thru.

Again, great advice for sellers.

Kathy

Oct 23, 2008 11:46 PM

Connie Tebyani

Platinum Home Staging, Inc. : RESA-Pro - Calabasas, CA

Platinum Home Staging, Los Angeles and Ventura County

Great advice, Terri, and one that Realtors who use Staging should heed to their Sellers directly as well. This happened on a home I Staged durring the holidays, last year. It opened escrow in less than 2 months (DURING the HOLIDAYS!) The owers had me pull the Staging the day after all contingencies were lifted. Just before closing, the deal fell through and the home was left empty. 9 months later, it has finally sold, at a HUGE price reduction.

Oct 24, 2008 01:57 AM

Jill Schmit

Micoley & Company - Green Bay, WI

ABR, ASP, GRI

Terri,

Great advice for everyone involved in the sales process - from stagers, to Realtors, to sellers. Thanks for the tip.

Oct 24, 2008 03:58 AM

Beth Lester

Beth Lester Designs - Torrance, CA

Home Staging & Interior Decorating

Hi Terri, That's really too bad. I saw that home and you did a fantastic job. It was a lovely place in a great neighborhood.

Oct 24, 2008 06:40 AM

Joan Inglis, Master Accredited Staging Professional

Carolina Spaces, LLC www.CarolinaSpaces.com - Charlotte, NC

Home Staging, Model Merchandising, Interior Design

I love your pictures. Great use of color and the perfect style to complement the architecture.

Joan Inglis, ASP, ASPM, President Charlotte IAHSP Regional Chapter

Oct 26, 2008 02:54 AM

Terri Lucas

Exclusive Home Staging - Redondo Beach, CA

Exclusive Home Staging Los Angeles

Emma: I suspect it will be the same for this home. So Sad.

Kathy: I think we will all have this happen at one point or another because of overzealous home sellers wanting to save money. Thanks for the comment.

Connie: The longer a home sits the bigger the price reduction as we all know.

Jill: I just hope that realtors and home sellers gain knowledge from this post.

Beth: Thank you for the compliment and stopping by to take a look.

Joan: Thank you. Terra Cotta is one of my favorites to use as accents because it brings a warm pop of color without being obtrusive.

Oct 26, 2008 05:10 AM

Tanya Venable

Orlando, FL

SEO, Mobile SEO, and Internet Marketing Consultant

Terri, great post! Anything can fall through at the last minute. After going through a similar situation with a client, i agree that de-staging as close to closing is best.

Oct 26, 2008 05:18 AM

Barbara Cluck-Miksits

BCM Home Staging LLC - Ridgewood, NJ

Home Staging - New Jersey

Terri, What a big mistake the sellers made. I bet they are kicking themselves.

Oct 27, 2008 02:35 PM

Terri Lucas

Exclusive Home Staging - Redondo Beach, CA

Exclusive Home Staging Los Angeles

Tanya: We need to repeat the story to our home sellers and Realtors so that they think about the sad consequences. Thanks for the comment.

Barbara: A relo company took over the house so I am working with them to get it restaged. What a nightmare.

Cheryl: Thanks for the compliment and I am now on to read your blog post.

Oct 27, 2008 05:37 PM

Terri Lucas

Exclusive Home Staging - Redondo Beach, CA

Exclusive Home Staging Los Angeles

Hi Diane: The money they saved in staging is pennies compared to a future price reduction. Thanks for the Comment.

Oct 28, 2008 05:00 AM

Wendy Casey

A-List Home Staging & Decor - Surrey, BC

Beautiful staging, Terri. Love the warm colours. Our contract actually says that we recommend the property remaing staged until closing, 'just in case'.

Wendy Casey - Surrey, BC

Oct 28, 2008 05:30 AM

Cindy Bryant

Redesign Etc. Home Staging - Houston, TX

"Houston Home Staging Pros"

I really like the use of the chair instead of an end table. Great idea!

Nov 03, 2008 01:25 PM

Benita Gottfried

New Vision Interiors LLC - Hopatcong, NJ

That was an unfortunate situation. You fufilled your duty of making it a glorious space and more inviting to buyers. I love the simplistic design and the use of color. I would have never thought of using that shade of orange, very nicely done.

Nov 03, 2008 10:47 PM

Benita Gottfried

New Vision Interiors LLC - Hopatcong, NJ

BTW, totally off the beaten path. i just wanted to comment that your profile picture is gorgeous. You have a beautiful smile.

Nov 03, 2008 10:49 PM

KO Designs

KO Designs, LLC - Kansas City, MO

Beautiful staging! Great advice - so many things can happen before closing.

Apr 09, 2009 10:00 AM