Category Archives for "Home Selling for Top Dollar!"
All about home selling.
Seriously Flawed Study
This is not true staging by any means…
There was a study published by the Wall Street Journal* claiming that “staging” has no effect on the home’s sale price based on the photo above…seriously?! The study had a group of people view virtually staged before-and-after photos and asked them whether they would pay more for the beige room (above) over the purple room (below). Each of the respondents said they would not pay more money for the beige virtually staged room over the purple room.
How can anyone take this study even remotely serious is a minor miracle. Here are the huge problems with this study:
- The rooms were “virtually staged” (not real, in person staging which is what “staging” is truly is)
- They were “virtually staged” by a someone who doesn’t appear to know much about staging from the looks of the “after” photos
- The “before” photos of a purple room (see below) and colorful furniture look so cartoon like, it’s almost laughable!
- Ironically, the respondents believed that “other” buyers would pay 3.7% to 4.0% less than value of the home if it’s not painted and fixed up.
- Virtual stagers are insulted by these photos since they don’t come close to the quality work that a true, virtual stager can do.
This isn’t even good virtual work…is this Mickey Mouse’s home?
I wasn’t going to even respond to this study since I didn’t want to bring attention to something so absurd but since there has been some chatter about it, let’s put this matter to rest once and for all.
Anyone with half a brain would look at that “after” photo and never in a million years call this a “staged” room!
In case you were one of those silly people who actually wanted to give this study credence and thought that room was “staged”…here is what “staged” really looks like of a home that sold for $100,000 over asking price in October, 2013 within 8 days of staging:
(This home was staged by Donna Dazzo of Designed to Appeal in New York City)
Living Room Before
Living Room After
Living Room Before
Living Room After
Master Bedroom Before
Master Bedroom After
Boy’s Room Before
Boy’s Room After
Girl’s Room Before
Girl’s Room After
Terrace Before
Terrace After
I guess it’s a good thing this home seller didn’t listen to “other” agents who think staging doesn’t work and cite this study…
By the way, I could have produced tons of other similar success stories and photos by the many amazingly talented home stagers across the country who have been maligned by this study. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that when you improve upon a product, you get a better price.
XOXO – Happy Staging!
Audra Slinkey
Hope to hear from you!
1-888-563-9271
audra@homestagingresource.com
*By the way, the study was called: “The Impact of Staging Conditions on Residential Real Estate Demand” and the Wall Street Journal article was called: “Home Staging Effect? Not Much.“
7 Staging Tips for Difficult Spaces
7 Staging Tips for Difficult Spaces
One of the critical reasons to stage a vacant home is to give perspective to buyers. Empty rooms are lifeless question marks in buyer’s eyes, so merchandising the space becomes essential! Here are seven staging tips I think you will find extremely helpful in your next staging project…
Donna Dazzo of Designed to Appeal, a New York City based staging company was given one of the toughest vacant staging assignments I’ve ever seen, so I just had to share it. This 3-bedroom, 4,000 square foot loft in Tribeca was on the market three months without an acceptable offer.
The loft sold at FULL asking price 22 days after Donna staged it!
Check it out…
This was the loft space as you walked in the home and as you can see the large columns are distracting and overwhelming. The space appears dark, lifeless, cold and definitely not easily able to arrange furniture around!
Entryway/Living Room Before
Staging Tip #1 – Create Groupings
Strategically using area rugs, Donna separated the large space into groupings. A central living and seating area between the columns draws the eye to the seating area and away from the columns.
Entryway/Living Room After
Staging Tip #2 –Use Reflective Surfaces
The large and well placed mirror brings the eye further into the room immediately while extending the more narrow space. Using a light palette, reflective surfaces and mirrors, the space appears more open, light and inviting.
Here is a view from another angle where you can see how open the space was and how difficult it would be to fit all the represented living spaces in this one great room.
Not only did she fit a living grouping but a dining area off the kitchen as well.
Staging Tip #3 –Use Furniture to Separate the Space
What do you do with a small, seemingly un-useful space off the living area when you’ve already established plenty of seating arrangements?
Separating the space with a bookcase, it becomes an office with a view!
Staging Tip #4 –Proper Scale Needs to Always be Considered
Filled with large, empty space this loft needs properly scaled furnishings to first “fit” between the beams in the living/entry area and now larger pieces to match this large space below.
The cabinets are artfully arranged to add color and symmetry.
Staging Tip #5 –Know Your Buyer Demographic
Staging for Families
Since the buyer demographic for this space was a family, Donna incorporated that lifestyle in her merchandising by turning this cold Den space into a bright, kids play area.
Notice how the brick wall in the vacant space appears to be a detraction while once it’s staged becomes an asset.
“Artful staging can turn even negative architectural elements into positive assets!”
Staging Tip #6 –Use Great Art to Elevate the Space
At this point you’ve probably noticed the amazing artwork that serves to elevate the space and give personality right? Well Donna cleverly partnered with an art gallery to complete her staging vision.
This bedroom is tricky because all you notice is the long, unsightly heater under the windows.
Second Bedroom Before
Using a highly textured area rug, soft textiles and amazing artwork the space becomes a girls dream bedroom!
Second Bedroom After – Girl
Third Bedroom Before
Third Bedroom After – Boy or Guest Room
Staging Tip #7 –Never Leave Anything Up to the Buyer’s Imagination
Frankly, any kitchen unstaged with cleared countertops will look cold, sterile and bring the eye to the worst architectural feature (in this case the overhanging light on the island). The “cleared counter top” look is NOT a staged kitchen!
Color was essential to move away from the hospital feel and the contemporary barstools draw the eye away from our light fixture while providing the sleek, cool feel associated with this space.
Empty bedrooms add nothing to a buyers decision. They become quick “walk-on-bys”
Add the color, textiles and life…now the buyer lingers.
Another view of the master bedroom and incredible artwork!
Thank you Donna for sharing your talent! Staging is essential for buyers to really “see” the value in a home…otherwise the seller is leaving cash on the table.
Not all professional stagers are equal! Our HSR Certification training was the first and one of the only staging and redesign training programs that has been third-party, accredited by the Real Estate Staging Association, so invest in the best!
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Home Staging Austin
Sarah Swindell of Up Staged in Austin, TX started the course in May of this year and already has a gorgeous before-and-after show I wanted to showcase. She had this to say about her experience:
“THANK YOU!!! Your course is just amazing and you really made the whole process so enjoyable and easy even when I thought I could never do something like this! I was always afraid to start my own business and thought it would be way too complicated, but you made it all possible! I love your sense of humor too:) Your videos were so enjoyable to listen to. As a single mom now, being a realtor was way too hard scheduling wise and I really only loved making the homes I had listed beautiful! All the contracts and legal stuff I could do with out! This is just perfect for me 🙂 Thank you so much for providing such a wonderful forum for women (and men!) to have a fun and fulfilling career!”