Part 2 The Secrets of Staging to Sell
Top 10 Most Common Sins of Staging 1. Paint Problems: Personal color choices, lack of touch up. 2. Pet Presence: litter boxes, pet food and smells. 3. Personalized décor: Photos, accessories, collections. 4. Dated and worn hardware or light fixtures. 5. Dirty or worn carpets. 6. Dirty interior/ exterior 7. Dated or inappropriate window coverings. 8. Furniture arrangements which don t highlight the home s features. 9. Solar screens/dirty Windows. 10. Too much/too large furniture.
11th Sin of Staging Failing to hire a professional
Mistakes Realtors Make 1. Not using staging as a marketing tool for every listing. 2. Not using staging as part of their marketing plan. 3. Waiting until the last minute. 4. Giving up too easily when the client is resistant. 5. Not fully understanding the benefits of staging. 6. Offending a client or giving the wrong advice.
Use staging in your listing presentation
Mistakes Realtors Make 1. Not using staging as a marketing tool for every listing. 2. Not using staging as part of their marketing plan. 3. Waiting until the last minute. 4. Giving up too easily when the client is resistant. 5. Not fully understanding the benefits of staging. 6. Offending a client or giving the wrong advice.
Co-Branding & Marketing
Mistakes Realtors Make 1. Not using staging as a marketing tool for every listing. 2. Not using staging as part of their marketing plan. 3. Waiting until the last minute. 4. Giving up too easily when the client is resistant. 5. Not fully understanding the benefits of staging. 6. Offending a client and/or giving the wrong advice.
Allow enough time
Mistakes Realtors Make 1. Not using staging as a marketing tool for every listing. 2. Not using staging as part of their marketing plan. 3. Waiting until the last minute. 4. Giving up too easily when the client is resistant. 5. Not fully understanding the benefits of staging. 6. Offending a client and/or giving the wrong advice.
Mistakes Realtors Make 1. Not using staging as a marketing tool for every listing. 2. Not using staging as part of their marketing plan. 3. Waiting until the last minute. 4. Giving up too easily when the client is resistant. 5. Not fully understanding the benefits of staging. 6. Offending a client and/or giving the wrong advice.
Mistakes Realtors Make 1. Not using staging as a marketing tool for every listing. 2. Not using staging as part of their marketing plan. 3. Waiting until the last minute. 4. Giving up too easily when the client is resistant. 5. Not fully understanding the benefits of staging. 6. Offending a client and/or giving the wrong advice.
10 Things Home Sellers Can do Today to Help Sell Their Home Faster and For More Money
#1 De-clutter, Depersonalize & Properly Arrange De-cluttering Make sure prospects have plenty of room to tour your home. Less furniture will make the house feel and look bigger Less is more!
Remove all personal photographs, collections and awards and name plates.
Depersonalize
THE HUB OF THE HOME: THE FAMILY ROOM One of the most common mistakes we see in decorating and staging is the lack of a focal point in the family room. The family room is usually one of the main focal points of a home. Wow prospective buyers by arranging the furniture in such a way that allows them to visualize themselves enjoying family time or entertaining in that room. Furniture should be arranged around a focal point in a room (i.e. a fireplace, a view, a flat screen t.v.)
CONFUSED ROOMS = CONFUSED BUYERS It's hard for most people to visualize anything other than what they see when viewing homes, so if you have a room that serves several purposes (i.e. a home office/ exercise room or a guestroom/playroom, pick one purpose, and stick with it when staging your home.
#2 CLEAN, CLEAN, CLEAN Clean exterior and interior. Power Wash Exterior. Consider Hiring Professionals. Pay attention to every detail.
#3 REMOVE SOLAR SCREENS, WASH WINDOWS AND REMOVE DATED OR BULKY WINDOW COVERINGS
#4 CONDUCT A SMELL TEST
Pets a Possible Turn-Off for Prospects? According to The Humane Society of the United States: 39% of U.S. households own at least one dog. Nearly 34% of U.S. households own at least one cat. This means that between 61-66% of homeowners do not own a cat or dog.
MALODOROUS MISTAKES Smells are a big deterrent to a home sale, believe it or not! It's very important that a home appeal to all five sense, including smell when a prospective buyer walks into a home.
Scent releases Cinnamon Vanilla Not too heavy
Eucalyptus
Ozone Generators
Smoke smells Washing the walls and ceilings is a good idea if nothing else has worked. Try mixing up one gallon of warm water, one half cup of ammonia, one quarter cup of vinegar, and one quarter cup of washing soda. Work your way up from the baseboards to the ceiling while you clean, making sure to change the solution often.
#5: PROPERLY PREPARE BATHROOMS
Clean Caulk Remove rust Remove Calcium Deposits Replace hardware if necessary
Commode lids closed!
Create an emotional connection
#6 PROPERLY PREPARE BEDROOMS Think hotel bedroom. Calm, relaxing, sanctuary. Remove all personal items from nightstand. Leave only lamps, clock, phone, a book. Fluffy pillows and throws.
#7 PERFORM PAINT TOUCH UP Touch up paint throughout entire interior and exterior. Consider neutralizing bold paint colors.
PAINT CHOICES FOR STAGING TIPS: FOLLOW CURRENT COLOR TRENDS but stay away from the bold and dramatic colors. REMEMBER, painting is one of the least expensive ways to update and freshen a home when listing it. A fresh coat of paint does wonders for making a pre-owned home feel new again.
PHOTO TOP: A definite YES! A great color choice for staging. Bright & cheery, while remaining neutral. PHOTO BOTTOM: A probable no.
WALLPAPER: TO BE, OR NOT TO BE? in short, NOT! TIPS: Wallpaper borders are dated and should be removed prior to repainting. Wallpaper that covers a whole wall can be painted over (even if it's textured). Without the wallpaper, they're noticing the overall look and feel of the room and you've saved them the distraction of wallpaper that may not fit their taste. There are a few exceptions, don t hesitate to get a 2 nd or 3 rd opinion!
#8 TEND TO YOUR LANDSCAPING The average homeowner spends about $3,502 for landscaping and another $1,465 on a designer, according to the American Nursery & Landscape Association. Average return at resale: 97-100% Fresh mulch, plant LOTS of color. Remove empty and excessive pots. Remove yard art.
CURB APPEAL: CREATE LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT Power wash, power wash, power wash: fences, driveway & walkways, decks, porches and the exterior of the home. Have the window professionally cleaned and remove solar screens Create visual "pop" with lots of color in the landscaping. In this case, more is better! Remove excessive plant pots and be sure the ones you leave out are filled with beautiful flowers. Weed, trim, hedge and add fresh mulch to all beds. Remove all dead limbs and brush.
A word about the front porch Studies show that this is where a prospect spends the longest period of time while viewing a home.
# 9 PAY ATTENTION TO THE DETAILS First, work on living spaces. Then Closets Office areas Kitchen cabinets and pantry Garage/Laundry Rooms/Basements
THE HEART OF THE HOME: THE KITCHEN The kitchen is often the most important room to buyers. The modern kitchen serves multiple purposes. No longer just a place for cooking, the kitchen is now a place for entertaining, family gatherings, watching television, paying bills and doing homework.
#10 HIRE A STAGER OR LISTEN TO YOUR REALTOR!!!
(c) FILL Interiority OUT TREC Complex ROSTER 2008
How to choose the right stager for you, your business and your clients.
Finding a professional stager 1.Real Estate Staging Association website. 2.Referrals. 3.Take note of staged properties you ve Directory seen. listings
Research the stager 1. Ask to see a portfolio. 2. Ask about their experience and training. 3. Ask for references.
Ask About Insurance Coverage
Do they have people skills?
Ask About Fees
How much does it cost? 1. 1-2 Hour Consultation - $150 - $350 2. Hourly rates - $85 - $ 250 3. Vacant Staging - $3,000 - $15,000 4. Virtual Staging - $175 - $250 Per Room
Find out about their processes
To pay or not? Determine your budget. What other realtors are doing most are paying for one or two hours of a staging consultation as part of their listing package.
A Partner in Success A good stager understands realtors and the markets. A good stager knows that he or she is a direct reflection of you and your company. Remember, a good agent doesn t cost their client more money, they help their client MAKE more money. A great stager can even help you close at a listing presentation.