Lately we've seen this offered in the greater Charleston area. Agents - be wary of this service!
[Warning! *Satire & Sarcasm*]
For several years now, a local Home Staging company has been offering Free Vacant Home Staging services and promising they will turn "vacant homes into living models that sell." Their pitch is to move a family of Unicorns into the home and they will magically make the home appeared lived in and remain nice and tidy. Well, actually, that's an exaggeration - there are no Unicorns. But their promise is almost that fantastic: they provide Home Managers to pay rent to the home owner, move into the home while it is for sale, and take care of the home. Viola! Free Home Staging!
In Austin, I get one or two calls a month inquiring about this service. And, I tell them that I honestly do not know any one who has ever successfully used the service. I also point out that if they search the interent, they will find out about the Home Manager who was running a Call Girl service out of one home in the Atlanta Area.
Anyways, today I received an intriguing Google Alert, and upon clicking on it, I discovered the secret to finding Qualified Home Managers who can not only afford to pay rent, but can also provide quality furnishings to transform the house, and keep up appearances until the house is sold! [Unicorns might be easier to find...]
Their secret: [Click Here]
A Craig's List Ad! Why didn't I think of that? If I wanted to find trustworthy persons to rent a home listed for sale, and expect them to deal with the REALTOR showings, and the responsibilities involved in keeping a home prepared, I only had to post an ad on Craig's List! They were sure to specify, "You must be naturally tidy and qualify by having enough nice furniture to outfit the home..." What could possibly go wrong? Especially with a 'background check!"
Caveat Emptor: Buyer Beware - know what you're getting when you sign an agreement with your Home Staging Company. I can now add to my list of what I know about this company, "They find their managers by posting on Craig's List".
Meanwhile, I will just continue looking for the Holy Grail with my Unicorn Friends skipping under the rainbow...
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Melissa Marro, a published artist, now turned staging advocate and national speaker speaks her mind about real estate and the home staging industry. In her 'no holds barred' approach, audience members find real answers to the industries pitfalls and learn how to overcome them with tried and true information and guidance. With marketing as her passion, she turned a small home based business into one of the nation's largest home staging and training facilities. Selling her successful home staging company in January 2012, Marro is now a full time speaker and instructor for Staging And Resign and Real Estate Staging Association (RESA)'s trade events.
For more information on having Marro speak at one of your real estate functions, please contact her at 843.619.1593 or email at marro.melissa@gmail.com
Hey, would any of those unicorns come live in my house, pay me rent, cook & clean, feed my pets - and since the place isn't up for sale, maybe they would throw in a foot massage every night? LOL If its too good to be true, it probably is STILL too good to be true! Thanks for the heads up on this latest phony home staging scam.
Interesting. I always receive a lot of different "pitches" but glad I haven't come across this one.
Very interesting! There's always someone (or many someones) looking to strike a shady deal! Thanks for alerting us.