No really.... did she? You may remember the blog I wrote a month or so ago, When should you just say no? One of my best clients had just landed a real 'handyman special' and wanted my advice as to how to proceed. I advised that I felt they needed to adjust the price and market to investors. There just simply was a lot of work to do in this home....
She called me back and said that the sellers didn't want to go that approach and asked my recommendations on economical improvements - which were best for the money? Then advised that me that I NEEDED to stage the home. I reitterated that the home would be better served with money going into improvements. She was clear when she said the following, "I know what you can do. I need you to stage this house. It will make all the difference in the world."
I kept thinking of Maureen's comments about putting lipstick on a pig. I didn't think it would help. At the end of staging day I had to sit and rethink myself. What did my agent know about my work that I didn't? The home doesn't even look like the same home in MLS.
I would have liked to have seen more changes happen - but the home shows the potential significantly better now. I have no doubt that traffic will increase with these photos versus the previous ones. This may help lead to higher offers (or an offer period!) I guess my agent knew me best afterall....
Special thanks to David Moon & Bonnie Mizzell of First Impressions Home Staging & Interior ReDesign for helping me with this project.
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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. She now operates as the CEO of First Impressions Home Staging & Interior ReDesign as well as an instructor for Staging And Resign and regularly speaks at the StagerList Expos 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 843.822.2622 or email at marro.melissa@gmail.com
If you would like Marro's team to provide information on staging a property in the state of South Carolina, or the Greater Charleston Area, please visit www.WeStageSC.com, email marro.melissa@gmail.com or call 843.822.2622.
Melissa- Great job of lightening the dining area with the chair covers, then adding the dark furniture to the light carpeted area & that square pillow with both light & brown coordinates everything. Very nice.
Kathy
What a transformation!! Love the way you worked in those blue counters and tiles. Blue and Brown are very popular colour choices at the moment too.
Melissa,
This is what staging is all about. Work with what you have. It may not be remodeled but it's warm and inviting and most important the buyers can now see the potential. You can't ask for more than that!
Kathy - Yes, it definately made my job easier because of the trendiness of these particular colors! The harvest gold in the guest bath even looks more brown with the blue and brown everywhere else....
Susan - It definately gives you the warm fuzzy at the end of the day.
Sandra - I guess the problem here would have been the 'decent' budget issue. I still think there were a lot of things that could/should be done but this looks so much better than it did before that I know it will help get a buyer who will be willing to overlook at least some of the cosmetics....
What a great story. Its fun when we surprise even ourselves, isn't it?!
An agent I had worked with several times brought me into a home that hadn't been remodeled since the 70s - orange (faded) carpet in the living room, gold and orange shag in one bedroom, lime and pale yellow shag in the other (the real deal). I looked at the place and thought, "oh boy, this one may be undoable!"
The home sold in a week and another unexpected perk was that the 50-something year old adult children of the homeowner seemed honored that their funky old home went out with a splash. Never go out the door without your lipstick, I say!
Now I'll have to rephrase - Only Melissa Marro can pull off putting lipstick on a pig!!!
Melissa- That's just great...now EVERYONE will want lipstick on their pig!!!
Janis - it is great you managed to work that orange carpet into the room. What a great story about the sale too!
Maureen - lol.... how funny is that?
Elaine - maybe I should get back into selling Mary Kay (did that years ago)... I could really rake up now with all those lipstick sales!
Bevin - The agent was very excited about this transformation - even she thought it was better than expected.... yay!
Melissa -
You did a great job with the lipstick! You are right, it helps a whole lot. I have learned something today, thanks!