THIS is why I am so busy! I swear I work with the best agents in the Charleston area (if not in the country)! Thank you Michele for your great post and educating your sellers on why staging is soooooo important.....
As my stager, Melissa Marro always says, "Selling your house and living in your house are two separate things." Unfortunately not all buyers can visualize how a floorplan will work for them. When there is an awkward arrangement, buyers may automatically rule a house out. Take this example of a 2 year old home in Goose Creek, SC. There are a couple of issues. This room is a rectangle and the couch and loveseat were positioned at an angle to view the television. This blocked the natural walkway in this room. Second, it's hard to ingore the floral furniture, clutter of toys and books, etc. Third, this room is about as 'vanilla' as it gets with white walls.
This room needed some help. The owner was particularly opposed to the staging process but eventually came to love the new arrangement. First Impressions was professional about dealing with a discontent owner and handled it well. The owner did not want to paint but she used soft window treatments to warm the room. This new furniture arrangement allowed a clear pathway from the door to the dining area. The slipcovers were an inexpensive fix to neutralize the floral print. Decluttering this room made this space much more pleasing to the buyer's critical eye. It's hard for a buyer to look beyond an owner's stuff. It can be distracting and make a room feel smaller. This simple change instantly made this space more useful to a broader group of buyers. In fact, it sold 44 days after the transformation! Furniture rearrangement and decluttering is one of the least expensive things you can do to improve your home's appeal. See the difference! Are you ready to do what it takes to get your home sold?
Michele Reneau - Military Relocation Specialist with Carolina One Real Estate in Charleston, SC.
Contact Michele Reneau, Real Estate Agent, North Charleston, SC Relocation Expert, CRS, GRI, ABR. Licensed Realtor® in South Carolina at 843-572-0518 to list your property for sale or to purchase real estate in Charleston, Goose Creek, Summerville, North Charleston, Hanahan, Mount Pleasant and the surrounding areas in Charleston County, Berkeley County or Dorchester County, South Carolina. Featured on HGTV's House Hunters. Publisher/Author for Charleston Real Estate Update including featured listings and sold properties, and monthly statistics on Charleston Real Estate Market. RESA 2009 Staging Realtor of the Year Nominee. The Charleston Relocation Expert specializes in military relocation, first time homebuyers and creating marketing exposure to sell your home in the Charleston SC Real Estate market. I can also be contacted by email at mreneau@carolinaone.com. To view all Charleston Metro area houses for Sale Click Here and then click on Search for Homes. With over 25 years of Lowcountry Living, I know the Charleston Metro area. I will help you get your home sold and/or help you buy your Charleston home or land.
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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
You are one lucky lady to have realtors believe in you and staging. I've given up on working with them (except one) and am concentrating on other means of getting in the doors of the sellers.
Now that is much more calming. Before photo is so hectic and full of "everyday" clutter. Do they have kids? LOL Unfortunately selling often means adjusting our lifestyle a bit while on market. Great flow to the room now too.
It's invaluable to have working relationships with real estate agents who "get it" -- and by Michele praising the professionalism of your service it's more like a personal recommendation and validation for future clients. Very cool!
Basics are never overstated are they? It seems we all "see it" when it comes to others homes but can't see the forest for the trees in our own home. That's job security.
Melissa - Great transformation. Does anyone know when the majority of homes with children turned into Toys R Us? I know children need toys but my goodness. Why didn't my parents buy me all those things? They've got some s'plaining to do. :)