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Stage Before Listing!

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A prospect asked me this week if staging before listing is better than the other way around — absolutely! There are at least 4 good reasons why:

1) Get your home looking its best before you invite the agents to tour your home and do their comparative market analysis (comps), and it is very likely they will come back with a higher listing price.

2)Agents will be more excited about listing and showing your home, because a well-presented home out-shines its competition and gets buyers excited about living there!

3) The photos your agent takes of your home will look much better once it is staged. For proof of this, take a look at random MLS photos of houses for sale in your area, and think about which houses YOU would want to see based on those photos. I’ve seen far too many terrible photos of rooms crowded with furniture, outdated wallpaper and paint colors, messy bathrooms and kitchen counters, rooms with the blinds and curtains closed, tons of family photos and toys scattered about, and unmade beds or tired-looking bedrooms that need that luxury “spa-like” touch to avoid turning off buyers. Between 80 and 90 percent of buyers look at MLS photos before contacting an agent, and if your home’s photos aren’t as beautiful as they could be, most buyers will move on to the next property without even asking to look at your home.

4) Stagers are the experts in knowing what to do; agents may know the bare-bone basics, but they aren’t going to spend hours “fixing” your home’s problems, and most don’t know just HOW to solve the problems anyway. Stagers have the design background or “eye” and a large inventory of accessories that will add the pizzazz most homes need — like jewelry adds the sparkle to an outfit — and we also can handle renting furniture for you when necessary.

5)  Better late than never: If your home has already been on the market with no offers or only low-ball offers, it’s never too late to stage to renew interest and get those offers coming in! Remember, the cost of staging is always less than the cost of a price reduction!

Make Sure Your Home’s Photos Don’t Scare Off Buyers!

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Toilet paper trailing out of toilet

Bad MlS Photos

Ugh! Way too much clutter will make buyers feel there's not enough storage.

Bad MLS photos

A room you can't see; this mess doesn't appeal to anyone.

Bad MLS photos

Too much clutter!

Unattractive MLS photo

Mouthwash and an open toilet . . . not a pretty combo

A few pics I’ve seen recently on the MLS have made me cringe . . . and I’m pretty sure they do the same to buyers!

My first thought is: Would you want to BE in these rooms, let alone LIVE in them? Shouldn’t the goal of photos of any house for sale be to pique the interest of buyers, not scare them off? Home sellers need to be told to clean up and de-clutter. If they don’t, the agent must warn them that their house is not going to get the calls and the traffic it should, since it’s well-known that 90% of buyers today search the internet to find the houses they want to see before they call an agent.

And, if you’re an agent taking photos, pay attention to what you’re taking photos of! Always take a good hard look at them on your computer screen: often, you will notice a lot more drawbacks in a photo than you did “in real-life.”

Although with these photos, it’s hard to imagine NOT seeing how bad the rooms look when you’re standing in them!

A few basics before you snap shots:

1) Toilet seats should always be down; bath mats removed.

2) Remove personal hygiene and cleaning products.

3) Take down family photos.

4) Remove all that clutter, including pet dishes, beds, and toys.

5) If you have towels anywhere, make sure they’re hung either neatly on a towel rack or rolled up next to a Jacuzzi, not left lying on the floor, draped over a shower curtain rod, etc. And make sure they look clean!

6) Speaking of towels, remove all dishtowels – they just never look classy, plus they look like clutter and remind buyers of work (hey, does this place even have a dishwasher?)

7) Remove laundry/clothes/shoes that are visible in open areas. Stow away in baskets and hampers that are out-of-sight in closets or under vanities.

8) Clear floors of all small items.

9) Beds need to be MADE, pillows fluffed, and there should be at least two layers of pillows to make the bed look comfortable. Do not pull bedspreads over the pillows — pillows belong on top, and a throw or a luxurious blanket folded across the bottom will really make the bedroom inviting.

10) Move everything off the fridge and on top of it.

11) Pare down your kitchen counter appliances to an essential one or two, such as the coffee maker and toaster. Remove knives as well.

12) Remove unhealthy-looking or tiny plants. Remove fish bowls (and other containers with little critters) from kitchens and bathrooms, especially, and make sure there are no pets or people in your photos.

13) Make sure no furniture is blocking any windows — the more light the better, and especially if you have attractive views, you want to show them off!

14) Put all lights on in every room, open all curtains and blinds, and bring in fresh flowers for the dining room table and kitchen table. If you have a fireplace, light it to really draw buyers’ eyes to this special feature.

Let your MLS photos put your home’s best features forward to attract the most buyers possible!

Does Staging Work?

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I was curious to see what agents on Trulia would say about the value and benefits of staging, so I threw out the question — anonymously — “Do you believe staging helps sell homes? If not, why not?” Nine out of 10 said a resounding “YES”. One said she’s still “up in the air”, although she definitely believes de-cluttering and “freshening up a tired home” helps them to sell. Her caveat was “when it comes to hiring someone to come in and buy new furniture I’m still on the fence.”

Well, I don’t know any stagers personally who would recommend buying new furniture, UNLESS there is a vacant area or odd corner, etc. in the home that leaves buyers wondering what to do with that empty space. We either bring in or recommend buying slipcovers for stained, old, or really out-of-date furniture, but we understand that sellers do not generally want to buy new furniture for a house they’re selling. Another option that is far cheaper is to rent furniture. Of course, if you are moving and want to update anyway, buying new will always make more sense.

A few of the comments I received were:

“Absolutely staging helps to sell homes! That is why builders have “model” homes. There is a misconception that it is expensive and that it includes major changes . . . in reality, it can be simple.” T.H. ? no state given

“I have come to realize the importance of staging. It has made a huge difference in my world as to whether or not a home sells. The clients that have taken my advice have sold IN THIS MARKET in 2-4 weeks. The others? We’re still waiting,” — L.C., Wisconsin

“Staging can do wonders for defining the purpose of rooms, and giving buyers vision of the possibilities for them when they move in.” — E.M. Pennsylvania

“Staging works. There was a renovated vacant home on the market forever, they dropped the price several times, and it had a nice renovation, but no offers. Then they placed nice furniture provided by a staging company and it sold right away. When the house was vacant the rooms looked very small, but with the right furniture, people got the idea of what really fits.” M.F., New Jersey

“I wish every seller would consider staging before placing their home on the market, but they are reluctant to invest. Of the clients I know who staged their homes, the homes sold faster and they typically received better offers.” — J.C., New Jersey

“With so much competition out there staging is absolutely essential. Pricing at (not over) market value, and having a very strong internet presence with exceptional photos is the untold remainder of the story.” — R.K., New Jersey

Do I need to renovate my kitchen and bathroom(s) to sell?

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The answer is . . . it depends. On what kind of shape the fixtures and cabinets are in, on whether they can be “spruced up” by glazing (as in a bathtub) or painting (cabinets) and swapping out new hardware for old or new faucets for old. Most buyers really want and will pay more for granite or marble countertops and vanities, so those improvements will make a big difference in getting buyers’ attention. MirrorMate frames are a great way to add stylish wide frames to existing “builders special” mirrors in bathrooms, without going to the trouble of taking out old mirrors (especially large ones) and replacing with new framed ones.

Kitchens and bathrooms always sell houses more than any other room, so unless your whole house is being sold as a fixer-upper, it is wise to do some sort of remodeling, but not necessarily a full renovation, on older baths and kitchens. You will likely get at least 100% back of the inexpensive fixes described above. For a full remodeling, Remodeling Magazine reports that kitchen and baths will return around 72%, on average. But that doesn’t include the speed of selling and the greater interest that remodeled rooms will generate in the house.

I want you to stage my home, BUT . . .

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Here are some common worries and objections, and my answers:

1. “I want you to stage my home, but I can’t spend much money, afford your price, etc.”

Reply: I can work within your budget offering a menu of options, from . . .  inexpensive hourly walk-throughs to longer consults with full reports to full stagings. I’m always willing to work with your budget.

2. “I want you to stage my home, but I’m not willing to move my baby’s changing table out of our master bedroom, move my dining room hutch out of the dining room, take down the wallpaper, etc.”

Reply: It’s up to you what you want to do, but if you do X,Y, Z, you are more likely to get a buyer. In the end, it’s always your decision, of course.

3. “I want you to stage my home, but my wife doesn’t like other people touching our stuff.”

Reply: No problem, then why don’t I just do a consult with a report prioritizing all of my recommendations, and you can handle the actual staging yourself. I’ll even pack up and drop off the accessories I think you need — and in my report I’ll tell you where to place them — and you can just pay my accessory rental fee on a monthly basis until you sell.

4. “I want you to stage my home, but how do I know this will work to get my home sold?”

Reply: There are no guarantees, but every home I’ve staged where the owners have followed all of my recommendations, has sold within two months. Staging can only benefit you by making your home stand out from the competition. A realistic price and consistent marketing — including beautiful MLS photos, which I can provide after staging — are the other key factors in getting your home sold.

5. “I want you to stage my home, but it seems so inconvenient to have to live in a home that needs to always be picked up, toys and toiletries need to be constantly put away, etc.”

Reply: It IS very inconvenient, but the more effort you put into keeping your home looking like a model home, the faster it is likely to sell, and the sooner you can stop living in a fishbowl, and get on with your new life somewhere else. When you pack up all the extra stuff in your home in order to put it on the market, you’re getting a head-start on the packing you’re going to have to do anyway for when you do move.

How To Help Your House Sell . . .

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Here are a few ways to make sure you get your house sold:

  1. Make sure it presents well. Is it de-cluttered? Are personal items such as family photos, plaques, trophies, collections, toiletries removed? Are your closets overflowing? Are shoes or worse, laundry, spilling all over the floor? Is there too much furniture in each room, and does furniture block focal points like bay windows, fireplaces, doorways? Are the carpets clean? Is the house repaired and does it look well-maintained?
  2. Is every room set up to ideally show off one purpose only — i.e., guest room OR home office OR dining room OR family room? IF a room has two functions, buyers will either think the house doesn’t have even rooms, or they will be unsure of what they would use the room for.
  3. Are the beds dressed up to look luxurious, with at least two layers of pillows and up-to-date bedding? Nothing sells a bedroom like light and luxury . . . it should look like a haven for relaxation. In line with that, the bathrooms need to look like a place buyers would enjoy spending time in, luxuriating in a long hot shower and bath. Fluffy white towels are always the safest bet, along with totally cleaned off counters and vanities, no plungers or toilet brushes in site (stow under sinks), and dirty clothes or used towels in a lidded hamper preferably tucked away in a neatly organized linen closet. Make sure the shower and bath are clear of all clutter, like razors, shampoos, soap, etc.  A nice touch is a small plant or simple faux flowers like a white orchid or small bouquet of hydrangeas in a clear vase partially filled with stones.
  4. Is the lawn mowed and free of garden debris and toys, hoses, garbage cans, etc.? Garbage cans should be stowed out of sight, behind a privacy fence near the garage or in the garage in a corner. Are bushes trimmed below windows to let in more light?
  5. Is the front door, doormat, doorknob, and mailbox in good condition and updated? Is the front walkway clear and well-maintained with no cracks or loose cement, pavers, etc.? When you’re selling, add a large pot of flowers (or two, if there’s room) on either side of the front door, and on a back patio is well. Shots of color and seasonal flowers — or an evergreen in a pot in winter — make your home look more inviting to buyers.
  6. Are your MLS photos showing off your house in its best light? Since various statistics report between 82% to 90% of buyers start their home search on-line and only contact an agent once they’ve narrowed down their search to attractive properties in their price range, it is crucial your photos look great. If your house or fence is peeling or dirty, this is the time to power-wash it or paint it. No cars in the driveway, no overgrown bushes, no toilet seats should be up, no clutter should be visible, including kitchen dishtowels, food, sponges, soap bottles, etc. Curtains, drapes and shower curtains should be pushed to the side or tied back to show off light, views, and that sparkling clean tub!
  7. The house is overpriced. If you bought near the peak of the market back in ’04, ’05, and ’06, the market has dropped substantially since then. If you also spent money on renovations, they will likely help you sell your home if they were in line with the renovations elsewhere in your neighborhood, but you are likely to be in the hole even more, because it is rare to get back the full amount of a renovation. Your agent will show you comps (comparable properties) on the market, i.e., what houses in your area that are similar to yours have been selling for, or you can do your own research on the internet to see what current prices area. Remember, even if you do need to sell for less than you purchased your house for, you will likely “make it up” on the other end if you are planning to buy another property, since it will be at a lower price now, too.

Curb Appeal More Important in Buyers’ Market

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With the 27.2% drop-off in home sales in July and an increase in inventory supply from 7.6 months in June to over 9 months in July, it has become even more critical for sellers to attract buyers through curb appeal. As we head into Fall, keep the lawn mowed, the leaves picked up, the shrubs trimmed — especially if they are blocking any windows — and make sure your house has been power-washed if it needs it. The walkways, steps, and front door should all be in excellent condition, with a fresh coat of paint if needed. A good safe color for the front door is a couple of shades darker than the shutters, or black or dark gray, or a medium-to-dark wood stain. (Works on fiberglass doors, too!)
Even little touches like a new welcome mat that says “Welcome,” new house numbers and mailbox, if your old ones are out-of-date or rusty, can make a big difference in the impression your home makes on buyers. Make sure your outside lights are all in good working order for any night-time appointments, and to make a great impression on potential buyers who spot your home’s For Sale sign at night, which starts to come earlier and earlier in the Fall.
A couple of pumpkins (if they’re real, make sure you replace as they start to rot!) or large pots of mums on the front steps will go a long way towards making your home look welcoming.

Tips For Staging Your House Yourself

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EVERY property can benefit from staging, and for those who prefer to do-it-yourself and save money, or get a jump-start on the work that needs to be done BEFORE hiring a stager, here are some easy things you can do on your own (although bringing in a friend with good design sense and a fresh pair of eyes helps):

1) Get rid of all of the paperback books in your bookcases, and 50% of the hardcovers, and the clothes in your closet, so that it looks like your house has plenty of room for storage. Place books on opposite sides of the shelves; a few laid flat adds interest. Then add a few well-chosen decorative boxes, vases, or decorative items (metal or glass “balls” on a small tray or decorative plate work well) to a few of the cleared-out shelves.

2) De-clutter all surfaces, including countertops, tables, nightstands, dressers, and vanities. Remove ALL personal-care products, including toothbrushes, hairbrushes, make-up, shampoo bottles, and the like. Hide all cleaning products, ESPECIALLY toilet brushes — ugh — under sinks. Get your grout cleaned or re-done if necessary. Think clean and spare.

3) Get rid of furniture — just about every house has too much furniture in each room, because we all collect too many pieces, which then make rooms look crowded and unappealing. Do you have any large furniture blocking selling points, such as windows, fireplaces, niches? Move them out. If you have mis-matched small pieces, move them out to give the room a more cohesive look.

4) Are your couches and chairs from the 1970s or 80s? Are they worn, soiled, or heavily patterned? Solid-colors are more pleasing and less distracting, so buy slipcovers (SureFit.com has a great selection) and re-cover any patterned pieces. This one step alone can make a BIG difference in how a room looks (see photo).

5) Have your carpets cleaned or replaced — look at them with a critical eye and think about whether YOU would be turned off by the same carpeting that wasn’t yours in someone else’s house.

6) Remove all wallpaper other than grasscloth, or very subtle parchment-looking paper, or accent-wall paper that follows current trends — check design magazines for what is “in.” If you don’t know, it’s probably not current enough to leave.

7) Remove heavy or dark drapes, or outdated window treatments such as flowery balloon valances. Simple and modern are best, or nothing at all, to let in the light and views. If your views are less-than-desirable, use sheers and/or a large vase with branches artfully placed to help hide the view.

8) Update your lighting! Way too many bathrooms I see have the 60s movie-star bare round bulbs that scream “out-of-date.” Then take a look at your ceilings — are the fixtures uninspired, cheap, small? Replace with more dramatic lighting that looks substantial and fits the style of your house. Retro is fine if there’s anything else retro in the room to make it all go together.

9) Buy fresh new bedding and towels that are for “display only” while you sell. Fold down the bedspread at night to keep it looking fresh and neat. Add lots of pillows — at least two sets of regular pillows, one set of shams, and a bolster. The pillows should pick up the bedding color(s) but have contrast as well.

10 Finally, add pop and pizzazz with new and dramatic faux flowers in contemporary vases (Pier 1 has a great assortment of floor and table vases in many looks); a couple of trees or plants to add warmth and liveliness to rooms and draw the eye towards a window with a great view, or to another focal point like a fireplace; white or colorful pillows and throws — either pick up colors that are in the rest of the room, such as in the drapes, or use the hot colors such as gray, white, or yellow, if they go with the rest of your furniture or bedding.

Happy staging and selling!

0 comments • Amy Bly • August 23 2010 03:41PM

What DOESN’T belong in this picture . . . !

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What a nicely staged home, EXCEPT for the cat walking on the kitchen countertops! Now, how did the photographer miss that?! Don’t get me wrong, I love cats, but a lot of people don’t, and even if they do, the thought of cat paw prints and cat hair floating around a kitchen isn’t exactly the appetizing thought to present to buyers “scoping” out your new listing on the MLS! Just wrote in my AR blog and website blog why “Animals and Showings Don’t Mix” and this is another one to add to the list, LOL.

cat doesn't belong on the countertop in your MLS photo!

cat on kitchen countertop

Animals (Pets) and Showings Don’t Mix!

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Barking dogs are definitely NOT a seller’s best friend – neither are hissing cats, noisy birds, or – yikes – snakes and lizards. At best, they are a distraction to buyers; at worst a deterrent to buyers even making it through a house tour. As the mother of high school and college sons, I’m used to all kinds of both furry and scaly creatures sharing our house, but as a home buyer and stager, I know the smells, fur balls, housebreaking accidents, and other downsides of owning pets can scare off prospective buyers in a matter of seconds.  A friend of mine found dog droppings walking through a house with her agent, ugh.  (BTW, Nature’s Miracle is a great product for getting rid of “accidents” and their odors on floors and carpeting.)

If at all possible, take your dog out of the house during showings. Take your dog for a walk, or a drive.  I did this with my dog when we sold our previous house – and it sold in two weeks for full price. (I also made sure it was vacuumed and cleaned every day; as much work as it was, it paid off.) If there is no one home during the day to remove the dog for showings, put your dog in doggy-day-care as an easier, albeit more expensive, alternative. The expense is likely to pay off in a quicker sale.

When all else fails, put your dog in a penned-in, blocked-off area of the house, like a laundry room, basement, or outdoor dog run if weather permits. Or ask a friend to “board” your dog if you expect lots of showings and can’t be home to manage your pet.

As for cats, most of them hate cars and they’re harder to corral anyway. In fact, they tend to run and hide, which is great for when prospective buyers visit, but their litter boxes are another story. They are dead give-aways that trigger visions of allergies, urine stains, and lingering odors. So hide the litter box completely from view if at all possible. Some suggestions: tuck it in a corner of the basement, underneath a shelf with a privacy screen in front of it,  in a corner behind a hot-water heater, even under a high-rise bed temporarily. And keep them scrupulously clean! Even better, there are very attractive resin wicker boxes and pieces of furniture that look like cabinets, end tables, nightstands, etc. designed specifically to disguise litter boxes. Check out http://www.catsplay.com/kitty_condos.php3 as one place to find some great litter box “furniture.”

Reptiles and frogs are another story – I recommend “loaning” them out to a friend or relative (good luck!) or even locating a reptile “rescue” center. Nothing scares off buyers like a snake under glass – I was once unlucky enough to encounter a dozen snake cages in the basement of a house I was touring. Gave me nightmares about “lost” and “forgotten” snakes being left behind when the owners moved out.

Noisy birds – especially large ones like parrots – look beautiful, but they leave a lot of droppings and can make you jump when they squawk, talk, or even a chirp. The size of the cages also interferes with the aesthetics and spacious feeling of any house. The very first house I staged belonged to people who served as a foster-home to rescued parrots, with two huge cages in the kitchen. Not exactly appetizing or peaceful. Every time a female guest walked by, one of the parrots made cat-calls just like a construction worker. Funny at parties, BUT.

One last problem: I haven’t run into a nasty dog yet, but sellers should be made aware that there could be liability issues from aggressive animals that bite prospective buyers or agents.