What Sells a House?

Just read an interesting article in Realty Times (http://realtytimes.com) I want to share with you.  In What Sells a House, Carla Hill lists her Top Ten Factors that affect how quickly and for how much a home sells.  

Her list will not be a surprise to any veteran Realtor or savvy seller.  Plus, she concedes that there is no “golden equation that equals the perfect sale.”  And yet, it is interesting to review her list as a checklist for why some houses sell quickly and others languish on the market for months and months. 

As you will see, Carla adds three factors of great interest to me as a professional home stager – Curb Appeal, Staging and Kitchens.  What a shock that these factors would on a list and that I would find them of interest?!?!?

I really liked her perspectives on Staging and Kitchens:

Staging: Once inside your home, a buyer must be wowed. Intoxicate their senses. They want to see up-to-date furnishings, smell a clean home, touch cabinets that are in good repair, hear peace and quiet, and of course "taste the good life."

Kitchens: A kitchen sells a house. It is where families gather and connect. Minor kitchen remodels rank high among the list of top remodeling projects, with owners updating cabinets, counters, and floors. Nobody wants an outdated kitchen. What fixes are in your budget? If your kitchen is already spectacular, be sure you play this up in any marketing.  

I recommend that you read Carla Hills’s entire article on What Sells a House at http://realtytimes.com/rtpages/20110803_sellhouse.htm  

Dwell in possibilities

Cindy

Home Staging Does Make a Big Difference

If you follow “to be continued” with any frequency, you know that we use these posting to educate and inform Realtors and Sellers about the benefits of professional home staging.  One point we make consistently is that home staging does make a huge difference.  We have cited studies loaded with data but I find that actual stories of home staging successes are the most effective way to make my point.   

Today, I share two recent and real examples of how staging does make a big difference. 

EXAMPLE #1 - One example would be our Homeowners of the Week in June (see June 6, 2011 posting for more details).  This couple really needed to sell their home in a short period of time and were willing to do what they needed to do in order to make it happen.  He accepted a faculty position at a major state university (ranked #1 in pre-season football polling).  They set a goal of selling their house in two months or less.  They did everything I told them to do and let me do everything I wanted to do.  It was a challenging but rewarding project because home staging made this place “pop”.   

I am quite proud to report that this house sold in 6 weeks!  The professor, his wife and their baby moved out last week - beginning their new life a lot “Sooner” (pun intended) than they planned.   

EXAMPLE # 2 – We featured this Indian Springs house in the July 13^th blog posting (Entertaining Tonight).  This house had not sold in spite of its beautiful qualities.  The feedback from potential buyers was all about the open floor plan - “that room is huge; “we would need a ton of furniture to live here”; “how would we arrange our furniture”; and, finally “where is the dining room?”   

My new Realtor partner brought me in after having this house on the market for over 5 months.  My assignment was to stage this house in a way that would answer these questions and concerns as well as to make this house come alive with possibilities.  With my professional home staging, the open floor plan went from lots of questions to lots of possibilities for parties, dinners, entertainment, family and friends.  Interestingly, it also retained a warm and cozy feeling. 

I am pleased to share that after being on the market for over 5 months, this house sold 5 weeks after it was staged!  You can see why by checking out the Indian Springs “Before” and “After” photos on the Transitions web site at http://www.transitions-home-staging.com/Indian-Springs.html  

In addition, we “unstaged” two other success stories in the past two weeks in which the houses sold and my Realtor partners believe that home staging made a big difference.   

My goal is always to help Realtors and their clients sell their houses in the quickest amount of time and for the best possible price.  It is a wonderful feeling for all concerned when that happens as it did in these recent examples.

Dwell in possibilities 

Cindy

She Said, I Said, I Thought - Part II

Today, we continue with more examples of conversations I’ve had with home sellers which end up being a three-way conversation – what she said, what I said, and what I was actually thinking.   

She’s Looking at a Different House 

SHE SAID – My husband and I built a warm, comfortable, and family-friendly house for our children.  We are surrounded by our children’s toys, family pets and pictures of loved ones and friends.  It is the perfect house and location to raise a family and to enjoy each other. 

I SAID – I agree that your home reflects what is important to your family and you.  Not every potential buyer is going to have children and pets.  While you have lovely photos all over your house, they can be a distraction to the buyer.  This house needs to be neater, cleaner and more buyer-friendly.   

I THOUGHT – Wow, she is looking at a different house than what I am seeing and smelling.  This house is cluttered with toys.  It reeks of pet odors as well as cigarette and cigar smoke.  And, they seem to have displayed every photo of their three children from birth through high school along with collages of every vacation ever taken.  There is too much stuff in this house on top of being dirty and smelly.  Potential buyers and their Realtors will walk in this place, turn right around and leave with no regrets.  

Not Ready for Prime Time 

SHE SAID – My house is ready to list.  It is close enough.  Plus, we need to get it on the market before my husband leaves for Houston to start his new job.   

I SAID – I understand your desire to put your house on the market quickly.  In my experience, it is better to wait until it is in near mint condition before listing it.  There is a lot of competition out there and you want to make sure your house looks its best from the first day it is shown. 

I THOUGHT – This place is not ready for prime time.  It could benefit from new paint especially in the rooms with the cracks and holes.  The carpeting is soiled and needs to be cleaned at a minimum.  They can put it on the market now but it is highly, highly unlikely that it will sell.  And the Realtors who see it in this condition are not likely to come back and show it again.  It is a real mistake to list any house before it is ready for prime time!  

Whatever the case may be, the common denominator is that the seller is often unrealistic about their house and its value on the market; defensive about any real or perceived criticisms of their house; and, resistant to making any changes suggested by their Realtor or the consulting home stager. 

The bottom line is that I really want to help these people sell their houses.  But I need them to help me help them.  Their Realtor and I know what works in our market and what potential buyers want in a home.  In most cases, the seller does not know even if they think they do. 

The possibilities increase dramatically when the seller listens and acts on the advice and recommendations of their professionals – Realtor and home stager.

Dwell in possibilities

Cindy

He Said, She Said, She Thought - Part I

Recently, I had a conversation with a home seller which ended up being a three-way conversation – what he said, what I said, and what I was actually thinking.  This is but one example of these types of conversations that I sometimes have so I thought I would share more examples of these types of three way conversations. 

Let’s play out a few of these He Said, She Said, She Thought conversations. 

Dated and Frumpy (Need to Get the Grandma Out of This One) 

HE SAID – I don’t understand why these potential buyers don’t see the charm of my home.  It served my wife and me quite well for the past 30 years.  My Realtor tells me that the feedback from the showings is negative but she does not give us many details. 

I SAID – I understand that your house was special to your wife and you.  Today’s home buyer is looking for fresh, clean and move-in ready.  Your house could benefit from some upgrades and de-cluttering.  For example, your house could really benefit from repainting and removal of some of the wallpaper you have in many rooms. 

I THOUGHT – This house is dated and frumpy. Avocado appliances, floral wallpaper, and worn-out furniture just won’t work in today’s market.  My guess is that the Realtor feedback is due to the lack of energy and freshness that permeates this house.  We need to get the “Grandma” out of this house with new paint, new carpeting, and other upgrades.  

My Realtor Is Not Doing Enough 

HE SAID – The market here in Houston (or Dallas, Oklahoma City, Atlanta, or fill in the blank) is turning houses over quickly without all of these upgrades, changes and stagings.  I just don’t understand why my Realtor is not doing enough marketing to get my parent’s house sold.  Plus, I’ve sold lots of houses myself and never had to rely on a professional home stager to make the sale. 

I SAID – Each market is different.  In our market with this type of house, you may need some extras because your main competition in this price range is new construction.  I know your Realtor and she always does a first rate job representing her buyers.  I am surprised that you are not happy with her support. 

I THOUGHT – Yeah right!  Home staging is a standard in areas like Houston, Atlanta or Dallas.  Odds are this guy has sold houses with the support of his company’s relocation service and supporting package.  He does not understand our market nor is he willing to rely on the professional expertise and experience of the Realtor supporting him.  This is another case of He Knows Best. 

We will share more examples of these three way conversations in our next blog as well as other thoughts on why these conversations happen.

In the interim, share your examples of these types of conversations as they don’t just happen between the seller (male or female) and the home stager.  I know that my Realtor partners have these conversations all the time with their sellers.

Dwell in possibilities

Cindy

Friday Treat – Review of Best Staged Plans

I finally read the much touted (in real estate staging circles anyway) book Best Staged Plans by Claire Cook.  It was a very light and somewhat entertaining read.  It was also a bit “cutesy” for my taste, but, nonetheless, I enjoyed it.

The first sentence on the book cover pretty well sums up the premise.  “As a professional home stager, Sandy Sullivan is an expert at transforming cluttered rooms into attractive houses ready for sale.  If only reinventing her life were as easy as choosing the perfect paint color…….”

I could relate to Sandy as we are similar in some predictable ways.  She is a home stager, she is middle aged and her children are grown, and she wears reading glasses which she is constantly losing (my solution is to just have multiple pairs).   

I could also relate to how difficult it was for home stager, Sandy, to “de-clutter” and stage her own home.  I have to admit the progression of the storyline and the conclusion were clever and went a long way in explaining the title of the book.

As you can imagine, I especially enjoyed some of the story lines that involved specific home staging projects.  For instance Sandy had a very skeptical, territorial but motivated client with a very dated home (does this sound like it could happen in real life?).  

I don’t want to spoil the story, but, I can’t wait to use “million-dollar red” on a front door and try out her “neutral but chic, transitional palette” of “china white” and “pismo dunes”.   According to Sandy “a house will jump two and a half decades by the second coat”.  Of course, Sandy also handled her difficult client expertly!

So, if you want a quick and light summer read, you may enjoy Claire Cook’s Best Staged Plans. 

P.S.  Claire Cook also wrote the best seller that later became a movie “Must Love Dogs” which starred Diane Lane and John Cusack.   Could there be a Best Staged Plans movie in the future?  And if so, then who will play the home stager?  Just think of the possible glamorous actresses who could play a middle-aged home stager - Meryl, Julia, Gwyneth, Diane, or Roseanne!

 

Dwell in possibilities

Cindy