Rockland Home Staging

The following is a true real estate story. You may find parts of it shocking and hard to believe but I assure you all facts have been triple checked by the proper authorities and every part of the story has been authenticated. Some of the names have been changed to protect the innocent or incompetent as the case may be.

Meet Bob (that is not his real name) he is the owner of a small home, on a busy street in a less than prestigious neighborhood in Anytown USA. Bob has decided to make a change and sell his home and relocate his growing family to Bettertown where the weather is nice and a family can be happy and prosper.

Bob contacted a local Realtor, Lois (not her real name either). She lists Bob's home, takes a few bad pics and holds a bunch of open houses. The feedback is terrible but Lois offers no advice. None, other than to tell the homeowner that the home does not show well. Bob wastes 8 months of his precious time while his house sits on the market rotting like old cheese in the back of the fridge. At the end of Bob's contract with Lois the realtor, he takes the home off the market. He decides to postpone his new life until the market improves. But when will that be????

Then Bob takes a trip to Bettertown, where the weather is nicer, and discovers there are people who devote their lives to making the real estate ugly ducklings into swans. These mavens of the real estate world are called HOME STAGERS. (I bet some of you mystery buffs are already trying to work out the ending.)

Bob comes home to Anytown and Googles local Home Stagers and can you guess who he found??? Yes, it is none other than Maureen Henry, (real name) your humble narrator. Bob, the home owner found one of my ACTIVE RAIN blogs about how to sell a home quickly for more money. We set up a time to meet, went through the entire home with a fine tooth comb and made a plan of action. Bob is that rare breed of handy, willing and able homeowner that will put in the work necessary to get his home ready for sale. He quickly completed the to do list and the home was soon staged.

As you can probably imagine by this point in time Bob was reluctant to list his home with a real estate agent again and decided to list his home as FSBO. I did not want to see Bob make another mistake in his real estate journey and tried to persuade him to list with an agent. I actually went so far as to send the homeowner FRANK LL0SA's blog entitled: Go FSBO! Save $20,000! Realtor Tells All!!.

I just received a letter from Bob today:

Dear Maureen,

We have had an accepted offer! You did an outstanding job with the staging.
Since we made the changes that you recommended the feedback that we have
received has been fantastic.That blog that you sent me regarding FSBO really
changed my mind and we decided to list with an agent. The new fabulous agent said the home looked fantastic and was in excellent show condition.
(and she is doing this for 21 years and is a top producer)

If I were asked the best way to sell your house I would say get your house
staged then find a great agent that specializes in your area. You want it shown
in the best light and as the owner you are probably not going to be able to do
this on you own. Rockland Home Staging and my new agent turned this home from
having no offers in 8 months to having 3 offers out of 12 showings and selling in
only a few weeks.

Also I would say that all Agents should suggest Home Staging to their
seller clients to ensure that the home is ready for sale. Nothing more frustrating as
a seller to receive negative feedback and not to know what needs to be done
or how to go about it. Realtors waste valuable time the longer a house
sits on the market and lower prices are the outcomes. I have gone to a number
of open houses hosted by agents and most were uninviting and unappealing,
they needed staging! (Editorial comment: Bob - from your lips to Gods Ears)

Thank you, I could not have done it without you!

Sincerely,

Bob the Homeowner

Here are a few before and after photos. After the initial consultation the homeowners did all the work themselves. They used the customized report that I gave as a blueprint to do the staging themselves. This just goes to show that home staging does not need to be expensive to have dramatic results. I went in when they were done and placed a few finishing touches where they were needed. These really were fantastic homeowners to work with. They were enthusiastic and embraced the process. I wish all my jobs could be as much fun and have the same favorable outcome.

If you liked the blog you will love the movie:

The moral of the story is with the right real estate team a faster more profitable sale will be the outcome. The home should be staged so it will show beautifully, photographed to showcase the property and listed with an outstanding agent that specialized in the area. When these three elements, staging, photography and listing agent are all aligned and in harmony success will be the final result.

You do not have to let the real estate industry steal any more of your life. This is a call to action - it is time to fight back!

If you live in Rockland County NY or the surrounding area call Rockland Home Staging - we will guide you through your real estate journey. (845)731-9510

Decorating your home can sometimes seem overwhelming. It is difficult to know where to begin and this often stops you from having the beautiful, peaceful space you’ve always dreamt of. Making some simple resolutions today is a great place to begin.

Bring into your home only things you truly love.
What are the things you you think you can live with every day? Do you have a style in mind? Do you like country or cottage, traditional or contemporary? Deciding on a personal style will help you weed out anything that doesn't fit with your vision. A good way to find your personal style is by looking through decorating magazines and catalogs. (The Pottery Barn Catalog is one of my favorite sources of inspiration.)

Never let a small budget prevent you from decorating.
There are many budget-friendly decorative solutions for almost any decorating challenge. You can paint, slipcover, or reinvent furniture from garage sales, thrift stores, or a relative's attic. Makeovers like these are easy on the pocketbook and give you a sense of accomplishment as well. Simply rearranging your furniture and accessories can make a dramatic difference.

Do not to rush the decorating process.
Avoid purchasing pieces just to fill in a room, since you may later regret those hasty purchases. Many people find that those temporary or hasty decorating decisions become permanent. It also helps to determine how you are going to use the space then find pieces that fit your lifestyle. It is a good idea to give yourself a deadline though or you may never finish the project.

Commit to a color scheme.
Settling on a color palette should make decorating easier, and give your home a more cohesive feel. Learn to lift color palettes from a favorite blouse, piece of artwork, fabric or rug pattern, then cross-link these colors within adjacent rooms. Adjoining rooms should have a cohesive feel. Use color to transition between rooms.

Eliminate clutter and get organized.
Getting organized can seem like an impossible task, but if you give yourself a timeline and break it into manageable pieces it can be easily accomplished. Take one small area of your home each week and give it a makeover. Begin with small projects like a pantry, laundry area, or closet and work up to larger jobs like a the garage and basement. It is sometimes hard to get rid of things that are still in good shape. It seems like a waste - look at it this way - they really are going to waste in the back of your closet. Why not donate them to someone who might really appreciate them? You will be glad that you spent the time restructure your space.

There is one particular real estate office in Rockland County NY that I work with frequently.  The have affectionately labeled me "THE HEAVY".  They call me when there is a particular issue with a home that they feel uncomfortable talking about.  Or they don't think the owners will be receptive to their suggestions for whatever reason.  

Real estate is not all, new jobs, new babies and marriages.  There is a much darker side to the industry that they don't mention in the glossy brochures with smiling homeowners shaking hands with their Realtors.  The relationship between Realtor and Homeowner can be filled with angst. There are many reasons why people move that are not joyous occasions.

• Divorce
• Death in family
• Foreclosure
• Business transfer

Many times the Realtor has to be the bearer of bad news.  The home is not worth what they thought.  Their investment did not pan out. Their beloved home is considered undesirable for some reason or another.  Selling a home is stressful and often homeowners take out that stress on their Realtors.

I digress,

The reason this office calls me "The Heavy" is that when the homeowners are already upset for reasons out of the control of the Real Estate Agent's hands the last thing they want to hear is that now they have to fix up, clean, declutter or spend any more money on the home.  For the realtor it may be the last straw - the homeowners may crack.

This is where I come in.  It is a difficult job, but I have been briefed by the agent before I go in.  I kindly, gently, sympathetically explain to the homeowner that now that your home is on the market it becomes a product.  It has value and competition and must be marketed to get the best price possible.  We talk, we look, sometimes we cry. (I'm the softest Heavy in the history of heavies - this is why it works.)

I specialize in the difficult homeowner.  Later after the paint crews, carpet removal and flooring people have gone the Realtors ask (in all seriousness) What is your secret?  I tried to get them to remove the rugs months ago.  Or I even suggested a painter. How do you do it? (well if I told them that I'd have to kill them - a little heavy humor)

Really there is no secret, I am a non partial third party consultant. I am not emotionally involved, I am not friendly with them.  I am the paid expert, the professional home stager.  I am The Heavy. 

Next time you have a particularly difficult home to sell why not call Rockland Home Staging?  - We'll play bad cop to your good cop.  Don't live in NY you can find a list of qualified heavies HERE. 

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In today's competitive real estate market homeowners need to be savvy in order to get the greatest returns on their investment. For most people the sale of their home is the largest financial transaction they will ever undertake. Homeowners should not leave their fate up to change. I think a lot of people spin the wheel and let fortuna decide their fate, but their is a better way. I call it the Real Estate Trifecta.

The components of the Trifecta are simple:

1. Home Staging
2. Fantastic agent
3. Professional photography / web presence

With these three components in alignment success will surely be the outcome.

Stage it, List it, Show it, Sell it!

Lets take a moment to go through each element:

Home Staging:

Home staging is the process of getting a home ready for sale. Statistics show that homes that have been professionally staged sell for up to 6.3% more and spend 50% less time on the market. Home Staging is an inexpensive but proven process for maximizing a home's resale value. Home Stagers employ creativity and expertise to professionally prepare a home for sale. For the best results the home staging should be competed prior to the first showing of the home.

Fantastic Agent:

It has been said that if you don't have a friend that is a real estate agent, then you must not have many friends. With so many agents out there finding the right one is critical. Real estate transactions are complicated, and if you’re like most home owner, all your greatest assets is on the line. But all real estate agents aren’t created equal. It is important to interview several agents and ask a lot of questions. You can research agents online to help narrow down your search. It is also helpful to ask family and friends that have recently sold for a recommendation. It is important to trust your agent and have similar goals for the marketing of your home.

Professional photography / web presence

The National Association of Realtors reports that more than 80% of home buyers are starting their search online so beautiful pictures or virtual tours can really drive traffic to your home. With so many homes on the market today buyers are narrowing their search down using the photos and virtual tours posted online. Your home may show beautifully, but if the listing photos do now reflect that then buyers may not get the chance to view it in person.