Why Stage a House? Because it Gets Them Sold (Quickly!)
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We had a Tuesday Two Hundred last week that was super cute and move-in ready. The Lakeland Hills midcentury-modern home at 8829 Hackney was priced right and perfectly staged by Karen Eubank.
Now, a lot of the mid-mods that hit the market as of late have sold at a crazy-fast pace. But this one was only on the market for TWO WHOLE DAYS before getting snatched up, says listing agent Kerry Paradise Slaughter. And get this, there were multiple offers!
This sale is pretty telling. One, the market for mid-mods is VERY brisk, so prepare for multiple bids. Two, homes in Lake Highlands are going to hold their value well. And most importantly, hiring an experienced stager will get your home sold!
Eubank, who was kind enough to send me a few “before” shots, tells me that when a home is staged with a sale in mind, it will catch a buyer’s eye. In this case, while the home itself was in great shape, there were several little things the buyers needed to do to make sure they got top dollar for it.
First Eubank addressed the bland entryway. By painting a wall and adding some plants, she gave the front of the house “some style and imprinted a memory on the potential buyer.”
The entryway “before”
The entryway “after”
Next, Eubank had to address the visible washer and dryer in the kitchen area.
“This was the big fix,” Eubank said. “I had them build doors to cover the washer/dryer.
No one wants to see or think about laundry.”
Additionally, Eubank said that some of the personal art could have been polarizing for a buyer, so she replaced it with something much more neutral, as well as moving a couch into the living area to replace the piano.
The kitchen and living area “before”
The living and kitchen “after”
Staging doesn’t always mean big changes, but it does help steer buyers’ eyes away from problem areas. Take, for instance, the fact that the patio was a perfect outdoor spot, but there was a terrible view of the neighbor’s fence.
“It’s a beautiful space to entertain with a potential deal killer view of the neighbor’s chain link fence and kitchen window,” Eubank said.
The patio “before”
The patio “after”
Tell us: Do you think staging is worth the investment?
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This was very informative; thanks for taking the time to compare the before and after photos!
How much does a staging such as this cost?
This was very informative; thanks for taking the time to compare the before and after photos!
How much does a staging such as this cost?
Definitely helpful info and I LOVE before and after shots! I'd be interested in a ballpark cost range on the staging services as well (I realize the fixes can vary greatly).
Definitely helpful info and I LOVE before and after shots! I'd be interested in a ballpark cost range on the staging services as well (I realize the fixes can vary greatly).
Thanks for the coverage on this great property! Karen is the ultimate professional and I have been fortunate to have her on my team for almost five years now. I also have to give props to the homeowners for being will to take all of our suggestions and for working their tails off to implement them so quickly. Also, the handyman who made the doors to cover the washer/dryer deserves a little love too – Randall Fields did a great job of matching the style of the existing cabinetry in order to create a cohesive look in the kitchen. It takes a village – and a good Realtor has a whole village at their disposal…
Thanks for the coverage on this great property! Karen is the ultimate professional and I have been fortunate to have her on my team for almost five years now. I also have to give props to the homeowners for being will to take all of our suggestions and for working their tails off to implement them so quickly. Also, the handyman who made the doors to cover the washer/dryer deserves a little love too – Randall Fields did a great job of matching the style of the existing cabinetry in order to create a cohesive look in the kitchen. It takes a village – and a good Realtor has a whole village at their disposal…
Staging consultations run between 150-300 depending on a few factors. This one was what we call a "Walk and Talk" with a written report. I generally move as much around as I can during the 1.5 hours I am there to give the seller a clear idea of how fast staging happens and so they won't fear the DIY list I give them! Once I left the seller contracted out the carpentry and did the painting and landscaping themselves. A stager can provide all of these services but of course you are charged for that and the hourly rate is generally around $ 75.00 . Everyone can afford a consultation and I find most people are very capable of doing the "homework" themselves. Often they call me back in just before photos for an hour to "tweak" things for the camera. I consulted on this property May 3. Photographs were done on May 17 and it went on the market a couple of days later. When you are considering staging think about what you are spending to stay in the house, what your monthly "holding costs" are: mortgage payment, insurance, taxes, lawn service, utilities. The longer your house sits, the more you pay to let it sit. Staging an occupied home is always less than your first price reduction and it's less that that first month of holding costs. If you are selling your home it's in your favor to get a consultation. I've yet to have a seller say they regretted it. In fact they all say, "I wish we had done this when we moved it, can you help us with our next house?" The answer is "You bet!"
Staging consultations run between 150-300 depending on a few factors. This one was what we call a "Walk and Talk" with a written report. I generally move as much around as I can during the 1.5 hours I am there to give the seller a clear idea of how fast staging happens and so they won't fear the DIY list I give them! Once I left the seller contracted out the carpentry and did the painting and landscaping themselves. A stager can provide all of these services but of course you are charged for that and the hourly rate is generally around $ 75.00 . Everyone can afford a consultation and I find most people are very capable of doing the "homework" themselves. Often they call me back in just before photos for an hour to "tweak" things for the camera. I consulted on this property May 3. Photographs were done on May 17 and it went on the market a couple of days later. When you are considering staging think about what you are spending to stay in the house, what your monthly "holding costs" are: mortgage payment, insurance, taxes, lawn service, utilities. The longer your house sits, the more you pay to let it sit. Staging an occupied home is always less than your first price reduction and it's less that that first month of holding costs. If you are selling your home it's in your favor to get a consultation. I've yet to have a seller say they regretted it. In fact they all say, "I wish we had done this when we moved it, can you help us with our next house?" The answer is "You bet!"
Great job, Karen! I looked at some more pictures of the listing online, and I love what you did with the piano and shelves as well.
Great job, Karen! I looked at some more pictures of the listing online, and I love what you did with the piano and shelves as well.
Special thanks to our agent Kerry Slaughter for assembling the team that helped our house sell so quickly. Also, her pre-marketing efforts really paid off.
Special thanks to our agent Kerry Slaughter for assembling the team that helped our house sell so quickly. Also, her pre-marketing efforts really paid off.
If you're in doubt about staging, try it a couple of time. You WILL see the difference. It's like Chicken Sh*$ and Chicken Salad.
If you're in doubt about staging, try it a couple of time. You WILL see the difference. It's like Chicken Sh*$ and Chicken Salad.
Hello Kerry,
Thanks for your referrals and for the shout out on the work at 8829 Hackney. It was one of those jobs you take to heart and apply a little "art eye" to get a balanced finish look. I enjoyed this job.
Glad the home sold quickly too. Hope all your sells are swift.
Please send future referals to…
Ranger Randell Services
[email protected]
214-923-6286
Hello Kerry,
Thanks for your referrals and for the shout out on the work at 8829 Hackney. It was one of those jobs you take to heart and apply a little "art eye" to get a balanced finish look. I enjoyed this job.
Glad the home sold quickly too. Hope all your sells are swift.
Please send future referals to…
Ranger Randell Services
[email protected]
214-923-6286
Wow! Loved this article!
Wow! Loved this article!