Welcome to the November 2006 issue of Staging Strategies! This month, we'll wrap up our look at the TOP 5 Decorating Mistakes clients make, and what you can do to recognize and address them in your own listings.
If you had to identify your listing using one descriptive phrase, what would it be?
If buyers looked at your listing along side several comparable ones, what would their distinguishing phrase be when discussing yours?
a. "The one with the great fireplace"? Or b. "The one with the great (big TV next to the) fireplace".
a. "The one with the beautiful antiques in the foyer"? Or b. "The one with the beautiful hardwood floors in the foyer".
I'm sure you've run into listings that you identify by a homeowner's decorating choices and furnishings. Unfortunately, when that happens, that's what stands out in the buyer's mind, even if it's just a small part of the bigger picture. Your seller's furnishings, and how they are used, should be transparent to the buyer -- so they can focus on the room as a whole and the emotional impression that it makes. Addressing some of the most common decorating mistakes can help keep those furnishings from distracting buyers from your listing's true potential.
I hope you've enjoyed our countdown of TOP 5 Decorating Mistakes, and have run your listings through the checklist to identify and correct these common problems that may be keeping them from showing at their best.
Sincerely,
Andria Wallace, IADA, RES
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TOP 5 DECORATING MISTAKES |
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| 5 | | | Drapes of Wrath
This is probably one that you see a lot. Your clients love their window treatments. Or paid a lot of money for them. Or both. Yet often times, drapes do more to detract from the look of the room rather than add to it. There are several reasons for this: - Drapes tend to make a window, and therefore a room, more formal. Living rooms, in particular, are guilty of looking like no one ever uses them, a feeling often reinforced by formal window treatments.
- Drapes are personal. Chances are, they were selected to match the home seller's furniture. Chances are, they will not match a prospective buyer's.
- As you can see in the photo below, even beautiful drapes can give the illusion that a window, and the room, are narrower than they actually are.
- Drapes, even when open, can block out natural light that helps a room feel open.
The solution:
This one can be a difficult issue to address with home sellers. If you meet with resistance about taking drapes down, ask your client if they will at least try it to see if it makes a difference. Or have an objective third party (might I suggest a stager?) come in and do what it takes to get the job done. Often just taking the drapes themselves down and leaving the valance will address the issues above. Give it a try -- you may see the room in a whole new light!
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Quick Tip:
Do you have a client who would benefit from staging, but is reluctant to spend the money? If you are at the point of dropping the price, why not "deduct" the cost of staging from the price drop? For example, if your client is willing to drop the price by $5000, why not suggest a price drop of $4500 and spend the other $500 on staging. Then new interest generated from the price reduction will get to see a refreshed and updated listing.
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| Coming Next Month:
Wondering what you can do to help your vacant listings show better, without the costly expense of furnishing it with rental furniture? We'll bring you the latest on the advantages of Accessory Staging. |
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Want to make the most out of
your marketing time and efforts? You may only think of "staging" in terms of rental furniture for a vacant listing, but you can also stage your furnished listings to give them a stylish and updated look that leads to better showings and faster sale!
Staging is more than just "moving the couch". Not only are rooms displayed more attractively, but strategic placement of furnishings makes better use of space and shows off the house from a buyer's perspective, helping them more easily imagine themselves in the house.
Why invest money in marketing materials, spend your valuable time at open houses, and expend efforts in promoting your listings before they've been prepared to maxmize their appeal to buyers? Let us help you prepare your listings so you can focus your expertise in what you do best...marketing the property to get it SOLD.
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For more information on how these services can help you move your listings, please call 314-359-9127 or visit our website at www.contentedrooms.com/realtors. |
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Using the art of decorating to make the most of your listings for optimal showing, buyer appeal and faster sale.
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In the News St. Louis Post-Dispatch 10/29/2006 Small Business Monthly October 2006
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