| To: Love-less Listings From: Crazy House Home Staging As you are probably well aware, it will soon be February 14. It’s also Detached Homes Day. Probably related to Valentine’s Day. Yes, Valentine’s Day can hit us right in the feels. Some have the urge to duck and cover until the day passes. Some eat Rocky Road right out of the carton with a fork. Some spend part of their annual income on flowers, singing telegrams, battery-operated teddy bears and fuzzy socks. And then there are some who wait for National Discounted Chocolate Day. But first things first. I’ve been advised by my very real lawyers that I can’t technically call myself a Staging Advice Columnist. They suggest instead – Happily Ever After Public Service Conduit. And the fact that I have a doctorate in literature is mere coincidence. Also, I’m older than most people realize. In light of my impressive credentials, over the past 24 years, many realtors have come to me in their time of need. Thus I have organized countless heart-stopping book shelves, pantries and closets to soothe their souls, however ruthless — like a container store, one might say. If my certificate is meaningless to you, rest assured that I am also a Cancerian with the preternatural ability to do things without knowing how I do them, and really that’s all the qualifications anyone should need to tell people how to stage their listings. Since I am a sucker for saleable houses, I feel no guilt about giving sage advice on how to set the stage for this important non-holiday. |
“You had me at the welcome mat.” Like swiping left on Tinder, buyers quickly dismiss a potential house just because, like going on a first date with a regrettable haircut, a questionable fashion decision, and enough makeup to paint a small yacht, it just doesn’t make a good first impression. As buyers search online for potentials, I always wonder how they could possibly fall in love with a house showing photos of empty pizza boxes, snow shovels, and unmade beds. I prefer bouquets of flowers, teddy bears in children’s rooms, fluffy white bathrobes, candles around the tub, and chocolates. Cause chocolate never asks stupid questions. “I’m also just a girl, standing in front of a house, asking someone to buy it.” Setting the scene is hard to do when it comes to selling a home, but it’s an important step if you want to sell to other people. I mean, our one task is to make friends with reality. Sure, you could get away with a little “virtual staging”. But then, buyers meet in-person and…nothing! While an appealing image is critically important, the real thing should not disappoint. You need to woo buyers toward that kind of match, to realize its full potential. It often only requires a couple of hours of accessorizing, de-cluttering, moving some furniture around, and hanging art well. |
“It doesn’t matter if the guy is perfect or the house is perfect, as long as they are perfect for each other.” Realtors are matchmakers in the middle of love connections. Buying a house is about facts and data, but also about chemistry and emotion. We want to make it love-at-first-sight: for just one meeting to know – this is THE ONE. A home that imbues spaces with character and personality. Resulting in nothing short of a fairytale ending. “I came tonight because when you realize you want to spend the rest of your life in a house, you want the rest of your life to start as possible.” You want to put your best foot forward so buyers feel akin to being hit by Cupid’s arrow: lots of excitement. This is where good staging comes in; it not only increases the value, diminishes your time and energy, shortens the time on the market, but leaving both homeowners and sellers happily ever after. A perfect love story. |
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