Should I stage the house, mid sale process?

Discussion in 'The Buying & Selling Process' started by Barny, 21st Feb, 2016.

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  1. Barny

    Barny Well-Known Member

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    Hey team, having some thoughts and would like to hear some feedback please.
    I have a house for sale and it's been on the market for 5 weeks now. Private sale.

    Had a couple offers, received less than what the market values of recent previous sales have sold for in the area. It's in the top 2 currently for sale at that price range looking through all other and comparing propertys.
    It presents extremely well, painted, gardens maintained, new carpets etc. have marketed the house as advised through my agent. His thoughts on staging is it can help sell it quicker, but will not increase the sale price. I should have staged it initially but chose not too, as the house is in the lower bracket(330k).

    Would love to have had more attention on the house but sales throughout the area are extremely low of late, this has been advised through many agents in the area.

    Now I can either accept the much lower offers, or was thinking to perhaps have the house staged with furniture to move it along. Can have this done for about 1000-1500 for the main rooms. Not bedrooms.

    Is it too late to do since the add is older now? is it a waste of money? Was even thinking to sell the staged furniture with the house but that will cost a little more.
     
    Last edited: 21st Feb, 2016
  2. wylie

    wylie Moderator Staff Member

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    Could you pull the listing and pay another couple of hundred to list it as a "fresh" listing once you stage it? If so, then it could be the point of difference in a slow market. Someone just needs to fall in love with it. An investor likely won't be swayed by the staging, but it does help everyone to gauge the room sizes. Everything looks smaller without furniture.
     
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  3. Barny

    Barny Well-Known Member

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    Yes great idea. Finding out now. Also we extra paid for special feature add, so if we do, I think we loose the remaining advertisement. But since it's so slow, I don't even think the special feature on realestate.com is even working to be honest.
     
  4. MTR

    MTR Well-Known Member

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    I had a 3 villa development I staged villa 1 and had professional photos for marketing, and they all sold within 4 weeks, market was falling, achieved excellent prices. Paid $1900 for 4 weeks.

    I would stage, but also go aggressive with sales tactics to create competition. I like to go lower to attract more buyers to create competition. I would stage every room, otherwise no point to this just my opinion

    mtr
     
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  5. Barny

    Barny Well-Known Member

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    I stuffed up not staging from the start. Will find out tomorrow if I can pull the listing off and stage it, then run it agin.

    I had a professional come out to the property, and advised this package with some additional cushions, pictures, lamps etc will work really well.

    Havana Homestarter Package | Package Deals | Categories | Fantastic Furniture - Australia's Best Value Furniture & Bedding

    This works out cheaper than hiring it, and perhaps I could sell it with the house as a bonus, unless I can sell it off second hand to someone.
    Anyone interested in some cheap furniture once I'm done?
     
  6. MTR

    MTR Well-Known Member

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    looks good
    I think it's the first 6 weeks of marketing that is critical.

    Start again, change the advert, upgrade to the top and just move forward, you can turn it around
     
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  7. Barny

    Barny Well-Known Member

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    So followed up on removing the add and staging it, making it a fresh sale. Agent advised I have to wait 60 days before I can re list it as a new sale.
    So plan b, having some new photos photoshopped with furniture, and reduced price to hit the lower market buyers and hope we can get them up in price slightly.
    Also, the better home that was in direct competition just sold today so hoping ours will sell now.
    Lesson learnt, always stage a house from the start.
     
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  8. Lisa Parker

    Lisa Parker Well-Known Member

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    I would also do the bedrooms, not just the main living rooms.
    It's the personal items that make it feel homely, like cushions, lamps, ornaments pictures etc, so they are also very important in the process. You want to walk into the "kids" bedroom for example and see it looking all pretty and pink and lovely and imagine your own daughter living in the room.

    regarding the fantastic furniture idea, why doesn't the home stager have access to all of this stuff at a cheap price already?

    The things I would be looking into are;
    1) is the package ready to be delivered immediately or is there a time delay between ordering and the stick being available for deliver.
    2) add deliver costs
    3) add costs of hiring additional items such as cushions, ornaments, linen, rugs and the touches that make the house look impressive and feel good.
    4) does the furniture need to be assembled? If so, additional cost to get someone out to assemble it or your time? And removal of all the boxes from the delivery.

    I don't think it's a bad idea. I would just look into the things mentioned and perhaps get a few quotes from other stylists.

    A friend recently spent $1500 all delivered, styled and the taken away after it sold. No fuss. quick sale. The house looked lovely. It was a 3 bedroom home sold for $500k plus
     
  9. Barny

    Barny Well-Known Member

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    Hi Lisa

    1500 all up,for the whole house? Wow, I'm getting quotes from 3500-4500 for 6 weeks worth.
    The stylist recommend the cheapest way to do it for less than what she chargers (and other quotes I've had) was to purchase that set from fantastic furniture for 1500, which only included the main rooms, no bedrooms. 400 for additional rugs, cushions, pictures, lamps etc etc.
    500 for her time to set it all up. And 100 delivery fee from fantastic furniture.
    So all up 2500, or I could have paid an additnal 500 for a queen size bed and 2 side tables which brings it to 3k.
    So I could either buy my own stuff for less than what she chargers to hire her gear. (Her stuff would most likely look better though)
    Unfortunately it's mid sale process, the first 30 days have gone which had most of the attention. I could pay for the staging or reduce the price. If it doesn't sell in 2-3 weeks I'll take it off and rent it out. Then sell at a later stage with staging from the start. Could you please pm me your friends stylist? That would be great. Thanks.
     
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  10. Lisa Parker

    Lisa Parker Well-Known Member

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    @Barny, I will see if I can grab them for you.
    Perhaps the property will sell now that the other one is sold?! Was it comparable in every way?
     
  11. Lisa Parker

    Lisa Parker Well-Known Member

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    Yes, I think the problem with fantastic furniture as a complete package is that it looks like it's from fantastic furniture if it's not broken up with other pieces. But for the purpose of sells and in that price bracket it will do the job I think. Kmart occasionally has great items which are replica of modern items for very low prices, ie) to fill holes. Little side tables, lamps, replica chairs are cheap as there ATM, occasionally they have semi decent rugs for $100.
     
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  12. Barny

    Barny Well-Known Member

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    Almost in every way, it had a double garage where I have 1.5. Only fit one car but it's long for extra room.
    Same size block, same bedrooms/toilet, similar brick design. Similar layout and a few streets away.
    There's was furnished and garden looked more appealing.

    Cheers
     
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  13. Lisa Parker

    Lisa Parker Well-Known Member

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    That's very promising. Now that it's gone, you might pick up Buyers who missed out. Do you know how many interested parties there were?

    Perhaps you could ask the selling agent to refer them over and you will give him a $1k thank you fee if they buy and potentially other future business...you would still come out in front compared to furnishing.
     
  14. Barny

    Barny Well-Known Member

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    Had 3 parties interested, 2 offers, one was slightly short on price, lost that sale though as her parents through her additional funds so she's looking at higher priced properties.
    One low ball investor offer.

    Well now that it's the best property in that area for that price I think I'll let it sit for a couple weeks and see what happens.
     
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  15. PatsyStone

    PatsyStone Well-Known Member

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    K Mart has the cheapest modern homeware / furniture prices . Along with the bargain stores . Big W is ok more pricey but I picked up some nice pieces on sale .
     
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  16. Rich W

    Rich W Well-Known Member

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    What are peoples opinions on having family portrait photos on the walls when selling? Should I remove them for other more standard picture frames? I could probably borrow a bit from my parents house for staging as they have some nice pieces. Or the fact that we look like normal white anglo aussie family be good for the potential buyers to see? (I mean no racism by that just that do you find some buyers might be put off by the background/type of family who owned it before)?
     
  17. Lisa Parker

    Lisa Parker Well-Known Member

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    Home stagers generally say to remove personal items so the prospective purchaser can see themselves living their. Personally I don't mind, but I am not the average buyer.
    I do find that personal items do distract me from looking at the home however, because I am a little nosey :) and like to gather information about the vendors where possible.
     
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  18. Barny

    Barny Well-Known Member

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    Remove them if possible. Clean, neat and tidy presents much better.
    To keep it simple, check out new display homes and try and copy what they have done.
     
  19. Gockie

    Gockie Life is good ☺️ Premium Member

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    Remove them. Throw up some nice looking artwork in their places.
     
  20. Barny

    Barny Well-Known Member

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    Paid $40 per photo to have it photoshopped staged with furniture. Wow, such a massive difference and looks realistic. Very impressed.
    It won't help people walking through the house at the time though. but gave me an awesome understanding how I could go about it if I wanted too.

    Might post before and after photos once sold.