Terrylynn's Blog

Staging works again!

Teamed up with Kym Hough of Staged to Sell on this listing. Had a fun Thursday staging, transforming grandma's house.  (We had already upgraded the countertops, new paint, appliances).  Added to the local MLS on Saturday, received an offer by Monday.  Two days on the market!  Priced right, staged, you can sell your home in this market.

This is a beautiful home on a large lot, quiet location. It's so productive, and fun, to work as a team with a professional home stager.  The results are always worth it.

As you can see, plenty of gorgeous outdoor spaces as well.  Thanks Kym for a great time and helping prepare for a quick sale!

Terrylynn Fisher, CSP Realtor
StagersLIST.com  Buy  Stage  Sell

It started with the Realtors.  Years ago it was unheard of to speak to a seller about the "odor" in their home or their favorite wallpaper, the stains on the carpet and other "challenges" within their home.  The Realtor just took the listing and hoped for the best. 

What was the best?  Was the he hope that the Realtor would find a buyer with a small dog who also peed on the carpet and therefore they were used to the odor?  Was the hope that the Realtor would find someone who liked the smell of dirty socks or had the same cooking preferences as the current owner?  Did the seller hope to engage the buyer in a refrigerator magnet contest to see who had the most diverse collection?  What was that hope?  What shifted for Realtors was the realization that selling a house was merchandizing rather than just putting a home on the market "as is". 

(NOTE-this is Chris' dog Sugar, put the curser over the photo...that's Sugar.  Always sorry to get caught.)

Most change happens when the public reacts to something and forces that company or industry to change to meet their needs.  The public spoke and stopped buying the dumpy, or perceived less than perfect homes.  The public said, in effect "Why trade my dirty carpet for their dirty carpet."  There had to be more reason to move than to just trade challenges, right?  We became a society of buyers that didn't have time for "fixing"; perhaps too tired to muster up the energy for the daunting task that awaited them in their "dream home". 

Real Estate marketing became an even more important part of how property sold in the 1980's.  Realtors came to the realization they couldn't just stick the sign in the yard and put an ad in the paper anymore and have the property sell.  In November of 1978 interest rates went from single to double digit interest rates and it just kept going up until October of 1981 when rates reached 18.45%.   If a Realtor had a client who could qualify and buy a home then, the clients did a refinance within 2 years when rates went under 14%!!!  That was considered a great interest rate in 1983.

The times created a need for more merchandizing of listed homes to get them noticed by the buyers.  Realtors began to realize they had to spend some marketing $$$ on their listings to get them noticed because buyers were not too interested at that point.  Most buyers couldn't afford the payments at the high interest rates of that day, and those that could were not so inclined to rush out and buy if what they saw was cluttered, dirty or needed work.  They had to be tempted.  Home staging was created out of a need.

Realtors have always been smart enough to adapt to changing times.  If the Realtor was going to spend money to get their listed properties noticed then they didn't want to lose the buyer when they finally got a prospect to come to the property and go inside.  The real estate industry evolved from "selling homes" to "marketing and selling homes".  Marketing techniques were created to fill a need and make the properties more competitive and marketable.   

Fast forward to 2008 - Staging is now an accepted, no longer optional, marketing tool in the savvy Realtor's marketing plan.  Realtors must be marketing experts along with all of the other skills needed to be a successful practitioner.  So how does home staging fit into a Realtor's marketing plan?   Very well thank you.  It's the perfect compliment.  It is completely client focused and one investment that has a high return for the client and the Realtor.  Think about your local newspaper ads, can they do as much dollar for dollar? 

AR has a huge group of home staging professionals online.  The beauty of this forum is that you can read their published work and see their photos and determine the most professional "staged" stager for your client demographic.  It's like having online shopping for resumes.  I encourage you to take advantage of these professionals in your marketplace.  You already know they are on trend as they are here.  Any serious business owner will make time for  a company internet presence.  Isn't  that who you want on your team, someone who supports your professional image? 

Terrylynn Fisher, Realtor for decades in Walnut Creek, California, co-owner of StagersLIST.com and serious believer in Home Staging for REAL ESTATE.

So here goes.  I just read a post on the Realtor Blog about being two faced if you tell your buyers and sellers that "its a great time to buy or a great time to sell" in this market.  Both buyer and seller in the same market and their reasons for buying or selling could make a difference in how you answer.  Does that make you two faced?  Don't we all analyze our client's needs based on their circumstances and answer them accordingly?  I would say most Realtors do. 

And, I am thinking that the public, stagers and others need to understand some of these concepts before accepting such a statement as black and white, without knowing the circumstances and details of the conversation.  There are always two ways to look at things, including a down market.  The old saying when life sends you lemons make lemonade. 

For some these are the opportunities for lemonade.
                                   
It IS a great time to buy because interest rates and prices being low at the same time gives them a lower payment and just like the stock market ... when stocks are down is when you should buy.  It is also true that people tolerate ups and downs in their stock portfolios and just ride them out or sell, depending on when that is the right decision for them based on their circumstances. 

Correct me if I'm wrong, for the same reasons the below is true for a move up seller, and it is true for a buyer.  However, there are circumstances that could change your answer to either or both if you look further.  Simplistically, I have no problem saying the same thing to sellers or buyers in this scenario. What about you?

If a seller wants to know if it's a good time to sell, depending on what they are doing, the answer would be something like this.  If your home was worth $300,000 3 years ago and you buy up to $500,000 that's a $200,000 difference.  The down payment at 20% of the $500,000 purchase price is $100,000 and your payments are based on $400,000 loan amount.

If your property has dropped 20%, then your home now is worth $240,000 and you sell and the property you are buying is $400,000 because it dropped 20% too, then the difference is $160,000 and the 20% down payment on $400,000 is $80,000 and the payments are based on a $320,000 loan.  Isn't that a good time to sell for the move up seller?  You bet it is, YES they take less but buy for less and their property taxes are less, payments are less for 30 years, etc.

I don't see a conflict and NO I am not a two faced agent.  I am helping them analyze the market to assist them in THEIR decision making in terms of what they can do with their investment and their purchase or sale.  That's my job, the decision is up to them. 

Terrylynn Fisher, Expert Negotiator, Realtor, CRS, SRES, GRI, CSP Staging Consultant, Diablo Realty, Walnut Creek, California loving selling real estate since 1977 in Contra Costa County, California...  Also Co-Owner of StagersLIST.com THE Resource for Stagers, Realtors and Homeowners in North America, CSP Realtor Elite and the first CP designee and LGLS Realtor Trainer for Live Green, Live Smart, realtor designation green build science training, with programs for corporations, non-profits and everyone.

www.StagersLIST.com                                           Terrylynn@StagersLIST.com

www.Terrylynn-n-Team.com                                homes4u@e-realestate4u.com