The tale of a Short Sale - Sold by a Realtor who believes in Staging
Series...So this is the Bathroom!
The Short Sale bathroom - drab to potential fab
This is a short sale listing I took this past month. I know the lender will not give credit for repairs or clean up. This one needs both, and more. The a/c and dishwasher don't work, the disposal leaks. The walls are dinged, corners chipped and the paint is dingy, carpet stained, pet odor and stains (eek clothes pins provided at the door) and it's dirty, debri, cobwebs, etc.
BUT I espouse to my clients, my collegues, everyone I have talked to in the last almost 20 years that EVERY home needs to be staged. Perhaps the distressed properties need it more than any others. SO, how much money am I the Realtor willing to invest in a property where the short sale may not be approved, I may not get any reimbursement ? (I'm going to create a presentation piece for the lender to show the results the staging brought them and see if they'll relent, I figure it's worth a try and that's another blog post.)
SO, having said all that This is the bathroom. The mirror is delaminated and ordinarily we would probably paint the cabinets, polish the cabinets, and the room would it look better painted, yes? But does staging better make it look like you MIGHT want to live here?
More on the cost of all this and the other things in the rest of this series.
- Terrylynn has been a Realtor in Contra Costa County for over 32 years. She works with Diablo Realty in Walnut Creek and is consistently a top producer. Terrylynn is a local expert, please contact her for any Real Estate needs, or with a question about the area.
Terrylynn, In this market I say anything is worth a try. Look forward to your next post!
Hi Terrylynn,
I'm really interested to see how this goes. Just the lighting alone in the 2nd photo is a vast improvement.
Donna, thanks, thinking I should do this as a series...
Susan, YES lights, omg...I'll be putting up the other rooms too, just have to get to it.
Terrylynn - I envy your optimism , I am not a very visual person , so most of the staging concepts are lost on me. Keep us updated , I might learn a thing or two
Laura, Where did that first photo come from? It looks like it was soaked in a mustard jar!
I totally appreciate the value of staging. Your photo example here shows me the importance of lighting and good photography, however, not staging.
I would be wary of spending money on staging a short sale, but on a regular home I say stage it every time!
Laura, thanks, I do tend to be an optomist, I guess Realtors have to be...I explain that to clients alot when it comes to appriasals. Appraisers think 6 months past and negative about future, and realtors think from now 6 months forward and are optomisic about the future. Thanks for the comment.
Rich, My camera setting and too few light bulbs. Staging meaning adding light bulbs and cleaning, and a few props SHOW the potential? No?
Secondarily, and another post, good lighting and photography are staging the photos...also very necessary as the drive by of today is the MLS...
Every property needs Staging. And that means EVERY property. Short sale or no, Staging costs less than a price reduction and will sell a house more quickly and/or for a better price every time. Great post!
If you can't paint, cleaning and staging certainly is better than just leaving it empty.
Annie, yes...But on a short sale the seller is not the one paying, it's the Realtor or no one...so...the challenge for the Realtor is belief in the fact that it works. It does and the offers are higher for the bank, but the owner gets nothing of the extra money. SO a bit of a conundrum.
Cindy, you got it....at least that...