Client Case Study: The Importance of Home Staging

The Client

The O’s are recent clients that were moving out of state. They owned a lovely Colonial home in a very popular neighborhood. The O’s had already purchased a home in their new town and had put their home of 10 years on the market with us. They were anxious to sell it quickly and make their transition.

The Problem

This home was spacious and had been beautifully updated. However, the owner’s furniture and furnishings were plentiful and very dark and heavy. The decor didn’t highlight the home’s generous size and modern updates. Additionally, the home’s rooms were painted in several different, dark colors. We had talked to the O’s about the importance of home staging and suggested they stage the home before going on the market, but they opted not to.

While the home showed well, we were getting feedback that the home was lovely, but the size of the basement was a drawback and it looked “tired.”

After seven weeks on the market with no offers, the owners made a significant price adjustment. The home’s showings picked up but still no offers. Our clients were understandably anxious about the thought of having two mortgage payments. At the four-month mark, the owners closed on their new home and moved out of state.

How We Helped

Once the owners had moved out and the home was vacant, we suggested that we repaint and stage the home’s main living areas and a couple of the bedrooms. The O’s agreed. We brought in our stager who chose some more modern pieces to stage the living and dining rooms and two of the bedrooms.

The stager also “fluffed” up the home with some bright accent pieces to give its online photos that visual punch. A painter brought new life to the main level and bedrooms with a single, more neutral shade of paint.

The End Result

As soon as the new pictures were online, showings picked up dramatically. That weekend, there was a very busy open house.

Within one week of the new photos going live, we had three offers in hand on the home!

The O’s were able to choose the offer that worked best for them.

The Bottom Line

We cannot stress the importance of home staging enough. While spending money to sell your home is probably the last thing you want to do, it will pay off in the end. We’ve seen it happen time and again! Staging will potentially save your home from languishing on the market for months. In fact, a National Association of Realtors’ showed that homes staged initially sell in 42 days – vs. 198 days when staged after having been on the market. Staging matters!

For more on our staging services, click here.

Are you thinking about selling your home? We’d love to help you too. Let’s start the conversation today!

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