We actually get this question A LOT!
EVERYONE would love the guarantee of a definite sell,now and for a huge return of investment.
Unfortunately we can’t give it to you. The successful sale of your property relies on many factors. Although, we wish staging was the magic wand that would eliminate the other factors affecting the results of property sales. (We would be millionaires and be able to ask much more for our service!! The magic pill of selling everyones’ house!) We need to be realistic. What we can do though, besides SHOWCASING your house to attract and wow buyers, is point out some of the reasons staged houses might not sell…or take longer to sell. We will even give a few tips on how to overcome and make sure your investment in both staging and your property is not sabotaged by these reasons.
NOT BEING PRICED CORRECTLY.
For sale by owners, or inexperienced sellers sometimes get stuck on certain price points and will not waiver or negotiate an honest market price. This could be due to financial restraints, or the markets’ natural ups and downs, that have left high expectations in the sellers mind.
TIP: Trust your realtor and have them show you the CMA for your property. Visit other properties in your market, (location and price range) be honest with yourself and compare your property to those you see on mls and in person. Save yourself a lot of aggravation and be sure you bring your property on the market at the right price. Price reductions later, not only cost you your carrying costs, but go down in increments that are far larger, than, perhaps an honest and fair market price might have started with. Buyers do not get excited about small discounts.
PRE-STAGING RECOMMENDATIONS WERE NOT FOLLOWED THROUGH.
Cutting corners in the staging process is often a choice the homeowner makes when trying to fit everything into their selling budget. Staging 3 rooms instead of 5 for example. Or choosing not to replace the flooring that was recommended by the stager. The selling team (homeowner and agent) can often be anxious to get the house listed and not give enough time for the recommendations to be complete. Leaving things undone, can often result in opportunities for the buyer to chip away at the price, or find other properties more desirable.
HOUSE WAS NOT KEPT STAGED THROUGH THE WHOLE PROCESS.
It’s hard to live in a staged house.This is the reason the best staged selling results come from vacant properties, (where the homeowners have already moved to their new location).
TIP: Ask your staging company for a checklist, or if they offer a before open house refreshers, where they come back for an hour and tweak before buyers come to visit.
PHOTOS TAKEN BEFORE STAGING IS COMPLETED.
It is always recommended to stage before you list, but often the home staging is treated like an afterthought and photographers are booked before staging. Some statistics show, 50% or more, of the reason staging is successful, is because the STAGED MLS photos draw more people to an open house, than those not staged. It makes sense, if you bring more people to the property, it is more likely to get offers.
NO AGENT.
Trying to save money, some homeowners decide to sell and market the property themselves. Often, the homeowner can miss opportunities or selling steps that can help a house sell faster. Real Estate agents build resources, relationships, and processes that can help houses sell.
WRONG AGENT.
If an Agent does not specialize in your neighborhood or price range your property could be competing with houses where an agent does have that expertise. If the Agent is not aggressive or doesn’t have the experience to get the property sold, the house can sit longer, whether it’s staged or not.
SELLERS EMOTIONALLY ATTACHED.
We have had experiences where the home sellers have not been able to emotionally let go of the property. They go through the motion of putting the house up for sale, but when it comes time to pack away, and make changes that are best for them, they are not committed enough to let go, and realize the property is now just a product that needs packaging up for a new buyer. It is no longer their home.
CONDITION NOT MEETING HOME INSPECTION.
Although a home stager will point out many factors in the condition of a home, the home inspection still needs to be passed. Tip: Having a home inspection done prior to listing will give you a heads up what needs to be fixed before staging and listing. This will eliminate price reductions and conditional offers falling through at the last minute.
OVERALL MARKETING STRATEGY NOT EXECUTED PROPERLY.
When a property goes up for sale, it becomes a product that needs to be packaged and positioned to sell. If the marketing strategy is not sound, or no established process is set, no matter how great the site looks, it wont be visible to the right buyers, at the right time, and you can have a beautifully staged house simply sitting.
READY TO SELL YOUR HOUSE?
Choose a team, that will guide you, and help you avoid any pitfalls that may have your house sitting longer on the market than necessary.
Luxe Property Staging has been committed to helping real estate agents and homeowners gain more equity from the sale of their properties, using home staging as a marketing tool since 2008. Today, LUXE Property Staging is a multi-award winning home staging company, specializing in Vacant Staging, with clients in Toronto (GTA), Milton, Mississauga, Cambridge, Paris, St. George, Oakville, Ancaster, Guelph, Brandford and other surrounding cities. For more information, to view their portfolio or review case studies, visit www.luxepropertystatging.com