When Selling Your Home...Make the Joneses Keep Up With You

Yes! And How You Can Benefit as a Seller When They Don't!

 

I cannot count on both hands and feet the number of times I have staged a home and then perused the listings nearby to see what the other sellers' homes looked like...only to see how great the staged home looks vs. the un-staged ones.

 

YIPPEE!!

 



I know my staged home will always win out because buyers want fresh, up-to-date, functional and stylish homes. Even before I started working on the home I am about to show you,  I knew this but I just love to look at my competition after staging. I know my client, the realtor and I will be laughing all the way to the bank soon. For more info on this home, click this link

Here's a few pics from a home that we recently staged in West Islip NY...

The Kitchen...

The Master Bedroom

And here's a competing home - $20K more than the one we staged. The living room...

 

 

 

Bedroom (I am assuming it's the Master - not really sure! They only showed 1 bedroom!)

First of all, you shouldn't have any religious items displayed when you are selling your home. I guess the sellers are praying for a quick sale! Not much room in there to pray though...

 

Lovely kitchen, huh? There are too many things wrong with this space to go into detail but I think you can see that it's dated, crowded, dark...the dog is pictured (what...you couldn't move that crate out of the way while you took your picture with your Instamatic camera or Smart phone Mr. Realtor?) And the 2 garbage cans??? The boob lights??? And, what are you selling - a kitchen or PLATES!!

Oh please!

 

 

I guess that sellers just don't look online to 1) see how their realtor is marketing their home and 2) they don't even bother with seeing what their competition is doing. Big mistakes.



 

NOW HERE'S THE KICKER...

 

This home has been for sale since March of 2009. Yes, you read that right - since March of 2009...over 6 1/2 years! It's been de-listed a few times and has had multiple price reductions. I can't even wrap my head around how much time and money has been wasted trying to sell this home. The carrying costs alone for that many years have to be astronomical. 

 

 

This home is in a great area...it's a farm ranch with a great backyard and a pool (what my staged home does not have!) But, in a honesty, this home should have sold a long time ago - but a lot of people (and, sad to say, people in the "know" supposedly) were asleep at the wheel. Some minor renovations...some editing...some paint...some updating (and updated accessories!) and, of course, some staging could have gotten this home sold back in 2009. Yes - even during the worst part of the recession.

 

Home Sellers - you do not have to keep reducing the price of your homes. If that's the only marketing tactic that your realtor can come up with - you are with the wrong realtor. Get a good home stager to give you a consultation. For a few hundred dollars, a home staging consultation will give you a step-by-step blueprint of what you need to do to your home to be ahead of the competition...ahead of the Joneses...and on your way to a successful sale.

 

Don't waste time and money. Call someone who can give you an honest assessment of your home. If you are in the Long Island or Queens area, call me at 631 793-1315 for a consultation or email me at Linda.Leyble@gmail.com.

 

Making your life and listings more beautiful...