Like most of the US, we are in a raging-hot seller’s market right now (summer 2021). And yet, some homes still sit on the market. Sellers that have made the decision to move often have urgent deadlines behind their decisions, with a real need to sell their house quickly and for the most money possible.
In this seller’s market, sometimes sellers feel that “anything will sell”. The full saying should be: “anything will sell at the right price”. Without full preparation of the home to sell, the “right price” might be too low. So how should you make sure that the “right price” brings in enough money?
Listing Without Home Staging and Preparation
Seller Mike wanted to sell his home on his own and believed felt that his home would move quickly. Mike’s home was fairly new and in prime condition. To prepare to sell, he decluttered, took some pictures, and listed the home on Zillow.
The home’s list price was just over $300,000, which was a respectable price for the area, size, and location of the home. Buyers started calling and asking for showings.
And yet, no acceptable offer was received. Verbal offers were discussed, but they were low and not from qualified buyers. In other words, those verbal offers were useless.
To goose the market, Mike decreased the price on Zillow by over $10,000. Now his home was listed below $290,000. Buyers were still calling and requesting showings, and even promising to write offers, but nothing came in.
How To Get The Home Sold
With no time to waste, Mike decided to call in a team of professionals. He hired a local real estate agent team and started reviewing next steps.
His REALTOR®s, Jeannie and I, quickly looked at the house, ran the market analysis, and determined that properly prepared, the home should sell for at least $300,000. And while Mike’s home was in great condition, some basic preparation would still be needed. For three days, Mike and Jeannie got the home ready for sale.
- Staging Consultation via Stagerie: $180
- Basic Furniture Rental: $250.38
- In-Person Staging Assistance: $100 (1.5 hours)
- Painting: $385
Total: $915.38
Jeannie and I listed the home for sale at $300,000. Within 12 hours, the home had multiple showings, and an offer of $310,000.
The best review came from the first agent who showed this new and improved home: “I saw the previous pictures on Zillow, and I was shocked at how great the house looked! Who does your staging?” Now there’s a testimonial!
Show Me the House
So, of course, we have professional pictures to share. As you can see, taking some time to stage the house allows the house itself to shine. What do you think?
The Finishing Touches
Interested to see what else can be done to help homes sell? Subscribe to our blog to see other great articles from Stagerie and from our network of guest authors.
