|
|
|
|
February 2008 |
Vol 3, Issue 2 |
|
|
|
|
Staging Works!
for agents in the
lowcountry
|
|
|
|
|
|
Greetings!
|
|
February surely got here
quickly, didn't it? It
feels as if the holidays
are just barely behind
us and here we are mid
way into the second
month of the year! The
good news is that the
winter blahs are
clearing and sales are
beginning to pick up.
Now is the time to start
planning for the busy
season and planting your
seeds for success!
|
|
What agents are saying about
us...
|
|
 "Melissa,
I just saw the Pomilla's
this weekend and told them
that I knew the staging
helped sell this property!!
The buyers even commented on
the staging. Just so you
know, I had a full price
back up offer as well.
Three offers were on the
table at the same time!!
Great job!!"
---------------------------------------------------------
Some additional stats on
this property
- (all January closed
properties in Grassy
Creek)
336 Tidal Place (vacant
home) listed for
$879,000 sold price
$850,000
300 Shoals (our staged
vacant)
listed for $650,000
sold price $650,000
396 Tidal Reef
(occupied) listed for
$599,000 sold price
$575,000
Staging may have
saved the client
months of time on
market & tens of
thousands in higher
offers using the
stats above!
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
Higher offers sure, but
don't mark up the price just
yet! |
|
 As
stagers showing our
ability to help your
clients see the
benefits of staging
we often say that
you will get higher
offers and lower
DOM. I think it is
time to clarify
things a bit,
however. You see,
higher offers does
not necessarily mean
that you should
raise your listing
prices! While
occassionally big
improvements can
make this happen,
most of the time it
simply isn't a good
idea.
Using the example
of a home that
recently was staged
and sold, see
300 Shoals in Grassy
Creek above, you can
see that the staged
home was the only
property to receive
a full price offer.
(Not to mention
having back up
offers on the
table!) This
example shows how
both other homes
that closed in this
neighborhood in
January closed with
offers less than
$20,000/$25,000
below asking price.
This is commonly
true of non-staged
properties. While
not all staged
properties close for
asking price, the
odds are better &
so are the offers
(statistically speaking).
So, what was the
cost of staging
versus the return?
The cost of staging
this house was less
than 1/2 of 1% and
the return was
better than
3%. Based on a
common commission
calculation
your increased
commission (one
side) would have
been $600.
So, if you would
like to find a way
to increase your
income without
having to work
harder, consider
adding staging to
your listing
benefits package.
It really is a
win-win-win
scenario.
|
|
Marketing Your Listing |
|
 With
all the homes currently
on the market for sale,
how do you set your
listing apart? Price,
presentation of the
home, and of course,
marketing! Staging can
help you with 2 out of 3
- the presentation and
the marketing of your
property.
Hiring a stager will
make sure the
presentation of your
property is at its
best. Stagers work with
both owner-occupied and
vacant homes. Sellers
should be advised on the
key improvements that
will make their home
show better. In a vacant
home, furniture, art &
accessories can show
size and scale, and let
buyers see the home's
potential.
The marketing of your
property is directly
related to the
presentation of your
property. With so many
buyers looking for homes
over the internet, you
must have the best
pictures included
in your marketing. A
stager can
provide beautiful
wide-angle photos and a
Real Estate Show
(similar to a virutal
tour) for your use in
marketing. Having a
stager present at Agent
Open Houses, Happy
Hours, or caravan
tours can bring in more
agents. Have the
stager give a brief
presentation on staging
to the agents viewing
your property, and have
a drawing for a free or
discounted service.
By providing the best
tools for your listings
with amazing
presentation and
marketing, your clients
will be thrilled with
your service, and likely
refer you to others they
know that are thinking
about selling. Let First
Impressions help
increase your business!
|
|
Join us at Plugged In! |
|
Our team of staging
professionals we be at
CTARS' Plugged in
Conference on February
19th. Please look for
our booth & join us in
our Staging Workshop at
11am. We will be there
to give you information
on the importance of
staging your listings,
how we can save your
clients money & how
staging can increase
your business! Come
learn about our
services, preview before
& after photos and see
specific stats you can
use in your business!
First Impressions is
also a proud sponsor of
the 2008 Realtor of
Distinction Luncheon.
We understand the
importance of the work
you do and just how hard
you work! Thank you!
|
|
The cost of NOT staging |
In various articles we
try to extoll the
virtues of staging. I
would like to share with
a black and white
example of the cost of
not staging. Our
comparison property
finally closed so we can
share it with you...
House #1: 2328 Daniel
Island Drive, Charleston
originally listed on
12/14/2006.
original list price
$349,000
expired & relisted on
03/16/2007 $345,000
House #2: 2338
Daniel Island Drive,
Charleston
originally listed on
03/01/2007, original
list price $345,000
on 03/16/2007
both homes were
vacant,
on the market
at the exact same
time
at the exact same
price...
We staged House #1
on 08/08/2007
House #1 CLOSED on
09/27/2007 for final
sale price $320,000
-------------------------------------
Now for the final
numbers..... House
#2 continued to sit
on the market for an
additional 4
months. It was
vacant so the
sellers were paying
carrying costs.
Based on the price
of the home, HOA
fees in this area,
etc this is an
estimated $12,000 -
$15,000. The final
sale price of the
home was $299,000 -
a whopping $21,000
LESS than our staged
home.
As I stated in the
previous blog, this
home was staged for
less than $2000.
What was the cost of
NOT STAGING?
(drum roll
please....)
AN INCREDIBLE
$35,000.
|
|
|
|
Thank you Charleston
Agents for all the work
you do! We understand
that you are often under
appreciated and over
worked. We look forward
to meeting many of you
in person and helping
you celebrate your
success at the Realtor
of Distinction
luncheon. We'll be back
here next month to give
you more ideas on how to
grow your business!
|
Melissa Marro, Bevin
Googer & the entire
First Impressions Team
|
|
|
|
Save 25% |
Save 25% off any new owner
occupied consultation booked
this month. You will receive a
written report with
recommendation that your
homeowner can follow. We also
will provide your client a price
quote to have the work done if
they prefer.
Regular consultation price $150*
|
|
Offer Expires: February 29th, 2008
* does not apply to affiliate
program consultations.
|
|
Back to previous page |
|
