CBS News Today --- Staging: Home sellers' secret weapon

This Sunday's video on Home Staging has people talking, and I can see why.  First off, I've never known any Stager who was paid $30,000 to Stage a house.  Not to say homeowners don't some times need to make improvements to their home that can add up -- but the Stager does not get paid for this work, the contractors do.  More about this below.

Although I don't agree with everything that was said, I do agree with this:  Home Staging is a home seller's not-so-secret-weapon for getting their home sold faster and for a higher price.

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7366894n

I wonder if it is geographical differences because my friends in the business in other markets, including Chicago, can certainly charge more for their service than we can here in Charlotte.  For this reason, I wasn't too thrilled with the over generalized statement that "home staging costs about 3% of the listing price."  The cost to Stage can vary wildly.  My guess is that when this statement was made, they were including all  the expenses of getting a home ready for the market, including painting, flooring, repairs and upgrades.

Although I've seen statistics stating that Home Staging costs can range from .5% to 3% of listing price, I honestly don't know any Home Stager who bids their jobs based upon a percentage of the listing price. It's more about where the house is located, whether it is a vacant home staging or an occupied home staging, the houses's condition, the style of the house, and and how many rooms are to be staged that factor into the cost of real estate Staging.

What I LOVE about this broadcast segment is the Chicago real estate agent, Ian Schwartz, who said, "You have 2 choices, either stage it or not. And if the answer's "not", I'm not working with you". He states that he cannot waste time on ugly houses and doesn't want to have to apologize for any of his listings. So, "Bravo" Ian Schwartz! Ian is one of the top real estate agents in the Chicago area, and now we know why.

So thank you, CBS Sunday Morning for informing home sellers of the importance and benefits of having your home professionally staged. Yes, hiring a professional home stager and hiring the right real estate agent are definitely a home seller's not-so-secret weapons when selling a home!



www.ballantynehomestaging.com | 980.322.5825 | carol@ballantynehomestaging.com

A Perfect Home on (Apparently) a Not-So-Perfect Lot

UPDATE:  This house has gone under contract Day 22 after Staging. Previously on market for 8 months!

I recently began working with a young couple who has been trying to sell their former home in Waxhaw for quite some time. When we first meet at the house, they tell me that the driveway was a huge objection.  It is a sloped driveway – but it is sloping upward, not down toward the house thereby inviting rushing rainwater into your crawlspace or to pool outside your front door! (I've seen this before.) Yet, since some buyers want a flat lot, I shot new photographs of the exterior so any Realtor® or potential buyer could clearly see that the home sits up on a small hill. And since some folks actually like their homes sitting above street level, this new photo may help us out more than we think.

They also shared feedback from prior showings about Cuthbertson Road, a 2-lane country road that sees more traffic than it ever had before thanks to the enormous housing boom Union County experienced the past 10 years. But the road runs in behind their neighbors’ backyards, not theirs. Perhaps road noise was the objection? In any event, we cannot move either the road or the house. 

So, we go inside the home and I see beautiful hardwoods throughout the entire first floor and staircase. An upgraded cooktop, upgraded faucets, granite countertops, a large kitchen island, stainless steel appliances, double ovens, a vegetable sink, a wine cooler, upgraded light fixtures in every room and wrought iron spindles! With 5 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms, I was falling in love with this house and started going through names of people in my mind who would love to live here.

We walk through the screened-in porch the owners had added onto the house, then out onto a paver patio with a fire pit, and into a professionally landscaped and irrigated back yard. Perfect for children to play in as the adults grill out on the pergola-covered deck attached to the gourmet kitchen. I envision my son and daughter-in-law entertaining while our not-yet-born grandchildren frolic about. Yes, I think we can put the swing set right over there. My mind is whirling.

Okay, get it together, Carol. Your son lives in Ohio, for crying-out-loud!

This house is located in the development of Lawson, with a state-of-the-art swim complex, tennis courts, fitness area, a community lodge, covered picnic areas and a nature center. Kids can attend the highly ranked Union County Schools. The brand new Cuthbertson Middle and Cuthbertson High School are across the street from the development.

If you or anyone you know is looking for a fabulous home large enough for a growing family to put down roots, prefers the security of a cul-de-sac home, likes the idea that the house actually sits on the high spot of the lot, and wants their kids to attend good schools – please have them visit 1105 Periwinkle Drive in Waxhaw! Listed at $349,000 and all serious offers will be considered.
www.ballantynehomestaging.com | 980.322.5825 | carol@ballantynehomestaging.com