Vacant Remodel Staging - Blackhawk CO - Sensational Home Staging

This property located about 5 miles outside of Blackhawk, CO is an investor flip that turned out nicely. With some unique floor plan issues, Staging will help buyers envision how to position furniture, and what rooms they are seeing online. We rarely say "No" to a Staging - and are willing to travel to places that other Stagers don't which means more business for us!

Golden Townhouse - Staged and Show Ready - Sensational Home Staging

This townhouse has been on the market too long - vacant. The Realtor finally got the seller to agree to Staging and the end result is a property that presents much better than before for buyers. Now they can see the size of the rooms, how to place furniture, and the overall impact of the property is much better with color and visual appeal added.

A Timely Poem for Realtors and Sellers . . . . Twas the Month Before Christmas - Staging Style!

The Christmas Season is upon us . . . here is a Sensational Home Staging twist on an old classic . . . .enjoy!!

Messes Send Messages - What Does Your House or LIsting Say?

Messes Send Messages©

What does your house or listing say?

 

by Jennie Norris, ASP Master, IAHSP-Premier, ASP-SRS, ASP-REO, ASP-BTS

Owner, Sensational Home Staging

Denver Region's Premier Home Staging Resource

 

In life 90% of communication is non-verbal.  Body language, tone, expressions - they all convey our message more than what we actually say.

Houses send messages too.  They communicate with us whether we are living in, buying or selling them.  Some messages are of sadness.  Some are of depression.  Some of joy.  Whatever the situation, we can tell when people living in a house have had issues because the house looks neglected.  And for good reason - when life takes an unexpected turn, the last thing we make a priority is making sure our house looks fabulous.

Mess Causes Stress©.  Some of these homeowners don't realize that by living in disarray they are actually creating stress for themselves and stress can lead to a myriad of health issues.  The elimination of "stuff" actually helps de-stress not only the house but the person living IN the house.

When a house is for sale, what message is it giving to the buying public?  Messes Send Messages.  A house communicates and elicits emotions for a buyer who either loves what they see and feels a connection to the house or not.  When they feel that connection the house becomes a must have.  No connection means it is a must leave.  A messy house says, "No one cares about me," or "Don't buy me because you are going to find other issues with maintenance."  A house also send messages about the Sellers such as, "We have given up." or "We don't care about getting the most for our house."  And a house that has too much on display also sends the message that there is not enough storage in this house. That simple message can be enough to deter a potential buyer.

 

 

 

Look at any messy house photo and you just feel stressed looking at it.   Because "Mess causes Stress" when the house is not prepared for sale the buyer literally FEELS stressed standing among the chaos.  They can just look at a photo online and get that feeling of stress.  Is it any wonder these houses don't sell? 

It's so easy to address this issue when selling a house and yet the big question I have is why are so many houses in poor shape when listed for sale?  It's not like the Realtor doesn't see the mess.  At least I would hope they notice because it's right in front of our faces.  We can give the Seller a little break because when we LIVE with a mess we get used to it and don't see it for how bad it really is.  But anyone coming in from the outside who works in this industry HAS to know the house is a mess.  And when it's our job to get the seller the MOST money when selling a house, it is up to US to tell the Seller what they need to do.  

So why do so many houses for sale still look messy?

Is it because the Sellers don't "get it" that they need to address the issue?  Do they not see the value in making changes? Do they resist because it's overwhelming to them?  Or do they just not care.  I think it could be a combination of all of those reasons.

There are ways to get a Seller to cooperate - especially when they see the benefit for THEM.  They will get a better offer when their house shows its best, and their house will sell faster - which means they get to move on to the next phase of their life and into their new home - wherever that is.  As professionals serving sellers we need to be equipped with what to say and how to say it so that the Seller is compelled to make changes.  We also have to be ready to help them.  As a professional Stager, my team and I can and have transformed a house in a matter of hours.  It is a very cost-affordable investment with a high rate of return.  This takes the pressure off the Seller who may be overwhelmed with the move, with life and is unable to make decisions about what to do.  It's a wonderful service we offer - and it makes the Realtor's role a lot easier too because we are the ones doing the heavy lifting, packing, sweating, and setting the scene room by room.  The Realtor can be working on paperwork or meeting with a new prospective client and leave the Staging to us.

In all of this process, the key ingredient is to make sure the seller knows we care and this effort is being done FOR them.  When they know we care and want the very best for them, my belief is that they will get on board.  It might require hand-holding and helping them through a stressful time but in the end they are grateful for the results.  Their house can be presented as a stress-free environment for buyers looking for a connection to a place they can call home.

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For help in the Denver area getting your house or listing de-stressed and ready to buy, give Jennie a call.  Her Sensational Home Staging stage crew can make a big impact in a short time to help the house sell faster and at the best price.  303-717-7918  www.SensationalHome.com.  ©2015 Jennie Norris and Sensational Home Staging.

Golden Vacant now Staged for Sale! Sensational Home Staging Crew does it again!

Vacant house in Golden - now Sensationally staged for sale by the Sensational Home Staging crew! Should attract buyers now that the key rooms are Staged to show size, purpose, and create visual appeal.

How to Keep Your Commission Value Strong with Staging by Jennie Norris, ASPM, IAHSP - Sensational Home Staging

How to Keep Your Commission Value Strong with Staging

by Jennie Norris, ASPM, IAHSP - Owner, Sensational Home Staging

As the Market Gets Hotter Does this Mean Realtors Should Earn Less? The public has a general perception that Realtors don’t work very hard for their money. Right or wrong it is just a fact. They believe that all Realtors do is stick a sign in a yard, the house sells, and the Realtor gets paid a lot of money. Of course those that work IN real estate as an agent or an affiliate know this is a fallacy, but getting sellers to understand the VALUE of working with a quality, full-service Realtor can be tough – especially as the market continues to heat up and get stronger nationwide.

When times were tough and it was hard to sell a house because of the economic conditions, sellers were more apt to realize that selling their home would take work and effort. They were more willing to pay a qualified Realtor to help them get the results they wanted. 

When a market heats up and turns into a “seller’s market” like we experienced at the start of 2013, the belief is that Sellers don’t need to do much to sell their house. Why should they pay a Realtor full commission to do something that is going to happen anyway? Not only that, but when an industry is seen as lucrative and "easy" more people jump into it creating more competition for business.  Real estate licenses are being issued at record rates nationwide as a result of the up-turn in the real estate market.

In a seller’s market, the For Sale By Owner (FSBO) market also increases because the belief is that it is not hard to sell a house when demand is high and inventory is low. Again, those that work IN the industry know the value of working with a Realtor who has knowledge, resources and credibility. 

It is the misconception where the seller wants the most for the sale of their house but does not necessarily want to pay to ensure that happens. In real estate the old adage, “You get what you pay for,” is very true when it comes to selecting someone to help you sell your house however not all sellers seem to understand this.

Realtors that want to keep their value and income strong need to figure out other ways they bring value to the sale to get listings over their competition. Staging is one of the best ways to do that. Statistically a Staged house sells faster and/or at a better price than the un-staged competition. This happens whether the market is hot or slow, whether a seller’s market or buyer’s market. Statistics that have been gathered for years prove this is true. This means that even in a hot market, a Staged house will sell for MORE than the un-staged competition – and this is money in the seller’s pocket that they would not otherwise have. 

It is all about the Staged List Price versus the List Price and the difference between the two categories could be $5,000 to $100,000 depending on your market and type of house. When a seller realizes that you bring a tool to the table that can help them net MORE from the sale of their house, they want that. A seller does not sell to get “some” of the money out of their house – they want ALL the money possible.

Realtors - instead of thinking you have to discount your commission fees in order to get listings, think about the resources you have that bring increased VALUE to the sale process. When you bring in your team member – your Stager – to work with the Seller, you are adding value to the process. When the house is Staged professionally, the house looks better than the competition or competes equally with the competition and this benefits the seller. Statistically Staged houses help a seller keep or make 5-20% more on the sale of their house. When the seller is asking you, the Realtor, to reduce your commission by 0.5% -1.5% to “earn their business” you can share that you don’t do that because you have a tool at your disposal that will help them keep or make MORE than they are asking you to discount.

When Realtors discount commissions they must work that much harder to get more listings to keep their income where it needs to be. This means their time and attention per seller is reduced as they scramble to get more listings. Rather than be that discount agent, be the agent that brings value, time and attention to the seller. Incorporate Staging as a key listing tool – and even be willing to PAY for the consultation for your seller as a benefit of listing with you. Around the country that ranges from $100-$500 for an average size house depending on where you live. It’s an investment that will not only help you get the listing over your competition, but also helps you keep your commission strong.

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If you sell real estate in the greater Denver region and want help getting your listings Staged to maximize success for you and your Seller, give Jennie a call (303)717-7918 or 888-93-STAGE.  After successfully helping over 2,700 homeowners since 2002 prepare their houses for sale, you can trust Jennie's expertise. www.SensationalHome.com

Urban Loft - Denver - Sensational Home Staging Success!

Check out the before/afters of this unique downtown Denver historic building property - located in the Ice House.  Adding furniture and décor helps make the rooms seem larger and adds visual interest beyond the brick and pipes.

Sensational Home Staging - Golden - Mountain Property - Gorgeous setting and views!

Check out the latest Staging project from Sensational Home Staging! This house went from Southwest to Sensational with our hands-on Staging and vision. House is being listed for sale this week by Justin Thornton, KW Highlands Ranch.

Sensational Home Staging - Before & Afters of our latest Staged property!

This house needed some warmth and pizzazz to help it show its best in photos and in person. This client had some budget constraints - and yet we were able to come up with a Staging plan that not only fit their budget, it is all that is needed to showcase this house properly. For information on how we can help you with your house or listing to get it Staged to sell, contact me at (303)717-7918 or SensationalHomeStaging@q.com.