Staging and Selling in the WINTER- by Jennie Norris, ASP Master, IAHSP-Premier, Owner Sensational Home Staging

Staging a house can become challenging in the winter when the landscape around the country does not look that great - dead grass, spindly trees with no leaves, two-tone colors with snow and dirt. In fact I believe winter time is the toughest time of the year to sell when dealing with curb appeal. Depending on what part of the country you live in, you may have lots of green and warmth this time of year, or deal with the barren landscape. When there is snow on the ground, it does look pretty, but as the snow melts, you are often left with bald patches of dirt, icy or muddy streets, and little color in the yards with deciduous trees that have no leaves.

So how do you add that curb appeal necessary for Selling when Mother Nature seems to have another plan?

Here is an excerpt from an article entitled "Home Staging Tips for Every Season" where expert and my personal mentor, Barb Schwarz, was interviewed by AOL online (http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2010/07/20/home-staging-for-every-season/

Home Staging Tips for Winter:

• Keep your place warm. You want the house looked at! If you aren't living there or even if you are, spend the money to keep it warm. They will walk out if it's too cold," says Schwarz. "And that means no sale." Trying to save money by keeping your house cold and not heating it properly is a turn-off to buyers.

• Keep lighting in mind during the winter months. Winter means it gets dark earlier, so put lighting on timers inside and outside the house. Every room in the house can be on timers, as it welcomes buyers into a room and you want them to keep walking and checking out the house.

• Just because it's winter doesn't mean you shouldn't have flower boxes and greenery at your front door, in pots. On the contrary, it's really warm and welcoming. Just make sure they are seasonally appropriate.

• Keep snow off the back patio and front porch. You want people to go out and see the back and front of the house and the patio and yard, too. Go back to your back fence and see what does the back of your house looks like, does it look boring? You can keep flower pots by the slider doors, as it softens the look of the house in the gray winter.

• Don't forget to put out the summer photos of your great outdoor deck, so people know what it will be like in warmer months.

Here are some added tips:

Invest in some annuals or perennials that like the cold weather and put them in pots or line the walkway with them. Some of the best annuals for color that like the cold are pansies, primroses, kale (cabbage), and emerald greens (arborvitaes). Think not just about adding green bushes, but add color with annuals that will survive in your climate. If you are not sure, consult with your local landscape supplier and ask what you should put in those pots in the front and back yards.

Remove hazardous ice from walkways, streets, etc. - this could pose a slipping hazard for a potential buyer and you want to avoid potential issues arising from a buyer that falls on your property. Plus, it makes it look like you care about your house when you have taken the time to remove the ice and piles of snow so that the house is easily accessible.

Add outdoor cushions to your chairs that may be outside for color and appeal. You can have a fireplace set up on your patio or deck where when the nights are not too cold, you could convey enjoying a nice cozy fire outside.

Lastly, when the outside is lacking in color, make sure you have plenty of color elements INSIDE your house to balance out the bleak. Use accessories and layers of color to help create that buyer appeal and transition from the outside to inside. If a house is bleak on the outside, and then on the inside has white walls, tan furniture and beige carpet, it is blah and boring. Using artwork, fabrics, throws, pillows and accent decor can help create an inviting look for buyers.

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For information on getting your house show ready, contact Jennie at 303-717-7918 or 888-93-STAGE. With over 2,700 houses Staged successfully, Jennie has the expertise and ideas to help you achieve your goals of a successful sale. http://www.sensationalhome.com/

List Price versus STAGED List Price

List Price versus STAGED List Price

By Jennie Norris, ASP Master, IAHSP-Premier, SRS, REO

Owner, Sensational Home Staging

Denver's Premier Home Staging Resource

Do Sellers sell their houses to get SOME of the money possible from the sale?

No.

Sellers want ALL the money possible from the sale – the BEST PRICE possible so they can maximize the profit from the sale of their house. Not just SOME of the money possible.

Realtors want to earn as much commission as possible from the sale of a house for all their hard work – at least the ones that are serious about having a successful real estate business. And the fact is a Realtor has a fiduciary responsibility to get their clients the MOST from the sale of their house – not just some of the potential money. ALL of it.

Imagine if Sellers understood the difference between List Price and STAGED List Price. Wouldn’t ALL of them want to Stage before Listing?

What is the List Price? That is the price the listing agent believes is a fair price for the house based on a comparative or competitive market analysis (CMA). They take a look at recent solds in the neighborhood that are comparable to the current house being listed for sale, and then they factor in the market. Is it going up? Is it a declining market? And they come up with a price RANGE for the house.

A Realtor does not want to price the house too high – because then they are “chasing” the market for the sale and Buyers always want “a good deal” on a house they buy.

That is where Staging comes in.

What is the STAGED List Price? That is the price the listing agent believes the house will sell based on the CMA, the marketed competition AND the fact that the house outshines 85-90% of the other listings. In a hot market, it is often a higher starting point that just the list price. Because the house outshines the competition, it becomes the “benchmark” for all other properties the buyer is looking at, and ultimately becomes the one they must have. Because Staged houses sell faster than their un-Staged competition, in a slower market they are less likely to experience a price reduction therefore they do sell at a better price than their competition.

A Staged house shows better than the competition and creates this feeling within that makes a Buyer want to buy THAT house. The Staged house feels more spacious, warm, inviting, clean, and easy for a Buyer to envision living inside – and it gets the offer. Statistics all over the country prove that a Staged house sells faster, and for MORE than the un-Staged competition. In a hot market, this can translate into possibly multiple offers.

Now, Staging is not a magic wand that would allow a Seller to demand ANY price for their house – they must still be reasonable and with their Realtor’s guidance price the house within the range of where it will sell. But they don’t have to be at the bottom of the range, or even in the middle when the Staging has included updating such as new carpeting, painting, fixtures, and flooring. They can be towards the top of the range which in many markets means thousands of dollars more for the sale of the house.

For certain a Seller needs to honestly assess their house compared to their competition – and take note of how their house looks compared to others – that might be Staged – because if they choose not to Stage, their house will be “used” to sell the Staged houses.

Did you know that in the Denver area only about 10-15% of the houses are Staged prior to coming on the market? This gives YOUR listing or house an immediate advantage over 85-90% of the marketed competition! Around the country some areas have 50% of the houses being Staged while others are hard pressed to find even 5%.

A Staging Consultation in the Denver area ranges between $125-$350 and the consultation should include a detailed plan for the Seller on what they can do to get their house Staged and show ready. This is a MINIMAL investment compared to the ability to position their house at a better price than the un-Staged competition. Nationwide, the consultations range from $125-$450 depending on where you live and it’s all relative to the market and median price for houses.

Dare I say that the Consultation by a trained Professional Stager one that every Realtor should be using as part of their listing process? Yes.

In fact, the Realtors I have worked with over the years that include Staging as a standard part of their listing process, paying for this service for their clients to ensure it gets done, are the TOP agents in the market. They understand that it’s not worth listing a house unless the house puts its best foot forward – and makes the right first impression.

If you are listing your house – you as the Seller need to take control and make sure your house is STAGED prior to coming on the market and pay for the consultation if your agent does not include it. Get a trained Professional Stager to advise you on what you need to do. Or list your house with a Realtor that includes a 3rd party Staging assessment as part of their listing and marketing services.

The STAGED List Price in some market can be $10,000-$50,000 MORE than just the “list price” – and buyers will make an offer on the house that is ready for them to move in, is clean, decluttered, does not smell bad, feels spacious, updated, looks fresh and inviting.

The alternative is to not Stage, and just price your house where you hope it sells, and then reduce the price if there is no activity. That price reduction is usually 10-20 TIMES the Staging investment. That leaves a LOT of money on the table!

You see, you don’t SAVE by not Staging – you either invest it up front or you lose it on the back end with a lower starting point or price reduction(s).

Why do you need a 3rd party to come and tell you what to do? Can’t you just watch one of those shows? The fact is, it’s hard to be objective in your own house – you live there, you have decorated it with your personal taste and it is hard to separate ourselves from our “home” when it comes time to sell. Selling is also stressful and Sellers are not always in an objective and receptive frame of mind. Realtors don’t want to be the ones to tell their client there is anything “wrong” with their house – whether it’s cleanliness, smells, objects in the house or other changes that have to be made to create the necessary buyer appeal. Investing a few hundred dollars to get an independent assessment from a trained Professional Stager is the key. You can find one in your market by going to the www.Stagedhomes.com site and clicking on the ASP Directory to find a trained and qualified Stager near you.

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If you are a Realtor serving this region or you live in the Denver area and need to sell your house, just pick up the phone and call me to help you get your house prepared for sale.  After 10 years and over 2,700 houses Staged, I have yet to meet a house that I could not properly prepare for sale. 303-717-7918 or 888-93-STAGE.  www.SensationalHome.com

Sensational Denver Bungalow Transformation

Check out the before and afters of this cute Denver bungalow - Staged and SOLD in less than 10 days!  Notice how the inclusion of furniture and decor not only adds needed color - it makes the rooms look larger than when they are empty.  Remember - people looking at photos online have no idea how large or small a room is - and so it's imperative that furniture is brought in to help define the room and size.  In person - a buyer also needs to emotionally connect with the house - and the furniture and decor does the job!!

Selling During the Holidays? How Much is Too Merry?

The holidays are just around the corner. If you have your house listed for sale or are going to put it on the market, here are some things to think about to ensure your house is "buyer friendly" during the holidays.

First, not everyone celebrates the holidays you do so minimizing what is put out for celebrating is key. Make every buyer feel welcome - even the ones that don't do much for the holidays or believe in celebrating the ones you do. There is nothing "wrong" with what you believe or celebrate and it's important to think like a buyer and create that welcome feeling for anyone viewing your house. Not putting out everything you own for decorating for a holiday will keep your house feeling spacious, neutral and inviting for any buyer.

The religious holidays that are coming are a source of remembrance, joy, and ritual for many. Not all buyers are going to know what your religious items signify and we don't want anyone feeling uncomfortable in the house they are potentially buying. If someone feels uncomfortable they will just get out and go look at the next house on their list.

I have seen some advice on various real estate sites about putting out the decor to make the house feel more "family friendly" - and yet as I have shared - that is a risk. We have to remember that we are selling your space - not your stuff.
I am going to address Christmas because that is what we celebrate in my house and if you celebrate another religious holiday in the November-December timeframe, apply the same guidelines to your house. Christmas decor is a lot of fun - I have lots of Nativity Scenes and Santas. I have a collection of over 40 Nutcrackers that are a family favorite and on display wherever I can fit them. They would surely be a conversation topic for any buyer coming to see the house if it were for sale.
Are you selling your decorations or are you selling your house? Also if you have some heirloom or precious things on display and they get broken or stolen, wouldn't you be upset? So this is the year to not put all those things out. Keep it to a minimum.

Even our tree has a special spot and it blocks the view to the back yard. So if we were selling, I would not put my Nutcrackers on display, I would relocate the tree to a better spot (or maybe not have one), and I would limit the number of decorative things to a few. Poinsettias are fine. A wreath on the door or on a wall is OK. But the abundance of decor some of us put out for our normal Christmas tradition would have to be left in the boxes for where we move next.

It might seem hard, but you are selling a house, not a home. If it is really a non-concession for you and you insist on having all your stuff out - then have no showings for the week before and after Christmas until you can get your personal holiday decor put away.

Know this: People DO buy houses at Christmas. There are people relocating from around the country and this can be a time when buyers are looking for a house, and must make an offer. Realtors will often say that the buyers that are out now are "serious buyers" - they are looking now because they either need to move or perhaps want to take advantage of year end tax breaks. Either way, don't discount the buyers that are out there and not make your house engaging, and a place THEY can make into THEIR home - not feel like they are invading YOUR home.

If you HAVE to sell now - then make some adjustments so that you house can remain on the market and be viewed as a product that any buyer would want to purchase.
Enjoy your scaled-back holiday and know that next year when you are in your new home you can go all out!!

Jennie Norris, ASP Master, IAHSP- Premier, SRS, REO, Owner & Principal Stager, Sensational Home Staging serving the Greater Denver region

•International Staging Expert, Blogger, and Media Personality

•Member of International Assoc of Home Staging Professionals since 2003

•Why Trust Your House or Listing to Anyone Else?

•Over 2,700 Houses Staged and Thousands of Satisfied Realtor and Seller Clients

Sensationally Staged - Englewood Condo - Inverness Area

Check out one of our latest Sensational Home Staging projects - listed for sale and under contract in only 4 days!  The seller wanted to price her condo aggressively - and needed it to look a certain way - so we obliged and got the job done quickly and professionally.  The results speak for themselves - and the price per square foot is one of the highest in the area! 

As I always say - and teach - do what it takes to SELL THE PROPERTY - Staging does not have to be overdone - it just needs to be done so that the buyer can appreciate the features of the house they are buying!

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For help getting your property or listing in the Denver area Staged and SOLD - contact Jennie Norris, ASP Master, IAHSP-Premier, ASP-REO, ASP-SRS.  Jennie is the most experienced Stager in the area - and has the experience, credentials and expertise to know what to do to properly Stage your house or listing.  Call her at 303-717-7918 or 888-93-STAGE.  "Why Trust Your House or Listing to Anyone Else?"

No Gimmicks – Just Staging - We are not a ME TOO industry

No Gimmicks – Just Staging - We are not a ME TOO industry

I was watching “What Women Want” recently - great movie from Mel Gibson’s heyday – and one of the slogans he and Helen Hunt come up with for Nike was, “No Games. Just Sports.” It got me thinking. With Staging – there are so many “sister” industries sticking a toe into what we do that I am concerned that the public may not be fully aware of what is really needed to sell their house.

Do we really want to be a “ME TOO” industry where

anyone can claim to be a specialist in Home Staging?

What industries am I talking about?
1. Decorating

2. Interior Design

3. Feng Shui

4. Professional Organizing

I have respect for people that are trained in these areas but they are not professional Home Stagers.

To me someone that is a professional has training and knowledge about the industry they serve – Real Estate – and knows where the lines are drawn between these stand-alone industries. This is not to say that someone that has a business in the areas above can’t Stage – I just believe wholeheartedly that they need to get educated about what Staging principles are so that they are providing true Staging – not applying the principles of their specialty industry without understanding what the goals are for Staging a house – because that does not serve the client in the best way and the outcome is not going to be what the client wants or deserves.

And they are NOT the same as Home Staging.

Just because they THINK they know what to do – does not mean they do – and I have seen enough “staged” houses by non-professional "stagers" to know it is becoming a major issue for our industry. If we don’t address it now – our industry will be watered down, we will lose money to these “ME TOO” people, and the purity of Staging will be lost.

Let’s take a look at how they differ from pure Home Staging.

Home Staging:

Definition:

a) Home staging is the act of preparing a private residence for sale in the real estate marketplace, regardless of location or condition. It is using the seller’s timeframe and budget to prepare their house for sale so it appeals to the most buyers, sells faster and at the best price.

The goal of staging is to make a home appealing to the highest number of potential buyers, thereby selling a property more swiftly and for more money. Staging techniques focus on improving a property's appeal by transforming it into a welcoming, attractive product that anyone might want. Staging involves depersonalizing a home to make it a house that any buyer can envision themselves living in, and create a broad buyer appeal. It is also a method for protecting the Seller and their family as their house is being marketed to the mass public. The house can still have warmth and pizzazz with things that add color but the goal is to sell the house.

Now, as you read these definitions below – ask yourself, “Do any of the definitions (found online) say the words, ‘real estate’ or ‘prepare a house for sale’??”

1. Decorating:

Definition:

a)Make (something) look more attractive by adding ornament to it.

b).Provide (a room or building) with a color scheme, paint, wallpaper, etc.

Decorating is the service of dressing up a home – it is all about personalizing the home for the people that live there. When selecting paint colors or decorative treatments there is no thought to a buyer and what they would like to see in the home because these people are not selling. So, when a Decorator sticks a toe into Staging their focus is naturally going to be on the “stuff” versus the space.

2. Interior Design

Definition:

a)The art or process of designing the interior decoration of a room or building.

interior design - the trade of planning the layout and furnishings of an architectural interior that may include architectural layout, lighting, painting and furnishing a home or commercial building.

b) the branch of architecture dealing with the selection and organization of furnishings for an architectural interior

Interior Design is also about personalizing the interior of a home or building. Interior design is a multi-faceted profession in which creative and technical solutions are applied within a structure to achieve a built interior environment. These solutions are functional, enhance the quality of life and culture of the occupants and are aesthetically attractive.

3. Feng Shui

Definition:

a) (in Chinese thought) A system of laws considered to govern spatial arrangement and orientation in relation to the flow of energy (qi).

b) The Chinese art or practice of positioning objects, especially graves, buildings, and furniture, based on a belief in patterns of yin and yang and the flow of chi that have positive and negative effects.

According to feng shui websites by feng shui practitioners, The aim of feng shui is to create a living and working (and dying — feng shui is for graveyards, too) environment in harmony with nature and the flow of energy.

4. Professional Organizing

Definition:

a) Professional organizing is an industry that has been developed in order to help individuals and businesses design systems and processes using organizing principles and through transferring skills.

Professional organizers aim to help individuals and businesses take control of their surroundings, their time, their paper, and their systems for life. Professional organizers help redirect paradigms into more useful cross-applications that ensure properly co-sustainable futures for their clients' spaces and processes.

The definitions for ALL the sister industries are found online. Did you read the words, “REAL ESTATE, SELL A HOUSE, PREPARE HOUSE FOR SALE, OR SELLERS” IN ANY OF THE DEFINITIONS?

NO. Hmmmm.

How did this happen?

Well HGTV is in part to blame for the blurring of the lines between Home Staging and the sister industries. When you have shows called, “Design to Sell” and have an interior designer floating around the episodes doling out Staging advice – and in reality is remodeling the house and adding design elements – not Staging – it creates confusion within the industry and with the public.

Then I believe Professional Home Stagers that are successful are responsible too. Let me explain. Even though the industry was created in 1972, the late 90’s saw the birth of the launch of professional Stagers setting up businesses to serve Realtors and Sellers for the first time. Back then we were considered “the ugly stepchild” of the design world.

It has taken 12 years of professional Home Staging business owners educating the public and real estate industry about Home Staging to get where we are today. I believe that when the MONEY and SUCCESS part of Staging became known (because Staging can be lucrative) – these other industries realized that what WE do is a necessary part of Selling a house – and it is an industry that does not require a “mad money” mentality where a homeowner will only pay for it IF they have some extra money laying around, like the sister industries.

And they wanted a piece.

Because Staging increases the sellability of a house – Sellers realize it is mandatory and more than that, Realtors realize that it is now a mandatory part of Selling any house. Not only that, but Realtors that incorporate Staging as part of their business practices and listing services are more successful, and will be repeat clients for a professional Stager – versus the other industries that have to constantly be creating new clientele.

How do we “fix” this?

We all need to be sharing what Staging IS and what it is NOT – it is NOT decorating, interior design, feng shui or professional organizing. Staging is a service used in the Real Estate Industry – to prepare a house for sale. Period.

Can someone that is skilled in a sister industry also Stage – yes – BUT they need to understand that they are not using the same principles and the goals are not the same as their primary service area. I also believe they NEED TO GET TRAINING OR EDUCATION in Home Staging - whatever form that takes. The reverse is true too – I know many Home Stagers that are also talented in the sister industries. Usually they market that sister service as an off-shoot of what they do, and they have a background and education in that field.

Now before you get all fired up – if you are in one of the sister industries – I acknowledge that there are talented people in those industries that DO a great job with Staging – BUT those people understand the differences in the industries – and have been able to apply their talent and creativity to Staging – not try to make Staging fit design, decorating, feng shui or organizing.

Do you feel the way I do that it is disrespectful to those of us that invested a lot of time, dollars, and passion into our STAGING businesses to be LUMPED together with those that have done NONE of that?

The fact is any of us COULD market ourselves as a Feng Shui person, a Professional Organizer, or Decorator – because NONE of those industries are regulated. Anyone can set up shop in those fields.

I don’t do that – because I RESPECT those industries and the people serving them – and I UNDERSTAND that they are different than what I do – in process and goals. My passion is for Staging – I love what I do and the process behind it.

On behalf of all the talented Home Stagers serving the real estate industry, I respectfully ask for the SAME CONSIDERATION.

When I do a Staging to Live that is a home makeover I draw the line at where I know I am not qualified to help them – and bring in a re-designer, decorator, organizer, or design person to take over. I have NEVER been brought in to a project any of these sister industries are working on – with a homeowner that is selling – they just take the business. To me, that is wrong and does not show respect for professional Home Stagers everywhere.

My focus though will be on REALTORS and SELLERS – to make sure they know that those other industries are NOT Staging and should not be confused with what Home Staging is.  Hire the right person - the best person for the project - that knows what to do - and they will get the results they want.

Who’s with me?

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