Karen Sue's Blog

In my 5 years as a Home Stager in Austin Texas I can tell you that for the first time I received a request to do a Staging on a foreclosed home. The home is valued at around $550,000. Maybe that is why the bank is willing to invest some money into the house.

But I think this will be a great topic to bring up to sellers that are resistant to Staging.

I have a statistics page on my web site at www.sellrighthomestaging.com . Please feel free to use these statistics to present to your sellers when discussing the topic of Staging.

I will also be placing the bank owned properties on the statistics page as they sell so you can present these statistics to the banks when you get those listings.

Ace Casino Tours is now serving Austin to Marksville, Louisiana to the Paragon Hotel & Casino. Our round

trip cost is only $197.00 for 3 days, 2 nights and round trip transportation is included.

The Paragon Casino is such a great place if you like to get away for the weekend and like to gamble.

Our next trip is scheduled for Sunday, Febuaray 15th.

Please go to the web site, Ace Casino Tours and check it out.

We're running once a month but as we get busier we will run more often. At present we are the only bus line going to the Paragon from Austin, Texas.

Sellright Home Staging has expanded their market to Tulsa Oklahoma and Phoenix Arizona.

After getting many phone calls over the last 4 years for us to come to Tulsa to Stage homes we have decided to do just that. We now serve the Tulsa area maket. We have also expanded to Phoenix, Arizona. Although we have just started this city the phone is ringing already.

Sellright Home Staging has 4 years experience in the Austin, Texas area and we are here to stay.

If you are a Realtor in either of these areas please get in touch so we can link websites. I truly feel we can help each other.

If you are a Realtor in an area where you cannot locate any Home Stagers please let us know. We would be happy to serve your area as well.

This past year I have had numerous opportunities to view homes that investors have remodeled and updated. It seems that they are aware of Home Staging but consider it only when the house sits on the market for months and months.

I met two investors who were also Realtors. Both took an older home and added square footage, knocked down some walls and added new ones. Now since both where Realtors you would think that they would be aware that"women make the final decision in the home buying process". However, from looking at the layout of the house it was obvious that neither had gotten a women's opinion. With the homes being over $400,000 and only one dining room, the dining room has to be there. Not possibly there, not a wide hall way that can be used as a dining room, not a great room near the kitchen that could be used as a dining room. Good god guys, your married, ask your wives if nothing else!

Both these Realtors called me out for a bid to Stage the vacant property only after it had been on the market at least 6 months. Neither one hired me or any other Stager. Its been over a year and yes you guessed it, they still haven't sold. The prices have dropped on each at least $30,000, my fee to Stage to clarify the dining area and rest of house, $1800.00. Chump change considering the holding costs on these investments.

It seems one of the first questions asked by Realtor's when calling me about home Staging is"how much do you charge?". Since when is it all about the price and nothing about the service. Do Realtors walk in to a listing presentation and start off by saying"this is what my commission is going to be" Or do they talk about service to the seller and how their going to market the house. No,  the last thing they talk about is commission.

I have statistics, before and after pictures and stories to tell about how home Staging benefits the home owner and the Realtor. How can I sell my product if Realtors call and only want to hear price. How can Realtors sell my product to their sellers based only on price? How can you sell anything if you dont know anything about it or how it benefits the Realtor or the seller? How can you sell something you don't believe in? You Can't!

So, listen up!

If you want to sell vacant listings in less than 98 DOM, learn about what home Staging is all about. Look at Staged houses, talk to Realtors that use Staging on vacant homes, learn what is included in Staging, watch HGTV, learn the statistics of vacant vs occupied. Before going on a listing presentation run your comps(as I know you will) but look at DOM for occupied vs DOM for vacant. You will be very surprised at what you find if you have never done this. This alone can sell Staging to the home owner.

One last thing, there's a rumor that sellers don't have any money and can't afford Staging. (Home owners don't ask up front what the cost is. They ask what the service is and how they will benefit. There watching HGTV). Don't you think it's a disservice to list the house as vacant and then start dropping the price ever 30 days, when they can save a lot more by investing a little and never have to drop the price because it sells. It is the general opinion of Stagers and Realtors that use Stagers that your seller can't afford not to Stage.

I recently Staged a house in Austin Texas that sold in 1.5 weeks.

The original Realtor had the house listed for 2 months and dropped the price 2 times.

The home owner had been watching HGTV (my best advertising) and gave Sellright Home Staging a call.

She dropped the present Realtor because he didn't believe in Staging and he had said lowering the price was the only factor that would sell the house.

The house was Staged, new Realtor raised the price back up by $2500.00 to make up for the cost of Staging. The house went under contract in a week and a half. No repairs requested. Seller was very happy!!!.

Being an old dog with no new tricks will loose you listings. Sellers are educating themselves and want the most they can get for their house. Realtors tell buyers that a house is the best investment they can make" but  they don't help sellers properly prepare to sell that investment.

All houses for sale need Staging no matter what the price, because the way you live in your home and the way you market a house (now a product) for sale are two different things.

#1  Objection?  Money!  The cost of Staging is less than what the first price reduction will be. Sellers can't afford not to Stage. Credit Cards Accepted!

Call Sellright Home Staging Today!       512-699-9996

Staging has been around for 20 + years but has only begun to get popular in Austin in the last 3 years. Some of the best Realtors in Austin recommend Staging to their clients to help sell their home in less than 30 days. With the market slowing down Staging is more important than ever so the house looks better than the competition.

Many times I hear a Realtor or a seller state that they Staged the home and it didnt help it sell. But once I see the pictures, I realize thay dont have a clue what Staging is. Call a professional Stager.

Staging has been around for 20 + years but has only begun to get popular in Austin in the last 3 years. Some of the best Realtors in Austin recommend Staging to their clients to help sell their home in less than 30 days. With the market slowing down Staging is more important than ever so the house looks better than the competition.

Many times I hear a Realtor or a seller state that they Staged the home and it didnt help it sell. But once I see the pictures, I realize thay dont have a clue what Staging is. Call a professional Stager.