|
|
|
View my Google Maps!
Dianna Mandzuk ●Sales Representative ●Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist ●Canadian Staging Professional RE/Max Jazz Inc., Brokerage Professional Offices located at 203 Bond St. E., Oshawa, Ontario. L1G 1B4 Direct: 905-433-2579 Office: 905-728-1600
Look for me on Facebook!
|
By Heather M. O’Connor
Sellers love it
Ask Paul T. Cody, an agent with RE/MAX Twin City Realty what percentage of his listings are staged and the answer is easy – 100%. Staging makes his listings look better and sell faster – it’s a service he provides to his clients. Considering 85% of his business comes from referrals, it pays to make his customers happy.
Staging makes Paul’s listings stand out from the rest. A recent listing is a good example.
“The home was surrounded by cookie-cutter houses with the same square footage. Only the insides were different. The comparables showed $325,000 to $330,000. We sold for $342,000. I attribute it to staging and the client listening to what the professional stager said.
“Staging is different from interior decorating,” he says. His Canadian Staging Professional taught him that.
It might need a coat of paint or a new carpet, but most buyers don’t want to do the work. Their lives are too busy. Bargain hunters will lop a substantial amount off their offer to pay for the improvements.
Hiring a credible professional home stager strengthens an agent’s relationship with the clients. It’s not easy to say a home needs to be cleaned, it has an odour or that cherished knick-knacks and family photos should be put away. A well trained professional stager provides a buffer from potential “hurt feelings”.
Dianna Mandzuk, of RE/MAX Spirit Inc., Brokerage in Oshawa, agrees. "It’s hard for agents to tell home owners what they need to do to fully prepare their homes for sale," she says. "They rarely see it from the buyers perspective. When a certified consultant comes in, home owners listen; it works so much better."
Buyers love it
With staged listings, the feedback is typically positive even if it’s not the house the buyer decides on – they remember the staged ones.
Carol’s clients love buying staged listings too. “When buyers move in, it’s spot less. They don’t have to do any work. Some staged homes are presented so beautifully that buyers often ask if the stager would help them set up when they move in!
“Our listings are selling within a week or two!” she says.
Dianna took the CSP™ staging course to gain a better understanding of staging. She admits it helps, although she still hires a CSP™ to stage her listings. "Staging is a full-time job," she says. She could be out signing listings instead.
Carol Hammer regularly calls a CSP™ to stage her listings. Does it work for her?
“The proof is in the pudding,” she says, “Of the last six properties I’ve sold, five have been staged. All five sold over list price – any money the owners put into staging, they earned back and more.”
Carol considers it part of her marketing plan. Pricing a home right is important, she feels, but staging puts it over the top. A well-staged house appeals to buyers and attracts multiple offers.
Hire a professional
Paul cautions agents against staging listings themselves or hiring a non-certified stager. Hiring a professional, he says, is worth every penny.
“Work with your strengths. I’m a real estate agent. People hire me for negotiating – that’s what I do best. I don’t take my own digital photographs either – I hire a professional. It makes me look good.
“Staging saves me time and money; the house sells quicker and the client gets more money. I hire a CSP™ for all of my listings, regardless of price or location.”
Home stagers with CSP™ beside their name are certified Canadian Staging Professionals™ who have been professionally trained and tested in techniques that give proven results; they also work with standardized tools and procedures and adhere to a code of conduct – that’s important.
“I had just sold my clients’ home; the staging work by Suzanne Ethier (Real Appeal) netted them an extra $13,000. An agent in my office wanted me to show one of her listings, which she said was staged. I said, “Great! I’ll see how your stager does it compared to mine.”
“My clients were not impressed with my colleague’s listing. “This is staged?” they said, and started pointing out things that were all wrong – they noticed the difference.
“I asked my colleague later “How much do you pay your stager?” The girl doesn’t charge her anything.
“Well you get what you pay for.” |
|
NOT INTENDED TO SOLICIT PROPERTIES ALREADY LISTED NOR BUYERS SIGNED UNDER A BUYER'S AGENCY AGREEMENT. E. & O.E. The information contained herein is believed to be accurate, but should not be relied upon without verification. Each office independently owned and operated. This site best viewed at 1024 x 768 screen resolution. COMMENTS/QUESTIONS CONTACT THE WEBMASTER content © 2009 DIANNA MANDZUK. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
|
