Thrilled to be featured in Home Stager Resource's blog about "Four Secrets to Success for REALTORS who are also Home Stagers".
http://www.homestagingresources.com/realtor-staging-training/
From Bleak to Chic....
I received a call from a woman who was in a desperate search of a solution. A home she owned had been on and off the market for almost a year. She lived out of state and the home, a waterfront property was purchased by her and her husband as an investment a few years back. They couldn't understand why their adorable house was not getting the proper feedback and offers it deserved. She was not only looking for a new agent but a stager as well. Typically I would take on both sides and manage the sale and staging start to finish. However it was over an hour from my home and I didn't feel I had sufficient knowledge of this particular market to give them the real estate service they deserved. Therefore I declined the listing but knew I could offer my services and expertise to get the home market ready. The home was vacant and would require fresh paint, accessories, art and furniture. Both the homeowner and real estate agent felt it was important to give a waterfront beach feel to the home. I am typically hesitant to go with any sort of "theme" when staging a home for sale. I think it is important to exude a feeling of comfort and style more than anything else. However being on the water I agreed that our design scheme would have a coastal feel to it. I achieved this by a specific color pallet and accessories. I was careful not to hit potential buyers over the head with it. I quickly got our team together and we went to work. When all was said and done we were thrilled with the outcome......this wasn't your Grandma's beach house. The results speak for themselves and the homeowners received FOUR offers within the first 2 weeks of being on the market!! Take a look at the before and after photos below.
Living Room: Before
Living Room: After
Living Room: Before
Living Room: After
Dining Room: Before
Dining Room: After
Master Bedroom: Before
Master Bedroom: After
Bathroom: Before
Bathroom: After
So fresh and so clean clean!
A recent house I staged is a perfect example of how all homes can benefit from strategic planning before being listed. After a few months on the market I was brought in to consult. We were already against the clock so the improvements and suggestions we made required maximum results for a minimum investment. On paper this listing is perfect! A beautiful home in a great location with 5 bedrooms, 3.5 baths and almost 2500 square feet. The home offers ample living and entertaining space for any family. So why were the showings so minimal and the feedback negative? After a detailed walk through and evaluation we set our plan into motion. In general, a home owner will never be disappointed with painting the interior before it goes on the market. It never ceases to amaze me how far a new coat of paint will go. Not only does it freshen up the space, but if you use a color or pallet that is on trend, buyers with automatically see your home as updated and current. If the decor appears current buyers have not reason not to assume the general workings of your home are also updated. First let's take a look at the Family room as it was before.
This is a beautiful room that overlooks the well manicured lawn. With tons of natural light from 3 walls of windows, sliding door and skylights. The furniture and rug are a perfect scale from the room. So why wasn't this enticing buyers? I suggested to paint the room, top to bottom and omit some personal items. We hired painters to sand and paint all the natural 1980's wood molding as well as paint over the yellow color on the walls, which was a bit dated for todays current trends. Also, putting a fresh coat of white paint on any ceiling will always freshen up a space. Bring in a professional photographer and the results speak for themselves!
Next we focused on the kitchen.
Kitchens can be difficult for professional stagers. Kitchens can be the biggest deal breakers for buyers. They know if it is outdated or in poor condition than it is a large price tag to bring it up to date. In this case the kitchen has a lot of positive aspects. It is very spacious, has a huge island/kitchen table and has 5 different points of entry from different parts of the house. However the cabinets, table and island were outdated and showed their wear and tear. It also had the 80's wood molding around the windows and above and below cabinets. I had suggested we work with what we have, especially because we were on a time constraint. So I suggested we commit to a look and paint all the natural wood black, in addition to a fresh coat of paint on all walls. It would be too much to tackle a kitchen renovation and that is not my expertise. The decision paid off! After swapping out a more modern light fixture we upgraded the kitchen right away. The kitchen went from a warn out space to a clean and fresh. Now the main focus is how spacious and functional and stylish it is.
As soon as we completed tackling almost the entire house the showings went from once and awhile to daily and the feedback has all been positive!!
The way you make me feel.........
I find that many home owners see staging their home for sale as unnecessary or a last resort. It is only natural to think your house is fine just the way it is. The argument being "If it is good enough for us than it is certainly good enough for anyone else". However I couldn't disagree more. There is a distinct difference between decorating to live and staging to sell. When it comes to selling houses we need to step back and look at it for what it is. A valuable piece of merchandise that requires strategic marketing! I like to use a "used car" analogy. If you were planing to sell your 3 year old car for $20,000, it would be a no brainer to invest a few hundred dollars and time to clean out the car, change the oil and get the the car detailed. Especially when that small investment will help ensure your 20K asking price. Selling and staging your home is no different.
Anyone who has purchased a home is familiar with the long days of house hunting. You typically schedule a couple of days to see house after house after house. In my experience I find it interesting what home buyers remember vs. reality. I commonly find that when returning to a house they liked for a 2nd showing the details are a bit fuzzy. For example I have heard "I thought there were 3 windows in that room not 2" or "I remember the carpet being much darker in the bedroom than it actually is". This comes as no surprise. When looking for a house buyers are bombarded with different kitchens, yards, closets and bathrooms etc... No wonder a few details get lost or mixed up. However there is one thing that they never get wrong, and that is how the home made them feel. That's where I come in. I firmly believe in selling a feeling, an idea, a lifestyle! I want every house I list or stage to feel fresh, warm and current. Through careful thought and planning I device a plan to prominently feature the positive aspects of a home, while downplaying the not-so positive aspects. Through this blog I will be sharing images and stories of homes I have staged. I want them to serve as a reminder to how important it is to create a marketing plan that is visually stimulating, therefore increasing the probability that your home sells for the price you want and in a timely manor.
"Home Sweet Brown Home"
This is my house! The Garrison Colonial with the poop brown exterior and puke colored shutters.(This is actually a very flattering picture).
I want it to be very clear that I love my house and am very grateful to be in a position to own a home. However, the exterior appearance is not ideal. Our home was built in 1960 and we are the second owners. Which is mostly a positive, however many original features still remain. Therefore we plan on making several changes and updates to the house. Some projects are large endeavors, and others can be knocked out in a weekend. I will document all projects, highlighting my design ideas and suggestions, and hopefully keeping mistakes to a minimum.
First Things First.
My name is Michael Sinatro. I am a husband, father, artist, entrepreneur and eternal optimist.
My company is Sinatro Real Estate, Staging and Design. I offer three levels of service to my clients. I stage homes, I sell homes and I decorate homes. This blog will serve as a platform for me to share the projects I am working on both professionally and personally. I will also be sharing my thoughts on all things HOME.........so lets get started!
