staging: do MLS photos matter?

I talk a lot about the importance of real estate staging and professional photography when listing a house for sale.    most recently, it was the subject of my column in Wilson Living Magazine,  and also featured here on the blog.

*let me interrupt your regularly scheduled blog post and take a moment to discuss the difference between SALE and SELL*    

sale= noun; a thing.  The sale of the house was due to correct real estate staging.

sell= verb; an action.  Are you going to sell your house?

TWICE this week I have seen these words used incorrectly IN PRINT, ON SIGNS, IN PUBLIC.  people…..it hurts my eyes, and I know I’m not the only one. if my favorite English teacher of all time (or really just my favorite teacher of all time period.  not just English) the AH-MAZING Mrs. Anne Donnell has seen these signs in our fair town, she has probably about driven off the road.  actually, she has probably already called these sign owners.  oh, how I love that woman! if she ever reads this blog, I’m sure my lack of capitalization and sentences beginning with prepositions make her eye twitch.  but it’s all about distinction Mrs. Donnell.

I digress.

however, I’m not sure what’s worse: that the professionals that PAID to have these signs made did not know the correct usage, or that the sign company that made them did not know.   so a word of advice if I may be so bold to offer.  if grammar, punctuation, or spelling is not your thing- PLEASE- for the love of all things good and true, find a friend that is a grammar Nazi and KEEP THEM CLOSE.  yes, we they may get on your nerves, but we they can fill a great need in your life.

MOST ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE A PROFESSIONAL and are posting a sign in public.

and now I’m quite sure, since I’ve made these statements, and since it is 1:13 a.m., this post will be full of errors.   feel free to flame me:)

*now back to our regularly scheduled blog post*

so where were we?  ah, yes…the importance of staging.

as far as staging goes-

there are still nay-sayers out there.  there are still real estate agents who believe that a bit of de-cluttering will do the trick.  and yet still those that believe staging is, ahem…decorating.  NOTHING is further from the truth.

let me state again, for the record, that staging is not ONLY about selling a property.  it is about selling the property for more money.

no amount of “decorating” or “de-cluttering” can create a higher perceived value; only a trained staging professional knows how to achieve this.

so.

last Saturday, my #designbestie Kristie, aka The Decorologist, asked me if I would assist her in a hands-on staging day with her newest class of EPS real estate stagers.  Three times a year, Kristie conducts a training class on her psychological home staging method, Expert Psychological Staging(TM). Saturday was the day to put into action all the students had learned.

the property that we staged is a working bed and breakfast that had already been on the market for a little while.  and while it’s always best to stage before listing the property the first time, I think you’ll agree from Kristie’s photos that staging and correct photography make all the difference, if you want to see more of our work, you can visit
houses for sale in regina south and you´ll find awesome properties and different designs.

let’s start with the living room.  this is the money shot– the first room a prospective buyer will view when entering.  now if you viewed this property on MLS as a prospective buyer, would this house/photo make it on your list of properties to view?

before

or would you choose to view THIS property/ photo?

As trained stagers, we assess the property before staging day, and recommend the correct interior paint colors needed for staging.  Kristie had viewed the property the week before, and specified the correct colors to stage this room and the kitchen.  She then brought in some additional props, but note that NO furniture was brought in.  Everything in these photographs already belonged to the homeowner.  With Kristie‘s guidance, the students  arranged everything according to the Expert Psychological Staging method.

There is nothing that gets my adrenaline pumping more than the immediate gratification and difference of a property staging.

do you feel it too?

amazing difference, huh??

next is the dining room:

before

after

and see what I mean by using a professional INTERIOR photographer??  it’s all in the detail shots-

enjoy going through these next before and after shots, and let me know when you pick your chin up off the floor if you feel any differently about staging after viewing these!  I think you will particularly enjoy the bedroom shots…..

kitchen before

kitchen after

master bedroom before

master bedroom after

master sitting before 

(all you notice here is the floral couch right?)

master sitting after 

(what couch??)

sunroom before

sunroom after

“magnolia bedroom” before

(brace yourself- this one’s a doozy!)

“magnolia bedroom” after

blue bedroom before

blue bedroom after

entrance porch before

entrance porch after

are you about to list your home for sale?

how do you feel about staging now?

excited to read your comments on this one!

this home just went back on MLS with the new photos- can’t wait to see how it does!

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