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Category Archives: Home Staging
Kitchen Before/After…
I SOLD THIS HOME IN 9 DAYS
2321 BENNETT ROAD-LAFAYETTE, INDIANA
Homes for sale in Lafayette, Indiana. This home was on the market for several months and had expired. I called the owner one day to express my interest in helping her to acheive her goal of selling this amazing home. We discussed at length what had happened during the previous listing, the interest she had had, feedback received, etc. I came over to view the home, and we discussed everything in person, forming an aggressive plan to improve the presentation of the home. She had previously been advised to lower the price and make similar improvements to what I was suggesting, but wasn’t comfortable with the way the ideas were presented to her, and therefore did not follow through with them.
There was a lot of wall paper removal that needed to be done, some light cleaning, removal of furniture that was stored there, and the addition of some strategically placed flowers, plants, and modern decor to highlight details of the home that made it unique and very appealing to buyers. I was able to provide resources to her for all of these tasks and help to implement the vision I wanted for the home. Neighbors who had seen the home for years were amazed at how different it looked in the course of a few days.
I did not suggest she lower the price, as I found it to be close to what I would expect for a home that would now show very well to potential buyers viewing the home, as well as in photos online. The home sold 9 days later to a woman who had seen it when it was listed previously, but had chosen to make an offer on a different property. When that offer was not successful, she revisited the house and the rest is history. She purchased the home and we all had a successful closing. The agent that represented her later told me she would not have purchased the home if it had not had the changes, that it did, when she came back.
* A note on home staging.
The seller of this home was very emotionally attached to the home, after raising her family there. It wasn’t easy to hear that she needed to de-personalize the decor to appeal to buyers. She remembered putting every bit of the wall paper up, enjoying years of family memories in the rooms and working hard to get it the way she wanted it, making it hers. It took a very caring demeanor to help her through having to undo the things that had made her house, her home. I feel very blessed to be able to connect with people in a way that they know I care, and that makes them feel better about doing what it takes to get the results they want, or need. Not every home has to be totally depersonalized to make it show well, but some do need a lot of work. If you have questions about what home staging really means, and what you may want to do to your home, to help it have the most successful home selling story, contact me. I am not judgemental. I will do whatever I can to help you, and I have an eye for this, that not everyone has. In the end, it really does pay to have someone on your team with a few tricks up their sleeves! Sincerely, Kristy Miley
SOLD In 21 DAYS & Buyer represented also
718 OWEN STREET- HIGHLAND PARK-LAFAYETTE, INDIANA
Homes for sale in Lafayette Indiana. This home sale was a joy to be a part of. The owners and I did a lot of work planning the staging and listing of the home. They were determined to make this sale successful and it paid off. Having two small children in the home, they had questions about presentation for showings without much notice, so I gave them tips to make it easy to be ready if they had a request that they needed to prepare for quickly. I suggested improvements they could do to help the home appeal to the most buyers, including painting the red kitchen cabinets a neutral color, removing a few larger pieces of furniture to open up the space visually, storing some of household belongings that weren’t needed, etc.
I took high quality photos, that maximized the online and print presentation, ensuring a lot of interest and showings. I wrote compelling descriptions of the home and neighborhood and created a professional home book, with all of the important information buyers need, to be left for all visitors to see. I hosted 3 open houses in 3 weeks, varying the times for each, to accommodate the most people.
At the third open house, a woman came to see the home and we talked about the unique features the home offered, and what I, as an agent, would be dedicated to providing her, if she decided to work with me on her purchase. She had a lot of concerns relating to purchasing a home and also working with the listing agent. I had patience with her, making sure she knew that I was there to be absolutely supportive of all of the parties involved in the transaction. We formed a trust, that I know meant a lot to both her and I, and I represented her, and the owners, to the closing of this property very successfully.
I am very proud of the way we all conducted this transaction. The sellers were dedicated to leaving the house in great condition for her, and she was thrilled to have this adorable, charming home as her new place! At closing we were all able to talk together, laughing at little things that happened through the process, and we all still keep in touch. The sellers are convinced of the power of the suggestions I made for staging the home. The buyer is convinced it was fate that I hosted the open house that night, and that she decided to stop in, just for fun, when she saw the balloons on my sign. We all joke that if I hadn’t had that sign out that night, with balloons on it, that she may have never seen her new dream home!
Stories like this are why I say, “Real estate is about people, not property”, and why I love my job. I am able to be a crucial part in making these types of transactions go so well. It isn’t easy and requires a multitude of skills, including being able to listen to what people are really saying to you. What the real concerns are, that they need help with, and providing them the support they need to be comfortable moving forward with their goals.
*A note on home staging.
Not all homes have to be neutral to show well, home staging isn’t about painting everything off white. Every home I go into, has a very different, very specific, plan for maximizing the positives, and minimizing the not so positive aspects. I have very specific reasons for every suggestion I make, and love to talk with people about why this makes a difference in sales. I can help you understand the little tricks you can do, that make big differences in how your photos will look, and how your home will be perceived at showings, and open houses. I do this without making you feel attacked or judged, and you will know I am coming from a place of caring and concern for your success. It isn’t easy to let someone into your home, to talk about what you may need to change, but the demeanor of the agent will make all of the difference in how it makes you feel when you are exploring this concept. I have an eye for this, that not everyone can offer. If you need help, or want me to view your home and talk with you about staging, please contact me. You don’t need to wait until it’s perfect for me to see it. That is why I am there, to help you determine what to do, if anything, to change it from how it always looks, to how it should look when a potential buyer comes. It’s not always what you would think that will make the biggest differences. Just let me know if you have any questions about this. Sincerely, Kristy Miley