A Tale of Two Condos

Ever walk into a home and you just know it’s a gem in spite of an awkward furniture arrangement, dingy paint and carpet, and a bit too much “stuff”? I do this every day. And as a Realtor®, I have learned how to look past the seller’s personal aesthetic and see the potential of what lies beneath. The average buyer on the other hand has a tough time getting past that first impression, and I can’t blame them! When there is just too much of the seller’s personal life on display it is really hard to picture yourself living in their home.

More than 80% of realtors say staged houses help buyers visualize them as a home.

First impressions are a big reason why I always encourage my sellers to stage their home, or at the very least, declutter and de-personalize. A clean home, smartly arranged with minimal personal effects will not only sell faster but is also more likely to receive top dollar.

To illustrate my point, let me share a story with you—one that is all too common.

The Cluttered Cat Condo

My buyer was looking for a condo because she was downsizing. I found a unit in a great complex for her to consider. It met all of her requirements in terms of size, location, and amenities. Yet when I showed her the property, it had not been staged. In fact, it appeared fully lived in and not welcoming to a potential buyer at all. The owner’s knickknacks and personal effects were cluttering the space, and the cats in residence were hard to ignore having left their mark, quite literally, throughout the carpeted rooms.

To make matters worse, the furniture was simply too large and there were too many pieces causing the rooms to look much smaller than they actually were. The walls were covered with too many pictures and family photos. The bedrooms felt tiny with overstuffed closets and the bathrooms were overly cluttered.

95% of agents recommend that sellers declutter their home before putting it on the market.

My buyer’s first impression: too small, too old, too dirty, and not a space she could live in. With too much stuff and the owner’s personal items everywhere, my buyer simply could not imagine her own things in the condo or how she would live and function there. She was downsizing from a five-bedroom house and was ready for less space, but the unit felt small and cramped, and in her mind, just was not going to work. There was just too much of their stuff in her future space!

Staging Offers A Fresh Perspective

The next week, another unit in that same complex came on the market. I still felt confident it could meet her needs, so I encouraged her to take a look. The unit was the exact same floorplan—same layout, same square footage—but the sellers had done all the right things to make it ready to show.

When my buyer walked in, she was met with brand new carpet, new paint, and nothing cluttering the entry. Her first impression: “Wow, this is nice!” In each of the rooms, the furniture had been arranged to show off the size and livability of the space. We could also see how much storage the closets actually offered as most of the extraneous stuff had been removed. The bathrooms were also clean and tidy with nothing but towels. There were no photos on the walls. There were no knickknacks anywhere.

The kitchen cabinets had also been updated and the dining room was functioning as a dining room. And the living room that my buyer was convinced was too small in the other unit was so open she actually asked me if it was the same square footage. To her, the condo just felt huge.

So, while the updates were relatively minor, the unit was fully staged with nothing personal on display. It felt large, clean, and ready for a new owner to move-in, and my buyer could easily picture herself living there with all of her belongings. She was excited and we made an offer that day.

Unfortunately, she did not get the unit. But the other condo, the one we had looked at originally in the same complex, was still on the market. It was the exact same floor plan and now that she had been in the staged unit with fresh paint and carpet, she could see the possibilities. In the end, she did make an offer and she ended up buying the unit at a lower price than she would have paid for the staged unit.

This story had a happy ending, but just think if the first unit had been ready to show? My buyer would have snatched it up and probably would have paid more.

Staging is the Difference Maker

Unfortunately, I run into scenarios like this more often than not: a great home, poorly staged, not ready to show. I always coach my sellers on simple steps they can take to make their home show ready—it does not have to cost you a lot of time or money, but it can make a difference in how quickly your home sells and how much you might get in return.

Staged homes sell faster and staging increases the perceived value.

I also try to help my buyers see past the clutter or anything a fresh coat of paint or minor updates could fix. Sometimes all it takes is a little imagination to see the possibilities. Sometimes, though, imagination simply is not enough, and

If you are getting ready to sell, check out these staging tips to help make your home show-ready. Trust me, it will be worth the extra little bit of effort before you list. And if you would like to work with me, my staging advice is included of course!