Simply Staged Inc - Rockford Area Home Staging Blog: July 2008

Simply Staged Inc. staged this home and in less than a week it received THREE offers and went under contract for $5,000 OVER asking price.  In our area, offers OVER asking price are not commonplace.  It was definitely a team effort by the home sellers, Realtor and staging.

Upon meeting, this client greeted me with the statement, "We have seen staging on TV, so whatever you need to do, and we have already rented a storage unit."  What a great way to begin staging a home.  It was a fun project because the home owner had so many great pieces to choose from.  But as the home seller pointed out, there was too much furniture in the home for selling, so alot of it was placed in storage. 

We proceeded to re-purpose furniture throughout the home, swapping family room furniture with living room furniture and using extra pieces to create a family room in the completed lower level which was previously used as an exercise room. 

We used the home sellers' belongings.  The only additional pieces brought in were a couple floor plants and a few pieces of art.

Family Room BEFORE

Family Room AFTER

Dining Room BEFORE

Dining Room AFTER

Living Room AFTER (Before photo not avail.) The leather grouping in the family room photo was in this room along with a matching chair and love seat.  (Too much furniture for selling)  This was the only idea the home seller was a little hesitant about.  She went along with me and we swapped the furniture and it became their favorite room in the house.

Home Staged by Michele Hess, Simply Staged Inc. (815)979-3027, simplystagedinc.com

Does a vacant home have the draw of a staged home?  

This staged home brought the buyers back FOUR times.  They fell in love with the home the first time they toured it, but it was more than they wanted to spend.  Something about the home kept them coming back and ultimately they decided to purchase the home. 

If the home would have been vacant do you think it would of had the same connection that kept them coming back?  It is located in a subdivision with heavy competition.  The staged home sold, while the competing homes still have "For Sale" signs in their yard.

Home staged by Michele Hess, Simply Staged Inc. (815)979-3027, simplystagedinc.com