The King Staged Closet Has No Clothes Conventional staging wisdom when it comes to closets (yes, there is such a thing, at least for a walk-in master closet in a more expensive home) is that two-thirds full is optimal. Less than that, and the closet looks too empty; more than that, and it looks too...Read More
That’s “Ugly Fruit,” not ugly fruit It’s turns out that “Ugly Fruit” is actually a proper name, not just descriptive. Discovery #2: it’s perfectly suited to staging. I count four reasons for that: One. It’s pleasingly colorful (vs. glaringly so or too muted). Two. Ugly Fruit is big. You only need a few to fill up...Read More
“Real” vs. “Virtual” Staging Staging a home well invariably involves lots of fine-tuning and not a little trial-and-error. So, sofas get moved around, art work get hung (then removed, then re-hung), Oriental rugs get deployed in various locations, etc. Unbeknownst to home Buyers and Sellers, the same process applies to what’s called “virtual staging” — that is,...Read More
No, It Doesn’t Hurt What’s a “brass-ectomy?” One local Realtor’s term (not mine) for updating all the cabinetry hardware — usually concentrated in the Kitchen — to give the home a more modern look. For my (and my client’s) money, that’s one of the most cost-effective things Sellers can do to inexpensively increase their home’s...Read More
Realtor Mistake #3 First, a caveat: by far the more common Realtor mistake is not doing pre-list marketing — touting an upcoming listing to colleagues — far enough in advance. Or, not doing it at all. However, at least in my opinion, it’s also possible to err on the side of doing it too soon. Call it an “advanced beginner” (or...Read More
Quarter Half-Hearted Marketing Campaign Given that something like 30% of all MLS listings are cancelled or simply expire, unsold, it seems fair to ask, “why didn’t it sell?” My Realtor’s answer is that, it’s usually never just one thing. So, poor (or no) staging; a quarter half-hearted marketing campaign; too few and/or unflattering photos; too...Read More
