• “There were ____ showings!”
• “They got ___  offers”
• “Buyer waived the ____ contingency”
• “Contracts were signed in ____ days!”
• “It went for ____ over ask”

Fill in the blanks any way you want. Chances are good someone you know will know of situations with even more astounding numbers.  The real estate gods are smiling on Westchester County sellers for sure. So in a hot market, when inventory and interest rates are both so low, why bother staging?

Find out why Monday May 3rd @ 7:30 via TRH’s ZOOM workshop, hosted by the Harrison Public Library. 

Like most thoughtful questions, there are questions within the question. What you’ve got to be clear about first is “what is staging?” The industry has ready-made answers for why you should, but not so much on what it actually is, and how it can work.

TRH defines staging (a.k.a. listing prep) as determining and doing whatever you can to improve the market position of a property and ease your mind. Two specific goals, and open-ended as to how to get there: it’s an invitation to start the conversation and find your own best answers. If you can get behind that, keep reading.

“Big” (expansive, stunning, dramatic, etc) in listing photos are never bad. But this past year has changed how buyers view photos. What they want, and what they will pay for has changed. Big/etc is just not enough anymore.

Really good listing photos are memorable. They stand out and resonate. They add value by engaging buyers’ minds and touching their hearts. Good staging digs down and connects the dots, making the dreams behind say a mudroom, a DR or a backyard real. Don’t buy the warm and fuzzy stuff?

Two logical reasons you want to stage your house: 

Ask around. Houses that look the best tend to attract the most serious and most qualified buyers. Beyond the price offered this is important in a hot market so the deal doesn’t derail for financial reasons. You want a buyer with a solid deposit; also someone who can make up any appraisal gaps.

Buyers will bond with properties that touch their hearts. This comes in handy if there are contingencies to work out like closing dates. Also handy if there are unforeseen delays, like a coop board approval, or legalization issues.

This workshop will first help you see as buyers, then guide you as a seller or agent on how to style the best listing photos. Plus, more reasons why it all matters, even in a hot market.

Click here to register through the Harrison Public Library website, and contact me here if you have any further questions. Hope to see you there!