Home Staging for a Converted Cabin in the Woods
A converted cabin in the woods in Putnam Valley is updated and staged for a fast sale.
After a 2-hour consultation for this vacant 2-bedroom, 2-bath, 1,610-square-foot weekend retreat—or potential starter home—in Putnam Valley, NY, owners Mike and Jo get to work implementing suggested changes like paint, cleaning, and minor kitchen updates.
I have to admit, I don’t really like this house at first glance. Vacant homes can easily lose their charm, so I’m tasked with coming up with the plan to create buyer appeal.
My favorite transformation is the kitchen. At the initial consult, we—me, agents Liz Pereira and Bruce Dollar, along with homeowners Mike and Jo—all stop and stare at the kitchen.
Where do we start? How do we make this space feel move-in ready and not like a big, expensive project?
Before
After
Then suddenly it hits me. The cabinets are actually kind of interesting, rustic, and unique, not to mention sturdy and structurally sound. What if we change everything but the cabinets?
How about removing the window treatments and A/C unit? The white cabinet on the side wall isn’t necessary for the sale, doesn’t coordinate, and the cabinet on the floor isn’t a permanent fixture. All cost-free fixes.
What if the countertop is replaced with something new and neutral, a nice laminate from Home Depot?
And instead of replacing any major appliances, how about just a new sink and faucet?
And what if we painted the backsplash tiles, as well as the walls? (Yes, they make special paint for tiles.)
And the floor? What if that is also refreshed with an inexpensive laminate and, to make the space feel even larger, extend that flooring through to the entry. Hmm? What if?
Well, at the end of the 2-hour consult, Mike and Jo have a high-return-on-investment plan for a home listed at just 429k.
Along with these suggestions, a fresh coat of paint throughout, removal of some wallpaper, and a thorough cleaning are also recommended.
The first goal of staging is to make a home move-in ready. And that’s exactly what we do. Buyers can move right into this home. The work is already done for them.
Finally, we measure the spaces for staging with budget-friendly rental furniture to show off the purpose and size of the main spaces—living room, dining room, and master bedroom—once the updates are complete.
Here’s the timeline and feedback from listing agent Liz Pereira:
Thank you so much for the fantastic job—economical, tasteful, effective.”
