Staging on a Dime in Croton-on-Hudson, NY
Staging on a dime in Croton-on-Hudson, NY, leads to a final sale price of 13 percent over asking.
If you were an HGTV addict in the early 2000s like me, you probably remember the popular decorating show Design on a Dime. At the time, it was one of the most realistic decorating shows out there.
One of the best segments of the show demonstrates the redesign of a single space. After emptying a room, they create a fresher, warmer, and more stylish environment using only the items they removed. All done without spending a dime.
Similar to the TV show, our Stage to Profit® system also focuses on no-cost redesign to stage a home for sale.
Our client, Amy, remains behind to prepare her family home for sale. Agent Eileen Murphy of RE/MAX in Tuckahoe, NY, suggests AtWell Staged Home provide guidance and assistance.
Amy is committed to the process and taking the advice of experienced professionals. She trusts us and that trust pays off.
I have to be honest. Since staging my first home in 2005, this is the first time that I begin to question whether a home can be staged using just what remains in the home.
However, what I have learned over those years is that the secret to successful staging is to simply get started—right at the initial consultation. No over-thinking, just doing.
After six hours of working with the home seller and agent, we are both surprised and thrilled with the results of the transformation.
Not just the visual transformation, but something that does not come across in photos—how the home feels.
When I enter the home initially, it feels a bit sad, abandoned, and like a huge project. By the time we leave, the home is inviting, warm, cohesive, flowing, and best of all, we feel uplifted and optimistic about the chances for a quick sale and multiple offers.
Working together proves the truth in Helen Keller’s famous quote that “Alone, we can do so little; together, we can do so much.”
The pros of the interior of this home are the updated bathrooms, open floor plan, and large windows that brighten each room. All great selling features.
However, the cons of this home’s interior are many. First, the paint in the home needs refreshing, and there is no budget for professional painting. The home seller handles this by painting the primary bedroom and removing the wallpaper from the powder room herself. Two updated rooms are better than none, and these minor changes make a major difference.
Probably the biggest negative—and barrier to a sale—is the kitchen. It has the original heavy oak cabinets and blue tile countertops from when the home was built in 1972.
We need buyers to see the kitchen’s potential, but how do we do that without remodeling?
We begin by making the space feel larger by repurposing the kitchen table as a game table and moving it to the lower level. Removing this piece of furniture also opens the pathway to the best feature in the room—a large picture window with a view to the private backyard.
In addition to professional cleaning, we also eliminate a hanging decorative divider and add some fun accessories to the counters. These decorations are once again a group effort. We combine items found in the home, some donated by the agent, and a few more picked up at a shopping spree at HomeGoods and Target. Money well spent to make this kitchen appear move-in-ready. The attention is now taken away from the dated elements and drawn to the potential this space holds.
A few months later I receive the good news from Amy that her home has sold. Here’s what she writes:
“Just wanted to say thank you so much for your help earlier this year with staging my family’s home. I really appreciate all that you did. The home sold for above asking and just closed today.”
Within 5 days of listing, this 3-bedroom, 2.5-bath, 1,420-square-foot Croton-on-Hudson, NY, condo receives 13 offers and sells for $450K, or 13 percent, over the $399K asking price.
Here’s what successful agent Eileen Murphy of RE/MAX in Tuckahoe, NY, shares about the experience and results:
“Susan was amazing to work with. She came to my client’s home and guided and helped us edit, remove and rearrange the house contents. Susan is very hands-on, some of her tweaks were small and some large, but we staged the house using what was in the house already. I learned so much and had quite a few ah-ha moments. My client spent a minimal amount of money and some sweat equity getting her family’s home ready to sell. We listed and within 6 days received multiple offers and sold for $51,000 over asking price. I know a big part of our success was due to the great job Susan did staging the home. I would absolutely recommend Susan to future clients and colleagues.”
If you would like to learn more about how you can work with AtWell Staged Home to transform your home or listings on a dime, please visit our website at Stage to Profit®.
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