As some of you who follow my posts know, I keep track of all the vacant homes that hit the market in the East Dallas, Oaklawn/Uptown and N. Dallas MLS areas because I see it as part of my job since I sell home staging.

Today for example I looked at all the vacant homes that listed in the month of November - 17 of them – in East Dallas. Of the 17 vacant homes that listed for sale in East Dallas in November 2013, as of today, 3 sold, 1 delisted - most likely due to lack of activity and interest, 1 is under contract and the remaining 12 are still on the market.

Statistically speaking, 70% of the vacant homes in East Dallas that hit the market in November 2013 have not sold yet and have at least gone thru one price reduction. This is why I sell home staging. Because it is essential for quick sales and maximum ROI!

In addition think of how much the lack of a sale has cost these sellers in mortgage payments, taxes, HOA dues, utility and any other maintenance cost associated with owning a house.

The takeaway from this exercise in Home Selling?  Don’t list your home vacant. You are reducing your chances of selling within 60 days by  at least 70%. You are also reducing your chances of getting an offer at asking price when your house does not sell within a curtain time frame.  Instead follow the example of these  brilliant sellers in, Lake Highlands, East Dallas and Preston Hollow who brought in Home Staging Dallas - Design by KETI to help sell their home in record time.

Dallas Texas vacant home Design by Keti sell home staging foyer dining room living room

This gorgeous mid-century modern house in Lake Highlands, listed for $900K. It went under contract after three days of being marketed as a staged home. We were able to destage the home in less then two months from staging.

Dallas Texas vacant home Design by Keti sell home staging living room kitchen foyer

This luxury home on Preston Hollow listed for $1.2M. It sold shortly thereafter and we were able to de-stage the home in less then three months from the list date.

Dallas Texas vacant home Design by Keti sell home staging kitchen bedroom living room

These modern condos in the East Village in Dallas all sold and de-staged with an average of 48 days on market from the day they got staged to the day they got sold and therefore de-staged.

For more info on the benefits of staging a vacant home for sale Click Here:

Cheers,

Keti

I would like to share with you an interesting thing that has happened to me during these past few months... On a few instances, I have been brought in as a Dallas home stager by a Realtor “because the seller asked to work with a Professional Stager”. That’s right, the Seller asked the Realtor to get them in touch with their preferred Professional Property Stager as they prepare their house for the market.

It is truly amazing to see the shift in people’s mentalities when it comes to Property Staging. I am thankful for all the smart sellers out there who truly understand that Property Staging is not just about “bringing some furniture into a vacant space”, and it’s not just about “fluffing their home”.

Smart Sellers understand that Property Staging is a powerful marketing tool that when used correctly it has tremendous FINANCIAL benefits associated with it.

We are stepping into a Sellers’ market these days and there is a lot of talk about how the sellers are benefiting and how “offers will practically just drop on their lap”, because the demand for homes is high and the supply is low.

Although, as a Dallas home stager, I understand the concept of supply and demand really well, I also do understand that REGARDLESS of what the market is, buyers are smart and savvy these days; they want the Best Product that meets their needs and wants at a dollar amount they are willing to part with.

Let’s take this example:

You go to a 5 star restaurant for dinner. You have the most decadent appetizers and entrees one can possibly have in their life. You enjoyed every bite of it…now it is time for dessert. You happen to love Cheesecake and you really want to order some. You talk to your waiter and he gives you your options:

You can have their “Regular Cheesecake”,

Dallas home stager design by keti texas plain cheesecakePlain Cheesecake

or for $1.50 more you can have their “Special Strawberry Cheesecake”

Dallas home stager design by keti texas luxurious strawberry cheesecake

Strawberry Cheesecake

I don’t know about you but for only a $1.50 more I definitely want the Strawberry Cheesecake which comes with drizzled chocolate caramel and strawberry sauces topped with whip cream and a glazed strawberry. Yum.

(Oh and btw, I guarantee you; it did not cost the restaurant $1.50 for the toppings).

The strawberry cheesecake creates a feeling within you and it eludes a vision of the reality of having that cheesecake vs. the plain one and you just can't resist it, plain and simple.

That’s exactly what Staging does to a property. It presents the buyer with the opportunity to emotionally connect with a property. It also sets your property apart in presentation and value from all the other “cheesecakes” in your neighborhood that are up for sale.

UNLESS you don’t want to make more money when it is readily available to you for a minimal investment of time and money (perhaps even some sweat equity on your part) than Property Staging might not be for you!

…therefore you need not read further.

But if you want to make more money when it is readily available to you than read on…

Here are 4.1 reasons why you should enlist a Dallas home stager for your property in a Seller’s market:

1. Property Staging is a Practical Real Estate Marketing Tool.

Once your property is listed on the MLS your job is basically done. All you have to do now is sit back and wait for the buyers to come by, tour it and make an offer on it.

We need to understand that the internet has changed the way we do business in every area of our life – and that includes selling a home. Did you know that 42% of buyers used You Tube to look up houses for sale last year? That means, pictures may no longer be all that valuable. The video and the virtual tours will be! I can only imagine how a home that is not staged would look on video, especially if it is not done by a professional. I read this expression a while back I thought it was so true and also so funny at the same time.

“If you think hiring a professional is expensive, wait till you hire an amateur”!

Using a Dallas home stager is an essential and irreplaceable marketing tool, like we have never seen before because we live in a day and age where people are taking care of all their social, private and business needs on the internet.

2. A Dallas Home Stager is a Solid Investment.

Did you know that for every dollar you put towards preparing and staging your home for sale, the buyer will most likely ask that you pay them $10. I don’t know about you, but I would rather pay a $1 now so I can keep $9 in my pocket later.

3. Property Staging is a Win-Win Transaction.

All parties involved in a Property Staging project are winners. It can’t get any better than that.

a- Sellers win because they are able to maximize their return on their investment and preserve the equity of their home. Sellers also win because by Staging their property they will drastically reduce their time on market, which will directly reflect on their pocket book.

Less time on market = less mortgage expenses and all the other costs that go along with having a mortgage, such as tax and insurance payments, maintenance cost, etc.

b- Real Estate Agents win because a higher sales price translates into a higher commission payment for them. Real Estate Agents also win referral business if they sell faster and for top dollar. If a Realtor has sold my neighbors house in two weeks, who do you think will be the realtor I will most likely be inclined to do business with when I am ready to put my home on the market?

c- Buyers win because you give them the opportunity to gain their confidence in the property they are buying from you and because you also give them the opportunity to fall in love with the house/property of their dreams.

d-Professional Stagers win because they are given the opportunity to exercise their creativity and gift of knowing how to merchandise a property for sale by Staging it while at the same time being able to financially support themselves and their families. Most Professional Home Staging Businesses are run and operated as a local small business and when you hire a Professional Local Home Stager, you are supporting small local businesses.

4. Staging a Property = Deal Done Quickly and for More Money.

You would want to Stage because you will get the deal done quickly and for more money. Did you know that Staged homes sell 2 to 2.5 times quicker and for 17% more than the non-staged homes?

4.1 Property Staging may also increase the appraisal value of the property which in turn naturally would allow some buyers to qualify for a mortgage easier.

It would make sense to me that you hire a Dallas home stager for your property 100% of the time, regardless of what the price of the property is and what neighborhood you live in.

These are my thoughts, what are yours?

Cheers,

Keti

When it comes to selling Real Estate, there is a tremendous difference between being In The Market, vs. being on the market.

You would want to be “in the market”and not “on the market”.

Here is how you know you are “on the market”. By the way, this is NOT a place you want to be if you want to sell your house fast: Your house has been listed for at least two months now, you have had less than 10 private showings and you have had Absolutely No Offers!

If that’s the case you need to sit down and re-evaluate your selling strategy. What is causing the lack of traffic and interest? Is it because the house is overpriced or is it because it does not show well. As experts in Property Staging, we can help guide you on some things that you can take specific action on, to assure that your home Shows Well, Sells Fast and for Top Dollar.

Houses that are professionally Staged and photographed Show Well. Because they show well, a lot more potential buyers will be inclined to schedule an appointment to come by and tour it.

The more interest you generate in your home, the more showings you will have. The more showings you have, the more offers you will have. It's how the market works.

Selling your home - like with every thing else in life - is basically a “numbers” game. Once you have priced your house well and you have professionally Staged it -once it hits the market - you should have at least 10 showings within the first week of listing. For every 10 showings that you have, there should also be at least 1 acceptable offer.

design by keti dallas texas home staging home on the market real estate top dollar

So how do you guarantee your home is IN THE MARKET?

All you got to do is focus on those 2 things:

1. That your home is Priced Well (Your Real Estate Agent is a great source for this). Check out my blog titled “3.1 Things You Should Do When Choosing a Realtor! for more details on how to select a Realtor that will represent your financial interests the best when selling your home.

2. That your Home Shows Well: that means it is professionally Staged and photographed (call Design by KETI or another Professional Property Stager in your area for assistance with this).

Once those 2 conditions are fulfilled you are on your way to selling Very Fast and for TOP Dollar regardless of what the Real Estate market is.

The reason being, by ensuring that your home is Priced Well and that it Shows Well, you are fulfilling the demand that the buyers have: they want the best product (1) that meets their needs (2) at a great price (3).

Truthfully Yours,

Keti Abazi, MBA, ASP, IAHSP

Owner and Creative Director of Design by KETI

You took the plunge. You decided it was time for you to move to bigger and better things. One of the things that you need to take care of now is sell your home. You hired a realtor and the house has been on the market for almost 6 months with  only 3 or 4 showings. Something is wrong with that picture.

Suddenly you are presented with a challenge and you have to tackle it. But what do you do? Ask yourself and your realtor if your House has the PSP Factor…yes, I said the PSP factor, kinda’ like the X Factor.

IF the house has the PSP factor, you should be able to have at least 10 showings in the first 1 to 2 weeks of being on the market. For every 10 showings that take place, you should also have an acceptable offer.

If you are not seeing that kind of activity, than most likely your home lacks the PSP Factor.

dallas texas home staging design by keti interior redesign university park living room fireplace home for sale   

What is the PSP Factor you might ask?

Here it is:

P is for PRICE.

Is the house priced to sell? I know we all take pride in our ownership and a lot of times our idea of what our house is worth might be a bit unrealistic. I hear,  some realtors so as not to lose you – their client - will go along and list your house for what you think is worth and not what research of past sold homes reflects.

Well,   this strategy backfires because for every month that passes by, you still  have that expense of carrying your mortgage payment, tax payment, insurance  and all the other carrying cost that go along with owning a home.

dallas texas home staging design by keti highland park bedroom home for sale

S is for STAGED.

The questions you need to answer are: How does your house show? Does it appeal to   the BROAD target buyer? Yes, I know, that sounds like an oxymoron, (broad, and target) but really it is not. Did your Realtor bring in a Professional Stager to help you prepare your home for Sale? Did you do what you were  advised to do?

Why is this so important? Because once you have decided to sell your home; it  becomes a product; therefore it needs to be merchandised so that it appeals  to a broad range of target buyers. So again, is your house Professionally Staged?

Well you could say: I had a decorator friend help me with my home. Or I have   immaculate taste and my home is perfectly designed or decorated.

I will tell you this: that is not good enough because where as Staging is Attention Directing, Decorating is Attention getting. The last thing you  want is for the potential buyers to “wow” and “wow”, after your personal   belongings and not the precious square footage you are trying to sell.

dallas texas home staging design by keti formal living room home for sale 

P is for PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY.

Did your realtor bring in a professional photographer to photograph and produce a   virtul tour of your home so they can start marketing it? Now this can go to two different extremes.

There are some homes I see listed on the MLS (go and do a search on Realtor.com and   you will know what I am talking about) where the realtor took their own  pictures with their cell phone and put them on the MLS to market your home -   which is worth a LOT OF Money, I am sure – and then there are some other   photographs that I see, which are otherwise “professional” but those pictures  are taken from an extra wide angle, or they are photo-shopped, and sometimes   they even look “fuzzy”to me cause they are stretched so much horizontally...sometimes they even look so "exotic"... either way. This could be a  bit of false advertising if you ask me.

SO make sure that the pictures used to advertise your property are professional as   well as an accurate representation of what your home looks like and what the  flow of your home feels like.

        

Generally  because the properties that Design by KETI Staged, have had the PSP Factor, they have gone under contract within the first week of being on the market.

What have been some of your experiences when you decided to sell your house in the past? Do you feel the above three points accurately capture why a home does  not sell FAST and for TOP Dollar? Would you like to find out if your house  has the PSP Factor? Call us today for a Free Evaluation.

Cheers,

Keti

I would like to start by saying I am a big advocate of always using a Realtor when it comes to buying and selling Real Estate. I would not recommend you go “FSBO” (For Sale by Owner) on me, because you might be doing yourself a huge disservice, if you do. Realtors have a wealth of knowledge and expertise that unless you hire them, you won’t have access to and benefit from.  With that said however, like with any profession, not all Realtors are created equal.

For example, in my trade – which is Real Estate Staging - I have seen some staging jobs out and about that I don’t care for; they are poorly done, out of scale and on the cheap side.

On the other hand, I have also had the opportunity to experience firsthand and get to know in person some wonderful professional Stagers in the area who over time and because of their superb Staging jobs and expertise, have gained my professional and personal respect.

dallas texas home staging design by keti choosing a realtor bedroom

When deciding to put your house on the market - so that you can get the most out of your sale - there are certain things that I highly recommend that you do when choosing your Realtor.

Your "Choosing a Realtor" To-Do List:

1.    Don’t just go with that one Realtor someone at the office or at your child’s school recommended to you. Drive around the neighborhood and see whose name you see consistently on those “For sale” or “Just Sold” signs.  Interview at least three of them. Find out what sets them apart from the rest of the Realtors in your area.  As the saying goes, past performance is a great indicator of future results.

2. What is their Distinguishing Client Benefit and what is their Competitive Marketing Advantage; what will they do for you that will help YOU sell your house Fast and for Top Dollar. Ask them, how will they Market your property, to whom will they market it.

Selling a home is not just about sticking a sign in the front yard (I have seen this happen many a times) and for sure selling a home is NOT going to be achieved by posting ugly pictures on the MLS (I see this happen more than I care to), that they might take with their I-phone or Android. This is totally unacceptable in my opinion.

And as a Seller if you agree to this, just know, you are doing nothing but selling the house down the road, that Design by KETI or one of the  other Professional Stagers - that I highly regard - Staged  and a Professional Photographer photographed it.

Before & After Home Staging Photos

Check out some pictures I have seen on the MLS and compare it to some of the pictures from the properties that Design by KETI Staged.

Being that 96% of the potential buyers resort to the internet and on-line representation before they decide which house they want to tour, which one do you think they will be more inclined to go see?

The one represented by the ugly MLS pictures or the one that is Professionally Staged and Professionally photographed?

Ugly MLS Kitchen Pic

Picture of Kitchen in MLS

dallas texas home staging design by keti choosing a realtor modern white kitchen

Picture of Kitchen in MLS, Staged by Design by KETI and Professionally Photographed

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Picture of Dining in MLS

Picture of Dining in MLS, Staged by Design by KETI and Professionally Photographed!

dallas texas home staging design by keti choosing a realtor highland park dining room

Ugly MLS Bedroom Pic

Picture of Bedroom in MLS

dallas texas home staging design by keti choosing a realtor master bedroom with large windows

Picture of Bedroom in MLS, Staged by Design by KETI and Professionally Photographed

3.    When choosing your Realtor, ask what is their average DOM (Days on Market). The lower their DOM, the better.  If I find out a Realtor’s DOM is 175  (that means it has taken them on average 175 days to sell a home) and the other Realtor’s DOM is 23, then for sure I will go with the one whose DOM (Days on Market) average is 23.

On the other hand, if they tell you, they don’t know what their DOM is or that they have not tracked it, than count that response as a Red Flag.

3.1.     And Last but not Least. Always, always Stage and De-personalize your home (Staging is nothing but packaging and merchandising your home). You see, when you decide to sell your home, it becomes a product – it turns into a house - therefore it needs to be “merchandised” so it appeals to the broad buyer, and Always Always, insist on professional photography.

If your potential Realtor does not want to pay $130 or so in professional photography for you, to ensure superb representation on the internet, than that Realtor does not deserve to get paid $3,000 to $5,000 - or whatever it might be - in commission from the sale of your home, in my opinion.

What's yours?

Cheers,

Keti

We increase the value of real estate through profit driven and timeless design for renovations and new home builds.  Whether you’re renovating your home, flipping a property or want to wisely invest in updates and staging before selling your property your ROI is our business.
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