February, 2019 | Cincinnati Condo Connection

Is staging my home worth it?

I believe staging is a necessity for most home sales even in a good market.  As part of my service to clients, I pay for the initial staging consultation with every residential listing.  Vacant properties need to be staged so they look like a home. I specialize in condos with river views and many of my owners think the view sells the unit and they don’t need to stage.  The truth is, even the units that have been updated in the last 10 years, can start to look tired after a couple of years with or without furniture.  In an empty condo, the buyers see the flaws.  They see the drywall imperfections, the baseboard that’s not perfect or the scratches on the floor.  When the condo is staged they have a seat on the sofa and enjoy the view.  Many times they pick up a pretty pillow or decorative item and joke that if they buy the condo can they have the pillow too.  They are visualizing living in the unit instead of looking for imperfections or thinking about how much work or money they are going to have to spend to get rid of the ugly wall paper or redo the floor.

Living Area Before Being Staged
Living Area Staged

Note how the view really pops now that the heavy curtains have been removed and there is a smaller carpet that shows more of the flooring.  The clean lines don’t distract you from the beautiful view like the fussy outdated furniture.

Dining Before
Dining After

A large national broker tracked 2,772 properties ranging in price from $229,000 to 4.8 million in eight major U.S. cities.  It found that staging decreased days on market by an average of 54%.  The average staged home also sold for more than those that were not staged.  I stage any property over $100,000 unless it’s been designed by an interior designer fairly recently or the client has really great taste.  The stagers are designing to make a property universally appealing and to help people envision how the space can be used.  This is very important with open spaces.  Also, I find that many people have oversized furniture or just too much furniture.  Many people are downsizing from a large home into a condo and have trouble believing that the empty bedroom will fit their king size bed.  We stage with king size beds and two night stands so that they can see that it works. Spaces look smaller when they are empty

It’s also helpful for odd spaces such as this landing of this two story loft condo.  In this case you walk up the stairs and see this odd area.  It’s not quite a private room.  You walk through it to get to the master bedroom.  We asked the stager to make it a place to watch television.

2nd Floor Landing Before

Notice how instead of this dead space before you enter the master bedroom, you have a lovely area to watch television, read a book or do yoga.

Landing Staged
Living Area of Loft Before

This living room was very small and directly off the kitchen.  Before it was finished it just looked to small for a living room.  Once it was furnished with space appropriate furniture, it really came to life and buyers were immediately able to visualize themselves sitting in the room and conversing with someone who was cooking in the kitchen.

Living Area of Loft Staged

My local stager says that 35% of their stage homes received an offer in 7 days or less.  66% of their staged homes received an offer in 30 days or less.  Homes less than $250,000 sold in 21 days, $251,000-$500,000 homes sold in 31 days and homes over $500,000 sold in 44 days.

When should you consider staging?

If you have outdated furniture or colors that are not “of the moment”. Remember red walls of the early 2000’s or the faux finishes of the 90’s?  And need I mention wall paper?

If you have recently merged two households together.  I see this all of the time when people marry or move in with their significant other.  His bachelor furniture doesn’t work with her Crate and Barrel style.

If you have a really great floor plan or a really awkward one. If it’s great show it off.  If it’s bad, show it in it’s best light.

If you have a really great view.  Get those buyers in a comfortable chair looking at the magnificent views.  They won’t want to leave.

If you have too little stuff.  No one wants to buy the house where it’s obvious that someone moved out and took half the furniture or worse, someone took the good stuff and moved and brought the basement furniture to the living room.

River View Condo- Edgecliff Private Residences #903

This condo SOLD 5/24/19 for $270,000.  Call Maria Walley for a showing today. 513-235-3996 mwalley@comey.com

More information about the listing.

Columbia Tower Condo-2 Bedroom in East Walnut Hills

2 Bedrooom 1 Bathroom corner unit condo on the 8th floor of this secure building in East Walnut Hills Sold 4/8/19 for $114,000.  It’s one of the best deals in the city.  The building has a gorgeous pool overlooking the river and a gym.  It’s 5 minutes from downtown and East side neighborhoods of Hyde Park and Columbia Tusculum.  Only 14 minutes to the airport. The HOA includes heat, water, trash, professional management and common area maintenance.  Call Maria Walley for a tour today.

See more information about this condo

 

This Condo has SOLD!

Eden Park Condo with River Views at Edgecliff

 

 

Check out this beautifully renovated condo in Eden Park.  The cabinetry and appliances are sleek European designed and very neutral.  This gorgeous building as built in 1966.  This unit was formerly a three bedroom condo which was converted to a two bedroom condo to make a larger living space.  The floor plan is very open with plenty of storage space.

Living at the Edgecliff is like living at a spa.  Take a walk or run in the park designed by Fredrick Law Olmstead, the landscape designer for Central Park in New York. After you’ve finished, go to the hair salon at the Edgecliff for a pedicure or other spa treatment and then you can bask in the sun at the pool. When you’ve had enough of the pool you can head upstairs to take a nap or watch the sunset and then pop down to Le Bar A Boeuf, Jean Robert de Cavel’s restaurant downstairs for a lovely French dinner.

Call Maria Walley for a private showing. (513) 235-3996.  Or email mwalley@comey.com

This unit is agent owned.

Rare 3 Bedroom Edgecliff condo in Eden Park

The three bedroom condos are sought after and don’t come on the market very often.  This 17th floor condo just came on the market. It has a beautiful view of the Ohio River and the Kentucky Hills.  It has lovely built in cabinetry throughout the condo.  It comes with all of the amenities of the Edgecliff such as doorman, pool, Le Bar A Boeuf Restaurant, fitness room, guest suite and party room.  The HOA also includes heat, water, air conditioning and trash.  Call Maria Walley today to book a private showing (513) 235-3996 or email mwalley@comey.com