Melanie Orr Educates About Selling a Home in Halifax

Jan. 19, 2011 - PRLog -- Halifax home staging firm, Interiors Working for You, is owned by Melanie Orr, a licensed Canadian Staging Professional who has been practicing in Halifax since 2004.  In addition to working with clients and realtors locally, she maintains a blog to educate the consumer public about staging and many other aspects involved in successfully selling a home in Halifax.

In her latest post, Melanie shares an article originally posted in 2005 on the Canadian Staging Professionals website: “Three Major Elements Affect a Sale - Condition, Location and Price.”

78% of a buyer's decision about a house is already made before they actually see it - based on location and size; working with your client to make sure they really impact the areas outside and inside the house which affect first impressions is crucial.  A Certified Staging Professional™ can help!

Condition:
Staging goes beyond the usual list of repairs, clutter, decor and packing personal items; these will be discussed by a CSP™ who has been trained to handle objections the homeowner may have to getting a home ready for sale. Stagers "kick it up a notch" - by broadening the appeal of the house to a wide array of potential buyers at the same time targeting to the most likely market using lifestyle selling techniques.

A stager is a third party who will discuss any challenges to the condition of the home. The Real Estate agent does not have to risk losing a listing by pointing out all the work that needs to be done. They have delegated that job to the stager.

Staging impacts the condition of a house; change the condition of the house you decrease the odds of showings without bids. Attracted buyers will be impressed by the way the house looks.

A staged house makes for beautiful photos. Beautiful Photos attract more buyers to showings; this means more offers and increasing the opportunity to sell the listing on the first round of marketing.

Price:
By enhancing the features of a home and changing the condition, even slightly overpriced homes have a better chance for selling at asking price. You are offsetting the price by increasing the value through the buyers eyes. Staging is about securing the equity in the property. Staging is not about inflating the price of a house - a well priced house with staging reduces the risk of offers being less than what you want.

A staged home sells faster and for more money. Real Estate agents receive maximum commission opportunity by not having to reduce the price and save money by not having to pay for a second and third wave in their marketing process.

Location:
Stagers don't have magic wands! They can't relocate the house to a more desirable neighbourhood... Stagers do create magic with the existing furniture it will give the competitive edge over the other homes in the area. It is easier to overlook the area, if the price and condition is excellent.

Also:
Real Estate agents who offer staging services as an added value for the client gain a competitive edge over other agents in their area. Staged properties sell for more money in a hot market and faster in a slow one. When marketing to homeowners Real Estate agents can use staging stats, testimonials, and photos to illustrate they go above and beyond other agents, with great results! Working with a stager you have a third party to defer objections to and help convince the home seller of the value of the service. The stager provides a detailed consultation, and then completes the work to fully stage the house. A Real Estate agent will have more time to invest on other aspects of getting the house sold. Even as busy as you are the homeowners will feel well taken care of.

The Bottom Line!
A CSP™ will help solve a huge portion of the everyday challenges a Real Estate agent has while providing a value added service to stand out in the industry.

This article was originally posted on the CSP™ website, copyright 2005: http://www.canadianstagingprofessionals.com/realtors.php.

To find out more about Melanie Orr and selling a home in Halifax visit: http://www.interiorsworking.com.

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