Staging Home For Sale

OK, I've decided to sale.

I've got to stage my home. Currently cleaning, packing, organizing, etc.

Yet, my living room furniture is clawed to heck by my cats. I've thought of donating it to a charity or just getting rid of the stuff. Thought I'd go to Pier 1 or somewhere and purchase a wicker settee and chair for the living room to stage. I won't spend over $500 to do so.

Will also need to put more stuff in the attic! Gosh, I understand that closets should be clutter free and would hate to put my precious china that's packed in the attic or garage.

I'd love to hear ya'll ideas.

Thanks!

How would you feel about renting a storage place for a few months? That way, you could spend 50 dollars or however much it cost per month instead of 500.00??? Just a thought.

You could take all of the unwanted stuff to the storage place...and your home would become instantly uncluttered...stored...secured...and insured (if you get the insurance).

Also, have a yard sale...make money on unwanted items. You'd be surprised. They are a pain the rear end...but $$$

Jaw Jaw, thank you. The $500 would be for wicker furniture to replace the clawed living room furniture to stage the sale (thus, the room would look bigger w/out my sagging too large for the room furniture). I plan to get rid of that furniture anyways. I can reuse the wicker later either in the house or on a porch.

I've been selling some stuff on the internet and that which I can't I donate to the Salvation for tax write off.

SO much to do! Yet, it may take a year or two to sale!

I hope your home sells quickly once you've decluttered it. That neighborhood seems to be toxic to you and not safe for you either. Sell anything and everything at your garage sale. Put everything out there and sell it, people buy the darndest stuff. It's better to sell something for .50 or $1.00 than to give or throw it away. Thats money in your pocket and those small amounts add up.

At least enjoy the process, Mustang. Decluttering and discovering a few goodies is a great feeling.

Mustang, can you rent furniture for a while for staging the living room? Is the wicker something you would use 4ever? If not, don't buy it, unless wicker really suits the style of house, ie. country, outdoorsy. Do you use your living room? If not, you can put just a chair, and a round decorators table, you know, the kind with the cloth and glass top. We are selling everything that will not fit into a 1-2 bedroom apartment, even if it means a room will be empty while showing. Good luck.

mustang, what is your timeframe? This is a perfect time for you to purge. Go for it. You are wise to declutter before showing the house. What a projest, but boy will you feel good when you're finished.

Well, my home has been on the market since early December 2009.

I fired my 1st realtor (he was rude, dishonest, several lawsuits against him, and used inapropriate language) and got a new one in Feb. 2010. The new realtor is a peach and I've had at least 2 dozen showings the past 8 weeks.

Yet, there are several foreclosures in my neighborhood. Folks are choosing the better deals and I don't blame them. Some foreclosures are going for $55 per sf. Also, many of the foreclosures are sold "as is" or need repairs due to prior renters.

It's rather stressful selling a home not only b/c it must uncluttred and pristine, but b/c other folk come into my home and disrupt. For instance, I keep the guest bed and bath closed to deter pets from using them as playrooms. A realtor forgot to close the door and my cats shredded my bedskirt! It's a Pinecone Hill bedskirt and will cost $145 to replace. I was so pissed. The realtor said that she can't remember everything. I had a sign on the door to please keep closed!

I do know for a fact that I want to sell my home, regardless of the economic environment. I know that it may even take a few years b/c I will not lower my price (I've done the math and know how much I'll accept, thus my current price allows for offers and counters). My realtor agrees with same (unless I want to lower the price and offer a higher realtor commission to a prospective buyer's agent - which is just plain hog wash!).

Had a lady look at my home 3X w/in 10 days and her realtor never returned my realtor's phone calls. My realtor states that the market is wide open now and no one has time to really communicate.

Had another showing last night and another today.

So, my plan is to keep house on the market. When (if!) it does sell, I'll either 1. buy land and build (for later horsekeeping) or 2. patio home with little yard work and more free time to ride.

Yet, I'd like new living room furniture and TV. Should I buy now or wait until home sells? And just get by with what I have.

Also, I'd like new flooring - yet I can get by on the existing flooring. I self clean my carpets 5 to 6X a year and its in rather good shape given the human and pet traffic.

Hopefully Edelweiss, the realtor will advise.

My tendency if I was a seller in a difficult market with foreclosures and have already tried to place home on market for a few months, is to temporarily withdraw home from market. Return later, when market pricing goes back up.

To have a home long on the market, might make people wonder why it's on the market for a very long time (if you are looking for another year or so listing on the market).

It is a calculated risk but in a market of foreclosure and without dropping price down to the properties that are forclosed, I would withdraw ..if I already had a steady job to maintain the home for time being.

My experience is; if you don't sell a home within the first 6 months,...you won't sell it the second 6 months either. In Germany they say “every pot has a lid." In other words, you can always find a buyer...BUT the price has to be right. If your house is more expensive than equivalent homes in your area, you just won't sell it ...ever.

It is a good sign that you are having more house showings. Often it’s just a question of statistics. My average is usually 5 – 10 house showings before I sell.

I don’t believe in investing a lot in a home in order to sell it. I think it’s better to sell at a lower price. But that’s how most sellers do it in Germany. I don’t think it runs that way in the States. Am I right?

Tell your agent you want to know what the customers are saying. If they all say, too expensive, it may mean you are way out of your league. If nothing goes over a realtor, I suggest trying to sell on your own. Those realtor fees DO make a difference.

We do get some feedback, and most is postive. The other realtors are so busy in a tizzy showing homes before 4/30/10.

My house is not too expensive -- it's the foreclosures that are selling. My realtor advised not to lower the price b/c current pricing allows for room to make an offer and counter offer. If I lower any more, then I might as well give it away.

I want my $25K down payment back and another $10K after closing = $35K. The $10K would be my profit (for improvements, landscaping, closing, etc.). So, I'm priced pretty much at the wire.

She urged keeping the house on the market until it sells.

Now, my local economy is not doing so well, which will have an even further impact on the housing market. For instance, teacher's pay increases will be suspended and those under the TERI program are forced to take a 10% paycut. Teachers support a lot of our economy - without a pay increase and/or paycuts, they won't be spending any money.

Politically, the TERI system is what has drained my state's finances.

People drive in/out of driveway daily and take flyers and walk around the house - guess they want a deal and I don't blame them. Just not at my expense.

EW, I don't agree with the 6 mth rule nor that I won't ever sell my home. It will sell, someday and I don't plan on increasing the price - actually hoping that prices will improve next year. I shan't spend any money to sell it, other that which is necessary at closing.

Orchid, for heavens sake, I do have a steady job to maintain my home.

Yet, I may get a new sofa and TV and makeself comfortable for a while.

Thanks gals.

If buying a new TV and sofa to use for yourself then do it. You deserve comfort and entertainment too. Or if you don't want to buy because you might just sell sooner rather than later, rent them! That way when moving you don't have to move them and if you like them you can buy them from the rental place... Heck, you're a smart cookie, you'll figure it out.

While driving home and having time to think, perhaps when my contract is up in late July/early August, I may take my home off the market and try again next spring.

Mustang, have you ever heard of putting an upside down statue of Joseph in the ground? I don't believe in stuff like this but I know a realtor who swears by it.

http://www.ehow.com/how_2142653_st-joseph-statue-sell-home.html

Even if it's just for a laugh, thought I'd share.

OMG Dotsie...I was thinking the same thing yesterday when I read Mustang's post..but I was too chicken to suggest this...I'm glad you did...too funny!!!

Worth a try!

Mustang, your future plans tickle me because they are as diverse as mine are. Compare buying land and building for a horse (TONS of work and maintenance and responsibility) with patio home (little work, maintenance or responsibilities). I am the exact same way. When Jim retires we will move. My desires for the future range from 50 acres and a horse or a remote lake house all the way to a condo in an interesting city. Maybe I'm a little schizophrenic? It was just nice to see someone else wrestling with such diverse goals.

I had a realtor tell me that in this market (Atlanta) if I house doesn't sell in 3-6 months to take it off the market and wait 6 months to put it on again. That way people won't worry about what could possibly be wrong with a house that has sat on the market so long. Don't know anything about it, just thought I pass along what I had heard.

Greene, I certainly agree that our plans are diverse! Also, very tuff choices -- yet, worth the effort! I really like the ladies I ride with, all professionals with kind hearts. I feel very safe with them. A 3rd alternative would to have a few acres and move my horse when he's of retirement age (in about 10 to 12 years). Which would allow time to sell, set up, etc., and keep my barn buddies.

What is your riding style? Hunt, dressage, western, trail/pleasure? In today's economy, you can get a good horse really cheap, if not free. Also, leasing is a good option w/out having to worry about vet care and purchasing tack.

I've sometimes thought of renting a studio apartment in New York City and living there for a year and tour all the sights and eat at as many restaurants all throughout the City, Jersey Burroughs, and Long Island.