INEZ STEELE
‘The right thing’
Not too long ago, real estate agents and homebuyers faced a frenzied market where almost any home, even if it needed significant repairs and updates, sold within a few days and bidding wars were commonplace.
Now, with the real estate market becoming more balanced between buyers and sellers and homes taking longer to sell, more home sellers may be turning to interior designers like Lori A. Brasseur, who helps homeowners prepare their homes for sale. Brasseur, who owns LB Designs in Salisbury, provides consultation and staging services for clients throughout the state. Basically, interior designers specializing in staging homes for sale will evaluate a house room by room, even checking out the yard and entryway of a home, and offer tips to homeowners on quick repairs, cleaning and furniture arrangement to transform homes into more attractive and inviting environments.
Staging homes for sale is widely popular in other parts of the country, including California, but has been slowly emerging as a trend here in the Bay State as more and more homeowners become aware of the service, according to local designers. Shows on cable television programs like “Curb Appeal” and “Sell This House” and an assortment of Web sites have also made home sellers more aware that professional help is available to boost the marketability of a home.
Interior designer Lori Scholz, who has clients in Massachusetts and New York, said that each year the number of calls she receives from home sellers seeking consultation has doubled.
“I actually see that the interest [in staging services] is increasing,” said Scholz, who has run her business Your Décor By Lori Scholz in Marblehead for the past five years. “It’s been cyclical. I see that it’s increasing now because there are homes that are sitting on the market longer, so Realtors are encouraging people to seek out these services.”
‘A Concise Package’
Scholz helped Inez Steele sell her Beverly home two years ago. Scholz and her partner removed many personal pictures and knickknacks and rearranged furniture in Steele’s three-bedroom Colonial. As Scholz recommended, Steele purchased a few rugs, fresh flowers and brightly colored towels for the bathroom. When the first open house took place, several people submitted offers and Steele accepted a purchase offer within three days of going on the market.
“I’m convinced it’s the right thing to do when somebody is selling a house,” said Steele, who is executive director of The Realty Guild, an organization that represents independent real estate firms.
Steele believes it was well worth the few extra dollars to hire Scholz and make the small purchases necessary to get her home prepared. “It’s short money, relatively speaking, and there’s a financial return in being able to sell your house at a higher price and being able to sell your house faster,” she said.
“In Massachusetts it’s [staging] not as routine or usual as it is in other places like California but it’s becoming more of a tool that sellers can use,” said Steele.
Many experienced real estate agents already know when they walk into a home what changes or repairs need to be made to improve a home’s chances of being sold quickly, according to Steele. But it’s often difficult for them to tell clients who are personally attached to their homes to make the necessary changes, she said.
“To have a third party come in and have these skills that they can put into play in such a concise package assists in that process,” said Steele.
Consultations and staging services can vary in price and are by no means only for wealthy homeowners who are selling luxury homes, according to designers. In fact, owners of higher-end properties may need staging services less because the rooms in their homes are probably already professionally designed.
Brasseur charges $100 for a one- to one-and-a-half hour consultation. With the consultation, Brasseur will provide a typewritten report with tips and idea. Homeowners can then spend thousands of dollars to have a professional redesign rooms or they could undertake the work themselves.
Scholz also offers an “action” list to homeowners after a two-hour consultation. If the homeowner decides she or he needs further assistance, Scholz can be hired to re-design a room and can even bring in tables, lamps and other furniture and accessories. That can cost anywhere from $750 per room to $2,000 for an entire day’s work.
The most common mistake that homeowners make is having too much clutter in their homes, according to both Scholz and Brasseur.
“They have a lot of things around the house and it makes the house look smaller. Buyers often look for space but they can’t visualize space when a room is packed,” said Brasseur. “The first thing I tell people is to pack away trophies and family photographs, personal items and things like that.”
Another tip that Brasseur offers is to brighten rooms by taking down heavy draperies and letting in natural light, as well as replacing dim light bulbs with higher-wattage bulbs.
Scholz suggests that sellers pay attention to minor repairs, such as missing light switch covers, because buyers notice them, and to clean thoroughly to show that the house has been well maintained. And she also recommends that sellers neutralize rooms by doing things like taking down posters and storing away toys in a child’s room.
On the day of the open house, Scholz thinks playing music and burning candles or baking something will create a warm ambiance.
“On the day of the showing, focus on making the room dynamic,” she said.
Steele sought Scholz’s assistance and hasn’t regretted it. Today, she lives in a new home in Haverhill with her family and she offers some of her own advice to home sellers.
“If your broker or agents suggest this [staging services], you should really listen to them. They know what they’re talking about,” she said.
Aglaia Pikounis may be reached at apikounis@thewarrengroup.com.
