win win situation

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When the Real Estate market plummeted off the cliff in July of 2008 I had three storages full of inventory and a monthly rental bill of $650.00 and no income. My husband said, "No problem ." He would take up the slack.--- but I had made a comittment to him that my company would be self- sufficent. That was not a option in my thinking. So I made some phone calls and offered the two builders I had worked for a deal.

I would stage their 4 bedroom, den, Great room, formal dining room, baths and kitchens for the staging fee alone. They would pay the one time staging fee for my 2 staff, the trucking fee and a destaging fee plus the ongoing weekly cleaning and gardening which I would also do. I would not charge them an inventory fee for as long as the houses took to sell.

In return I could close my storages and not have to pay storage fees. The excess I sold off at 2 show home sell offs from my home. Items had become dated and/or needed repair. I receive weekly cleaning fees. And a huge amount of goodwell.

They were delighted! I made sure that the contracts were specific to the two homes etc. I also put a clause in the contract that stated that the buyer could buy the furniture and/or I could sell the inventory off at a show home sale. I gave the builder a itemized cost break-down of all items.

These builders believed in staging------ but their overhead costs were too high. Since I staged these homes in November and December they both have accepted offers!

Staging works!

P.S. The builder has contracted me to stage all 5 of his homes over 1 million each ---- and he will pay the inventory fee