WOW! It's dark in there. Can you help me find a light switch?
Sometimes it is so difficult to get the light bulb to flip on bright enough when the light bulb you desire to shine is residing in someone else's head!
Here's the gloomy story that I need Realtors and Home Stagers help with. I want to create a light bulb that will flicker on with glowing "NIKE - Just Do It" results.
A home seller's house sits vacant on the Atlanta market for approximately 6 months. It is a FSBO; the seller moves out of state and leaves a key with a local friend. It became close to impossible to show . . . my understanding is that many Realtors saw the home as they would drive by the scraggily "for sale by owner" sign in the yard and patiently book an appointment, often having to wait a week or more for the out of state homeowner to coordinate a time the "friend" could let them in to preview the home.
So, okay, I need to say, some light bulbs since that point and time have switched on with this home seller. The home is now listed with an excellent Realtor who really gives a flip about, not just selling her listings quickly, but also her client's well-being and their sales success.
Now we can all agree that the situation has gone from doom to potential gloom; but getting brighter. This Realtor hired Peachtree Home Staging to stage the property. (As always, thank you, thank you! I am honored and appreciate the business!)
It's just that, at this point, the sellers do not have enough bulbs on to light the path to success, as of yet.
Now you must be thinking, what's the problem? We have a converted FSBO seller, we have a great agent, and we have accomplished our vacant staging goals! The property looks great. The paint colors that had previously been criticized while the home was vacant are now being applauded with the home staging that has occurred!
I know, it seems all the lights are on, but they are not. Let me explain why the seller's brain is still quite dim and dingy. There is more story I still must share!
The home has been staged for 4 weeks come this Saturday. In this time the agent has received 2 offers to rent (not the objective). One offer that was low ($30,000 off asking price for a home priced at $250,000, but the asking price is a little high - close, but high, in my opinion . . .oh, remember, I am a Realtor, too!) And another offer, (this makes 4) but the buyer did not qualify for the loan. That one hurt, but just the same, that's 4 potential opportunities since the home has come to market staged and represented with a Realtor. I think that is more than the number of showings the home had for the previous 6 months!
One of the offers wanted to buy the entire staged inventory of my accessories separate from the home offer. One of the other offers was from someone who had previously discarded the home due to the unusual paint colors, but now that it was staged they took a second look and could see how well those paint colors really worked!
But, almost 4 weeks after staging, the total scenario is about to get dimmer and go back to gloom.
Unless the Realtor can convince the home seller to pay for another months rent of furnishings and accessories, I will be de-staging this property on Friday. Normally, I have a 2 month minimum on my staging furniture and accessories, but because the realtor was paying for it from her own pocket, hoping to convince the home owner of the value, I agreed to do a month to month. I do a tremendous amount of staging for this Realtor, so I worked out this exception.
What can I do to help this Realtor help this home seller recognize the value of keeping this home staged?
Take a peak, please . . .
experience with staging, but the more I read, the more it came out that they thought everyone should be able to see past the dirt, clutter, pink flowered wallpaper, etc. It then hit me, they don’t hate staging, they don’t understand the concept of how everyone is affected by marketing everyday and more specifically the concept of staging. 
