Easton, MD

So I'm looking for a stager to stage my mother's property in Easton Maryland (anybody have a reference). I come across a pretty little website and they have a "Results" section. It claims that they sell properties in an average of 17 days. Mighty impressive.

The spreadsheet says how many days it was on the market and it includes days with staging and days without staging. It frequently claimed that it got 100% of list price.

The Magic of Staging? Or

The Magic of Lying?

I decided to look up the homes they staged. Sure enough, out of the 5 homes that I looked at, 3 were just flat out lies. Selling for 5% below list and the quasi-lies were homes that sold for "list" but with 3% seller subsidy, so really 3% below list (after a large price drop).

I'm not sure if I want to "out" them yet. I will give them a chance to make the correction and/or explain themselves. But if they don't I'll make a great google feed post about them.

So the morale is

1) Don't believe statistics without verifying them (see redf1n post)

2) Nobody can put really numbers to staging. It just works. I wish we could guarantee putting $5k in staging and remodeling will produce $20k, but it just doesn't exist.

Frank

Broker FranklyRealty.com

Easton Maryland St. Patricks Day Events:

1:30 - 2:15 Ecumenical Church Service - Grace Lutheran Church - Hanson & Brookletts

2:00 - 3:30 Traditional Irish Tea - Historical Society of Talbot County, 17 S. Washington St.

3:30 - 4:30 Children's Potato Races, Sack races, Juggler, Free Bike Raffle and More on the Courthouse Lawn

4:30 - 5:15 St. Patrick's Day Parade - Town Center

5:30 Bag Pipers & "Large Leprechaun's" Potato Race on Washington St. in front of the courthouse

Each year in July Easton MD Main Street hangs 84 banners, that are painted by 44 local artists, throughout the town of Easton Maryland. This Saturday, December 13, these banners will go up for auction at the Waterfowl Festival Building. The auction will held from 7-9 p.m. The Waterfowl building will be open to viewers to browse these wonderful works of art. A complete list of these banners and artist bios are available online at www.eastonmainstreet.com

www.buytalbotmd.com

The Academy Art Museum will hold its 11th Annual Arts Marketplace on October 10th, 11th and 12th in Easton Maryland. It is the Eastern Shore's largest juried craft festival! There will be more than 3,000 handcrafted items on sale. You will have the opportunity to meet with premier artists and buy directly from them.

Preview Party begins at 6:30 on Friday, October 10th. Tickets are $75 per person which includes cocktails, hors d'oeuvres and live entertainment. Proceeds benefit the Academy Art Museum's children's art education program!

The Arts Marketplace will continue through the weekend, October 11th and 12th, with artist demonstrations, live entertainment, and outdoor cafe and sales. hours are 10 - 5 both Saturday and Sunday. Tickets are $7 per person, 12 and under admitted free! For tickets call 410-822-8121

The Academy Art Museum is located at 106 South Street in Easton Maryland. For more information call 410-822-2787 or visit www.art-academy.org

If you have never been to the Eastern Shore of Maryland, Fall is one of the best times to visit! The blue, blue skies and the sound of the Canadian geese are just 2 of the reasons you should make a point to visit the Eastern Shore!

In November of 2008 come to Historic Easton, Maryland to discover the Waterfowl Festival! November 14, 15 and 16th, 2008. The Eastern Shore spirit will amaze you! Below listed are just some of the activities during this event:

Decoy Auction, Retriever and Fly-Fishing Demonstrations, lots of Kids Activities, lots of Gadgets, Gear and Sporting Wear for the true sportsman, Witness the World Champion Goose and Duck Calling Contests, lots of Waterfowl Artwork and Photography and so much more! There is also live music and evening concerts.

You will not want to miss this wonderful event! While your in town take a drive to Oxford, St. Michaels or Tilghman.

For more information call 410-822-4567 or go to http://www.waterfowlfestival.org/