What's Working Now!

Welcome to the latest episode of “What’s Working Now!”

Today I’m recording live from 3540 39th Street in McLean Gardens, which recently sold over its listing price of $545,000. The house opened on a Sunday afternoon and sold the next day.

I want to talk about how high touch still beats this high tech deal killer known as virtual staging.

You know how I feel about home staging and how important it is to my sellers. In some cases, staging has helped my sellers net an extra $100,000 or $200,000.

So, what’s wrong with virtual staging? After all, it’s easier and cheaper.

The problem is that virtual staging is a recipe for disaster. You may dazzle prospective buyers online only to disappoint them in person. It’s like going to an online dating site, finding an appealing partner, and upon meeting them in person, discover that their online photo must have been taken 25 years ago on a really good day.

Staging is all about how you make the buyer feel the moment they step inside your home. You don’t want them to feel deceived.

In short, virtual staging is penny wise and pound foolish, with one notable exception.

Let’s say you can’t afford to stage your home to get top dollar and your home doesn’t look like a million bucks. If some buyers are interested but not jumping, that’s when you unveil the possibilities for your home with virtual staging. Only do this after the buyers have already seen the house. In this instance, they just need a little nudge.

Honestly, I’ve never tried virtual staging. If the right occasion arose, I would give it a shot. That said, I really want my clients to focus on what’s working now.

If you are thinking about selling your home, sign up for our Seller Half Hour seminar online, where you’ll learn everything you need to know about selling a home in just 30 minutes.

You can take a quick tour of our sold listing at 3540 39th Street here.

Thanks for watching “What’s Working Now!” Stay tuned for our next video. In the meantime, if you have any other questions about real estate, just give me a call or send me an email. I would be happy to help you!