It’s happening—the market is shifting, more inventory is hitting the market, and DOM is increasing. Sellers’ agents, you’ve had an easy time of it, but soon that’ll change if it hasn’t already for your current listings.
So, what are you going to do to make sure your listing doesn’t linger and get a great price at the same time? The short answer: Make sure those MLS photos look AMAZING!
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- Before staging
Here are seven home-prep steps to get great photos and more money in less time (my favorite is #7, BTW):
- Make sure sellers pack up, clean out and brighten their rooms. In general, I tell sellers, “If it doesn’t have legs, it shouldn’t be on the floor.” Boxes, magazine racks, space-stealing ottomans, and more have no place in MLS photos.
- Wallpaper and wall border must go! No one wants it and it rarely makes photos better. If it’s too hard to peel off, have a painter skim coat over it and then paint it.
- Play up each room’s focal point. Picture windows, fireplaces, and even wall-mounted TVs can serve as focal points. Orient furniture to emphasize focal points. Remove window treatments to bring in natural light.
- Cover up that flowered furniture! Older, larger upholstered seating pieces, in general, detract from photos. Stretchy sofa and chair covers cost less than $100 and look much better in photos than outdated fabrics.
- Pack up family photos, certificates, and mementos. Buyers stay longer when touring a house if they’re not surrounded by your sellers’ 2-D smiling faces.
- DO NOT use your cell phone to shoot the MLS photos. Professional MLS photographers are worth every penny, and they’re not expensive, to begin with.
- Hire me for a home staging consultation! For less than the cost of painting a small bedroom, I’ll tour the house with your sellers and tell them every single thing they need to do to make every single room AND the exterior look amazing. My consultations are leading to thousands more dollars in prices—up to 20% over ask—and I have the references from area Realtors to prove it.
It’s all about driving traffic to your listings. MLS photos are the new curb appeal. StagingCraft’s whole focus is to create rooms and spaces that buyers are itching to see in person. If you “build it,” they WILL come. I promise.
Happy selling (and buying)!