"Real Estate isn't Fair". How is that for a harsh statement? How is that for a true statement?

Right now our marketplace is flooded with homes. In simple terms, think of a football field of green. How do you choose a single blade of grass from that field of 7000 grass blades? Well, if that blade of grass was red, it might stand out a little bit.

Staging is not an end-all fix for a market such as our own this fall.

Staging is a necessary and vital aspect however in a well-represented and well-marketed piece of real estate.

"Buyers Buy Value" is not an especially harsh statement, but it is as true as the above statement, that "Real Estate isn't Fair". In Colorado Springs, there are a limited number of floorplans and there are plenty of individuals that believe that real estate pricing is linear... which means if Floorplan X sold for Price Y, than another Floorplan X should also sell for the same Price Y. "Aargh, he's using math, I think algebra, and my brain hurts!"

Okay, bear with me for a second, this is one part of my middle school years that makes sense to re-live. Enjoy some simple REALTOR MATH:

If Property A and Property B are the same Floorplan X, the general consumer opinion is that BOTH PROPERTIES should sell for Price Y. That IS NOT TRUE.

Because if I am listing Property A, my Property A will sell for Price Y...

Plus $5000! Why? One reason is staging.

What is Staging? Simple and Difficult Definitions. Simple: A Highlighter for a residence that Highlights the key features you don't want a buyer to miss.

So stainless appliances: remove magnets. Vaulted Ceilings: Simplify and add artwork that takes the eyes vertically. Hardwood floors: Accent Rugs. Stinky House: Industry Secret, and that's where it gets difficult. But when it gets difficult is where the real dividends pay off. For one seller this summer, my stagers skill and my dollars translated to another $6500 in net proceeds and a time on market of 8 days because we had an answer for The Stinky House Problem. With 7000 competing properties for sale, selling a Stinky House should be impossible. Not if you think like the Nerd.

Because my listings are staged, my listings photograph well. With 80% of all buyers using the Internet to search for homes, my listings POP. With 7000 homes for sale, buyers that view homes are viewing them with critical eyes.

When they view my listings, my listings POP. Year to date, 55% of all listings in the MLS HAVE NOT SOLD. Year to date, NONE OF MY LISTINGS HAS FAILED TO SELL.

Staging doesn't fix everything. But it's one of the highlighters in the shirt pocket of this NERD, and it's one that I use with great benefit for my clients.

Do you know someone who could use complimentary staging on their hard-to-sell property? CLICK HERE and I will gladly give them a hand!