What does "staging" mean and why should I do it?

Staging, in the broadest terms, means the presentation of your home or property. Think of the 4 P's of Marketing

• Product
• Price
• Place
• Promotion

Staging is part of the Product. Its the appearance, packaging, quality, perception of quality, and so on. As a Kansas city real estate veteran since 1996 my experience with buyers is they view looking at houses similar to how people approach dating. On a date, you often make up your mind about your date very quickly. Either you want to know more about them, or you say, OMG when will this date get over with? Home buyers are the same way. They make up their mind, generally, in under 8 minutes, and sometimes, on the negative side, they decide against a home in under 2 minutes.

So the importance of staging is about making that good first impression. For a man, think about showering, shaving, putting on clean clothes (my wife landed a winner,eh?) making sure your shoes are polished, fresh hair cut, you get the idea. Houses are the same way, the adage 'you only get one chance to make a first impression' is just as true showing your home for sale as it is going on a first date.

If you only get 8 minutes or less to make a lasting favorable impression to a potential home buyer doesn't it make sense to make it a good one? If your date had a pet odor (stretching a bit, but keep with me), or weeds growing in their hair would you want a second date? Would you be likely to 'phone a friend' fake the emergency and get the heck out of Dodge? So do buyers.

Now, most of you reading this will not have the easy to spot issues like

• Make sure the grass is cut
• Landscaping is attractive and 'fresh'
• Ensure the approach to the front door is attractive and favorable
• Make the beds
• Take out the trash
• Pick up the dirty clothes

Imagine you are bring your date home for drinks afterwards. Or, if its been a long time since you dated, imagine your boss is coming over to talk about some ideas or a promotion. If you are on a date, do you leave in the middle, to go take a shower and shave? No, of course not, its too late. You have made your first impression already. If your boss is over to discuss the promotion, do you get up in the middle and decide to put on a freshly pressed suit? No, its too late. Its the same with staging. You get ONE CHANCE to make a first impression. One. Period. End of Story.

If you are ready to sell your Metropolitan Kansas City home and would like to hire an effective real estate give me a call at 913-908-2215 or email me at Ken@KansasCityRealEstate411.com

The trend is picking up as far as sales volume. Credit is getting slighly easier to obtain although it will not return, at least anytime soon, to the easy credit access of 2003-2005. Those days are long gone.

Buyers are very interested in the $8,000 tax credit which is spurring interest in the market.

In General, interest rates are at or near generational lows, assuming you have good credit. Now is a great time to buy, while activity is starting up and there is time to get your low low low interest rate locked in.

If you have any questions, please call me at 913-908-2215 or
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Broker
CRS, ABR, e-PRO, CLHMS, CSP
Jansen Realty Group, Inc.
15242 W. 156^th Ct., Olathe, KS 66062
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