Jill Vegas, New York City Home Staging
MANN REPORT: March 2009
Staging is key in down times
By Jill Vegas
Jill Vegas LLC
This apartment was on the market when the seller moved and took all his furniture with him.
Empty, we had the space professionally cleaned and replaced light bulbs. The owner didn't want to buy new furniture, so we staged with exclusive furniture from my collection. Art is key in staging. The art here was supplied by Condé Nast archive collection, giving the space a sense of style. Many people are using rental companies to stage themselves, but apartments begin to get a stale, dry hotel-ish look. Our collection is classic, high-end chic.
It's not your home anymore. It's a product on the market. Clutter eats equity. The more you get rid of, the better you'll maximize your property value.
--Staging aficionado Jill Vegas
If you are trying to sell your home in this buyer’s market, there are clear benefits to staging. You can try to do it yourself, to de-clutter, clean and replace tired old furniture with elegant, modern furnishings and art. But as we all know, that’s easier said than done.
And remember that when it comes to staging, not all companies are created equally. Recently a friend emailed me a property listing and asked for my help. The apartment featured a tired sofa, two orange side chairs and a boxy coffee table. The kitchen was dingy, and the bedroom was dressed like a juvenile detention suite. The bathroom focus was a multicolor plastic shower curtain that clashed with the room’s marble. The place was cold and sparse with no personality. I called the broker, and she told me the apartment had already been staged.
Moral: there are huge differences in types of staging.
To understand what we do at Jill Vegas, let’s look at an apartment I staged near Gramercy Park. The apartment was featured on New York 1 back in January. As the show pointed out, staging can increase profits and maximize property value.
The apartment had been beautifully renovated but because there was no furniture, it felt blah and lifeless. The broker brought me in to create a contemporary apartment that showed off the gorgeous features.
We wanted to make the space look its best, to create a “lifestyle experience,” so when the buyer walked in, they’d fall in love. The broker and owner were very happy with our work. Especially because it's now rented!
A stager usually fits into two categories. They either work to transform vacant spaces with furniture and accessories, or they assist a homeowner in refashioning what is there.
At Jill Vegas, we do both. 99% of the time we work with what sellers already have. The question isn’t what do we buy, but what do we get rid of? Quite often we’re de-cluttering and putting old furniture into storage. Then, we’ll bring in fresh pieces and, Voilà; your home is a showcase.
Remember knick-knacks and clutter are the enemy. One of the most important items to remove is family photos or prominent religious icons, which can distract buyers.
Next, it’s time to clean. I recommend hiring a professional. You won’t see smudges on mirrors and hair in the bathtub … or dirty washcloths … at The Four Seasons. Nobody, especially a potential buyer, wants to see that.
Finally, we deal with color. Light-colored walls make rooms appear bigger and brighter. Neutral décor appeals to a broader audience.
Hiring a stager can cost from hundreds to thousands of dollars, depending on the work commissioned. And though it’s a little anti-logical, when the economy creates an environment in which it is harder to sell, the need for staging is greater than ever. The goal here is to maximize profit, and that’s what staging accomplishes.
Jill Vegas
212-627-9402
jill@jillvegas.com