About us
Karen Kelly, Director of secrets2sell has sold her own properties in the past and, due to their immaculate presentation and attention to detail, within days of being listed on the market the first buyer to inspect signed the contract. Also with Karen’s background in administration within real estate locally in Mackay, it became evident to her that most properties being listed on the market were very poorly presented. Having a natural eye for decorating and detail, Karen began to notice a real niche in the market, to correctly "stage" properties to make them appealing to a broader range of buyers … therefore secrets2sell was born!
Three homes compared
Recently Karen spent a Saturday morning inspecting three open homes on the market for between $400,000 and $500,000. Only one of these homes was presented correctly: neat tidy lawns, clean clutter-free interior and showcased perfectly. It was obvious they were very serious about selling. The second home had clutter everywhere and showed no space, a neglected pool, stained carpets, unkept lawn and removal boxes everywhere. Home three reeked of cigarette smoke and hadn’t been cleaned in weeks.
The poor presentation of homes two and three is often the situation sellers can find themselves in for many reasons. More often than not it's because they just don't know how to market their investment themselves. Not everybody has an eye for re-decorating, just like Karen wouldn't try mechanics herself. She leaves it to the experts. Sellers have to adapt to the current market, and hammering in a "for sale" sign out front and mowing the lawn just isn't cutting it today as buyers are getting savvy and looking for wow factor.
Benefits of home staging
Most real estate agents will advertise your home on the internet and with local press, and the first 4 to 6 weeks is the HOT time. You are a new listing and buyers are interested in what is new. This is why it is preferable to have your home staged before the marketing campaign begins.
Agents will never tell clients about their home's obvious flaws as they don't want to offend them. Therefore most sellers are oblivious to the fact that they could be obstructing their own sale by not having their home staged and presenting in it's best possible light before advertising begins.
If your home has been on the market for some time without much interest, it's highly likely that having your home staged will get it sold. In some instances agents have appraised homes before and after staging and are so impressed post-staging they suggest to increase the asking price. Unfortunately this only relates to the property that hasn't yet been marketed, but on the other hand, unsellable homes that hire a stager should now easily achieve asking price instead of reduced offers.
Here is a scenario ... your home seems unsellable, it's been sitting for months and your agent suggests you drop the price by $10,000 to get the market interested. You decide instead to have your home staged and it costs you say $1,000 (this is not an actual consultation figure). Your home sells within the week and you pocket that $9,000. Sounds good right? This really is happening in today's market.
Home staging is an investment
Staging is an investment and you will almost certainly get your money back plus! Buyers shop with logic and buy with emotion. This is why it is critical to have your home looking its best. You want your home to stand out from the others in your area and if you're not confident you can do this you should hire a stager and reap the rewards!
Your primary objective is to get you through the process of selling fast with minimal fuss and for top dollar! Karen Kelly can show you how to take the stress out of the transition of changing your home from being your sanctuary into a de-personalised display home from the curb to the back fence. Karen will guide you through the process explaining each step of the way so you can do the work yourself or she will transform your home using existing furniture and art. Some new accents, covers or curtains may need to be purchased to freshen tired rooms but all in all, she will work within your budget to achieve your ultimate goal … a fast sale with handsome returns.