Recently, DiFiore & Partners had the opportunity to speak to the East Cooper Top Producers Club at the Daniel Island Club near Charleston, SC. The group consists of relators from Mount Pleasant, Daniel Island, Isle of Palms, and Sullivan’s Island, and it hosts monthly meetings featuring guest speakers who offer new insights to the 112 active members.

The feedback from our presentation about lost opportunities in the real estate industry and the benefits of consulting a design professional was so positive that we decided to share it on our blog as well! A summary of the content from the presentation is below. We hope our thoughts are helpful the next time you’re house hunting!

SOLVING YOUR ACHILLES’ HEEL: WHEN STAGING IS NOT ENOUGH

 

How often have you been stumped for a solution to that challenged property when staging is not enough? How do you make sense of that awkward floor plan, bathrooms that are too small, kitchens that don’t function, dated curb appeal and the list goes on. Sometimes you may not even be sure what is wrong, it just doesn’t feel right. For the qualified professional however, the solutions are as accessible and tangible as the paper they are drawn on. It only takes vision.

 

Often the solution is only one of cosmetics; a new coat of paint, new landscaping, removal of wallpaper or wall to wall carpeting. Sometimes it requires a little more; a trellis, new windows and new cedar shakes can do wonders to improve curb appeal without structural changes.  Ranch homes can be improved by adding a second story without changing the original footprint of the foundation.Removal of interior walls or ceilings or simply creating an opening in a wall, can solve space constraints and adapt to today’s lifestyles.  Bathrooms can be renovated for less if the plumbing locations remain in place. Bathroom renovations can even be postponed by elctrostaticly painting dated fixtures and tiles; a temporary fix which can buy a homeowner a few years before needing to address the area. Likewise, kitchen renovations will be less expensive if the fixtures remain in place. Sometimes painting the cabinets and changing the hardware can change the entire feeling of a kitchen.

 

The possibilities for those challenged properties are literally endless. Before you walk away from that ugly duckling, or lower the price of that dated ranch, call a qualified professional. For a small consulting fee, your dilemma can be resolved; a small investment to secure a quicker sale.