Staging a vacant condo. Also known as "Very Fortunate Realtor"

I swear that I did not plan on the previous post and this post to appear next to each other. That they did sort of makes me come across as a bit of a know-it-all or a show-off. Notwithstanding, I am delighted to have convinced one of my developers that staging would greatly aid in the marketing of the units. These condominiums are sprawling floor plans that have 1,700 square feet. They have a lot of rooms in a gracious old-world layout with the living room in the front, a formal dining room towards the back and the kitchen at the very rear of the home. In addition, what was an exterior porch has been incorporated into the homes creating a sun-room off the master bedroom.

With so many rooms, prospective buyers who visited inevitably wandered from room to room asking "Now what do we do with this room?" A nice problem to have. But if a buyer doesn't know what to do with a room, he or she doesn't place any value in having it. Sales were lagging as prospects didn't know what to do with so many rooms even though it was clear that the home was enormous.

The sunroom is one of the hardest to explain to buyers. Without some kind of purpose, this feels like wasted space.

Prospects frequently could not visualize how to place furniture in this bedroom.

This seems like too much space just to devote to a dining room. Buyers often worried that this would be a big empty hole in the middle of their new home.

Now see what these same rooms look like after a professional stager has come through and filled each room with appropriate furniture.

This room - the sun-room - benefits from the greatest improvement in perceived value after being staged. Now buyers can envision themselves enjoying a quiet relaxing moment on a sunny morning, perhaps catching up on some reading.

Here the layout of the master bedroom is completely natural. And inviting.

Even with a four-place dining room set, the room feels perfectly utilized.

Here, the kitchen simply looks finished with the addition of the appliances and barely a few simple accessories. A whole world of difference.

It goes without saying that these condos are available for sale and ready for occupancy. Check out the development website at www.buenaflats.info. Or click on the property photo in the slideshow in the sidebar.