Woodbury Heights, Arlington, VA Condo, Staging Transformation.
Arlington is full of home sellers with great sophisticated taste, but they have a hard time pulling it all together. Many sellers I meet have some nice art, furniture, travel souvenirs, but their homes just don’t look “completed” yet. And usually it does not take much, but it does take skill and effort. I believe that if we want to get the best price for a home – we need to impress the buyer, look our best and suggest a lifestyle that they could lead.
The seller of this condo was a very VERY sophisticated man – he had the most beautiful paintings, art deco furniture and many good ideas. Before I even met him, he ordered a “sputnik” chandelier understanding the need to enhance the condo for current buyers. He was on the right track, but he also had a deadline and was clearly overwhelmed by the task ahead of him. He was my PERFECT client!
I quickly brought in my stager Jan and we went room by room taking inventory of available furnishings, what were the gaps, what walls needed painting and what were other improvement projects that were low priced, but made a big impact on the look and feel of the condo. About 2 hours later we had a list, colors and a plan.
The most unique and amazing feature of the condo was the Washington, DC Skyline view. We didn’t want to do anything to distract the potential buyers from this glorious view. It would have been amazing to paint the condo some dramatic color, because it had 2 story ceilings and gorgeous angles, but we left the pale yellow walls alone – the view was a priority and we didn’t need any more drama.
It was somewhat an awkward space to configure – there was a cozy fireplace, THE VIEW, a couple of potential TV walls and a very wide room. We moved a ton of furniture around to create new spaces, and the only “new” things that we brought in were dining room chairs, master bed frame and staging props. All these extras were included in my listing fee.
We also picked a few shades of gray to paint the kitchen, bath vanity cabinets and doors. Painting doors in a new trend and really takes spaces to the next level.
We got rid of client’s bed frame (because it was just not in line with anyone’s taste) and moved the bed to a different side of the room. We also moved the dest to the den and created a sitting area in the master.
The master was remodeled about 10 years ago, but had an old vanity still there. Client – without us ever asking – ordered the vanity and had it replaced. It was an absolutely great investment on his part. We also picked a light gray shade for him.
The process wasn’t easy, but it wasn’t hard. I guided the seller every step of the way and was continuously tracking our progress so we stay on the agreed upon schedule. There was certainly a wow and a lot of pride at the end. We ended up receiving 4 offers and selling $15,000 over the list price. (List price was $750,000, SOLD price $765,000)
The cherry on top of this wonderful experience was a testimonial from my client:
“Renata helped me sell my condo in Arlington VA this December 2019.
There is not much that I can add to Renata’s 5-star reviews, but I will try! Renata is a true professional. She has a method and a vision that worked perfectly for me. The sale closed within 30 days !!!
– She brought in an expert stager who provided me advice on how to prepare my property for sale.
– She advised me on listing price, timing and contract negotiations and she was absolutely right on all counts.
– Renata and her team were always responsive, attentive to all details and willing to go the extra mile.
I highly recommend Renata Briggman as a real estate agent in Northern Virginia.”
If you are thinking about selling – please request a consultation here! I would love to help you too!