The Big Interview: Karen Keating, Director at Dexters
We spent five minutes with Karen Keating, who has been an estate agent for 17 years, the past ten of those at Dexters in Islington, leading a team of ten. Her branch handles the sale of approximately 100 properties a year. Below Karen shares her insights about the transformative power of staging homes and its palpable impact on the sales process.
Q: Can you describe how staging vacant properties with The Property Presenters has impacted your sales process and success rates?
A: I don't think I have had a property that's been dressed that hasn't gone on to sell. People buy with their hearts. No matter what people say, they often can't see around an empty space. They need to have that warm cosy ' I can see myself living here' feeling which is exactly what The Property Presenters provide.
Apartment staged in London N1 for a seller based in the USA. Asking price offer received 30 days after staging and marketing.
Q: How do your clients typically react to staged homes?
I find staging influences their decision to buy 100%. I can't argue this point enough. They can see themselves living there and it makes such a difference.
Three storey maisonette staged in London N1. Dexters received 5 offers on the day the property went live, and the seller achieved £50,000 over the asking price.
Q: What are the key benefits you’ve observed from staging properties before listing them on the market?
A: Adverts gain so much more attention when the lead shoot is pretty. Just like an Instagram or online 'click bait' thumbnail, if you show some gorgeous pictures and people will immediately be intrigued. Everyone loves looking at pretty properties online - even if it’s outside their budget. You can't tell me you’ve never clicked on that stunning staged £5m home on Rightmove!
Apartment staged in the historic New River Head Building in London EC1R. The seller, who had relocated to Spain, received an asking price offer 46 days after the property went on the market.
Q: Could you share a specific success story where staging made a significant difference in the sale of a property?
A: A seller called me who had been on the market with another large London agent for 3 months without a single offer. The agent was suggesting a £100,000 reduction in price. It was an ex-rental property which had a sofa and a storage unit left in it but was essentially vacant. When I went to the property I was underwhelmed. I told the seller to stage the home and told him I would not start viewings until he had done so. Luckily he trusted me which resulted in not one but two asking price offers within just 2 weeks of us starting viewings. We didn't change the price, we just had it staged by The Property Presenters.
The property described by Karen in her answer above.
Q: What aspects of The Property Presenters’ services do you find most valuable and why?
A: For me as the agent, aside from knowing it makes the sales quicker and easier, I find just the personal feel the team at The Property Presenters give you is the best. Everyone there is so easy to deal with and the turnaround time on their quotes / install is amazing. One thing estate agents hate is to hold up their sales waiting for third parties to organise themselves!
A split-level apartment in the highly desirable Exmouth Market area of London. An asking price offer was received 6 weeks after staging, despite this being mostly during a quiet viewing period in December.
