Most buyers have a hard time visualizing how an apartment would feel like if they lived there if it is either messy or empty. Such is the case for my client in New York (Chelsea) who renovated a 1 bedroom apartment by combining two studios. He hired an architect who did a great job with beautiful bamboo floors, custom cabinets, great open space design, modern appliances, and a japanese zen feel. However, with the softening real estate market, my client wanted to make sure his apartment did not go unnoticed by prospective buyers.
My client gave me carte blanche to do what I thought was necessary to smarten up his apartment. I sourced rental furniture (Cort Furniture Rentals), added design home decor details (vases, plants, candles, accessories), painted a few paintings for his walls, and in general, created a home style in line with the apartments overall feeling and look. The result was a comfortable and smart apartment. So much so, several mentioned how much they would like to live there themselves.
The result: Both the agent and my client (the seller) were thrilled. The property listed and was closed in less than 3 months, and during the downsizing of the real estate market in 2006.
