One of the most Interesting aspects of being a Realtor in NYC is that you must be ready to find creative solutions and field obstacles when they arise to save your client as many headaches as possible. Buying and selling real estate, moving, and the coordination of finances etc. are potentially very stressful for them; so I consider being a problem solver a key factor in my success. Sometimes, things happen that I would never have expected…but this one is a doozy.
My client had decided that it was time to sell her Pied a Terre, an alcove studio in Chelsea. Since one of the strengths of my business is the best staging practices to apply to a listing I was able to gently advise her that her furniture was not going to help us sell the apartment. Fortunately she wasn’t tied to most of it she and her husband drove their pickup up from VA to take a few pieces back home and we donated the rest. Truthfully, part of me wanted to hop in the truck with them to hang on the farm, and in hindsight it certainly would have been more fun than what was to come but I am, if nothing, dedicated to my work and clients.
As it happened, another of my clients was renovating her apartment and was going to have to put her things in storage so I suggested that we move her furnishings into this apartment, saving them both stress and money. Everyone was delighted with the solution. (#1 R- we can insert a photo of 405 W. 23rd/3K with the neighbor’s furnishings here).
The summer of 2019 turned out to be one of the slowest any of us have experienced in New York real estate in ages so when the time came for the furniture on loan to go back to its home I had to find another solution. I was selling my weekend home so was able to utilize several pieces of furniture and accessories in three of my listings for the best staging of each home. Redistributing my personal belongings, identifying each with a color coded dot, was one of the most challenging projects I’ve endeavored to accomplish…not to mention the fact that I was experiencing all of the afore mentioned emotional aspects of moving and selling a home. It was a great lesson and deserving of a long vacation thereafter but I had three projects in need of open house staging, photos and marketing. There was also the matter of my 15 year old palm tree, but that’s a story for another time.
For the purposes of client privacy we’ll refer to the homes as 1. Alcove Studio 2. Murphy bed 3. Killer Views. So, I added a few pieces to the Alcove Studio, knowing that soon we would have to add more when the loaner furniture would leave. The Murphy bed apartment was chock full of ancient everything so the owners’ sons pitched in to remove most everything but the dining table, mirrors, and a curio cabinet and I oversaw some desperately needed cosmetic fixes. Part of my service includes providing contractors and when the client lives elsewhere, as in each of these homes, it’s the best way for me to stage for open houses. I added a sofa, side tables, dining chairs, TV and rented a few pieces. (#2 R- we should insert the photo of 405/5B here).
The apartment with Killer Views only needed some art and accessories from my home…as well as a more challenging request of the client to remove some well-worn furniture and carpeting in the den. While it was only 10’ by 10’ the room enjoyed spectacular open views of Hudson Yards, the High Line, and the Hudson River, so inviting visitors to feel at home in the room was vital. This is probably the most delicate piece in a client relationship as we all take pride in our homes and see past the flaws that a stranger who lives by the best way to stage an open house perceives. (#3-4 R- I think you have pix of that room before but I’ll check. I have the after pix for sure)
So, back to the real story. Fortunately, the Murphy bed apartment featured two walls of windows and light so despite the sluggish market, as a fresh listing it went into contract fairly quickly. Once the contract was signed I brought my movers in to take the sofa, side tables and palm tree down to the alcove studio. They brought the remainders to storage and added my dining table and chairs, rug and cocktail table. (R- we should insert a shot of 405/3K with new furniture)
After a short time we had a bidding war on the apartment with Killer Views so the only listing left to sell was the Alcove Studio. Things were picking up…and then the unthinkable happened. I can’t even begin to describe the trepidation I felt while waiting for my client to answer the phone. Due to a variety of circumstances I can’t share all of the details right now but you can be sure that there’s more to come and as a New York Realtor this won’t be the last amazing story I have to tell.