How tough is it to sell homes? They're using occupant impersonators!

[KamaAina]

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124051998145749625.html

OCEANSIDE, Calif. -- The fragrance of sage-scented candles and sounds of jazz fill the air of a 2,600-square-foot house a block from the beach. Tiger-striped chairs flank tables crafted from exotic woods. Photos of a chubby baby hang on the walls. Whoever occupies 211 Windward Way, they seem to live the good life.

Too good to be true, in fact. The house is owned by a builder, who hasn't been able to sell it for more than a year. And while someone really does live here, it's as part of an elaborate bit of stagecraft aimed at moving Southern California's echoing inventory of luxury vacant homes.

This $1.2 million seaside pied-a-terre is occupied by Johnna Clavin, a 45-year-old Los Angeles event planner and decorator who has seen business slow. In exchange for giving the townhouse a stylishly lived-in look, she gets to stay there at a steep discount and stands to earn a bonus if the house sells fast....


Home "staging" companies charge owners several thousand dollars to fill houses with attractive furniture -- but no human props. Faux homeowners could be the next big thing in staging. They supply "that little extra mint on the pillow," says Steve Rodgers, president of Windermere Exclusive Properties in San Diego, which has the listing on Windward Way. "Down-low and subtle is sometimes good."

You just can't make this stuff up...

[izquierdista]

1. What's next?

Potemkin condos? :shrug:

[ProgressiveProfessor]

2. Agents have been dressing homes for years

First it was just model homes, now its just about every house on the market. I've done it myself

[RB TexLa]

6. And it works. When we were looking at houses we had much more favorable thoughts

about the ones with obviously placed furniture than those that were empty.

[Uzybone]

3. This is standard in both good times and bad

nothing new. Especially for a home worth over $1 million.

[TwilightZone]

4. It might surprise you, but this has been a real estate practice for some time now.

Companies have been renting out homes in slow-selling areas at big discounts as "corporate rentals" to keep them occupied (and help cash flow) while they're on the market. A friend of mine in the industry said that their company has been doing it for a few years now and that it's pretty common nationwide, especially in poor markets.

[msongs]

5. that house will sell when it quits being overpriced for the market nt