The Power of Staging and The Gift of an Amazing Client

Craig came to me by referral from Sharon Bloudek, another agent at Living Room Realty. She thought we might match well and I might be able to use my condo knowledge to help him sell his property. I met Craig at the property, shortly after his tenants had moved out, and while familiar with other units in this complex, I did not expect to walk into a property that transported me to the Mediterranean. I’ve been in many condos in Portland, but I am always in awe when I get caught by surprise and see a unique property. This was definitely it, but had been a rental for Craig for a number of years and had some of the wear and tear issues that come with rental property. The finish choices were a very personal color palette, that does not always translate to favorable showings, but could be extremely cool if presented with some supporting staging. Craig had lived here early on in his ownership, and still have a lot of attachment to it, the decor and finishes. The question was, how best to present and market it to a diverse Buyer pool.

Enter the ladies of Crush Staging. Tiara Gunstone and Rachel Robichaud, are the wonders behind Crush, and who I had the pleasure of being introduced to when I joined Living Room as a number of agents spoke their praise. They have staged a number of properties for me now and are a delight to work with, making it simple, easy, and effortless. On this one, they came through, gave a number of suggestions we could do outside of just staging the property, and presented it to us in a way that was easy to digest. We took them up on the staging portion, and as they say, they “Crushed It”. This is why I suggest staging to my client’s when discussing how best to market their properties. This combined with the power of professional photography, makes

The condo market in Portland has slowed substantially over the past year and a half. A global pandemic usually does not help the cause either. Once we did go live, we had more showings here, than any other property I had on the market at the time. Sometimes having a place that stands out and is unique, drives interest that even I do not forsee coming.

The property had some challenges to navigate, and Buyer confidence seemed to be low, as we navigated through 2 sale fails. Right before our last sale fail, I got a call from Craig, and he relayed to me that his wife’s job was a casualty of the COVID-19 shutdown and he was going to be looking for other avenues for income. He thought it best to try and get it re-rented and to de-stage the property. I completely understood the reasoning and arranged for Crush to remove the staging and prepared to remove it from the market. The day before we de-staged it, we had a showing, and it seemed there was interest. It took a number of days, and thankfully Craig gave me his patience, as the offer came in and we were back into contract.

Both of us had some unease, as neither of us had any experience with selling a property amidst a statewide shutdown and global pandemic. There were some contingencies we had to navigate, some gives that may not have happened if business was running as usual, but in the end, we had found the right Buyer’s for the property and Craig was able to sell a home he had a lot of sentimental value to.

Congrats Craig, you were a wonder to work with and your perseverance throughout this process was extremely appreciated.

SOLD AT $270,000

2 BEDROOM | 1 BATH | 875 SQFT
MLS# 19555142

BEFORE:

AFTER:

Scott Shoji

Broker | OR

He/Him

Hello! My name is Scott Shoji and I am a licensed Oregon Real Estate Broker. I began my journey into Real Estate in 2005 specializing in new development mixed-use buildings & condos in Portland’s urban core. I was part of the sales teams for the Eliot Tower and The Westerly while at Debbie Thomas Real Estate, gaining first-hand knowledge of how a high-rise building is constructed from the ground up. Seeing all phases of the design, build, and sales process for condominium development helped frame my knowledge of the condo market. I am very familiar with most condo buildings in Portland and have published extensive market research on them for years. Before joining Living Room Realty, I worked with a top producing team that eventually became a boutique brokerage based out of the South Waterfront. This opportunity allowed me to expand my knowledge of not only the residential buildings in the area, but the ethos and vision of the community. I unequivocally loved being a condo owner and living in the heart of Downtown Portland where I took advantage of walking to farmers’ markets, concerts, festivals and food carts. Now living in a single-family home in the west-side suburbs of Portland, I enjoy watching my daughter ride her bike and my wife attempt to weed our garden. I feel like I can truly speak to the different experiences that each can offer and relate to buyers and sellers no matter what lifestyle they choose. I am a California transplant, having trekked North to earn degrees in English Literature & Business at the University of Oregon. (Go Ducks!) I have lived in Oregon on and off since 1996 and permanently made Portland my home in 2005. It is the love of this city that has welcomed me into its quirky arms that fuels my desire to help others find the same. Why Portland? The seasons! Leaves changing colors, the crisp winter air, lush green forests that convince you of another adventure. A thriving food scene where every other corner celebrates an up-and-coming chef, barista, or brewer. There is something so very accessible about Portland that charms and endears me. It feels intimate and easily accessed for a “big“ city. Where walking and cycling are embraced as popular modes of transportation and you are a short drive from the ocean, mountains, rivers and forests. What are you doing in your free time? You can usually find me artfully dodging or skillfully kicking rubber balls in my adult Dodgeball and Kickball leagues. I try and keep youthful at heart and these leagues help with that. Otherwise, I can be found tackling my untamable garden, improving my photography skills, or hiking the Pacific Northwest with my wife, Chelsea, and daughter, Elora and son, Auryn. Favorite Place Traveled To? This is probably a tie between Mürren, Switzerland, a picturesque mountain town deep in the Swiss Alps where I proposed to my wife, or Cambodia, where I experienced one of the most vibrant cultures traveling with my brother and sister. What can always be found close to you? A cup of black coffee and my computer. Why Real Estate? I have always loved the feeling of home. It is both a sense of place and a feeling of comfort. I find immense enjoyment in being able to help people find their home, whether that is handing over the keys to that very first home purchase, or helping someone take the next steps in life by selling the place that memories were made in. Not many careers can give that sense of satisfaction at the end of the day.

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• T: 503-927-3900
• s.shoji@livingroomre.com