Turning Ugly Ducklings Into Swans
Ryanne Vaughan, 29, always believed in staging houses, but when she started in the business five years ago, she had no money for it. “So I used my own furniture,” she says. “Every time my husband came home, there was something else missing!” These days, she has three warehouse spaces full of furniture and knickknacks. Vaughan says nearly three-fourths of the homes she sells were originally listed by other agents, sometimes for years. “Most of the time, we even raise the prices on them,” says Vaughan. Her success stems from knowing her audience. “I don’t stage to my specific taste,” she says. “For a downtown condo, I go ultra-modern. For a single-family home, it’s all about staying neutral and good flow.”