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AIBU?

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Original poster

With to be shitty with the stylist and the real estate agent?

138 replies

justilou1 · 04/11/2017 21:32

I have just paid nearly 9 Grand to have a stylist "do" my late mother's house prior to sale. She told us what furniture she wanted to keep, and what had to go into storage. I had to empty the place by myself and while doing so I noticed that under a cabinet, where the light hadn't reached the floor, it was about five shades lighter than the rest of the room. I sent photos to the agent and was assured that the stylist would sort it out.

Please see attached photos... Don't you think it sticks out like dog's balls? I would be embarrassed about this "solution" and would have put down a longer, bigger pot or something. How dare they say that it's "sorted"!!!

With to be shitty with the stylist and the real estate agent?
OP posts:
Lozmatoz · 04/11/2017 22:11

Very poor effort. It probably needs all sanding and then treating to make sure it matches.... or just put a bit piece of furniture on it.

WipsGlitter · 04/11/2017 22:12

I want that house! Amazing!!

Bluntness100 · 04/11/2017 22:17

I actually cannot believe the price of that house, god it just shows how expensive the south east of England is.

It’s beautiful. But I’m struggling to think that lighter patch is just about sunlight. It looks like it’s not being stained, however I don’t think it’s a big deal really.

Original poster
justilou1 · 04/11/2017 22:18

My mother had the kitchen re-done and to change it would have cost a shitload more than 9 grand here. (She was anorexic - cooking was not her thing at all!) It is definitely NOT my taste at all.

Parquet floors aren't really a thing in Australia and I am not sure people would assume or believe that about the floor darkening, although it's true - I removed a gruesome rug from downstairs (which admittedly doesn't get as much light and the discolouration was not as obvious - but it was a much larger area) and you would never know that there had been a rug-shaped patch in the middle of the room.

I have complained but am now being blanked. I am so shitty because we are paying a lot for it, and I have been made so many promises. We had to get it done because the house is very 90's and mum's taste was well-engrained in the 80's so her furniture and clutter made it look even more dated than it really is. It is obviously a high-end property and buyers are ruthless. There is a lot of competition in the area.

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millifiori · 04/11/2017 22:18

am I the only person who can only see one photo?

ILostItInTheEarlyNineties · 04/11/2017 22:20

Where is the cabinet? It needs to go back. Can that man find it?

Original poster
justilou1 · 04/11/2017 22:22

The price isn't listed on the property, btw - the thing at the bottom is a pseudo bank loan application with a random amount in it that is much lower than our expectation.

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Nofunkingworriesmate · 04/11/2017 22:26

Does everyone pay that amount to style a house?? Is that dollars or sterling? Does that include re decoration?? I would have happily flown out there and tarted the place up for you for a fraction of that amount

Pm me any Aussie homeowners...

Skittlesandbeer · 04/11/2017 22:28

I think that you should get firmer with the stylist (or agent, depending on who your contract is with). Usually the words ‘Small Claims Tribunal’ work well. Insist that it be rectified within 24hrs, or you will be seeking compensation for lost opens. If I was looking to negotiate on price for this house, I’d immediately mention replacement of the floor, and parquetry is very expensive to replace.

I’d also be careful with adding links to the house on forums like this, the agents keep track of number of ‘views’ and tweak the campaign using that info. A million sticky-beakers from the other side of the world (plus me in Melbourne!) might muddy the waters.

Good luck with the sale, and I hope some appreciation for doing this job comes your way soon.

Iamcheeseman · 04/11/2017 22:29

Wow that's a nice house!

Longdistance · 04/11/2017 22:33

Lovely house. I couldn’t see the price in Aussie dollars either.

I’d say a better piece of furniture should go there. —or get golden child to sort it—

lazymum99 · 04/11/2017 22:37

Lovely house but you couldn't pay me to live in the middle of the australian bush......SPIDERS.......

Skittlesandbeer · 04/11/2017 22:40

Yes, styling is very important in Australia at the moment.

Probably driven by high prices, renovating shows, and everyone’s lack of skills (and cash) to buy what looks like fixer-upper and kick it into shape themselves. Stylists also cover problems (like this flooring), suggest uses for tricky spaces and have access to furnishings that imply more space (shorter beds, etc). You pay more or less according to the house value, number of rooms you get done (sometimes not all of them), and style of interior.

So this one is a big house, fully done (almost!), in a glam style. $9k (Aust) sounds highish, but if the owner is in another state it’s probably standard.

I paid $2k for styling a $500k townhouse 5 years ago (now it would be more). Most rooms, no plant hire, some permanent work (taps, paint). It definitely got us over the line with the sale. Young women with house aspirations beyond their budget (and no clue about the work needed behind the modern print on the wall) really love this styling stuff!

Original poster
justilou1 · 04/11/2017 22:42

It's AUD and that includes the hire of soft furnishings and furniture. (And trust me - it needed it. There was a lot of avocado green and salmon interspersed with red and black! EW). That's how much things cost here. It really feels like the market is bottoming out and if we don't sell, we'll have to wait indefinitely for it to come back up again.

I would love golden child to sort it, but he is far too busy and important (skateboarding, taking drugs and telling everyone he's a drummer - despite being 43 and never having worked as one). One of the reasons I am so desperate to sell is so that I can change my number and fall off the face of the planet. ("There's your money - now fuck off!")

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Original poster
justilou1 · 04/11/2017 22:43

@Skittles - shows like The Block certainly don't help matters. (Even though Melbourne and Brisbane are almost different countries!)

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Skittlesandbeer · 04/11/2017 22:50

You won’t generally find a price on houses at the premium end of the market in Aus. You may get a price guide (ie $1.3m+) but more often the advert is designed to force you into contacting the agent for price information. Even then it’ll be quite vague (even with new laws about transparency in pricing), or give a range like $1.3- $1.7m.

You can extrapolate a price using the info they give on bank loans or suggested rental income at the bottom, but you’d be better off doing your own research with recent similar sales in the area. Bank loans and rental have soooo many variables that affect them, other than house sale price. For example in areas of high bushfire risk, you may find a loan hard to come by, or with stricter terms.

dontcallmelen · 04/11/2017 22:56

@milli me too I can only see one photo😳

Skittlesandbeer · 04/11/2017 22:56

And hey, the reason we paint our houses magnolia for sale DownUnder is so that if a foreigner buys it, they can see the spiders coming a mile away down the wall and have time to post on mn about them before moving to a hotel.

We locals just consider our spiders mobile art installations... Grin

Original poster
justilou1 · 04/11/2017 22:58

We have a bottom line based on the sale of the house next door. It is a unique property - being surrounded by forest park and within 5km of the city centre. There is literally nothing like it in Australia available at the moment. There are a family of wallabies that come and hang out (They love to stare in the windows - pervs!) and all kinds of parrots, kookaburras and bandicoots, echidnas and so much Aussie wildlife it's like you expect Steve Irwin to pop out from behind a bush yelling "Crikey!"

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bonfireheart · 04/11/2017 23:02

Just pop a rug over it. A house that size, with those views and in perfect condition, it'll be fine.

mrbob · 04/11/2017 23:19

It is a crazy market in Oz. The real estate agents often do very little for their money (I have rarely met one that bothers to turn up on time for viewings) because the competition is usually fierce. And "styling" houses is a big thing. Nuts. It is obvious from pictures when they have because every house has the same furniture (and usually one of those wooden sets of letters saying LOVE in the kitchen) I guess it must work though

Original poster
justilou1 · 04/11/2017 23:19

A rug isn't going to work. It's in a breezeway, so it would be another obvious concealment. I think a low planter box is the way to go. Actually, it's bloody obvious, but I'm no stylist.

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Ttbb · 04/11/2017 23:30

Stylist has done a really rubbish job in general. You should ask for your money back. House is lovely though.

Original poster
justilou1 · 05/11/2017 07:53

I have to admit that I am even more underwhelmed by the stylist now. I was assured by the real estate agent that this had been handled. I asked for a photo. They threw a fucking bathmat under the crap that I'd complained about and it doesn't even cover the bloody light bit of the floor. I have never had an email tantrum before today, but I threw one and have threatened to fly up tomorrow (at their expense) and sort it out myself as there is a invitation only showing tomorrow night and I am not willing to let a discerning buyer go into the house to see that shit. (My quote was along the lines of "Cheap, lazy, and obvious." "Unprofessional" was mentioned a few times also.

With to be shitty with the stylist and the real estate agent?
OP posts:
screamingeels · 05/11/2017 08:04

Oh god, sorry because this must be so stressful for you.. but that is so terrible and half-arsed it made me laugh!