The road to this home sale was anything but straightforward; after years of bouncing on and off the MLS, it had earned a reputation among local agents as a “tricky listing.” It took one agent to turn it around. Read that story here 👇
At over 120 years old, this home deserved a full ✨glow-up✨, and sisters Leslie & Andrea poured their hearts into a full renovation throughout 2023. Together, they created a modern open-concept living space, stylish kitchen, beautiful new bathrooms, finished the third floor, and even treated the property to brand-new blue siding. By January 2024, they were ready to put the home on the market.
After their big investment into the property, it didn't take much convincing by a "low service brokerage" to use a lower-cost service. Without the guidance from a traditional real estate team, the sisters stumbled through the listing process as their hired brokerage threw some photos up on the MLS and wished the duo luck.
Two months later, and buyer-less, they dropped the price by $15,000. And with no movement another two months after that, they pulled the listing from the market and decided to rent it out to a tenant. A year on and with the tenant vacating, Leslie and Andrea wanted to try selling again.
A low-service brokerage was not the answer; they realized that. They needed real help from a full-service agent. And during their time on the market one agent had stood out to them: Pip Haxby-Thompson. Pip had actually brought a buyer through the property in 2024, and submitted very candid feedback. Impressed by his honestly, Leslie and Andrea reached out to Pip, ready to follow all of his advice. And they made the right choice ✅. Pip acquired them a fantastic offer within 2 weeks, and they were closed in 2 months!
After a thorough Consultation and Strategy Session with Leslie and Andrea, Pip's main focus was these 3 things to get this house successfully sold:
You can increase the dollar value buyers are willing to offer by up to 10% with professional home staging (NAR)—Leslie & Andrea paid $3,900 to the Philly Design Collective to stage nearly their entire home. From a "void box", the layout felt elegant, warm, and intentional.
Good pricing strategy considers market data and buyer behavior. In 2024, Leslie & Andrea priced 201 New Jersey Ave 'aspirationally', turning off buyers. This time around, Pip priced the home right at market value, driving urgency—strategically in a season when buyer demand is highest.
Sellers are not required to offer to pay the Buyer Agent's Compensation, but historically they have done. By not offering any compensation in their 2024 attempt, they were turning away buyers. This time around, they offered to cover it.
Low-service brokerages promise to save sellers money. But in reality, cutting corners on strategy, pricing advice, and marketing often ends up costing far more in the long run. By contrast, full-service representation doesn’t just pay for itself—it often delivers a significantly higher return. In Leslie and Andrea’s case, Pip’s strategy helped them go from a stalled sale to a smooth, full-price close at $665,000—with zero second-guessing and no lingering time on market.
Their success proves what we tell our clients every day:
Now for the important part: the outcome of our Marketing Strategy to secure these sellers an incredible offer. The 201 New Jersey Ave Marketing Campaign involved professional videography, targeted email campaign (to 1.7k buyers househunting in the 08108 area), special feature in our Deal of the Week email, and an extraordinary Zillow Showcase Listing profile that 'hacked' the Zillow algorithm to shoot this home to the top of everyone's search.
For every incredible home sold in Collingswood and beyond, your home's value is impacted. Get your updated valuation and equity report here.
