Sunday, November 23, 2008

My next project...


Terry recently received this listing on a property located on Mercer Island. I'm very excited to be staging this property. This is brand new and will be listed at $1,850,000. I will be staging two properties in a little over a week. Just as soon as I get "before" and "after" photos I will post them. Stay tuned and thank you for visiting.

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

My Favorite Staging photos and Ideas from the Web

I always love to look in Home Magazine for my favorite ideas! I started exploring some pages online and came across some photos that I really liked. I decided to share these photos in a slideshow to give you an idea of my personal taste. I think every stager knows that preparing a home to put on the market means neutralizing, however everyone has their own "taste" and I like to always add a dab of color using accents. Right now the "on-trend" colors are aqua blue with shades of green and greens and blues with reds and oranges.

Thursday, November 6, 2008

Current Project- What a difference paint can make...

Here, I have taken a blank slate and made the master bedroom warm and inviting simply by adding a little paint. Remember that neutral when staging is important, but "neutral" does not mean white. Safe neutral colors in a bedroom are beige-creams, soft gray, and sage green. This home has not yet been "staged." The James Real Estate Group is working with the client to make the necessary changes and updates to the home prior to putting on the market.



Paint is a cost-effective way to spruce-up any wall. Here is a great example of a small accent that really brings warmth and character to the family room.













This is the first area you see when entering the home. It is the formal living and dining space and has vaulted ceilings. This space was very dark, even in the middle of the day. I added a touch of "downy" yellow and the room immediately brightened-up without being blinding or too overwhelming. The subtle change brought out the white woodwork as well.




Sunday, November 2, 2008

Let's Talk About Staging...



There are major benefits of staging your home, a professional stager will explain the process, and provide a detailed list of recommendations to get your house sold fast! After a professional staging consultation you can start to get your home looking its’ best. Staging will secure equity in your home and sell your property faster. Staging always gives the seller a marketing edge.

What to expect from a Stager:

*Tour the home and create a list of recommendations to turn the home back into a house
-A detailed explanation will be provided in regards to the following areas:
i. Clean
ii. De-clutter
iii. Repair/update
iv. Showcase selling features;
minimize undesirable features

*Decorating vs. Staging- Decorating appeals to the person living in the house; staging targets a buyer who will purchase the house using a universal style.

Top 10 Home Improvements - Things you can think about now:

clean and de-clutter
lighten and brighten (paint and lighting)
stage
landscape
repair electrical/plumbing problems
replace or shampoo carpets
paint interior
paint exterior
repair damaged flooring
Update kitchen and bathrooms

Positive First Impressions: - *Buyers are comparing several properties in a short period of time.

· Look Good. Everything from the curb and through the house looks good, well tended on and “on-trend.”

· Smelling Good. Air is fresh and clean. Artificial fragrances give buyers the impression that you’re trying to cover something.

· Sounding Good. Pleasant music. Close windows.

· Feeling Good. No discomfort, easy to navigate through, clean, organized, and a comfortable temperature.

· Tasting Good. Open house. Snacks- this slows down buyers to take a closer look.

Saturday, November 1, 2008

How, Why and When to become a Stager...

All of my life I have been in Real Estate. In some way, shape or form- I have been surrounded by Real Estate. See, my Dad has been a Realtor and has been running an appraisal business for decades. My sister and her husband went into the business after studying and working under my Dad. I have seen cousins get into the mix (working for Dad). After my sister and I were out of the house and on to starting our own families my Mom even joined the Real Estate Team. I've been with my husband for 12 years now. For most of those years he has been in the Mortgage business and is now a realtor himself. And what about me? Well I chose to go the route of education. I wanted to work with kids and use my second language...Spanish. Um, good experience, but bad choice. I have wonderful memories but unfortunately for me, I did not enjoy the job. At times it was rewarding, but face it, I wasn't cut-out to teach High School kids at 22 years old.

For as long as I can remember I've been considered a pretty creative person. I always soaked everything in as I watched my Mom around the house. I supose that is where I got my neatness, cleanliness, and organizational skills from...lucky me! But everyone has a God-given talent, right? When I was young it was my athleticism. Now that, well, I'm not so young, what is it? For so many years I just thought my total passion for decorating and reading and viewing Home Magazines was just a "hobby." Something that was "fun." And for years and years friends and family would ask me why I didn't get into interior design. I think I just always thought of it as my Mom's "thing." Well, I finally decided that after the experience of re-organizing, decluttering, and decorating homes of friends, family and even my own homes - it was time for me to get into staging. It was the best of both my talents (organization and decorating) and something I can manage while being home with my children. I get to advise people on how to make their own home look its best prior to being put on the market. Some of these people will even hire me to come into their homes, reorganize their furniture and decorate (to some extent). Why would I pass-up this opportunity?

I first had to acknowledge that this wasn't just something that was fun for me, but something that I could really do and be successful at...and who doesn't enjoy success? Then I decided to stop by the bookstore and read whatever I could about Home Staging. Then I researched some courses online and found that one doesn't even need an education to be a "Stager." Infact, as of now there is only Accredidation for those interested in staging. Therefore, I decided that instead of just going into the business without anything, I'd rather have something. Afterall, it will be more professional to do what I can when it comes to presenting myself to clients. So I received my certification online and that's how I became a Home Stager.

My experience comes from organizing and decorating (including painting) several homes and advising friends and family on what they can do to make their home more comfortable for their lifestyle. I've received rave reviews.

So, How? Read books, view magazines, be creative by nature and get your accredidation.

Why? Because you love to do it and you're good at it. There are a lot of people out there that take the course because they are in the Real Estate business...but they don't really love it and definately are not good at it.

When? When YOU are ready! Remember, there are start-up fees for stagers...make sure you're prepared to pay for the course and begin your own accessory collection.