Why our Staging WORKS!
Staging has become very popular over the last few years. In many ways, it is fast becoming the trend of the future in real estate sales and in some markets has become part of standard real estate practice.

OUR SERVICES INCLUDE:
Initial Consultation
We meet with the owner to discuss the condition of the home and consult on needed improvements, problem areas, and strategies to effectively market the home. After the initial consultation we will provide you with an estimate and proposal to stage your property.

Recommendations & Improvements:

It is important to be a realist in today’s market. For that reason, as a matter of practice I recommend that the homeowner make any needed improvements to increase their competitive edge. Naturally, we can make a house better just by staging it, but my goal is for your house to be the best among your competition. For that reason I encourage our clients to make the investment of upgrading things like old carpet and lighting, re-painting, neutralizing overly specific features of the home, cleanout of clutter, etc.

Project Management:
If you’re not the do-it-yourself type or you’re just too busy, we can organize the various contractors or service providers to help you get your home on the market expeditiously.

Design:
My background is in art and design so we bring a clear understanding of the principles of design as we create a cohesive look tailored for each house.

Effective Online Marketing:
Once you’ve listed your home with a realtor he or she will normally photograph the house and / or post a virtual tour of the property. I intentionally focus a lot of attention on the details that will help your house show well online. Your property will be ‘screened’ by hundreds of viewers who only choose a limited selection of homes to actually visit. Many houses are screened out because they don’t photograph well. We want your house to make a great impression for virtual tours. If your home doesn’t photograph well it will be bypassed by serious buyers, significantly slowing your sale.

Occupied Homes:
Realtors have actually told me that no one wants to live in a ‘staged’ house, but we haven’t found that to be true. To the contrary, I’ve enjoyed re-decorating homes using both staging furnishings and props in conjunction with the homeowners’ possessions, and the results have been great. One client commented, “For years I wanted to exhibit my artwork and travel finds, but was frustrated because I didn’t know how to make it all work. When I move to our new home, I’ll know just how to utilize my things!” And once we have the staging set, we teach you how to maintain the staging until your home sells.

Vacant Houses:
We frequently stage unoccupied homes. Empty houses pose unique problems for the seller. They ‘feel’ empty, which isn’t a good marketing strategy. Furniture, artwork, rugs, etc. give the viewers ‘clues’ as to how much space is available in the rooms. Spaces tend to feel smaller when they are empty. Model homes are the proof that furnished houses are more appealing than empty ones. We have an inventory of furnishings and accessories which we rent at a very reasonable rate. And while I do advocate furnishing an empty home, we don’t have to fill every space, but focus on the key areas of the home.

Furniture Rental:
Our rental fees are very affordable. We normally add in some staging ‘props’ or furnishings to round out the design in occupied homes. We also have an inventory of furnishings, artwork, accessories, rugs, etc. to complete staging designs in vacant houses.

To Realtors:
I would be happy to get to know you and give you the benefit of my experience in participating with your marketing plan for your business. Gift certificates covering the cost of a consultation have proven successful in encouraging clients to invest their own success.


More Staging Information
I really believe in informing and educating our clients so they can sell their homes effectively. The following are some key concepts associated with the philosophy of real estate staging. I believe you’ll find this useful as you consider professional staging..

Marketing, Marketing, Marketing!
Staging is a very effective tool for marketing real estate. It is tried and true and consistently yields good results. No one can afford to overlook the power of a visual statement in our world today. Most people have a real inability to visualize the potential of a home if you don’t properly showcase it. Even though I’ve been doing this for years, I’m still amazed at how much better a house looks after we stage it.

The Competitive Edge (Ranking):
When several houses with comparable square footage, location, schools, amenities, etc. are on the market concurrently, they become each others’ competition. Our goal in staging is to increase the ranking of your home so that people are actually competing to buy it from you. We do this by installing a polished and cohesive design for you.

The Power of the Internet:
I can’t over-emphasize the power of a superior virtual tour. One of our real estate clients commented, “Sharon understands how to set the stage for photography. These key touches are critical to visually marketing a home. If the home doesn’t look good in the photos online, the buyers won’t view the home in person. Homes that photograph well, get more showings both online and in person. She is critical to my marketing plan.”

Select a realtor who will market your home aggressively using the power of technology. Your buyer may be from out of state or out of the country but can still view your property online. It’s important to take advantage of the venues most frequently accessed by potential buyers.

Time on the Market:
I mentioned this previously but I have to emphasize how important this is! Time on the market: Sadly, home values are falling well below what many people originally paid for their homes. Staging can accelerate the selling process and move your home off the market more quickly. The longer a home stays on the market the more leverage potential buyers have to ask you to lower your price. If you are moving out of the area and have a home to sell, you can end up paying two mortgages. The costs associated with staging are easily off-set by getting your house sold quickly. Here is what one of our real estate partners has to say:

“One of the challenges for me as a realtor is to get sellers to understand how critical staging is. Homes that don’t stage sit on the market longer and eventually have to lower their price. That price reduction is always significantly larger than the cost of staging ever would have been, and by not staging, the client risks losing both time and money.”

Pricing Your Home:
It is essential to enlist a well informed realtor who will price your home accurately. We have seen sellers be able to raise their asking price once improvements are made and staging installed. But even when this is not the case, it is much easier to command your asking price when the house presents well. You definitely don’t want your house to be viewed as a ‘fixer upper’!

Homeowner or Home Seller?
Staging employs the idea of ‘neutralizing’ or de-personalization of a home. Frequently, the personal style preferences of homeowners run cross-current with those looking to buy a house. I don’t agree that neutralization always means using neutral colors (We’ve left red, bright blue, yellow walls, etc.!) Rather, we try to de-personalize the look of the home so that others can envision their family and their furnishings in the space. By editing the personal style of the homeowner we are able to broaden the appeal of the home to more people.

Furnishings:
There are some instances where it is necessary to remove some or all of the furnishings to create the right look for the house. Instances where this is necessary are when there is too much furniture making the rooms seem small or the furniture is worn and damaged. Serious home sellers are willing to be ruthless in making the sacrifices to effectively market their property.