EnergizedSeller

HOME STAGING WORKS WELL AS MARKET CONDITIONS CORRECT THEMSELVES

StageRight Home Staging — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 11:59:00 GMT

In southwest Michigan, specifically Battle Creek and Kalamazoo, you may have heard that the real estate market is slow. How then have so many home owners and real estate agents found quite the opposite? In addition to hard work and customer service real estate agents have found that properly preparing your home for market through the process of home staging has resulted in quicker sales for the home owner.

Home staging helps you properly prepare your property for today's market. StageRight Home Staging (www.stagerightstaging.com) offers consultations as well as actual home staging as part of their service level to do just that.

Home staging will help you depersonalize your space so that the potential home owner can envision themselves in your home. For example, personal photographs and collectibles are important to you, but not the potential home purchaser. They are looking for square footage, amenities, character and possibilities. Proper home staging will assist you with what to display and what to pack away. You are moving anyway so why not get started packing a little early.

Home staging will clearly define the use of each room. Home staging will through the use of art, accessories and furniture placement guide the eye of the potential buyer. Home staging gives the potential buyer a cause to pause and take in all the qualities your home has to offer. The square footage, character, amenities and possibilities will be showcased.

Enlisting the assitance of a home stager can lighten the burden of preparing your property for sale. By properly staging your home you will be ahead of the comparable and unstaged competition.

Visit me, Carole Morgan ASP, RESA at www.stagerightstaging.com.

TESTIMONIAL

FYI - the new buyers were here this morning and I asked them how much the staging/changes influenced their buying. They said they didn't buy it before and wouldn't have this time but heard there were some changes and loved what we did. Before they felt there were too many changes they would have had to do and now feel like they don't have to change anything and what we did is just what they would have done. So there you have it.....ON THE MARKET 2.5 YEARS, STAGED AND SOLD IN UNDER 30 DAYS.

Thanks Carole. I will spread the word. Lakeview

HOME STAGING A WAY TO REDUCE DAYS-ON-MARKET

StageRight Home Staging — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 11:58:00 GMT

Home staging is the one of the best proven methods of reducing the DOM (days on market). All too often I go into a property and the property is not "showcase" ready. There are personal use items spread out on the bathroom vanities, toys and lawn items carelessly left throughout the yard, overflowing closets, too much furniture, collectibles everywhere and laundry rooms full. This is not putting your property's best foot forward. You have about 6 seconds to make a good first impression and the first impression is the lasting impression. As the potentential home purchaser views your property, where do you suppose they are looking? They can't help it, they are looking and thinking about your stuff and when they get home and begin talking about the properties they have seen that day, they will attach a descriptive phrase to remember your property. What do you want that phrase to be? Do you want them to say "you know the one with all the toys in the yard" or do you want them to say "you know the one with the great backyard?". You live in your house one way, we all do, we market our property another way. Home staging services whether they be in the form of a consultation or actual staging will help you to objectively prepare for a competitive housing market. A professional home stager will help you go from dweller to seller through organization, furniture and accessory placement and in some cases recommend minor repairs or updating. They may suggest painting to "freshen" up the presentation of the property. At STAGERIGHT HOME STAGING ( www.stagerightstaging.com )our goals are clear: keeping the cost as low as possible, reducing the days on market and most importantly A SALE. STAGERIGHT HOME STAGING looks forward to collaborating with you and your Real Estate Agent regarding preparing your property for sale. Remember, home staging typically will cost you less than your first price reduction. What do you have to lose?

HOME STAGING SELLS SQUARE FOOTAGE, POSSIBILITIES AND AMENITIES NOT COLOR

StageRight Home Staging — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 11:56:00 GMT

When I suggested we paint a bright, royal blue master bedroom a neutral color the client said "I am not going to have another cream or blah room." Getting the home owner to a comfortable place when making suggestions for preparing their house for sale can be a tricky situation but at StageRight Home Staging (www.stagerightstaging.com) we are trained to do that. Home staging is about appealing to as many potential buyers as you possible can. Defining space, emphasizing all the amenities, square footage, character and possibilities a home has is the job of the home stager. A home staging professional wants the property to sell and sell quickly. The fewer the days-on-market the more sought after that home stager is. Neutralizing a property does not have to be boring beige but it does have to transcend taste. The goal of the home staging professional is to have the potential home purchaser only remember that the property met all their criteria and that it doesn't need painting, cleaning or repairs. If the potential home purchaser remembers a paint color, drapes, the furniture or accessories it is not typically a good thing. When a potential home owner leaves a properly staged property they will say things like: "I loved the view, the rooms were a good size, there was plenty of storage" and so on. Distractions such as taste specific paint color, volumes of collectibles, rooms with too much furniture and over flowing storage sends the wrong message. If you are ready to go from dweller to seller you and your client will be ready to do whatever it takes to get their property LISTED, STAGED AND SOLD.

You can visit our before and after gallery at www.stagerightstaging.com. Please email us at stageright@jasnetworks.net with questions regarding our services, we have service levels to fit every need and have various pricing plans.

Services: Consultations (verbal and written), staging, organizing, staging to live (not moving but want a change using your own stuff?) and move in decorating. We will assess the interior and exterior of your vacant or occupied home including color, lighting, landscaping, furniture and accessory placement and make suggestions for minor repairs and upgrades. We will, upon request, provide project management for repairs and upgrades.

Carole Morgan ASP, RESA t 269.207.9632

www.stagerightstaging.com

stageright@jasnetworks.net

HOME STAGING A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION

StageRight Home Staging — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 11:55:00 GMT

Home staging is part of the natural process of putting your home in market ready condition. On some level all homes need staging. I would have to stage my home and I am a stager by profession (www.stagerightstaging.com). You see we live differently than we sell. We decorate to live but we stage to sell. Preparing your property for market is smart in any housing trend, whether up or down. Home staging is just good marketing.

When you decide to have your home staged to sell, it does not mean there is anything wrong with your home. It can be beautiful, charming, cozy and decorated to the hilt, but it isn't staged. It's personal, it's your home. You are not selling your decorating you are selling possibilities. If the potential home purchaser is falling in love with your decorating or NOT, are they really seeing your property? Remember only 1 in 10 people can see past the decorating and fewer than that can see past clutter, over stuffed storage and furniture that is not to scale or placed as to not show all the possibilities of a room. Home staging can help you to showcase your home.

You hear a lot about neutralizing your property. Neutral doesn't necessarily mean blah, it means transcending taste and allowing the discriminating eye of the viewer to see the square footage, character, amenities and most of all the possibilities of the home they are viewing.

Paint freshens a room and if the proper color is chosen will warm a room and make it look larger. A common misconception is that white walls make a room look larger. White walls are stark, cold and have no depth, therefore the room not only looks smaller, it looks cold and in some cases makes the room appear boxy.

Contact StageRight Home Staging at 269.207.9632 or stageright@jasnetworks.net with questions. We look forward to hearing from you soon. Check out our before and after gallery at www.stagerightstaging.com.

Carole Morgan ASP, RESA

TESTIMONIAL:

"StageRight's expertise turned our urban condo into marketable property. Carole Morgan brought in just the right touches to warm up the space. Thanks to Carole's eye for furniture placement and use of color and texture, our 1500 square feet looks much, much bigger." Chicago, IL

HOME STAGING GIVES VACANT PROPERTIES A SENSE OF SCALE

StageRight Home Staging — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 11:54:00 GMT

What to do with vacant properties! Have ever really watched a potential home purchaser "look" at a vacant property? They give each room the "head bob", they duck in, bob their heads and walk on. They may stop a few times, typically the kitchen, at a window but they don't pause and reflect. Home staging with a few strategically placed pieces of furniture, art and accessories gives the viewer a cause to pause. Every room doesn't have to be staged. Just the impact rooms. At the very least the first rooms to be seen should be staged. You will want the viewer to go WOW orouuuuu, just like a kid seeing fireworks. It takes a home staging professional to determine what rooms need to be staged, how much furniture is needed to do the home staging properly and where to place the pieces of furniture, art and accessories. It is not necessary to furnish these properties like you would live in them, it is only necessary to stage them to sell possibilities. It is not necessary to stage them with extremely high end furnishings (unless the property is very high end). The furniture, art and accessories used must reflect the period, style and price of the home. Besides no one should be focusing on the furniture, only the square footage, amenities, character and possibilities of the property.

Home staging can make the difference. It makes sense in any market to show a property's best side. When a property is vacant, it is empty. Would you buy empty?

Carole Morgan ASP, RESA t 269.207.9632

www.stagerightstaging.com stageright@jasnetworks.net

TESTIMONIAL:

Carole is a delight to work with, full of energy and creative ideas that helped an empty house come alive and more appealing to any eye. She has a lot of knowledge about the real estate industry having worked in several aspects of it before becoming a professional home stager. She really knows her stuff! She was easy to work with and absolutely dedicated to getting the job done when she said she would, no matter what. And the results were amazing! I would highly recommend Carole Morgan to anyone that may be thinking about having their house staged. Texas Corners

HOME STAGING DELIVERS A MARKET READY PROPERTY

StageRight Home Staging — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 11:53:00 GMT

Maybe it's time for a little TLC regarding staging your property for market. Is every room and space "market ready?" Even the garage? If you are not selling the garage with the property then you can probably skip all the advice, but home staging goes beyond the impact rooms and the curb appeal. All too often when we review a property at StageRight Home Staging (www.stagerightstaging.com) we see garages, basements and out buildings that are not "staged" and ready for market.

If your garage is dry walled a fresh coat of inexpensive paint really cleans it up. Packing up those seasonal items that are "out of season" and organizing what is left is a little bit of work that can go along way in differentiating you property from all the others. Clean garage windows and sills, cob webs that are swept down and a clean garage floor will set the scene for the potential home buyer to "remember" your property in a good way.

If the first impression is not a good one, it only goes down hill from there. Messes, dirt and clutter are distractions that are not easily overcome. Remember only 10% of the people have vision to see beyond the mess, why take a chance. Properly prepare and stage your home and tell the potential buyer you are a seller not a dweller.

Visit us at www.StageRightStaging.com or email us at stageright@jasnetworks.net, we would love to hear from you.

Carole Morgan ASP RESA

HOME STAGING WHERE SHABBY IS NOT CHIC

StageRight Home Staging — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 11:52:00 GMT

When you are ready to market your property it is important to remember that shabby is not chic. Old paint, outdated fixtures, taste specific patterns, tattered and worn furniture and window coverings do not present a home that is ready for market.

93% of properties that are staged and properly priced sell, on an average, in one month or less. Top that off with only 10% of the house shopping public having vision for a property's potential and you have a recipe for home staging to the rescue. www.stagerightstaging.com

A home staging professional will walk you through what you need to do to properly prepare your commodity for the competitive housing market. This market is over in inventory, so making your property stand out against the competition is the only way to garner offers.

A few coats of appropriately colored paint, a thorough cleaning, proper placement of furniture and accessories and replacement of worn furnishings (or slip covers) is but a small investment to make to get your properly staged property sold. These investments are going to cost less than you first price reduction and will tell the potential buyer as well as the agent, that you are a seller not a dweller.

Maximize the potential of your property by making a small investment in professional home staging, the odds are in your favor if you do.

Finally staged properties are typically considered move in ready.

Call StageRight Home Staging 269.207.9632 or email us at stageright@jasnetworks.net.

Visit our gallery at www.stagerightstaging.com.

HOME STAGING SOLVES BUYER OBJECTIONS

StageRight Home Staging — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 11:50:00 GMT

Sometimes I see photographs on the MLS and I am not certain what is for sale. I see counters, shelves, display cases, table tops, closets and rooms that are filled with stuff. It's impossible to look beyond all the stuff and see the property. I think to myself "look at all that stuff". If I am having trouble viewing the property can you imagine what the potential home buyer is thinking? We are all in love with our stuff and we love it when others love our stuff, but when preparing to sell a property why, why, why would all the stuff remain everywhere?

When personal items become the focal point, the message being given is that the homeowner has to move because there isn't enough space. To top that off, when the stuff is disorganized not having enough space is amplified. Stuff is wonderful, but to the unattached, potential buyer it's clutter and clutter says "NO STORAGE." Staging solves that dilemma.

80% of the clutter in most homes is a result of disorganization, not lack of space. To sell a property, show the potential home buyer the space through staging. The first thing staging will do is evaluate what should be kept out and what should be packed away. Homeowners are typically not objective enough to make that decision and agents are sometimes hesitant to make that assessment for fear of offending their client. Professional stagers (www.stagerightstaging.com) will implement a plan that prepares a property for market. Staging helps turn a dweller into a seller. Staging can help turn a property into a much sought after commodity that will garner offers and place all the focus on the square footage, amenities, character and possibilities of the property.

Looking into having a professional stager review/assess a property is typically a very small investment and in some cases the assessment comes with a proposal which might be at no cost at all. Consultations are less expensive than an actual stage. What is there to lose? Reducing the days-on-market, increasing inventory turns is good business. Reducing the cost of doing business for the agent makes sense. Quicker sales through staging benefits everyone.

Please visit our website at www.stagerightstaging.com. You can email us at Stageright@jasnetworks.net or call at 269.207.9632. We are here to help.

Carole Morgan ASP, RESA (owner/president StageRight Home Staging)

HOME STAGING ELIMINATES THE VISUAL CLUTTER

StageRight Home Staging — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 11:47:00 GMT

WHAT IS THE SELLER THINKING?

If you are about to sell your property, what are you going to do to make it the best of all possible choices that the potential home buyer has? When you have a garage sale what do you do? You prepare everything to bring in the optimum price. You wash, you dust, you arrange, you present, you neatenize YOU ARE SERIOUS! When you get ready to sell furniture, or your car what are the steps you go through? Why would you take a chance on the largest investment you have and not apply those very same principles to selling a home. If you want to be a seller instead of a dweller market all the potential of your property through home staging.

Staging www.stagerightstaging.com is presenting to sell. You should hire a professional stager but at the very least try to stage the property yourself and do it as best you can through objectivity. For example: Those marks on the door casings charting little Johnny's growth progress mean a lot TO YOU, they do not mean anything to anyone else. You need to paint those marks away. If that is difficult for you try this: purchase some long poster board, trace the marks on the door casings onto the poster board. Purchase an inexpensive poster frame and now you have, for all eternity, that growth chart. Does this make you a little sad? Maybe, but will you be more sad if you don't receive any offers on your property?

The most activity on a new listing is in the first 3 weeks after it hits the market. If your property is not staged or showcase ready and has activity but no offers during that time period, go to plan B. No offers means something is holding the potential buyer back from buying your property. Find out what the feedback is. Don't take these comments personally, take action, make some changes. Think about hiring a professional stager www.stagerightstaging.com to give you at the least a consultation.

The most desired approach to preparing your property for sale is through either a staging consultation or actual staging BEFORE it is on the market, but if you didn't do this, DON'T WAIT! Remember, if there was interest in the beginning and there were no offers, something wasn't right. How how do you get those prospects back in the door? You may never get them to come back, but at least going forward you are properly marketing your property through the proven techniques of .

home staging.

At StageRight Home Staging we pride ourselves on customer service. We are here to reduce your days-on-market so that you can move forward in your life. Through the proven staging techniques that we implement we hope to play a role in your moving process. Please visit our photo gallery at www.stagerightstaging.com, contact us at stageright@jasnetworks.net or call us at 269.207.9632. We look forward to setting the scene for you.

Carole Morgan ASP, RESA

RESA Professional Stager of the Year Nominee, 2010

HOMES STAGING PREPARES YOUR PROPERTY FOR THE SELLING CONTEST

StageRight Home Staging — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 11:46:00 GMT

Staging is a proactive alternative to deep price reductions. Preparing your property to appeal to all potential buyers in your price range just makes good business sense. There isn't anything else you would sell that you wouldn't do some preparation before selling and so it should be for your largest personal investment. How many price reductions will it take before the objections that potential buyers have made to purchasing your property no longer matter? How many showings with no or low offers does it take before you make a small investment in staging and preparing your property for market. Only 10% of the population has enough vision to see past objections such as taste specific decorating, minor repairs and upgrades. Are you willing to wait for someone in that 10% to view your property and make an offer?

Waiting to consider staging until the property has been on the market awhile is not going to produce the results you are hoping for. The most activity is the first three weeks a property hits the MLS be ready. This is a contest, he who prepares the best wins by selling and moving forward.

Potential home buyers view properties within their price range and above on line. Pictures of the properties they are searching help them decide whether or not to take the time to view the property. But wait, what if you are higher than their price range and your pictures do not show your property in the best light, will the potential home buyer come in and try to give you a low-ball offer-YOU BET.

If you are looking to purchase another home and are actively looking, use your experience to prepare your property for market. Chances are the objections you have regarding the properties you are considering are the same objections potential buyers have regarding your property. Home staging can help you overcome these objections by preparing your property for market.

Home stagingcan be an overwhelming process for home owners who are not familiar with the service. Almost anyone can be competent enough to bring in furniture. StageRight Home Staging www.stagerightstaging.comis better and more complete than that we do the extras, we go beyond expectations. Strategic furniture and accessory placement is key, but making certain that the furnishings complement the style and period of the property is paramount. Paying attention to the details to insure your property stands head and shoulders above the non-staged properties in your price range is what StageRight delivers. Staging will help the home owner free up space, organize storage and broaden the customer interest. Ask yourself, are you a seller or a dweller? What do you want to be?

Please contact StageRight Home Staging (www.stagerightstaging.com) 269.207.9632 or by emailing us at stageright@jasnetworks.net.

My Best,

Carole Morgan ASP, RESA

RESA Professional Stager of the Year, Nominee 2010

HOME STAGING TO PROTECT YOUR LARGEST PERSONAL INVESTMENT

StageRight Home Staging — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 11:45:00 GMT

Professional home staging is more than moving furniture around. It is about showcasing your property and preparing your property to stand head and shoulders above the competition.

Because your home is your largest personal investment it is critical that you keep it in good repair. Even the smallest of repairs can be a distraction to all the character, amenities, square footage and possibilities your property has to offer. In addition, keeping the property updated is just as important. The world is a busy place and the new homeowners probably don't have time to do this themselves. They want a blank slate that they can make their own when they move in, but the property must be something they can live with until their personal enhancements can be made. A professional stager (www.stagerightstaging.com) can help you decide what are the most critical items are that need repairing or upgrading. Even if you are not ready to sell right now, you can hire a home stager to come in and do an assessment of your property so when the time comes your home is showcase ready. If you do this and you are ready for market not only will the potential home buyers take your property seriously you will also WOW the agent who is going to list your property.

Outdated cabinet hardware and light fixtures are some of the easiest fixes. Updated cabinet hardware can be purchased for about $2.00 a piece at many of the local big box stores. Cabinet hardware can also be spray painted. By using a spray primer and spray paint in either brushed nickel or aged bronze you can immediately update the look of those items. Details such as updated cabinet hardware will give your kitchen and bathrooms the look new buyers are searching for. This also goes for those outdated brass fixtures, yes they can be spray painted and they look amazing when done.

What about those brass fireplace enclosures? There is on the market a spray paint used for outdoor grills that is heat tested to 1200 degrees that can be used to update those brassy fireplace enclosures. The spray paint comes in black and brushed nickel.

Spray painting these items along with many more (brass outdoor light fixtures) will help update your property for a fraction of the cost of purchasing new. Let a home staging professional help you to determine where and how to spend your efforts and your money.

At StageRight Home Staging www.stagerightstaging.com we pride ourselves on customer service. Having prepared well over 100 homes for sale and with more than a 90% success rate we are here for you. Please contact us today for a proposal or consultation.

Carole Morgan ASP RESA

RESA Professional Stager of the Year Nominee, 2010

StageRight@jasnetworks.net www.stagerightstaging.com 269.207.9632

HOME STAGING MAKES BATHROOMSMOTHER-IN-LAW WORTHY

StageRight Home Staging — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 11:42:00 GMT

If you are preparing your property for sale look at your bathroom. Is it mother-in-law worthy? A professional home stager (www.stagerightstaging.com) is the next best thing to having your mother-in-law assess your property. The bathroom has to shine and sparkle. It has to say "STAY HERE" and "LOOK" around because it is pristine clean, not because it is OMG gross. Even the tiniest detail needs to be looked at. New caulk around the tub, clean grout (by-the-way did you know you can paint grout?), fresh paint on the base boards, a vanity decluttered of old make up, crusty toothpaste tubes (I could go on but you know exactly what I mean) etc. Make an investment in some storage baskets and place your stored, personal items in them. One for hair care, one for make up and the rest for personal items that really no one wants to see. Wipe down those vanity shelves and paint them-trust me it will be glorious. Take a toothbrush (not your personal one) and scrub around all the faucets and the drain, dust the light fixtures, wipe down the drawers and the drawer pulls and cabinet door handles. Buy a new shower curtain or if you have glass doors clean them to look like new with CLR and clean out the shower door tracks. Once you have done all that you are ready to have the professional stager come in and stage the bathroom to look like it belongs in a high end hotel. You don't have to have an executive home to have your bathroom look like it belongs in one and it can be done inexpensively with plants, art and towels arranged just so. A home stager knows how to do that for you.

Neither of the two properties shown here are expensive properties. The same look can be accomplished at any price point with the assistance of a professional home stager. If you visit www.stagerightstaging.com you will see some examples of what home staging can do for your property to differentiate it from other similarly priced properties. You want to be on the prospective buyers short list, you can accomplish that with the assistance of a professional home stager (www.stagerightstaging.com)

At StageRight Home Staging we pride ourselves on customer service. We are here to reduce your days-on-market so that you can move forwrd in your life. Through the proven staging techniques that we implement we hope toplay a role in your moving process. Contact us at stageright@jasnetworks.net or call at 269.207.9632. We look forward to "setting the scene" for YOU!

Carole Morgan ASP, RESA

RESA Professional Stager of the Year Nominee, 2010

HOME STAGING OR MAYBE YOU ARE NOT READY TO SELL YOUR PROPERTY

StageRight Home Staging — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 11:41:00 GMT

If you are really ready to sell your property, then you have to have that difficult conversation with yourself regarding preparing your property for market. Staged properties sell fasted when compared with un-staged properties, even in a down market. A staged property is viewed as well maintained and shows better than competing properties. Staged properties are typically remembered in a more positive light and look better in print and web media.

Everyone is busy in today's hurry up world. Most perspective home buyers are not inclined to move into a property that they have to fix up or use their imagination. Of course some would, but that percentage is small (only 10% of the population has vision). So why take the risk of appealing to only a small percent of the population by "waiting to see" how buyers respond to your home before you call a home stager (stageright@jasnetworks.net)?

Prepare your house for market. I have said it before, "this is a competition" prepare for that competition. Even the best kept, best decorated properties need some staging (www.stagerightstaging.com). Even the high end properties may have to scale down on their decor and personal touches to garner interest from a wide range of perspective buyers. This is not a personal affront to your decorating skills, this is smart business.

Most buyers (92%) will view homes on the Internet before they view them in person. Do you want to see what they are seeing? Walk through your home with a camera, as you enter each room look through the eye of the camera. What is your eye drawn to? If it is not the size, view, character or amenities of that space then that area needs to be staged.

I (www.stagerightstaging.com) walked through a property just the other day with a client. I asked them to look at their master bedroom at the entry through the camera lens. I asked them what they saw. They were shocked to say, they saw the outdated light fixture and didn't realize how outdated it was. That is because we live in our houses. We are used to our houses. We don't "SEE" our houses through the eye of the potential buyer. This is a great property on a lake, but for marketing it has too much stuff. The stuff is nice stuff, but for showing it's considered clutter. A little reduction in the number of items displayed and some minor rearranging by a home stager (stageright@jasnetworks.net) and this property shows like the showcase property it is. If you are serious about selling your property, the changes and recommendations made by a home stager will inspire you and not offend you.

Let a professional stager (www.stagerightstaging.com) help you make the right choices in preparing your property for market.

At StageRight Home Staging we pride ourselves on customer service. We are here to reduce your days-on-market and maximize your equity return on investment. Through the proven staging techniques that we implement we hope to play a role in your moving process. Visit our photo gallery at www.stagerightstaging.com we look forward to hearing from you at stageright@jasnetworks.net or 269.629.0202.

SERVICES INCLUDE: Consultations verbal or written, staging, staging to live, move in decorating, decorating in a day and coming soon senior relocation services.

TESTIMONIAL: Thank you so much for everything you've done to make our cottage beautiful. Upon meeting you, we both knew that we could trust your judgment and integrity but all that was confirmed when you took on the challenge of remodeling and staging our home. You worked so diligently always keeping in mind our style and our budget. We couldn't have trusted in someone more competent to do such good work more than you.

We want you to know how grateful we are for your hard work and for your great attitude while working to meet a deadline. All the special touches were just really great and everyone who came in commented on how beautiful the cottage looked.

Thank you again for everything. Please know that we will want you to help us with another project in the near future when we begin remodeling our home.

P & C

HOME STAGING WITH SERIOUS SELLERS!

StageRight Home Staging — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 11:40:00 GMT

StageRight (www.stagerightstaging.com) just had a stage and the home owners are the type that we all dream about. The owners were engaged, they made the necessary adjustments to the paint colors and fixtures they needed to make. What a team! The property was pristine clean, the home owner (they have already moved) brought items over that StageRight Home Staging had picked out that could be used in conjunction with some rental items and the end result was amazing.

This was not a small job, nearly every room was painted and wallpaper removed, light fixtures replaced, outdated draperies removed, medicine cabinets replaced and a plate rail and obstructive pantry were removed as well. This is a great property but it has been on the market for over a year and shown many times. The answer was staging and updating and wha-la 1 hour and 45 minutes after the stage was completed it was shown and the potential home buyer wanted to make an offer.

The key to this success story was that the home owner, agent and home staging professionals were a collaborative team. We all worked together for a win, win, win!

At StageRight (www.stagerightstaging.com) we like to make certain that a potential home owner does not have an excuse to not buy a property because there is work to be done. Home staging provides an opportunity for the home owner to maintain their equity and reduce the days on market which reduces the cost of doing business for the agent and StageRight, we get to smile and have fun!

At StageRight Home Staging we pride ourselves on customer service. We are here to reduce your days-on-market so that you can move forward in your life. Through the proven staging techniques that we implement we hope to play a role in your moving process.

HOME STAGING IS IT WORTH IT?

StageRight Home Staging — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 11:39:00 GMT

Is it really worth spending the money to have your home professionally staged? Well, let's do the math. Say your property is on the market for somewhere between $160.000.00 and $260,000.00. How many properties are you competing with? Well, maybe you should look up some properties in that price range on the MLS through your local Board of REALTORS and check out the competition. Do you look better than the others, be honest. I am not talking about do you like your property better, do you look better than the competition from an objective perspective? Now let's say to compete with these other properties you are considering a price reduction. The average first price reduction is somewhere between 5 and 10%. So at $200,000.00 you are talking about taking off at least $10,000.00. I can't speak for all the stagers out there because some are in metropolitan areas and pricing is different. But I can safely say, that from my neck of the woods, home staging is not going to cost you anywhere near that. On an average, home staging is less than 1% of the listing price. This is an average and of course depends on what needs to be done. But you do the math.

Home Staging allows you to retain between 5 and 20% more of your equity. If you just do the math, home staging is a very safe investment. Probably a much safer investment than most of us are experiencing in this economy. What do you stand to lose by asking a home staging professional (www.stagerightstaging.com).

You can't blame the agent for "not selling" or "not showing" your property. 92% of all perspective buyers view the listings online before they even call an agent, how does your property look online? Your property is your largest most important investment, become engaged and help your agent help you! If your property has been shown and you are not getting offers or the feedback is not what you wanted to hear-who's to blame?

It does not cost anything to investigate home staging, you will probably be pleasantly surprised.

HOME STAGING COSTS HUNDREDS VS TAKING THOUSANDS IN PRICE REDUCTIONS

StageRight Home Staging — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 11:36:00 GMT

You are prepared to put your home on the market. There are tax incentives to buy, you feel like the market is loosening up and the market is correcting itself.

When you are preparing your property for it's coming out to the public party your listing agent will give you a few tips/lists on decluttering, cleaning, minor repairs and so on, it is what they have time to do and it is their expertise that will get you on the road to selling your property. All are good/great ideas and will make a difference in your sale. Think of your property as a cake: the agent tells you how to make that cake more presentable by icing it. The next step is what really makes the difference and that is contacting a professional home stager to give you an estimate on what it will take to differentiate your property from all the others. A professional home staging company www.stagerightstaging.com puts the decorations on that iced cake that makes it a showcase cake!

The buying public have many choices. Why should they decide on your home? A professional home stager will strategically place furniture and accessories to create focal points that showcase the square footage, amenities, character and possibilities your home has to offer. A cleaning/decluttering list is a must but it just isn't enough, it's icing but it is not showcasing.

Home staging prepares a property so that the potential home buyer can envision themselves in that property. If your home is pristine clean, priced right, in a good location and you have not had any offers or only had offers that you couldn't/wouldn't accept you have to be honest with yourself and ask "why". Investing hundreds of dollars in home staging will save you thousdands of dollars in price reductions. ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS HOME STAGING ALLOWS THE HOME OWNER TO RETAIN 5-20% MORE OF THEIR EQUITY.

"StageRight's expertise in HOME STAGING turned our urban condo into a showcase. Carole Morgan brought in just the right touches to warm up our space. Thanks to Carole's eye for furniture placement and use of color and accessories, our 1500 square feet feels much, much bigger."

Contact StageRight Home Staging for a consultation or estimate. We can be reached at 269.207.9632

Over 35 Million in properties staged to sell. www.stagerightstaging.com or email stageright@jasnetworks.net

RESA Staging Conference Recap

Shell Brodnax — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 22:18:15 GMT

It's been one week since the largest, ground breaking; trend setting conference in the history of home staging took place in Fabulous Las Vegas!

With over 220 home stagers representing the United States, Canada, Australia, South Africa and the United Kingdom to say the RESA conference was a HUGE SUCCESS is an understatement.

Day 1

The conference was kicked off my HGTV’s Matthew Finlason in typical non-disappointing Matthew style. Matthew kept the audience motivated by speaking about diversifying and sustaining your brand in fluctuating markets.

I spoke about the state of our industry, where we came from, where we are and where we are going.

Ricardo Bueno spoke about the importance of social media to market your business.

David Avrin The Visibility Coach, professional speaker and author presented It’s Not Who You Know – It’s Who Knows YOU! – How to Raise Your Profits by Raising Your Profile! David made us laugh while teaching us how to increase your visibility and position yourself as an expert.

Founder of www.WomenHomeOwners.com Ginny Mees, spoke about how to use networking as a marketing tool. Check out Ginny’s network!

Our lunch time presenter was HGTV’s Designed to Sell’s Bethany Souza. Bethany is simply charming, professional and funny! She talked to us about raising the bar with our staging business and finding your signature style.

President of HSR and National VP of RESA, the amazing and engaging Audra Slinkey spoke on Ten Critical Keys to Every Successful Website.

Our workshops included Melissa Marro covering Creating Limitless Market Opportunities – Becoming the “Go-To” Company. Terrylynn Fisher covered how to “collaborate” with REALTORS® as a professional and not be a “service provider”. Lori Kim Polk covered how to diversify your business by working with flippers and Kathy Nielsen and Michelle Minch taught us how to take amazing photographs to highlight our staging work.

The Home Staging Industry Awards were presented and they deserve a blog of their own so click here to read who was honored.

Day Two:

Ashley Whittenberger taught us about Pricing Strategies for Stagers. Ashley is funny and engaging and brought a lot of important information to the conference.

Our panel of experts included Audra Slinkey of HSR, Christine Rae of CSP, Matthew Finlason from HGTV’s The Stagers, Joanne Lenart-Weary from One Day Decorating and Jackson West from the W-Networks TV show the Experts. Click to view some of the amazing panel session.

RESA’s trademark and copyright attorney Erik Pelton spoke to us about the importance of trademarks, copyrights and how it affects your business.

Mike Robbins Author, Speaker, Coach was our keynote speaker. Mike delighted us with the message of the power of authenticity. In our personal and business lives being authentic is a powerful tool. Mike has written a book on this subject and I highly recommend it. Be Yourself, Everyone Else is Already Taken: Transform Your Life with the Power of Authenticity. Mike is funny, reflective and made us all think.

I closed the conference with the message of the Law of Attraction. Reminding everyone to take what they have learned and “make it happen”. The power of the law of attraction to manifest what you want, need and desire in your life is 100% attainable.

I want to thank everyone that attended and contributed to the conference. The feedback we are getting is fantastic. We are looking forward to organizing next year’s conference.

Here are a few of the reviews I was able to locate here on active rain Ashley Whittenberger, Carmella Abella, Alicia Autrey, Nancy Maurer and Melissa Marro.

For a visual review of the conference go to www.RESAConvention.com

Home Staging and Home Selling Tips Newsletters

eseller1 — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 16:15:52 GMT

Tips for Increasing the Value of Your Home (February 04, 2010)

Topics covered:

Contract Negotiation: Terms and Conditions

MirrorMate (Add a frame to a mirror)

Question and Answer

Do I replace cheap bathroom fixtures?

Is leaving a knife block in the kitchen ok?

Before and After

Basement Makeover

Living Room

Stage for Success

5 Reasons to Hire a Realtor

Highlighted Posts of the Week

“Gutters—Another Key to Curb and Buyer Appeal!”

“Tips for Maintaining a Freshly Staged Home”

“What are the ‘hot colors’ for spring?”

“Does the Average Homeowner Know When To Call a Home Stager?”

This Weeks Featured Experts

Joanne Abrahams

Kate Case

Deb Waters

Diane Beck

Margaret Oscilia

Katie Griffin Ross

Lynn Chevalier

Marcie Geffner

Click here to read this weeks newsletter.

Tips for Increasing the Value of Your Home (January 28, 2010)

Topics covered:

Seller Listing Agreement

Yellow: 2010 Color of the Year

Before and After

Window Treatments

Bookshelves

Fireplace Improvement (Brick Anew)

Question and Answer

Should poster be taken down?

What questions should a home seller ask a prospective Realtor?

EnergizedSeller Wins Innovator of the Year

This Weeks Featured Experts

Marcie Geffner

Kate Case

Lee Ann Kramer

Karen Otto

Click here to read this weeks newsletter.

Tips for Increasing the Value of Your Home (January 21, 2010)

Topics Covered:

Give Your Home a Smile

Shuffle Duffle

Before and After

Cluttered Kids Study

Living Room

Dining Room

12 Home Selling Tips

Question and Answer

“My bedroom serves as both a bedroom and office, and there is nowhere else to put my desk and bookcase. How can I stage this room?”

Stage a Vacant Home

Highlighted Posts of the Week

Is Your House Selling Strategy Complete?

Start Now To Sell Well

Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda Part 2

Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda Part 1

This Weeks Featured Experts

Diane Beck

Mary Fasnacht

Birgit Anich

Ashley Whittenberger

Karen Eubank

Allegra Dioguardi

Lynn Chevalier

Lee Ann Kramer

Sue Geurs

Gina McNew

Home Staging Industry Professionals Honored at the RESA Conference

Shell Brodnax — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 00:32:00 GMT

The 4^th Annual Home Staging Industry Awards were presented at the RESA Conference on January 25^th at the Treasure Island Hotel, Casino and Resort in Fabulous Las Vegas.

The Home Staging Industry Awards were created to honor professionals that work in and service the home staging industry.

The RESA Leadership Awards were presented as follows:

RESA Local Chapter President of the Year: Pam Ellis, Seattle, Washington

RESA State Chapter President of the Year: Ashley Whittenberger, Texas

RESA Regional Vice President of the Year: DesAnn Collins, Region 2, IL, IN, MI, OH, WI

RESA National Board Member of the Year: Kathy Nielsen, RVP Region 8 AL, FL, GA, NC, SC

The Home Staging Industry Awards were presented as follows:

RESA Innovator of the Year: Dan Eason, Energized Seller

RESA Product of the Year: Staging Standard Magazine and Sherwin Williams

RESA Staging REALTOR® of the Year Michelle Reneau

RESA Rookie Stager of the Year: Paige Earles, Pearle Staging and Design, Atlanta, Georgia

RESA Professional Stager of the Year: Michelle Minch, Moving Mountains Design, Pasadena, California

RESA would like to thank our judges for the Rookie and Pro Stager awards: Bethany Souza from HGTV’s Designed to Sell, Matthew Finlason from HGTV’s The Stagers and Deborah Gilmore the 2010 Women’s Council of Realtors National President.

It was a pleasure to honor such deserving professionals in our industry. To view the awards ceremony featuring all the finalists and presentations of the awards visit http://resaconvention.com/awards/

Contract Negotiation: Terms and Conditions

eseller1 — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 20:20:50 GMT

If the terms and conditions of the deal aren't acceptable, you might want to pause and think twice.

There's a lot to consider before you sign a real estate purchase agreement. If the terms and conditions of the deal aren't acceptable, you might want to pause and think twice, even if the purchase price is more than satisfactory. After all, the price will be moot if the transaction never closes.

The typical residential real estate purchase contract is complicated, densely written and packed with legal jargon, but don't use that fact as an excuse for not reading the entire contract. Take your time and read slowly. Ask questions about anything you don't understand. Be flexible and willing to negotiate. The following five points are among the many items that merit attention:

1. What are the cutoff dates for inspections and approvals of the inspection reports? A typical contract provides an opportunity for the buyer to hire all manner of experts to check out the condition of the home. From the buyer's perspective, the more time that's allowed for these once-overs, the better. Sellers, on the other hand, usually want the inspections to be completed and signed off as soon as possible.

2. Who is responsible for making repairs, if any, as a result of the inspections? The fact that the buyer orders one of more inspections of the home for informational purposes doesn't obligate the seller to make repairs or modifications as a result of those inspections. In practice, however, inspection reports often are used to negotiate repairs of major problems or safety or environmental hazards that may be noted. The purchase contract should provide some guidance for these negotiations.

3. Is the seller making any representations or warranties regarding the condition of the property? In some contracts, the seller warrants that specified major components of the home (e.g., the roof or central heating or cooling system) are in good repair and working order at the close of escrow. Buyers should understand which components of the home are guaranteed and which are being sold "as-is."

4. Will a home warranty plan be purchased? A home warranty plan is a sort of limited insurance policy covering the basic major systems and appliances in the home. It may seem like a prize for the buyers, but it's equally important for the sellers and the real estate broker representing the sellers. In fact, these warranty plans are so popular among real estate agents that many of them will pick up the tab for the program in order to insulate themselves from irate buyers.

5. When is escrow scheduled to close? Pay attention to this date! If you're selling your home, you'll be expected to move out completely before the property changes hands. You'll want to make sure the closing date doesn't fall before you're able to move into your next residence. If you're buying a home, you'll be able to pick up the keys on the day escrow closes. You'll want to make sure you don't give up your prior residence too soon. Don't cut the dates too close. Many escrows end up closing a day or two later than the contract states--but that can happen only with the mutual agreement of the buyer and seller.

A Cost-Effective Solution To Spiff Up Your Mirrors

eseller1 — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 19:58:37 GMT

At a recent real estate staging conference we learned about MirrorMate Frames and decided to write about them. (This is not a paid endorsement.) MirrorMate Frames are a great, cost effective solution for those generic mirrors. Nothing screams boring, cheap, and standard ‘homebuilder home’ more than a mirror without a frame, especially one that shows the clips. With MirrorMate you get a sophisticated looking frame that resembles a frame shop’s quality but at a fraction the cost of a framed mirror.

As a home seller your goal is to make your home stand out from the competition. If you have one of these bare mirrors then your prospective homebuyers are going to be less than impressed. Although we haven’t personally installed one of these frames, we’ve talked to others who have and they were thoroughly impressed with the ease of installation, cost and dramatic difference the frame made. For a cost of about $100 - $200 you can purchase a frame that is cut for your needs. And because the frames are made of fiberboard, the cost of shipping is minimal. If you’re nervous about which frame is best for your needs, go online or call and they’ll send you 3 samples for $5. You can also go to their website for installation demonstrations and directions.

If you want to make your bathroom stand out and look more like a spa, as you should, then I strongly recommend purchasing one of these easy to install, inexpensive frames.

In our opinion, MirrorMate has done a good job providing a product that helps provide a cost effective and quick bathroom makeover. To learn more, go here. And, if you order one of these frames, please make sure to let us see the before and after photos and let us know how it goes.

Real Estate Staging Association Has Successful Conference

eseller1 — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 17:24:47 GMT

The 2010 RESA International Home Staging Conference was held January 24-26 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The sold out conference was held in order to bring home stagers from around the world together to share ideas about improving their business and moving the industry forward.

Professional home stagers and businesses that support the home staging industry, including EnergizedSeller, attended the conference from the US, Canada, Australia, South Africa and the United Kingdom. Below are some photos from the event.

(Please visit the site to view this media)

To learn more about the conference, visit the RESA conference website here.

Thanks to Karen Otto, Melissa Marro, Ashley Whittenberger and Lynelle Hartman for sharing their photos.

Putting Your House on the Market Soon? Here Are 6 Ways to Start Home Staging Now!

Cathy Brosius, ASP, IAHSP — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 21:56:00 GMT

You've decided to put your house on the market in a month or two. Now you must decide how to prepare your home for sale. To make that task easier, here are six ways to start the home staging process now.

1. Decide what needs to go

Check each room and remove furniture and accessories that are not necessary, are visually distracting or block the views of architectural details. This includes family photos, collectibles, accent furniture or maybe even large pieces such as a buffet or TV.
Look for too much pattern in a space. When your home photos get posted online, pattern can be very distracting. You can slipcover upholstered furniture, remove a busy area rug or remove pillows or other accessories that add too much visual noise.
How to decide? Rooms should appear as large as possible and traffic pathways should be free and clear. Take a photo if you're not sure and compare it to houses currently on the market that look appealing to you.
Also remove anything that has a limited personal appeal such as dated window treatments, wallpaper, decade-specific colors like mauve or teal, your collections or very taste-specific styles.
When in doubt, take it out! Less is more here.

2. Decide where it will go

Once you have identified the things you want to remove, figure out where they will go. An end table may get moved from the family room to the living room to flesh out a sparse space.
If you have storage space in the basement, excess items can go there if neatly stacked, preferably in a closet or along a wall.
What if you don't have any storage space available in your house? Consider asking a family member or friend if you can store items at their home. Rent a storage space or pod. But make the phone calls now and sort this out so your home is ready to show on listing day.

3. Cull excess items from closets and storage areas

If you can reduce what's in your closet by one-fifth to one-third, it will make the space look larger and indicate to buyers that there is plenty of storage space. Donate apparel you haven't worn in the last year or the kids have outgrown. You'll have less to pack and unpack for the move. Box up out of season clothing that you won't need for a while.
This strategy applies to gadgets and dishes in the kitchen and items in other areas of the house, too. Is there something you aren't using? Pack it up or take it to a thrift shop.
Do you have a graveyard of miscellaneous items you don't know what to do with? Things like electronics can be donated if working, or recycled at electronic recycling depots if not. In St. Louis, check http://www.ecyclestlouis.org/. You'll find locations where you can take electronics to be recycled and you'll help the environment.

4. Repair deferred maintenance

Always repair those obvious things that really need fixing. Even addressing simple issues like jiggly doorknobs makes a house feel well maintained.

5. Paint

When walls or trim are dirty, marked or can't be cleaned, it's time to paint.
Personal color choices with limited appeal will need attention. This can mean dated hues, like mauve and teal, or colors that may not appeal to the masses, like purple or neon green.
Dark colors can be difficult to paint over and may make a room feel smaller. Along the same vein, dark paneling may make a room feel cave-like and dated. Consider painting these spaces in a light, neutral color that will feel brighter and larger.
Choosing neutral colors like light beige or neutral green will make the house feel fresh and appeal to the widest number of buyers possible. This can offer a big impact for a small investment.

6. Make simple updates

Switch out light fixtures, faucets and even bathroom hardware such as towel racks, for an updated feel with a minimal investment.
Pay attention to metal finishes that are currently in style. In most cases this means anything but brass.
Not handy? Call a handyman service. They are usually qualified for tasks such as replacing faucets and lighting and can be reasonably priced.

Make sure you apply these steps to the interior and the exterior of your house. Whatever you do to get your property ready for the market, give yourself plenty of time. This allows you to complete the tasks yourself or call in help if needed. Preparing your home for sale is like studying for a test or readying for a job interview--the investment of time now can really pay off in the future.

Cathy Brosius is the owner of Arranged Smartly, a home staging and organizing company. Cathy and her team are working smartly for homeowners and real estate agents throughout the St. Louis region. She has also been interviewed on KMOV's Great Day St. Louis, providing tips on staging a home for sale.

What are the "hot colors" for Spring?

DebWaters — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 20:06:00 GMT

Predictions are rampant among home designers. Here are what some designers are showcasing:

Neutrals with a heavy emphasis on gray. They include colors such as Taupe, Silver, Charcoal Gray, Tea Beige and Champagne. Why the trend for neutrals? I think our staging work is having an impact on homeowners (yeah)! Since neutral colors is our mantra and many homeowners have had their house staged when selling it, they have experienced the value of painting walls neutral and then use a bold, trendy color with fabrics and accessories. Another important factor may be the sagging economy. People want an easy palette that they don't have to pay to change when the color trends change.
Black & white. These two colors separately are neutral colors. Put them together and you can create a neutral yet exciting color pallette. Bold and graphic black and white patterns with dashes of bright color is a can't miss.
Yellow. Our HGTV friend, Matthew Finlason, from the series "The Stagers" informed us at the Resa International Staging Conference that yellow is the "hot color" for spring. We are beginning to see this color in many of the spring catalogues that are arriving on our desks.

I personally can't wait to infuse this "hot" color pallette in my staging projects for the Spring!

Does the Average Home Owner Know When To Call in a Home Stager?

Kate Case, RESA, ASHSR, Home Stager — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 23:10:00 GMT

With all the HGTV shows ~ such as Spice Kitchen, Get It Sold, The Stagers ~ does the average home owner know when to call in a professional home stager?

Or does the average home owner think home staging is nothing more than packing away some personal items, putting lemons down the garbage disposal, and lighting some candles?

Well, if home staging is done correctly it will be all the above and so much more! Home staging is a relatively new concept in many areas of the county and it is still misunderstood.

Home staging is the process of de-personalizing a home and making it "buyer ready" so it appeals to the largest potential buyer audience possible using proven design techniques that highlight the home's best architectural features. Home staging, also know as real estate staging, is not home decorating but rather an art that utilizes a home owners existing furniture, lighting, and art work to draw a potential buyers eye to the positive aspects of your home.

With the average home buyer being between the ages of 30 to 48 and expecting a "move-in" ready home, home staging is no longer a luxury and is a necessity in this economy. 94% of potential home buyers are turning to the Internet first to search for a home; here again home staging needs to be done prior to the home's digital pictures are posted online for everyone to see. 94% is an extremely high number and home staging really should be left to the professionals so an optimal result is achieved.

So, does a home owner know the right time to call in a professional home stager?

Well, the wrong time is when your home has been sitting on the real estate market for six months and your Realtor has suggested you lower your asking price.

The wrong time is after your home's pictures have been posted on the Internet MLS and you are not receiving any responses from potential buyers.

No one gets a second chance to make a first impression and when you are talking about real estate, the only way to generate new interest in your home is to drop your price to attract a different group of potential buyers.

The right time to call in a professional home stager is before you place your home's pictures online!

A professional home stager can perform a home staging consultation, create a customized Action Report, and then help you implement all the required changes to ensure your home will show well online and at its' current location. Your online presence is very critical in your home's real estate marketing.

Three things sell a home in today's real estate market:

1.) Price - the price of your home.

2.) Location

3.) Presentation - this is where professional home staging comes in.

Before you sell your home, a professional home stager can tell you how to invest your resources so your home shows well and stands out against the competition. The latest statistics show that over 80% of Realtors believe in or recommend home staging. This is a win-win for everyone.

-Kate, Kate's Home Staging and Redesign, serving Rockland County & Orange County of New York and Passaic County, New Jersey. www.kateshomestaging.com

EnergizedSeller Wins Innovator of the Year

eseller1 — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 06:02:28 GMT

During ceremonies at the Real Estate Staging Association® International Home Staging Conference January 25, 2010, EnergizedSeller was announced as the RESA® 2010 Innovator of the Year award recipient. RESA® gives the award annually to the service provider who is providing innovative solutions to home stagers and/or the home staging industry. The conference, which brings together professional home stagers from the U.S. and Canada, was held January 24-26.

"I'm honored that RESA recognized EnergizedSeller as an innovative company and value added service for professional home stagers," said EnergizedSeller President Dan W. Eason. "Like REALTORS®, professional home stagers bring tremendous value to the home selling process and we are happy to promote their services and industry."

EnergizedSellers' many innovations include a proprietary website, customized print and digital booklets, co-branded websites and marketing tools, staging offers, video presentations, directory, niche forums, newsletters and widgets.

Other winners included Michelle Minch, Professional Stager of the Year, Paige Earles, Rookie Stager of the Year, Michelle Reneau, Staging REALTOR® of the Year, and Sherwin Williams, Product of the Year.

Other nominees for Innovator of the Year included Home Staging Resource (Audra Slinkey) and Eco Joe (Cindy Lin).

What Will Be Revealed To A Sellers Potential Buyer?

selmanhomeinspections — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 15:48:00 GMT

If you are selling a home, consider the fact that your potential buyer is going to perform a home inspection by the inspector recommended by the buyers Realtor. Without a Seller Home Inspection, you may find that your potential buyer looses interest in your home because of what may be revealed in a Buyer Home Inspection. Without a Seller Home Inspection that shows the seller, in advance, what repairs and or upgrades are needed, your home sales transaction could be complicated by renegotiations and counter offers.

There is a solution! There are NACHI (National Association of Certified Home Inspectors) certified home inspectors all across the country who offer "Move In Certified" Seller Home Inspections. A seller home inspection is just as important as carefully choosing your Realtor and a professional home stager. A NACHI certified, professional home inspector will reveal repair and upgrade needs before your buyer's home inspector finds them. This gives you, as a home seller with integrity, the distinct marketing advantage of having already fixed problems that could be an obstacle to your home sale. NACHI certified home inspectors can provide yards signs designating your home as "Move In Certified" and pre-inspected.

Real estate sales deals fall through simply because the seller did not get a professional home inspection to evaluate the condition of their house before putting it on the market. Since there is a low cost solution to this stumbling block, why not take advantage of it? Eventually, potential buyers are going to conduct an inspection. The home seller may as well know what an inspector is going to find and correct any possible issues in advance.

If the home inspector your Realtor is referring does not perform seller home inspections or "Move In Certified" inspections, I recommend using one who does. If you are a real estate agent or a home stager, you can provide additional value as part of the real estate transaction by recommending a seller home inspection to your clients.

So, if you want to be a home seller with integrity, make smart decisions, Sell Your Home For More, and take advantage of the tremendous value of a Seller Home Inspection, ask your Realtor or home stager to refer a professional NACHI certified inspector in your area. There is a lot of wisdom in the old saying, "an ounce of prevention....."

Selman Home Inspection Company wishes you the best of success in selling your home.

Sincerely,
David Selman
NACHI Certified Home Inspector
Selman Home Inspection Company

The Seller Listing Agreement: What's It All About?

eseller1 — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 21:40:55 GMT

A listing agreement is a binding legal contract that shouldn't be taken lightly.

By Marcie Geffner

REALTORS® and buyers often work together without a written contract, but the opposite is true for REALTORS® and sellers. On the listing side, written contracts are overwhelmingly the rule, not the exception. A listing agreement is a binding legal contract that shouldn't be taken lightly. The necessity of reading the contract carefully and understanding what it means before you sign it can't be overstated. If you need legal advice, consult an attorney.

Listing contracts vary considerably from place to place. However, most REALTORS® use established listing agreement forms that are the de facto industry standard in their area or are dictated by their brokerage company. Everything on these preprinted forms is negotiable.

Here are some basic terms to consider:

1. Term of the Agreement. A longer agreement benefits the agent because it allows him or her more time to find a buyer for your home. In a weak market, that's okay, but if homes are selling quickly, you don't want to be committed to one agent for more than a few months. If the home doesn't sell within the initial period and you're satisfied with the agent's efforts, you can offer to extend the term of the agreement before it expires.

2. Commission. Although commissions are negotiable, most areas have a standard percentage that agents expect to receive. This amount usually is 6 percent of the sales price, but you will find agents who accept 5 percent and agents who ask for 7 percent. Whether you want to pay the percentage that's typical in your area or negotiate a lower rate is up to you. A lower commission will save you money. A higher commission will give the agent more incentive to invest in marketing your home. Other agents can find out how much commission is offered on your home through the MLS. The agent's commission technically shouldn't be renegotiated as part of the purchase agreement between the seller and the buyer, but some agents will give a little to close a price gap between the seller and buyer, consequently making the transaction viable.

3. MLS. A listing agreement typically authorizes your agent to post your home in the Multiple Listing Service (MLS). Unless you're selling a very exclusive property or have serious personal privacy concerns, the MLS is a no-brainer because it helps the agent market your home to the widest possible group of potential buyers. Today, most MLS databases are accessible by consumers on the Internet. The public does not have access to commission information on the listings.

4. Lockbox. A lockbox is a tiny key-holding safe that can be inconspicuously attached to the front of your property. Any agent who has the means of accessing the lockbox (e.g., the key or combination) can retrieve the keys to your home, unlock your door and show your home to prospective buyers even when neither you nor your agent is present. If you're concerned about strangers entering your home alone, don't authorize a lockbox. If your home is vacant, located in a low-crime area or if you've removed your valuables and are willing to take the risk, a lockbox might be reasonable. The more people who see the property, the better chance you'll have of selling it for a favorable price.

Transform Your Fireplace

eseller1 — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 20:50:54 GMT

Fireplaces were once just a way to keep warm, but now they add a warm feeling to a home as well. When you choose the focal point of a room, the fireplace is the easiest choice due to its size and placement in the room. If your fireplace has taken years of abuse and now looks dated, try Brick Anew, which can update the appearance of a fireplace in a matter of hours and at a fraction of the cost to hire a professional. You can even change the bricks’ color.

Need to update your fireplace? Check out Brick Anew and let us know what you think. (This recommendation is not a paid endorsement.)

Before After

Q&A with Home Inspector

Dan Eason — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 22:53:27 GMT

I asked popular home inspector, Glenn Wharton, to help EnergizedSeller.com visitors understand the home inspection process better. Glenn has a great appreciation for his field, is extremely knowledgeable (see his blog here), and has earned a great reputation around Houston, Texas. Check out his answers to my questions below:

DE: Do you recommend that home sellers hire a home inspector before listing their home?

GW: Absolutely. Condition of your home plays a big part in the sale. Getting a pre-listing inspection helps the home seller have a better understanding of what issues may come up when prospective buyers are looking at the house.

DE: What questions should home owners/buyers ask their inspector before hiring one?

GW:

How many inspections have you performed? The answer should be at least 1,000, but over 2,500 is better.
Do you have Errors & Omissions (E&O) insurance? "Yes" is the only good answer.
Do you take digital pictures? Once again, "Yes" should be the answer.
Will I have a computer generated report the same day? They better. Modern technology and software makes this very easy.
Can I follow along with you while you inspect? It is your inspection, you should be able to.

Also, make sure to consider the kind of attitude/bedside manner the inspector has. You need someone who can communicate with you.

DE: Should the client be involved with the inspection?

GW: Absolutely! This is a highly educational process. If you really want to get the most out of an inspection, attend and ask questions. Make sure your inspector is willing to let you shadow him through the process. If he is not, get another inspector. You do not get a manual with a house, a good inspector is the next best thing.

DE: What can a home owner do to help with the inspection process?

GW: A seller must make sure that everything is accessible and ready to go. Change the dead light bulbs and make sure that the inspector can access any mechanical system. Buyers need to show up with a pad, a pen and an open mind.

DE: What can a client do if he/she doesn't like what the inspector did?

GW: Most problems are communication issues between the inspector and a client that did not attend. The easiest solution is prevention. Select an inspector with a reputation for good written and oral communication and ATTEND the inspection. After the fact, I recommend a calm phone call. If that does not work the state licensing organization or BBB will do the job.

DE: How does someone know they are hiring a reputable inspector?

GW: I am a huge fan of networking to find reputable participants. Most buyers do not have enough experience to know who is the best inspector. Good agents, on the other hand, know who the good inspectors are. Some will say that there is a conflict with agents recommending. Some mediocre agents will recommend "pet" inspectors that will not rock the boat. Good agents, though, know who is thorough and fair. They also know that a good inspection protects all parties. If you trust your agent, trust their recommendations.

DE: Any closing thoughts?

GW: There is no reason for an inspection to negatively affect the participants when it is conducted in a fair and thorough manner. If the inspector is a know it all jerk, he can really cause a bunch of problems -- especially if he's also an alarmist. The good thing is that most inspectors aren't this way, but, once again, selecting the right inspector up front saves lots of problems.

Breaking Down the Benefits of Home Staging for the Buyer, Seller, and Realtor

Kate Case, RESA, ASHSR, Home Stager — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 19:45:00 GMT

The most buyer traffic will come through a home the first two weeks it is on the market than any other time period. No one gets a second chance to make a first impression and when you are talking about real estate, the only way to generate new interest in your home is to drop your price to attract a different group of potential buyers. With buyers expecting move-in ready homes and becoming more aware of what to expect in a home, more Realtors and sellers are turning to home staging to help them differentiate their homes from the competition.

The potential benefits of home staging for the sellers are:

Sellers who stage their properties first, also end up packing most of their belonging before the home goes on the market; this makes the move less stressful.
All the clutter is removed from your home prior to your first Open House.
The statistics show your home will sell faster because it will show better.

The potential benefits of home staging for potential home buyers are:

The buyers can see the architectural features of the home they want to buy rather than wading through clutter and family pictures.
Potential buyers are able to envision their belongings fitting in the space because all excess furniture and clutter has been removed.
A property that has been professionally staged has an optimal room layouts, which shows all potential buyers the best way to utilize the space in every room.

The potential benefits of home staging for real estate agents are:

A home seller who has paid for a home staging consultation will be more likely to listen to the advice of their Realtor regarding price and marketing of their home.
A professional home stager may be able to say things to a home sellers that a Realtor may not be able to without jeopardizing his/her relationship with their client. A home seller expects design advice from a home stager and usually welcomes it.
Having a professional home stager on a Realtor's team is a positive marketing tool to gain more home selling clients in today's competitive market.
A professionally staged property will present better on the MLS and will result in attracting a larger buyer audience.
The statistics show your home will sell faster because it will show better.

If you are still unsure about the benefits of having your properties professionally staged, contact your local home stager for a Realtor presentation on the benefits of staging. The proof will be in the before and after pictures and how fast the homes sold. Home stagers, Realtors, and Sellers all have the same goal - to sell your home quickly and for the highest dollar amount.

BEFORE AFTER

Kate, Kate's Home Staging and Redesign specializes in home staging, interior design, home decorating, color consultations, custom wood signs, semi-custom window coverings, and more. Call Kate to schedule your design consultation at 845-538-3623 or visit www.kateshomestaging.com. We serve the Rockland County, Orange County of New York and Passaic County, New Jersey

Thanks For the Thanks

Karen Eubank — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 16:02:00 GMT

Driving back from a consultation yesterday, my phone rang. It was a Realtor calling to thank me. I don 't know why I was so surprised. I'm good at my job, I get things done quickly and the homes I stage sell. Still, I was taken aback. I'd consulted on one of this particular agents' projects a week ago and the owner was very motivated, accomplishing a lot in a short time. The Realtor said, " I just wanted to let you know how good the house looks." I think she sensed my shock and as I stammered out MY thanks for HER thanks, she explained. " I just think it's important to let people know when they've done a good job". What a concept!

I came home and sat down in front of my computer , opened up an email from a writing client ( I write as well as stage) and of course, held my breath wondering if there was a problem with the copy. Nope. The client emailed to say, "I just wanted to let you know you do such a great job for us, you always knock it out of the park and seem to know exactly what we need." WOW.

It was a Two-for -one day!

I thought about the concept of the simple "thank you". Two words that go such a long way in making someone feel appreciated. We are all busy, all in a hurry, overbooked,overworked, over stressed and yet two people took the time to say " thank-you" yesterday. I'm pretty good about thanking others but yesterday's positive feedback had me making a mental note to open my own mouth more often and say "thank you".

Give Your Home a Smile

eseller1 — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 21:37:11 GMT

Your front door will make a lasting impression on potential buyers because it will be one of the first things they'll notice. The front door is like a smile on the face of your house, and the smile should be welcoming. Here are seven tips to give your front door a buyer-friendly look.

1. The front door should be clean and in good shape.

2. If the door needs to be painted, use a modern color that matches the color palette of your neighborhood.

3. Look at the other houses in your neighborhood to determine what type of front door you should have

4. Take a look at the wooden door frames around all of your exterior doors. These frames are notorious for absorbing moisture and rotting.

5. New doorknobs along with fresh paint and new kick plates can update the look of a door.

6. Clean all of the glass on your doors

7. Finally, if the insulation around your doors is cracked and peeling, replace it.

To read more on doors, click here.

Coulda, Shoulda, Woulda ~ Why stage a home before it goes on the market? Part 3

Diane Beck — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 13:58:00 GMT

WOULDA~ Made Home Staging Part of My Marketing Plan

How many times have you heard that buying a house is the biggest investment ever made? If it's that big of an investment then wouldn't it be appropriate to allocate funding to regain profit from it for both the agent and the seller?

As previously stated (Part 2) proper pricing, marketing and preparation (Staging) are the three necessary strategies to selling a home. Savvy real estate agents will offer Home Staging as part of their marketing plan including paying the consultation fee for their clients.

Before you say "No Way!" Think about it. I am only asking that agents invest in the cost of the consultation, not additional fees incurred during staging. Once the agent has paid the initial consultation it is the homeowner's responsibility to incur any additional costs for improvements made during the Staging process.

As a Real Estate Agent you invest your time in market research providing accurate comparables for your sellers to price the listing appropriately. Then, you invest more time taking photographs and/or video to post to the MLS in order to project the best image possible in hopes of a quick sale. And, you work hard at it. Why not prove your belief in yourself and your ability to sell their home by paying for a Home Staging consultation? When an agent invests his/her own money into a listing they gain credibility as a loyal advocate for the seller. Not to mention those photos and videos look much better on the MLS attracting more potential buyers.

Look at the following facts gathered by RESA (Real Estate Staging Association):

* 63% of potential buyers are willing to pay more money for a house that is "move in ready".

* 79% of sellers would spend up to $5000 to get their property ready for sale, if they knew what to do.

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*       52% of buyers said the kitchen had the most significant impact on their purchase decision.

*       79% of buyers said they would pay a premium for a home with an updated kitchen.

When Real Estate Agents are willing to invest in a sellers home perhaps they will get the message that they need to make necessary improvements in order to maximize the ROI on this biggest purchase of their lives.

Looking for a Stager in the Pittsburgh Area?

Contact:

Diane Beck

VIBRANT Interiors

724.822.4503

diane@dbvibrantinteriors.com

www.dbvibrantinteriors.com

Coulda, Shoulda, Woulda ~ Why stage a home before it goes on the market? Part 2

Diane Beck — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 18:26:00 GMT

SHOULDA~ Staged the house before it went on the market:

Are your listings sitting on the market with very little interest? Are the photos just OK? Is it packaged correctly? Basic selling principals state that a product must be presented in the most appealing way possible in order to attract consumers and make the sale...staging does just that, it has become an essential tool in the business of selling property.

In today market a seller needs to take advantage of home staging more than ever. Savvy buyers make it necessary for a property to show its absolute best. Sellers can be reluctant to invest in staging because they feel they will not recover the costs. In the know agents recognize that the NAR statistics tell the real story:

Homes that are staged sell quicker and for more money than those that are not.
A buyer decides if the home will be a consideration within the first 8 seconds upon entering the home.
Staging, in most cases, costs less than the property's first price reduction ($10,000 average reduction).

A home that has been staged not only shows better online once inside buyers can visualize themselves living in the home. A buyer's time is valuable and limited. They do not want to look at homes they foresee as needing improvements. A home that has been professionally staged shows buyers it has been well maintained and is move in ready.

Once the house is listed it becomes very difficult to stage. The homeowner will not want to take it off the market in order to make improvements in fear of losing a sale. Remember, they are still coming to terms with putting their home on the market. If they remove the home to stage it they will relive the emotional turmoil all over again. Consequently the house may sit and the price drops resulting in fewer dollars to the homeowner and smaller commission to the agent. Real estate staging is one of three necessary strategies to sell homes - proper pricing, marketing and preparation (staging).

Taking the time to offer home staging as an agent service is a smart thing to do. As an agent you want to set yourself and your listings apart from the competition. Home staging is an invaluable tool available to you allowing your listings to show to their full potential.

Is home staging part of your marketing strategy? If you aren't taking advantage of this proven approach to selling homes perhaps now is the time to start.

Looking for a Stager in the Pittsburgh Area?

Contact:

Diane Beck

VIBRANT Interiors

724.822.4503

diane@dbvibrantinteriors.com