10 Common Mistakes Home Sellers Make - 05/25/09 08:36 AM
Many home sellers are on the fence - is now the right time to sell?  With so much competition, does my house have a chance in achieving a quick sale?  Personally, we've seen things picking up in our area.  Many of the homes we have been working with received offers in the past few weeks.  Some have sold within three weeks!  Are the good old days returning?  Can we just put a sign in the yard and get a great offer quickly?  No.

Smart Money has some great ideas here on helping home sellers get off to a great start.  Home … (4 comments)

Geting a Chandelier Crystal Clear! - 05/24/09 07:04 AM
Have a beautiful but dirty chandelier?  Light fixtures can be a focal point and beautiful feature for a dining room, but when dusty and spotted, they are a eyesore not a selling feature!  Cleaning a chandelier can be a chore if each crystal is removed, cleaned and replaced.  We've used this cleaning product in homes with great success and recommend it!

Cover the area below the chandelier.  Using a duster, remove cobwebs and excessive dust.  Turn off the lights before spraying and be sure bulbs are cool.  Spray well with the cleaner -- allowing it to drip on the towels beneath the fixture.
  
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It Time to Straighten Up! - 05/24/09 05:39 AM
Ever look at photos where the floor isn't level - hmmm is it the photo or is the house not structurally sound?  Or noticed a doorway that is at an angle in a photo that you thought would be perfect?
So often when I'm taking photos, I tend to lean to the left or the right - it's a minor lean, but obvious when I'm editing photos and so annoying when everything else in the shot Is great.  I've tried to line my shots up so doorframes are straight, etc, but sometimes when using a wide angle lens it's difficult for … (20 comments)

Salem's Homeless - Does it Really Matter to Me? How about you? - 05/22/09 08:17 AM
Two years ago I was approached to join the board of a local non-profit homeless organization.  The idea of adding more meetings or responsibilities to my schedule wasn't an enticing one.  I'd volunteered for this homeless charity in the past, occasionally cooking or hosting meals at our church, donating my unwanted household items or outgrown kids clothes to be used by their homeless guests.  Wasn't that enough?  Reading in the newspaper about Salem's plan to end homelessness within 10 years caused me to wonder if that was really an attainable or even worthwhile goal - don't many of the homeless choose … (2 comments)

What Can I Tell From YOUR MLS Photos? - 05/19/09 07:50 AM
Won't you look at this listing and see what you think?  I get this request frequently as do most stagers from agents and home sellers.  When we get these requests I usually go onto the MLS or Trulia and look at the photos and a couple of comparative properties, and try to zip out a response within 15 minutes or so of my initial impressions.   BUT -- when I received a request this week it took me quite awhile to really be able to analyze the property -- why?  Here are the MLS photos - what do YOU think?


… (17 comments)

Salem Leadership Foundation - More than a Social Event - Truly a Good Neighbor - 05/17/09 07:51 AM
 
One person can impact a life. 
Together we can transform the City.
Do you believe these words?  Sound too good to be true?  Perhaps you would believe these phrases whole heartedly if you attended the Salem Leadership Foundation Fancy Dessert on Friday May 15th.  It was my first chance to attend the event, and I was interested to learn more of what SLF was all about.  I’ve become acquainted with the energetic and enthusiastic executive director, Sam Skillern but what exactly is SLF’s direction and activities?
 
A jam packed ballroom at the Salem Conference Center laughed, learned and … (0 comments)

Know the Statistics When Entering the Selling Race! - 05/16/09 11:35 AM
 
Many times when I'm talking to home sellers about the competition, they have no idea on how much competition there is for buyers in this market.  By being educated on the statistics, the quickly see the importance of preparing carefully for listing their homes.  I love Dave's easy to understand statistics which are posted for Albany, Corvallis and Lebanon each week. 
Let's take Albany for example - there are currently 382 active listings on the market.  If no other houses were listed, it would take 10 months for the existing houses to be sold if sales continued at the same … (3 comments)

Your Sellers Called Me Today - Boy are they Mad! - 05/14/09 07:49 AM
Many calls I have received lately are from home owners who have homes on the market, or whose listings have expired and they are thinking about re-listing.  This week I had two consultations with this type of seller and they both were puzzled and irritated by their agent’s actions!
I spent a lot of time explaining the importance of curb appeal, first impressions and why deferred maintenance and declutter had to be dealt with before listing.  The widow whose listing had expired was near tears.  I expected her to be overwhelmed and even a little irritated with me by “imposing” … (32 comments)

Front Door Color Affects Sale Of A Home - 05/09/09 08:15 AM
 
Recently a homeowner told me a yellow door color was very popular . . . hmm this didn't go in line with what I see or read, so I commented that perhaps it was more popular in other parts of the country, but certainly not when preparing to sell your home in Oregon.  When reviewing door color - I rarely recommend white, but love red and slate tones.  Look at the roof or stonework on the house, can it be highlighted or accented?  I love a dark slate grey door and many shades of red as well.  If there is … (8 comments)

Stager Advises To Keep Pup In the House for Open House! Is She Crazy? - 05/08/09 08:30 AM
When advising clients about preparing their home for showings and open houses, I always say to remove all evidence of pets - including the pets themselves.  If the pet is locked up in the garage or backyard, those areas will be hard to show, so it's always best to have them off to "visit grandma" or for a ride in the car if possible. 
Additionally, while owners may not be able to smell any odors from the litter boxes, pet food or bedding, buyers with sensitive noses may be turned off by these smells.  Removing these items is a simple step … (13 comments)

Sellers! Make It Crystal Clear to Home Buyers! - 05/07/09 04:30 PM
Many homes have quirks, odd areas or challenging floor plans that can cause buyers to say “what were they thinking?” or “that’s odd”!  When showing your home for sale, these are the last thoughts you want to be going through buyers’ minds!  Over 90% of home buyers cannot visualize the potential of a room.  They see only what is.  Additionally, over 85% of buyers are looking at photos on the internet first – if the rooms look odd, they won’t make an appointment to view the home! 
Armed with this information, a professional home stager will turn these quirks into … (12 comments)

Wednesday Farmers' Market - A Salem Oregon Treat! - 05/05/09 10:12 AM
We can’t think of a better way to welcome spring than by attending the Wednesday Farmers' Market in downtown Salem on Chemeketa Street NE between Liberty and High streets!  Even if it’s a little overcast or drizzly, it always a fun experience!
If you haven’t visited the market previously, you’re in for a treat!  The streets are cordoned off and vendors set up stands selling everything from jewelry, plants, baked goods, hand crafted items and more.  It’s a great spot to grab a unique lunch and a beautiful (and affordable) bouquet of flowers!
This week (after I get my flowers) I’ll … (3 comments)

We Like to Move It! Move It! - 05/02/09 02:09 PM

My blogs have been sparse lately -- and some loyal readers have commented -- what are you up to?   Is everything okay?  How's the real estate market in Oregon lately?
Well -- we've been having some great things happening in the real estate and staging part of our world  --
 
New clients, new realtors and new homes to stage, but even more fun for us is that those pending signs are being hung on many of the properties we've worked on!
This past week alone four properties have received offers.  A total of over $1.6M of inventory.  Now this … (6 comments)

 
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Margaret Oscilia-Home Stager, Salem Oregon

Salem, OR

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Creative Concepts-Home Staging and Contracting, Salem Oregon

Office Phone: (503) 881-0886

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