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home staging: Most Fabulous Home I've Staged...so far - 02/24/10 06:56 PM
I got a call from a realtor that I have met a couple of times through Kym Hough, from Staged-to-Sell. The realtor asked me to submit a bid, along with Kym, for a house, in the most exclusive area of our San Francisco East Bay. I talked to Kym before going to the home, as I did not want to step on her toes and to thank her for the referral. Kym indicated that the project would take much longer than she, personally, had time to give, and wanted me to get the job. Now, how nice is that? I saw the home, … (10 comments)
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home staging: Seven misstatements sellers make - 10/18/09 12:02 PM
I recently read an by Don Dunning, a realtor with Wells & Bennet in Oakland, California, entitled, "Seven misstatements sellers make". It is one of the best real estate articles I have read in a long time. Here are the seven misstatements.
"My house is better than...." "At that price I would be giving it away." "The buyer can pay for his own reports." "I don't need to tell the buyers about..." "I don't want a 'For Sale' sign in front or any open houses." "I am not going to disrupt my life by removing furniture and other stuff." … (7 comments)
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home staging: Texture makes a home warm - 10/17/09 12:06 PM
As stagers, we strive to make an occupied or a vacant home look inviting and homey. We want that buyer to think they "are home". And what are the elements in a stager's magic bag that make the home look homey? Texture.
Did you know that color does not add warmth to a room. It's texture the brings it in. Warmth is always achieved with texture. Did you know that throw pillows should never be the same fabric as what they're thrown on? Fabric finishes need to contrast. Did you know that grasscloth wallpaper is back, but highly textured? It's the … (10 comments)
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home staging: Sold in 24 Hours - 09/21/09 01:28 PM
I worked on this small condo for one month; the popcorn ceiling was removed, interior paint all over, new baseboards installed, kitchen cabinets updated, granite counter top and travertine back splash installed, all new appliances, parquet floor refinished, new carpeting, new tile entry, new lighting fixtures, new hardware. I sent weekly email updates and pictures to the homeowner in Carmel Valley. We'd never met. When all was done, the cleaners came and power washed the outside, washed the windows and did their usual "move out " clean, which includes the all cupboards and drawers. Next, it was my turn to stage, with my 16 … (18 comments)
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home staging: Every Room a Different Color! - 09/21/09 12:26 PM
The job looked simple enough...vacant and only 8 rooms. However, each and every room in this duet was painted a different color! And, not colors I would have chosen, given the opportunity. The paint was staying and 19 hours later...voila! There is a theme to tie it all together. My girlfriend suggested that it was traditional, contemporary, italian, kitsch (whatever that is) with a touch of danish. I'll never ask her again! Can you guess what it is?
… (8 comments)
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home staging: No Vacation This Year - Just Mastermind Summit - 08/03/08 12:26 PM
You say, "what's that"?
I say, this will be my third year attending the Mastermind Summit in San Diego hosted by Brian Buffini and Company. Brian is probably the most entertaining motivational speaker I have had the privilege of hearing. His focus for motivation is realtors and lenders, and what a better time than now, to get motivated in these fields. There are so many aspects to this 3 day convention that I could not possibly touch on all of them in this blog. The system that Brian has defined for real estate professionals is one that I have embraced for … (5 comments)
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home staging: Every Listing on the MLS Requires Staging! - 07/27/08 04:44 PM
I am of the opinion that every home listed on the market, requires staging. Yes, every single one! Even the most perfect home, with the most expensive decor, decorated by an interior designer, requires the professional and OBJECTIVE eye of a home stager. We validate for the homeowner and the realtor that the home presents beautifully to its target market, even if it's just a THUMBS UP, YOU DID GOOD!
If I were to put my own home on the market today, naturally, I would go through it with a fine tooth comb, to the best of my ability. And, then … (12 comments)
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home staging: It's Not Work! It's a Return on your Investment! - 07/26/08 02:09 PM
The Stager's Expo held in Dublin, California, a little over 2 weeks ago, remains in my mind. It was sponsored by Welcome Home Furniture Rental, Kym Houghof Staged to Sell and Terrylynn Fisher and Kym of Stagerslist.com.
Terrylynn coached us on how to talk to a realtor. Realtor's have their own verbiage, terms, perspectives on buying, selling and marketing. She said essentially, don't use the term 'work'. Attempt to make it clear that their efforts to get a home ready are a 'return on their investment'.
Yesterday, I was at a consultation and for a staging bid. It was vacant and the homeowner had already … (13 comments)
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home staging: It's a first for this Staging Veteran! - 07/26/08 10:53 AM
There is a realtor in my neighborhood, that I have given verbal quotes to over the phone over the last several years and never managed to get the job or convince her of the value of staging. She has admitted that she was "the last realtor to embrace staging". She gave me an opportunity and I have staged 4 homes for her in the last 3 months. The last home I staged for her was HERS! I was honored and flattered with her trust in my ability.
However, this venture made me nervous. She has lived in the home, I think for over 20 … (17 comments)
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home staging: Collaboration with a Realtor! OMG! - 07/18/08 12:23 PM
Yesterday I attended a Stager's Expo in the San Francisco Bay Area, hosted by Welcome Home Rental Furniture, Kym Hough and Terrylynn Fisher. Terrylynn gave an excellent speech about the stager/realtor relationship. She said it can be equally frustrating for both sides and gave us tips on how to basically help eachother out. I began thinking about my realtors that are loyal to my business. One in particular came to mind and I would like to share with you our efforts together.
This realtor had the smarts to hookup with a property manager. The manager contacts the realtor when the owners of … (25 comments)
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home staging: My Loyal Realtor...Went TOO FAR!!!! - 07/08/08 12:27 PM
You've heard about my loyal realtor that shares her opinion and likes red. Here's Chapter Two.
She told me she did not like the cenetrpiece I had done in the dining room at her latest listing and that she wanted me to bring the outdoors in. She did not want my (imported from Spain) table runner and red Italian bowl. At the time, I had brought other options but she shook her head "no". Now this is the lady that wants red, but she nixed it! She wanted a vase and some greenery. So, early 4th of July morning, I dropped off another centerpiece on … (24 comments)
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home staging: My Realtor is Forever Loyal, But.... - 07/05/08 10:16 PM
I am associated with a female realtor that is loyal, loyal, loyal. She does big business, is very ethical, fair, very nice, etc. I have no complaints and neither do her clients. She has brought me allot of work on some high end homes. I am grateful... BUT, at the end of the staging job, she appears right before the photos are taken and loves most of it but always wants "red" added; a picture, a tray, a rose, etc.
Now, the scoop is that for all of her jobs, the homeowner pays, And, for example, I bill 8 hours but probably put … (35 comments)
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home staging: Is This a Good Time To Raise Your Prices? - 06/29/08 02:31 PM
I went to a staging meeting a few weeks back, and some local stagers attended. It was fun to meet the other women and to compare notes on allot of topics. It was mentioned that even though our nation's economic status has tightened, consumer spending is down, we should raise our prices, to make a collective statement that we are professionals and worth it! Not only did I find this statement appealing to my pocketbook, I found it to be an interesting concept, one that I continue to ponder.
I have not raised my prices, and, have in fact, struggled to get bids because others … (24 comments)
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home staging: New Construction: Is there a Rule of Thumb? - 06/28/08 02:46 PM
I have toured some newly constructed homes for bidding purposes and realized that I can stage them but allot more goes into finsihing them for staging. The devil is in the details when choosing the finishes, flooring, moulding, paint colors, etc. It occurred to me how little I knew of what is current in those type of things.
These are my questions...maybe you can help me.
I sort of gathered that the red oak floors are out and the brazilean cherry and maple floors are in, especially the floors that have "texture". Is it true that the brushed chrome is on its way out … (17 comments)
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home staging: I'll Charge You a Dollar! - 06/28/08 01:21 PM
I got called from a realtor that I had not worked with, but knew the name and reputation as being good, high end, and successful. He wanted to interview me on the phone because his client, the homeowner, wanted me to stage her home, even though we had never met. She had seen a home in her area that I had staged and it had sold. I passed the interview and called the homeowner. Turned out, the realtor had recommended his stager of 15 years. The 15 year veteran did not call back the homeowner. Homeowner had to call a few … (23 comments)
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home staging: Where Does The Pile Go When the Garage is Full? - 06/14/08 01:42 PM
I recently have become very good friends with a client, the homeowner, and I staged her home twice. Long story, not important. She and her husband came for dinner and they told me of their experience the first time I staged. When she got home after a long day of work, she loved the staging but found the "pile" of items that I did not use to be a huge problem for her. The 'pile" consisted of an end table and a lamp.
WOW, I so did not get where this was going. They had a detached 4 car garage … (6 comments)
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home staging: In This Market - 2 Offers Over Asking in a Week - 06/11/08 10:25 PM
I have heard all kinds of stories about this current real estate market. Yes, we're in an election year. Yes, there are a fair amount of foreclosures driving down home values, therefore equity. Yes, the lending world is forever changing and getting more and more interesting. Everybody, including me, wants to know what's up? But, the reality is that it's is a great time to buy and staging is essential to this market. And, even in this precarious, unpredictable market, I had a home with 2 offers over the asking price in one week on the MLS. Isn't life grand? Check it out...just … (15 comments)
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home staging: Create a Memory for the Buyer with Something Unique - 06/11/08 06:13 PM
When I started my staging business about 4 years ago, the first thing I did was GO SHOPPING! I was in heaven! Recently, a new friend of mine perused my warehouse of inventory and asked how long it took me to accumulate all of it. Before I could get a word out, my husband replied, "2 weeks". Ssssshhhhhh, he's not all that far off.
Since, I have sold most of the furniture (you know, to buy my professional wardrobe), except for the linens, lamps, art, plates, etc...staging accessories. I did, however, keep a few pieces of furniture that were irreplaceable and items that I … (18 comments)
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Nancy Cleary
Walnut Creek,
CA
More about me…
www.nancycleary.com - walnut creek - california
Cell Phone: (925) 330-3075
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