home staging: Home Staging Success - In Escrow In Less than 2 Weeks - 07/25/11 06:37 AM
We were contacted by a potential home seller last month, who was getting ready to put her condo on the market.  She did not want to be one of the many home owners in her neighborhood that had their condos listed for months.  So... the first question she had was "what do I need to do to sell my condo quickly and for the most amount of money?"
Our Answer:  Price it right and STAGE it!
We immediately contacted our favorite home stager, Michelle Minch from Moving Mountains Design, to come in and work her magic.
The results are impressive!  The … (8 comments)

home staging: SHIFT HAPPENS: Top 10 Seller Mistakes as the Pasadena Market Shifts - 07/20/07 02:01 PM
I have always believed that real estate is strictly a LOCAL business.  To this day, I am flabbergasted by the local Pasadena news media writing and panicking about national real estate trends.  What does that have to do with Pasadena home sales?  Very little! 
The real estate market in and around Pasadena, California has been pretty steady.  It's not as hot as it used to be, but we're definitely seeing a shift to a more balanced market.
Buyers are being more cautious and are taking a little more time to find the home of their dreams.  Sellers are begining to be a … (21 comments)

home staging: Pasadena Realtor Tells All: Sellers BEWARE! - 06/12/07 07:28 AM
As a Real Estate Broker working in the Pasadena, California market place, I have been monitoring homes as they come up on the market.  This, of course, helps me understand and to always be on top of the current inventory.  
As new listings come up in my area, I have programmed my computers to send me an automated email with information on the property immediately upon the home hitting the Multiple Listing Service.
Over the last year or so, I have seen some, well... the only way I can describe it is "doozies" come through my email.  I am constantly amazed that we have … (18 comments)

home staging: What is Staging? - 03/26/07 02:09 PM
I was exposed to "HOME STAGING" several years ago when I heard Barb Schwartz, founder of StagedHomes.com and THE inventor of the term "STAGING" speak on the subject.  I remember sitting in the audience of about 500 real estate agents thinking to myself - this makes a lot of sense.
Barbara, who has been staging homes since 1972 had single handedly created this brand new industry - STAGING.  Barbara uses the following analogy to help us understand what Staging is all about:
Think of going to see a play in a theater.  When you walk in, you see the stage, an audience, actors.  … (13 comments)

home staging: Home Staging - Is it really worth it? - 02/04/07 05:37 PM
Yes!  Yes!!  Yes!!!
I hired a stager to stage one of my listings in November of 2006.  This condo was in a beautiful location, but the market was slow and there were 3 other listings in the same building with the same floor plan.  Also, this was a very small two bedroom condo - only 900 sq. ft. - with the fireplace extending way into the living room and taking up a lot of space.
I just came back from the California Association of Realtors convention where I heard Barb Schwartz speak.  Barb is the founder of the Accredited Staging Professionals - www.stagedhomes.com.  … (16 comments)

home staging: Okay... I finally did it! - 11/07/06 04:57 PM
I finally hired a stager to stage one of my listings!  I am totally blown away with the results.  The stager, Nickie from Staged 2 Sell, another Active Rainer was absolutely fantastic.  I had a vacant 2 bedroom condo a little over 900 square feet and it has been absolutely transformed into an inviting oasis. 
I posted my listing this morning on the MLS and have received numerous calls from other agents remarking on how beautiful the property looks.  Check it out at http://www.160hudson.com/ .Several showing appointments have been set up already!
For those of you that have not tried it or … (6 comments)