San Diego Home Stager

Thanks AR - Goodbye For Now...

Judy Heinrich - San Diego Home Staging (Judy Heinrich Home Staging) — Mon, 18 May 2009 12:12:40 -0700

I'm sitting here with lots of free time on my hands watching the packers work hard doing their thing. I'm so excited to be moving, it seemed to take forever for this day to come! Thought it would be a nice time to take a minute and say thank you to all the wonderful people here that I've followed for the past couple years. I joined AR when there were just a few thousand of us and now look what it's become. Although I haven't been as active as I could be, It has been a truly wonderful place to visit and I love checking in when I can, reading so many wonderful, informational posts.

I was very fortunate to be able to sell my house to the first couple that looked at it! A testament that great staging and great proper pricing work! Now I'm packing up and moving to San Diego! I couldn't be more thrilled to be heading back home, closer to my boys in college and actually get to live full time with my husband again. He's been working in DC for the past two years and only came home on the weekends (not to mention a quick 5 months in Kuwait).

So for now, I'm taking a little break from staging. Think I'll enjoy the summer and decide what to do with my business once I'm settled in California. I'm sure I'll pop in here to see what's going on, but in the meantime... Good bye and best of luck for a successful year to you all!

FANTASTIC EXECUTIVE HOME - 16219 Mabry Mill Dr., Midlothian, VA 23113

Judy Heinrich - San Diego Home Staging (Judy Heinrich Home Staging) — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 10:21:47 -0700

STUNNING custom brick home in Founders Bridge featuring the best of everything!

4 Bedrooms, 3.5 baths. YrBlt. 2005, Sq.Ft. 4443

$769,950.00

SOARING, open FOYER and balcony, elegant living and dining rooms, LIBRARY/OFFICE with stone fireplace, vaulted family room with stone fireplace that opens to an INCREDIBLE GOURMET KITCHEN with beautiful custom cabinetry and top-of-the-line appliances and separate casual dining area. Private and spacious 1ST FLOOR MASTER retreat with super-luxurious bath. Three additional (large) bedrooms on the 2nd level and two full baths PLUS a comfortable 2nd-level family room provide the ultimate in comfort! Attached, 3-car garage, inviting rear porch and deck, lush landscape and grounds w/ irrigation and MUCH MORE. Truly a superb property that will please the most discriminating buyer!!

Click HERE for more details.

UPDATE: Happy to report this home went under contract to the first buyers who looked at it!

Wallpaper Removal Really Does Make a Difference

Judy Heinrich - San Diego Home Staging (Judy Heinrich Home Staging) — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 12:15:23 -0800

You've no doubt heard it before, but it always bears repeating... Remove wallpaper prior to putting your house on the market. I recently did a Walk & Talk Consultation for some sellers who had their house on the market for a very long time, 175 days. Overall, their house was in pretty good shape. They had decluttered and maintained it well. I suggested a few additional decor items, repositioned some furniture, etc. Unfortunately, their previous agent told them it was okay to leave up the wallpaper that was in the diining room and entry (sorry no before photo of that space). Why would an agent say that in this market? During my consultation, I insisted it would be worth their effort to have the paper removed. After their listing expired, they re-listed with one of my favorite agents, Robin Hurst of The Hurst Team at Keller Williams. The result is fantastic and the house went under contract after only 6 days on the market. Proof that condition and proper pricing usually brings a sale!

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Judy Heinrich Home Staging, LLC, providing quality, professional home staging services to the greater Richmond, VA area. For more information, please call 804-271-2604 or visit my website at www.judyheinrich.com

Which Kitchen Would You Want to Buy?

Judy Heinrich - San Diego Home Staging (Judy Heinrich Home Staging) — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 10:34:49 -0800

Sometimes a dated kitchen just needs to be redone! Here's an example from a vacant townhouse I staged this past week. The sellers had this property on the market for a long time. They decided to take it off the market, update the kitchen, stage the property and put it back on the market. I think the kitchen redo turned out fantastic! Not a lot of buyers out there looking for blue formica countertops and those old '80s cabinets. But now... the kitchen is sure to please!

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For professional, quality staging, please consider Judy Heinrich Home Staging, LLC, serving the greater Richmond, VA area. For more information, call 804-271-2604 or visit my website at www.judyheinrich.com

Professional vs. Non Professional Staging Example

Judy Heinrich - San Diego Home Staging (Judy Heinrich Home Staging) — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 16:41:10 -0800

I've been a bit frustrated lately with the poor quality of staging I've seen. And even more frustrated that I've lost a couple vacant staging jobs to others who seem to be charging pennies! To be quite honest, I believe I am very reasonably priced and provide a quality professional service.

One project I didn't get was a home with 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, family room, living room, office and kitchen. We discussed the different levels of service for a vacant and the owner wanted more than just a simple, vignette staging. So I prepared a proposal that I thought was well priced, especially considering the large number of built in bookcases that needed to be staged properly (we all know how that eats up inventory!). According to the seller, I didn't get the job because he found "a stager who was able to fully stage the house for three months within their budget of $1200-$1500." Now I don't know how anyone can provide quality, professional staging for that price for all those rooms fully staged and still get paid! I haven't seen any pictures of it yet, but I can imagine. Oh well... on to the next one.

I had another project I would have loved to do. Two model condo units in a renovated building in the Fan district of Richmond. I had staged a model condo for this builder in 2007 with great results. Well this time around I'm guessing they wanted to save some money. At least that's the only thing I can think of since the listing agent (who I prepared the propsal for) never responded to my several follow up emails/calls. First of all, I think it's very unprofessional of the agent to not respond, let alone not have the courtesy to tell me "no thanks". Unfortunately, I never had the opportunity to discuss my proposal and ways to work within their budget, if at all possible. Well, I just found the photos of the units online and needless to say... They Got What They Paid For!

It's probably not too professional of me to post those photos so I won't, but I can't resist just a comparison of my staged living room in the unit I staged a couple years ago vs. the living room of this unit. Let's hope the builder and agent decided to do it themselves. I'd hate to think a professional stager did it!

Here's the living room I did not stage...

Here's the one I staged...

Any other stagers running into this problem? I'm afraid sub par staging is giving us a bad name!

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For professional, quality staging, please consider Judy Heinrich Home Staging, LLC, serving the greater Richmond, VA area. For more information, visit my website at www.judyheinrich.com

Before & Afters of a Staging Consultation - Part 2

Judy Heinrich - San Diego Home Staging (Judy Heinrich Home Staging) — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 16:50:23 -0800

In my previous blog, Before & Afters of a Staging Consultation - Part 1, I wanted to show the results of a client that took my suggestions from a consultation and implemented them themselves without having me come back to do some final staging and "tweaking". The point I wanted to make was that, while a staging consultation is a fantastic tool to get your property ready for showing, for most sellers it's hard to see their property the same way a professional stager does. So while they usually make tremendous improvements to the showing condition of their property, it may not be as polished as it could be with the hand of a professional stager.

In this example, my client worked hard preparing her property from the recommendations made during the consultation. I am fortunate to work with a fantastic agent, Robin Hurst of The Hurst Team, who really understands the value of staging and uses me on all of her listings. She had me return to the property to make sure it looked the best it could, and we provided a few decor items while staying within the sellers budget.

(left) Before Staging Consultation (right) After Staging Consultation - Much better but still a bit too much clutter

After a return visit, you will notice there was a bit more editing of decor, the sofa was slip covered, a large rug was brought in and a few toss pillows. Overall, the room feels more put together and pleasing to the eye.

Here's a few more before and afters:

The first picture was after the consultation (I don't have a before shot). Looks pretty good. But when I came back, I removed the valances, the candles on the table (they were snowballs) the plant in the corner and a few items on the hutch. Overall, I only made a few simple changes, but it was just enough.

(left) Before Consultation. (right) After Consultation - Better, but towels are quite right

After Staging - just a bit more tweaking of the towels and removal of silk flowers shows off the tub area better

(Left) Before Consultation. (Right) After Consultation - Still lacked a little "zing"

After Staging - Repositioning the chair and the dressing table helped to balance out the weight in the room. We also moved the bench from a wall to the end of the bed. A few more pillows and a throw added a pop of color that was needed.

All of the changes we made were suggestions presented during the consultation, but weren't executed by the seller. When budget is an issue, we always work first with what the homeowner owns, as i truly believe we can always make it look better. The total investment in staging this property was only $500 (includes added decor). I think that's money well spent!

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Judy Heinrich Home Staging, LLC - providing professional home staging services to the greater Richmond, VA area. For more information, please visit my website, www.judyheinrich.com or phone 804-271-2604.

Before & Afters of a Staging Consultation - Part 1

Judy Heinrich - San Diego Home Staging (Judy Heinrich Home Staging) — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 10:16:48 -0800

My approach to staging a property that will be occupied while it is on the market always begins with a consultation. I talked about this in my blog "What a Difference a Consultation Can Make" and truly believe great results are possible! This is the first step in the staging process and gives the seller so much information that they can do it all themselves, or have me complete the tasks. Sometimes I get called back to complete the work, sometimes the sellers try to do it all themselves. Either way, the property always looks better than it did prior to the consultation. But sometimes when I see photos of the properties that I've done a consultation on but have not returned for hands on staging, I have mixed emotions. Happy to see that the sellers have accomplished so much, but disappointed sometimes that I know it could look even better with my hands on help! Here's a couple photos to demonstrate what I'm talking about:

House #1 (apologize that the after photos aren't the exact angle as the befores... the after photos were sent to me by the agent)

I'm happy to see the owners repositioned the furniture, toned down the paint, packed up some clutter, etc. But I still think a little "tweaking" could be done. The mantle and chairs in the living room aren't quite right and I would like to see the little houses on the shutters removed. But overall they did a great job. Now, here's where it could be better with professional staging...

While the sellers did a great job again neutralizing paint, this extra room is really not staged to it's fullest potential. Window treatments really need to be addressed and this is extra square footage that could be shown off in a much more appealing manor.

Stay tuned for Part 2 and see a property that had me come back for final staging to see what just a little "tweaking" can do!

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Judy Heinrich Home Staging, LLC, - Providing quality, professional home staging services to the greater Richmond, VA area. For more information please visit my website, www.judyheinrich.com, or call today 804-271-2604.

The Staged House That Never Sold

Judy Heinrich - San Diego Home Staging (Judy Heinrich Home Staging) — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 09:53:14 -0800

As professional stagers, our job is to help sellers prepare their home to show the best it can when its on the market! I would venture to say that every successful stager most likely has had an occasional property not sell for some reason or another that staging could not overcome. So here's a story of one of mine. I was contacted by an agent to stage her listing last year. The seller was great! Very cooperative and did most of the painting and other prep work I recommended and he kept the property in showing condition. We came in and staged and the house showed beautifully, and comments on the staging were all positive! Here are just a couple photos of the the property before staging.

Now, here are a couple photos of the property after staging (seller decided not to paint the bathroom):

Unfortunately, the property did not sell and was taken off the market in the fall and destaged. Now, I'd like to point out that the cost to keep this property staged with my accessories and decor was only $200/month. I'm sure the seller thought at the time it was too much since the property wasn't selling!

Now the property is back on the market, unstaged and for approximately $70,000 less than original asking price! By the original listing agent's own admission, the property was overpriced initially. There were a couple issues that could not be overcome with staging as well (only 1.5 baths and a troubling rear yard). So here's a few pictures I pulled off the MLS that show the same rooms as they're being shown now... at least the agent had a wide angle lens...sure does take better pictures than mine!

On the bright side, at least the property was painted, clutter packed up and even now shows better than it did on the first visit I made to the property! Its clean and neutral (except for the bathroom) and is probably priced right this time around. You might even think these pictures aren't too bad... after all we've all seen much worse on the MLS! But I can't help but wonder if I could have done something more or if I should have done something different? In the end, I think I did the best I could. We can make a property look great, but after that, it's out of our hands. Would love to hear any stories other successful stagers might have!

What a Difference a Consultation Can Make!

Judy Heinrich - San Diego Home Staging (Judy Heinrich Home Staging) — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 15:30:13 -0800

The first step every seller should take BEFORE putting their house on the market is to hire a Professional Home Stager for a staging consultation. This is the most affordable, cost effective solution to getting your house market ready. A good home staging professional will provide you with a "roadmap" to prepare your home for sale. For the DIY seller, the consultation is a valuable resource to guide you in the right direction. If you are a seller that wants a little more hands on help, a home staging professional will be happy to do the actual work needed to make your property stand out from the competition!

Here are a few examples of what can be achieved by motived home sellers after a Walk & Talk Consultation provided by Judy Heinrich Home Staging, LLC.

Judy Heinrich Home Staging, LLC - providing professional home staging services to the greater Richmond, Virginia area. For more information on preparing your home for sale, please visit www.judyheinrich.com or phone 804-271-2604.

What's Your Opinion for an outdated Kitchen?

Judy Heinrich - San Diego Home Staging (Judy Heinrich Home Staging) — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 07:54:19 -0800

Assuming budget is an issue and you want to get the most bang for your buck...

Would you recommend sellers invest in granite and stainless appliances in an otherwise outdated kitchen. For instance, say a seller has old, cheap cabinets. Perhaps they've painted them white (or whatever) so they look better, but they're still old and quite frankly, cheap. Or maybe they are the type that were popular in the 80's - those white with wood trim ones (we've all seen them) Would you still recommend putting expensive granite on top of them?

I ask this question for no particular reason other than I'm curious what others think. To me it seems like such a waste of money if the original cabinets are ugly and most likely would be removed in a kitchen update. I'm conflicted because I know buyers like granite and stainless, but would it be better to spend the money on new hardware, paint, nice formica type counter tops (they have some good selections nowadays), a decent looking floor, etc. For me, I would feel like I was stuck with the dated cabinets just to save the nice granite counters. I'd rather have a less expensive, but nice looking kitchen that I wouldn't feel guilty about ripping out when the time came. However, I don't want my personal opinion to influence my recommendations to a client should the occasion arise.

So, what's your opinion?

Sellers...Neutralize Your Spaces With Paint!

Judy Heinrich - San Diego Home Staging (Judy Heinrich Home Staging) — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 07:41:44 -0800

When it's time to put your house on the market, I believe one of the biggest "bang for your buck" improvements a seller can make is contained in a simple can of paint! I believe it's so important that I tend to recommend painting first, even if it means there is no money left in the budget for my staging services. Buyers want homes that are move in ready! Colorful walls scream "work to be done" especially if they are not in the color scheme a potential buyer prefers. However, if the home is neutral in color (this doesn't mean white!), a buyer can move right in. When the buyer wants to put their own color on the walls, it's now called "decorating" not "work"... which is much more fun!

Here's a couple examples of too personal color choices:

It is also very important to add color, not just take it away. A warm, neutral color on walls makes the room feel cozier, makes the woodwork pop, and the room feels less sterile overall. Below is an example of a dining room (same model), one was left white and empty, the second one was painted and staged:

Painted Paneling B&A Photos!

Judy Heinrich - San Diego Home Staging (Judy Heinrich Home Staging) — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 06:54:52 -0800

I recently asked the question What Would You Do In This Space? about a dark, paneled space that I encouraged the sellers to paint. Thankfully they were on board with that recommendation. I staged the room as I originally wanted, as a sitting room, not a dining space. These pictures show the power of paint to freshen up an outdated room! Unfortunately, the trim and woodwork was not painted white as I suggested (that will need to be fixed) but I still think the transformation is tremendous. The color used is Sherwin Williams Softer Tan SW6141.

10 Tips Every Seller Needs to Know

Judy Heinrich - San Diego Home Staging (Judy Heinrich Home Staging) — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 06:51:48 -0800

Preparing your home for sale is a lot of work! I'm sure sellers have heard this before, but it can never be said too much how important it is to have your home market ready. Here's some tips to get you started!

Curb Appeal: The first impression when a buyer drives up to your home is critical! If you have great curb appeal, buyers will be excited to enter the home and see what it has to offer. If you don't, they most likely will drive on by. Make sure the landscaping is in good order. The entry should be clean and inviting. Put a fresh coat of paint on the door and polish all the hardware. Take a look at the porch lights as well, they usually need to be cleaned or replaced.

Get Packing: Let's face it - the majority of our homes are cluttered and lived in. But that's not the best way to showcase your home when you're selling your biggest asset! This is the time to start packing your important personal collections, reduce the number of books in your bookcase, remove excess knick knacks, etc. The goal is to reduce the distractions. You need to pack anyway so now is a good time to do it. Use boxes or baskets to store important papers, remote controls, and other items you need access to but don't want to see.

De-Personalize: The goal is to have potential buyers envision themselves living in your home, not feeling like a guest in your home. You don't want potential buyers spending too much time learning about who you are and not looking at what your home has to offer. That means your personal memorabilia needs to be packed away. The family photo gallery lining the hallway needs to be removed and packed up. Trophy collections, refrigerator art, personal items, and religious artifacts as well should be packed up a head of time.

Paint/Wallpaper: When in doubt, go neutral (a warm neutral shade, not white). Color can certainly make a room pop and can enhance a room but you have to be careful with color when your house is on the market. You may love colorful walls, but most likely a potential buyer will not have the same taste as you. This is especially true for wallpaper. As a general rule, REMOVE IT! If it seems like a lot of work for you to remove it, you can be sure the potential buyer is thinking the same thing. Wallpaper is very personal and while it may look lovely with your décor, chances are it's dated and won't look lovely with a potential buyer's décor.

Light and Bright: Many homes have overbearing, outdated window treatments and valances. Remove them and show off your windows; after all, that is what you're selling! Simple decorative side panels hung from a rod above the window frame is nice to soften the window and still allows maximum light to flow in. Natural light is important and makes rooms feel bright and open and that is at the top of most buyers' wish list, so open all the blinds. Make sure there is lighting in each room and that it's turned on, especially important if the room is lacking in natural light.

Furniture Arrangement/Editing: Now is a good time to give away or sell all the furniture and other items that you intend to get rid of before moving or move it to storage. The goal here is to ensure a positive "traffic flow." Buyers are looking for open, spacious rooms. Look for the focal point in each room and enhance it. It could be the fireplace or a beautiful bay window. You want to draw attention to those areas of each room.

Clean/Repair: Your home needs to be spotless. Hire a cleaning service if necessary. Don't forget to clean out the fireplace and have your windows washed and in good working order. Repair all items that are broken. Remember that long list of fix-it jobs you've been putting off? Well, now is the time to get it all done.

Scents: Every home has a smell and you want your house to smell fresh, clean, and free of pet or cooking odors. Offensive odors will have a lasting impression on potential buyers. If the weather is pleasant, open the windows to let in some fresh air. Be careful not to mask odors with strong room deodorizers as they can be offensive as well. If you're a smoker, don't smoke in the house while the house is on the market. Nothing is more of a turn off to non-smokers than smoke smell. And, if you have pets, most likely your house has pet odors that need to be addressed.

Flooring: Carpeting should be neutral, clean and in good condition. Have them professionally cleaned before your house is on the market. If you have beautiful hardwood floors, show them off and only use area rugs where necessary. If your hardwood floors are in poor condition, have them refinished. Buyers love hardwood floors!

Plants and Greenery: Live plants are a wonderful addition to the home's interior. They bring the outdoors in and add life and softness to a room. Use only plants that are well maintained and lush. A few strategically placed plants are preferred over a greenhouse look. A vase of fresh flowers is welcoming; just remember to remove/replace the flowers when they start to wilt. If you don't have a green thumb, fill in with silk greenery. Use quality silk greenery and floral only.

And finally, Hire a Professional Home Stager to insure your home is showing at its fullest potential! They will be happy to provide a consultation to get you started, as well as full service staging for your occupied or vacant property.

Staging Challenge - What to do here?

Judy Heinrich - San Diego Home Staging (Judy Heinrich Home Staging) — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 18:15:35 -0800

I just love all the opinions and advice you creative stagers here on AR have so here's another problem area I have to stage next week. This is an attic space that was remodeled to make a large room. I'm staging it as a family room, with sofa, etc. The first two pictures are of the room to the left of the odd alcove. This is where I was planning on putting the seating area. The third picture is this unique alcove. I saw in the old MLS photos the owner had her kids play table here. That's an obvious choice, but the demographics are more likely to be young professionals so I'm not convinced I want to make it a "play space". I'd like something original. Any ideas for something dramatic? The ceilings are very low and have been a turn off for buyers so I'd like to make this special. I'm sure someone will have just the right idea!

<< This is the odd little space!

Staging Mishaps

Judy Heinrich - San Diego Home Staging (Judy Heinrich Home Staging) — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 15:54:00 -0800

Since I've been staging I'm proud to say that so far I haven't broken anything valuable belonging to a homeowner or had any other sort of mishaps (knock on wood). Unfortunately, my luck isn't so good with my own stuff during staging days. I've had a broken vase here or there. That's not too bad and is expected from time to time. Nothing too serious. Then last fall I had my cell phone in my back pocket of my jeans. I stopped for a restroom break and, saving you all from further details, lets just say the phone got a bit wet!!! I guess there was a silver lining...the phone died and I got a new Blackberry! Now I always take it out of my pocket when I use the restroom!

I thought that was about as bad as it could get, but noooooo! Recently, I was sitting in my car waiting for the Realtor to arrive. My hands were dry so I took my wedding ring off and applied some hand lotion. The Realtor arrived and I hurried out of the car to meet her. On my way home that afternoon, I glanced at my hand and guess what? No ring! I frantically drove back to the house, searched the street, my car, everywhere. No ring to be found! Thankfully it was insured, but replacing it won't have the same meaning... but I'm sure I'll end up with a bigger diamond!

I'm curious to hear what mishaps you all have had while staging...

Now Here's Some Stats Worth Bragging About!

Judy Heinrich - San Diego Home Staging (Judy Heinrich Home Staging) — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 12:47:52 -0800

145 days on the market. 40+ showings. No offers! Something was wrong. The property seemed to be priced right and have a desirable location since it was getting traffic and being shown but something was obviously missing. The listing agent saw another house Judy Heinrich Home Staging, LLC recently staged and decided staging might be the answer! She gave me a call and I quickly went to work. The day after staging the property was shown and an offer was received that evening. Now the property is set to close the end of the month, just about two weeks after staging!

I think what is important to note is that when a property is priced right, has a desirable location and is being shown, but isn't selling, there's something wrong. In this case, it was for the most part vacant and had an awkward floorplan that confused potential buyers. They couldn't tell which rooms were suppose to be the bedrooms. Staging not only warmed up the space and added appeal, it also helped buyers understand the layout that was confusing them.

Here's some before and after photos...

Judy Heinrich Home Staging, LLC - serving the greater Richmond, VA area. For more information on staging your home for sale, please visit my website or phone 804-271-2604.

Here's What I Ended Up Doing (an Update)

Judy Heinrich - San Diego Home Staging (Judy Heinrich Home Staging) — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 11:34:51 -0800

Last week I was fishing for ideas that I might not have thought about in my blog Love To Hear Your Suggestions. Thought I'd post a couple of pictures of what I did. I'd like to give credit to Sandra Hughesfor her suggestion of hanging 3 mirrors. The mirrors were only 9.99 each at Walmart. I like the effect. I even thought it would look good if I aged the mirror... anyone know how to do that? I think a bigger picture above the mantle would have been more appropriate but I was unable to come up with something in such a short time frame. It's hung a little higher than it should be, but it's a cement wall and had two large screws with molly-bolts that I couldn't remove without damaging the wall. So I just went with it and hung the picture on the screws! And the best news... it got an offer the very next day! I'll talk about that in another blog!

Love to Hear Your Suggestions

Judy Heinrich - San Diego Home Staging (Judy Heinrich Home Staging) — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 09:38:05 -0800

I have a somewhat vacant property coming up to stage and thought this would be a good opportunity to get some input. Some of the details... It's an old house. The window treatments won't be coming down. The Wingback chair is staying but not the worn small settee. The rug might be going as well (depending if one of the children come to take it). The buffet/credenza piece on the other wall is staying. One thought is to use a sofa facing the fireplace, a love seat on the wall where the settee is now and use the wingback chair next to the fireplace. The wingback chair is in good shape and nice so I'd like to take advantage of it and, of course, need to keep costs down for the sellers. Another idea is to place two sofas facing each other centered around the fireplace.

I'm mostly curious as what you would do with the fireplace and wall next to it. Artwork over the mantle and a tall tree? For some reason art over the mantle and then art right next to it doesn't appeal to me. Any thoughts or suggestions? And of course, any ideas for a better furniture arrangement that I haven't thought about yet.

This is the wall opposite the fireplace wall. The door on the left leads into a butler's pantry/wet bar and then the kitchen, the doorway on the right is how you enter the room from the hallway.

What a can of paint can do!

Judy Heinrich - San Diego Home Staging (Judy Heinrich Home Staging) — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 07:16:48 -0800

I know it has been talked about before, but you can't talk enough about the importance of a fresh coat of paint when selling your house. It will make all the difference when marketing your house to potential buyers. It's simple, inexpensive, and provides a much better first impression than a house with personalized paint or different colors in each room that don't flow together nicely. Here's a couple before and after photos of an occupied home staging I recently did where the homeowner painted all the colorful rooms neutral. What a difference a can of paint can make!

Each room in this house was a different color. Besides the ones in these pictures, other rooms were painted in various colors of purple, aqua, magenta, navy and green. None of it flowed. The house is also dark since there aren't too many windows so a lighter color on the walls was necessary. The walls are Sherwin Williams Softer Tan.

I personally like the reddish color in this room but it was very dark in that room and we thought the house would show better if each room flowed with the same color.

Would you have done this?

Judy Heinrich - San Diego Home Staging (Judy Heinrich Home Staging) — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 08:15:59 -0800

A lot of the old homes I stage have decorative fireplaces in each room. I suppose a long, long, time ago they might have worked. But now they are not functional. Sometimes the firebox is filled in or blocked off as well. But usually the mantle and surround are still there. The problem I run into often is they are in every bedroom and usually on the only large wall of the room. Most likely the exact place I want to put the bed!

This particular room was big, but had no good place to put a bed larger than a twin (and it is the master). So I decided to use the mantle as a headboard and went with it. The room feels much larger and I think it was the right decision. What do you think? Would you have covered up the fireplace as I did? Also, not sure I love the picture leaning on the mantle - any opinions? I thought if I hung it I would need something else on the mantle, then it started looking too much like a mantle and cluttered. (Also, the wall is plaster)

Call it what you want... Just don't call it staging!

Judy Heinrich - San Diego Home Staging (Judy Heinrich Home Staging) — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 19:20:42 -0800

My Sunday paper had an interesting article in the Real Estate section this past weekend. An art sale dubbed the "Lost Art Sale." About 60 artists are displaying their work in two newly constructed homes for sale. Artists get to keep 60% of any sales they make, the coordinator putting it together gets 40%. If it's a consignment piece, the owner gets 50%, the coordinator 50%. What a great opportunity for artists and others to try to sell their art.

My only problem with it is what the real estate agent holding the open house had to say... She's quoted in the paper saying "It's like staging a house, only without paying for an expensive design". I really thought agents and homeowners were starting to get it, but this just proves we still have a lot to teach them. It's not even close to staging and staging is not expensive design! Call it what you want, but don't call it staging! I do have to give some credit though, it is a clever way to direct traffic to a new neighborhood. And you never know, maybe someone will be able to see the wonderful features of the beautiful new house behind all the pieces of art covering all the surfaces!

To see what real staging is all about, check out my website www.judyheinrich.com

Judy Heinrich Home Staging, LLC, providing home staging services to the greater Richmond, Virginia area.

Attention Stagers - Ideas needed for awkward space (occupied home)

Judy Heinrich - San Diego Home Staging (Judy Heinrich Home Staging) — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 19:20:55 -0800

I did a consultation today and am hoping that all you creative, talented stagers out there might have some great ideas to stage this room that I may not have thought of yet. This space is awkward and I'm not sure you'll be able to tell with the pictures. It's a long, narrow room. The fireplace is centered on the wall you see when you enter the room from the foyer. Going around the room counter clockwise from there, the next wall has french doors leading to the backyard. Then the next wall has a doorway at one end to the kitchen and the doorway to the foyer at the other end. The fourth wall (the front of the house) has two tall, narrow windows. You can't easily center anything on the fireplace because then you'd block the door to the kitchen. The arrangement the homeowners have currently divides the room and they have an office area which I originally wanted to move out of there,however I do like the idea of breaking up the space. Here's a few pictures... obviously, ignore the Christmas decor and clutter, etc., I already addressed those issues. Just looking for some new ideas!

A Nice Transformation

Judy Heinrich - San Diego Home Staging (Judy Heinrich Home Staging) — Fri, 23 Nov 2007 17:50:12 -0800

I recently blogged about staging a property for some sellers that "Got it". It was such a pleasure to work with clients like them. Thought I'd take a moment and share some more before and after pictures of the transformation. The seller's cleared out so much stuff... they really worked hard! I staged the property using what they had left behind (advising them during a consultation) and then supplementing with a few items of my own, mostly to help make the small bathroom and kitchen pop.

Judy Heinrich Home Staging, serving the greater Richmond, Virginia area. For more information, please visit my website www.judyheinrich.com or phone 804-271-2604.

Museum District Gem!

Judy Heinrich - San Diego Home Staging (Judy Heinrich Home Staging) — Fri, 23 Nov 2007 17:28:58 -0800

This light and bright 3 bedroom home in the Museum District is offered for sale at $269,950. On the first floor you'll find a very cool retro kitchen, living room, dining room, wonderful porches in front and back and a lovely garden. Upstairs are three bedrooms, a bonus sunroom and one full bath. As an added bonus there are two off street parking spaces as well! The house is freshly painted inside and out and has refinished floors, white oak down and heart of pine up. For more information about this house, please contact Christopher Small, Small & Associates, 804-343-6860.

Judy Heinrich Home Staging, serving the greater Richmond, Virginia area. For more information about staging your home, please visit my website, www.judyheinrich.com or phone 804-271-2604.

Sellers - Listen to the advice your home stager gives you!

Judy Heinrich - San Diego Home Staging (Judy Heinrich Home Staging) — Fri, 23 Nov 2007 16:58:40 -0800

Sometimes I just don't get it! Why would someone hire a professional home stager to tell them how to properly prepare their house for sell, then not follow through with the recommendations? Well, I do know why. It's either too much work, too much money or they're too emotionally attached to make the recommended changes. But when they do follow through, the results are well worth the effort!

Wallpaper in my area of the country is a big problem and equally a big problem to convince sellers to remove it. Here's a couple examples where the sellers chose not to follow through on the recommendation to remove wallpaper (these pictures are the before pictures). I don't think too many potential buyers will be saying "that's exactly what I'm looking for!"

But sometimes, the sellers listen! And the results speak for themselves...