Karen 's Blog

Home Staging Exquisite $2.7MM Private Estate in Atlanta

2008-10-07T18:02:43Z

I am so proud that Peachtree Home Staging was the selected home stager for this incredible property located in the Buckhead area of Atlanta, GA.

This home staging job was very important to me -- When I went to meet the Realtor for the first time regarding the project I learned the home had formally been owned by her in-laws and, although the home has undergone complete renovation, there were many memories held among the walls of this homestead!

Because of this I selected a talented understudy with a keen eye to assist me with the staging. She is very talented and has assisted me in other projects. She is 25 years old, works full time, is in college part time, working towards a degree in Interior Design. Her name is Brette Duffner. She is my daughter and I am quite proud to show our work together!

How folks live in a home is their business, how folks present the home for sale is my business!

For tips on how to prepare your home for sale and information on staging a home in Atlanta, visit the web site of PEACHTREE HOME STAGING or call us at 770 595-8809.

We do occupied and vacant home staging with professional perfection!

If you would like to e-mail us specific questions our address is: Karen@PeachtreeHomeStaging.com

Peachtree Home Staging is a proud APPROVED AND ACCREDITED Business of the Greater Atlanta Better Business Bureau.

Peachtree Home Staging Serves all of Metro Atlanta: Coweta, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Fulton and Gwinnett counties in Georgia, including, Alpharetta, Atlanta, Brooks, Chamblee, Decatur, Douglasville, Duluth, Dunwoody, Fairburn, Fayetteville, Jonesboro, Lawrenceville, Lilburn, McDonough, Newnan, Norcross, Peachtree City, Roswell, Sandy Springs, Senoia, Sharpsburg, Stockbridge, Tucker, and Tyrone

a little property in a big way

2008-10-05T21:09:22Z

This home is located in a trendy little neighborhood in Atlanta that has a lot of renovation going on -- I just LOVED staging this investors little bungalow vacant. Just for reference-- living room, dining room, kitchen, one full bath, and 3 bedrooms (one displayed as an office). Enjoy -- here's some of the finished results . . . just too cute; don't ya' think?

And, here's the best -- don't ya' just love a great jigsaw puzzle?

Know your demographics; know the area of Atlanta or the city, county, country and life style -- make it right for the seller to find the buyer. That is what makes home staging unique to interior design-- that's the art; that's the goal; that is what takes the expertise!

How folks live in a home is their business, how folks present the home for sale is my business!

For tips on how to prepare your home for sale and information on staging a home in Atlanta, visit the web site of PEACHTREE HOME STAGING or call us at 770 595-8809.

We do occupied and vacant home staging with professional perfection!

If you would like to e-mail us specific questions our address is: Karen@PeachtreeHomeStaging.com

Peachtree Home Staging is a proud APPROVED AND ACCREDITED Business of the Greater Atlanta Better Business Bureau.

Home Staging Extreme!

2008-10-02T08:51:10Z

I am so excited about what is happening in the home staging industry. Coming from a Real Estate background, most all of my early-on posts when first joining Active Rain were dedicated to empowering Realtors and Home sellers on the value of home staging.

Well, by George, I think they've got it!

The last week in September was exceptional for me and Peachtree Home Staging. We staged 2 vacants that really makes the point!

First we staged a small renovated home in Atlanta that's listing for $150,000 -- just precious

Then we had the pleasure to be selected to stage a renovated exclusive estate home located in the Buckhead area of Atlanta, just 16 miles away. This beautiful estate home is listed for $2,699,000

What a week! I'll be posting more photos soon!

No doubt about it . . . Home Staging is for everyone!

How folks live in a home is their business, how folks present the home for sale is my business!

For tips on how to prepare your home for sale and information on staging a home in Atlanta, visit the web site of PEACHTREE HOME STAGING or call us at 770 595-8809.

We do occupied and vacant home staging with professional perfection!

If you would like to e-mail us specific questions our address is: Karen@PeachtreeHomeStaging.com

Peachtree Home Staging is a proud APPROVED AND ACCREDITED Business of the Greater Atlanta Better Business Bureau.

Great Press -- Write it Right!

2008-10-01T15:59:24Z

I had the pleasure of staging a vacant vacation home "to stay" for Peter Bilodeau and his wife Barbara.

Peter has 32 years in the newspaper industry and was with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution for many years. Now Peter spends his time as a free lance writer. Peter recently wrote the article below that is being published in late October here in a local magazine.

But first, please note today's featured vocabulary home staging word: teeming

teeming -- abounding or swarming with something

~~~

MAKING YOUR HOUSE PERFORM

By Peter Bilodeau

A new house is an empty stage.

You want your house to perform, whether you plan to live there forever, or eventually plan to sell it.

Just as you wouldn't send actors to perform onstage without a director, you wouldn't want to dump lots of things into a new house yourself, and hope it looks right. The eye of a home stager will help your new house perform for you.

Karen Dembsky of Peachtree Home Staging was our eye when we moved in to our new house.

Our house was an empty stage, and yet, a clean slate for the stager. In a few hours, she had a picture in her mind of how each room should look. Then, in one trip to a furniture store, we bought each room's main pieces very economically. Stops at other places resulted in a few accent pieces that would add just the right touches.

Today, the house performs well. It's remarkably clutter-free. There are no "extra" items stuffed in corners, yet, there are accent pieces, like matching vases on each end of the fireplace hearth, that make the house "sing." The once-empty stage now has furnishings acting in concert with each other, for an overall clean and functional look, thanks to staging.

Here's a bonus. A stager does not need a new, empty or clean house to make it perform.

Do you have a home you are trying to sell, and it's been sitting on the market for weeks or months? Even in a tough market, a home stager's touch will make it sell more quickly, and for a higher price than a house that is not staged. The stager will instantly spot clutter remove it. The stager may rearrange some furniture, or bring in alternative furniture, to help potential buyers see the most your house has to offer. In other words, the stager will help your house perform for you and your potential buyers.

Planning to stay in your house, and have furnishings that have served you well for years, but have outlived their welcome? And you just don't know where to begin? Or, is your house teeming with treasures that may not be displayed in places where their beauty would be most noticed? A home stager may help make your decisions easier, and, if needed, can help you cost-effectively make the right purchases. The stager can also show you how to let the true value of your heirlooms and other valuable or sentimental pieces shine like a beacon. You could have a "new" home that performs for you for less money than you had thought. The home stager becomes an investment with a return, even for a person who isn't going anywhere. Your house will be staged to "stay."

Staging helped turn our house into something we can live in for a long time, or, if we choose, something we could sell on the spot - a house that performs in two ways.

It can do the same for you.

For a brochure on home staging or more information contact Karen Dembsky at Peachtree Home Staging.com or call 770-595-8809

Peter Bilodeau is a freelance writer living in Peachtree City. He can be contacted at pbilodeau01@aol.com

~~~~~

Wow! As you can see, Peter is a fantastic writer. He's a great editor as well. I often lean on his skills to improve pieces of my website and he has tweaked a few of my press releases as well. I love to write and not half bad due to that creativity gene, but Peter, as you can read, is a magician with words. As a professional it is important to me that I utilize Peter's professional services for my brochures and printed pieces.

I thought I'd share Peter's talents with you as he is available for hire, understands the message home stagers are trying to get out there, and easy to work with. Peter can take a sentence or two from another clients testimony and create a home staging article that includes that exact testimony making it a great addition to a web site. His e-mail address is pbilodeau01.com if you'd like to make contact with him.

Here's the great room of Peter's vacation home that Peachtree Home Staging staged to stay

How folks live in a home is their business, how folks present the home for sale is my business!

For tips on how to prepare your home for sale and information on staging a home in Atlanta, visit the web site of PEACHTREE HOME STAGING or call us at 770 595-8809.

We do occupied and vacant home staging with professional perfection!

If you would like to e-mail us specific questions our address is: Karen@PeachtreeHomeStaging.com

Peachtree Home Staging is a proud APPROVED AND ACCREDITED Business of the Greater Atlanta Better Business Bureau.

Wanted: Good Home Staging Help!

2008-09-24T17:43:20Z

Man -- it's a tough HOME STAGING world out there!

I am constantly loading and unloading;

packing and unpacking;

up the stairs, down the stairs;

stuff to haul into the car, stuff to haul out of the car,

driving stuff there, driving stuff back;

removing labels, re-labeling, constantly labeling

bagging and unbagging;

boxing inventory, unboxing inventory, re-boxing inventory;

HOME STAGING HAS NO TIME FOR CAT NAPS!!!!

AND THAT'S WHEN I DECIDED TO FIRE MY HELP!

Straight from the "house's" mouth

2008-09-22T20:43:17Z

"All the house can be a stage" is the title of an article the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC) published in their weekend "HOME FINDER" section a week ago.

The author, Mary Booth Thomas, did not interview home stagers for input, nor did she interview REALTORS for validation of Atlanta home staging expertise.

Her validation as to the value of home staging came straight from the house's horse's mouth!

Ms. Thomas interviewed home sellers regarding their take on home staging in the Atlanta market. She asked questions about the value of their home staging experience for an occupied home.

was home staging a value in selling?
was it a value for showings?
was the experience worth the time and investment?
what did you expect and what was home staging in your own home really like?

I was fortunate enough to have 3 of my recent past clients interviewed/referenced for the article. The testimonies they gave supporting the experience of home staging their occupied home was fabulous! Here's some excepts from the article that involves their comments:

~~~~~

When Maj. Toby Moore and his wife, Susan, put their house in Peachtree City up for sale in May, they expected it to be on the market for quite a while."

Instead, they sold their home in a week-and-a-half and got full price.

Their secret: At the suggestion of their Realtor, Leigh Steele of Prudential Georgia Realty, they hired Karen Dembsky of Peachtree Home Staging to make their home more appealing to prospective buyers.

"Home staging is part of our Realtor's selling plan," Susan Moore said. "There never had been a house in our neighborhood that sold for that much. It definitely works."

Professional home stagers move furniture and minimize accessories to highlight a home's positive features and play down the negative.

Upon Dembsky's advice, Moore packed up family photos and her children's artwork and removed the shower curtain in one bathroom to show off the tile. "She rearranged things to make the house flow better and removed a lot of personal things to make it show better," Moore said.

Moore was so impressed she recommended Dembsky to her mother, Barbara Lovejoy, who sold her home in Alpharetta in less than a month.

. . . Shelly Peacock was initially apprehensive when her Realtor suggested bringing in someone to stage her home in the Maple Shade community in Tyrone, where several other homes in the $650,000 range are also on the market.

"My vision was that someone was going to come home and criticize my style. That wasn't the case at all," she said. "Once I got over it, it's fabulous."

In the living room, Dembsky rearranged the furniture to open up the space and make it more interesting, Peacock said. Dembsky worked with the Peacocks to pack up 15 boxes of personal items and memorabilia, in addition to what Peacock had packed before Dembsky arrived.

"It frees up your life. Now, when the house is going to be shown, I don't have to run around and straighten up all the stuff I had before," Peacock said.

________________________________________________

BEFORE AFTER

How folks live in a home is their business, how folks present the home for sale is my business!

For tips on how to prepare your home for sale and information on staging a home in Atlanta, visit the web site of PEACHTREE HOME STAGING or call us at 770 595-8809.

We do occupied and vacant home staging with professional perfection!

If you would like to e-mail us specific questions our address is: Karen@PeachtreeHomeStaging.com

Peachtree Home Staging is a proud APPROVED AND ACCREDITED Business of the Greater Atlanta Better Business Bureau.

I'm coming out of the closet and here's a love link why!

2008-08-28T15:49:06Z

Although I have never publicly admitted it before . . . I am now ready to come out of the closet . . .

I do have a most admired Active Rain Blogger! But before I reveal this idol blogger of mine, I'd like to provide you with a small amount of history.

I accidently stumbled on Active Rain in May of 2007.

I was like a deer stuck in headlights!

It was like Christmas in May!

It was like having a birthday and becoming a year younger instead of older!

It was like finding the pot of gold at my feet right there next to the end of the Rainbow!

So I ask you, how many of you also felt that way when you first found Active Rain?

Well, if you are reading this post you should be raising your hand right now; or you just don't get it! This sight, Active Rain, has been incredible for the the real estate and home staging industry!

Back to my idol blogger . . . These are some of the first posts I read in May of '07 when coming on board with Active Rain.

test - 05/30/07 06:39 PM
... (19 comments)

WYSIWYG / HTML Driving me nuts. Can you help? - 05/30/07 02:36 PM
OK I've recently learned how to change the font and color of parts of my blog using the HTML editor. Thanks to What is WYSIWYG? HTML Tips for Blogs No problems there. It looks great! My problem is that if I go back into the blog to change or update something ... (12 comments)

Curb Appeal - Can it make your home 45% more likely to be seen? - 05/30/07 01:20 PM
We are currently in the throws of the hot spring real estate market and it is essential that your home or listing stand out. The National Association of Realtors (NAR) reported that there are more homes on the market now than there have been in the last 10 years.
Real ... (29 comments)

Posting your vFlyer to your Active Rain Blog - Directions - 05/26/07 05:45 PM
To post your vFlyer to AR. First open a new blog entry on AR. Then open another browser window. Go to vFlyer. com and click on the Flyers tab. You will see a list of the flyers you have created. Click on the one you would like to post on AR. ... (20 comments)

Photoshop Elements - 05/15/07 07:44 AM
OK I just got Photoshop Elements!!!! It was a Mother's Day present from me to me. Happy Mothers Day to me.Happy Mothers Day to me. I just thought I'd share this website for photoshop elements tutorials: Click here. I think I originally read about this site in one of Jeff Turner's comments. ... (38 comments)

Home Staging Statistics - 05/09/07 06:20 PM
I have been looking for some time for a credible home staging statistic to put on my website, Rockland Home Staging.com. Recently I found a statistic with a credible source. I was reading Jennie Norris's blog about STAGING FEATURED IN "PARADE" SECTION OF MOST MAJOR PAPERS! The article listed that staged ... (42 comments)

Yep, you got it! Maureen Henry, of Rockland Home Stagingis my idol blogger!

Here's why . . . Maureen taught me, by example of her posts, how to be a good AR citizen.

I learned by her example the 3 most important things a blogger can implement to maximize the Active Rain experience.

#1. BLOGshare your Knowledge-- if you figure something out or know something that will help others here -- bolg it! I promise you will be pleasantly rained on for your contribution.

#2. BLOGseek for Help-- Everyone doesn't know everything (some just think they do) If you need help blog your question. Again, I promise you will be pleasantly rained on with suggestions and assistance.

#3. BLOGgeek for SEO rewards-- Your Web site will thank you for taking the time to appropriately earn it a higher page ranking on google!

Oh, and do you want to know how and why to LOVE LINK? Yep, read Maureen's post, from June of '07

LOVE LINK FOR ETIQUITTE OR SEO?

Thank you, Maureen!

Travel On Home . . . In Your Golf Cart

2008-08-22T15:16:56Z

These pictures are some before and after photos of a vacant home I recently home staged in a small, prominent Peachtree City neighborhood. Peachtree City is located South of Atlanta in Fayette County, that neighbors Fulton County in Georgia. Fayette County public schools are touted among the highest ranked in the State of Georgia.

Peachtree City's claim to fame is its exceptional 90 miles of recreational multi-use pathways designed for golf carts, bikers, walkers and runners. The path system is the largest in the U.S. and leads to most every home, restaurants, schools, churches, shopping and businesses.

Printable Street and Recreational Path map

Ya' all come visit sometime!

www.PeachtreeHomeStaging.com

Cedar Croft; Peachtree City

2008-08-21T13:39:24Z

New Homes Bullock Estates, Walton County

2008-08-21T13:15:57Z

A Home Staging EVENT with a CALL TO ACTION!

2008-08-19T16:23:48Z

With home staging becoming more and more popular across the country there is an overwhelming consensus within the Home Staging Industry to unite to share and develop ideas the will benefit home sellers, Realtors and home stagers. Starting last November, through the month of February 2008, 27 round table discussion groups were organized across the country at the local level and at regular intervals.

The discussion groups, known as Stage It Forward (SIF) Round Tables, demonstrated how easy and beneficial it is to have local home staging professionals come together to facilitate positive industry growth. Discussions focused on how the home staging industry can move forward in a way that empowers all the entities that are working hard to prosper. Equally, discussions concentrated on the home staging industry providing professional services that aide the home seller, the Realtor and also helps boost the real estate industry.

As per a recent post by Shell Brodnax of RESA and in partnership with Craig Schiller, the founder of the group Stage It Forward on Active Rain, we are ready to kick off with round two of the local level SIF Round Tables to be held across the US and Canada.

Do you want to know just how great these last events were for everyone who attended?

The following summarizes how valuable the previous SIF Round Tables proved to be in just a sampling of the 27 cities:

It's CLEAR... 21 SIF RoundTables Across North America Are Going to REFRESH Our Industry!

SIF Roundtables: Los Angeles Area Home Stager Get Together a Big Success!

NCal Staging Round Table, one step for Staging... a milestone for the future!

Houston meets Dallas at the SIF North TX Roundtable Hosted by CORT Furniture

TRI-STATE ROUND TABLE MEETUP - NOV. 16TH, 2007

Eastern PA, Southern NJ and DE Roundtable event- a first for local stagers.

Atlanta Home Stagers - Thank you!

_____________________________________________________________________

Now, HOME STAGERS, here is your call to action!

Please submit a discussion topic to Maureen Bray's post,

Upcoming SIF Round Tables ~ We need YOUR input for the Discussion Questions!

or bookmark her post and come back and share in the next week or two and post a question or topic of discussion. Or post your discussion topic here in my comments section!

Then, please revisit Shell's post, and consider being a facilitator in your area.

SIF and RESA Join Forces- Roundtables and Staging Awareness Month in NOV

A few months back, I was asked to assist in mentoring facilitators on a need be basis, so I am here to help. If you have any questions regarding facilitating an event, feel free to e-mail me Karen@PeachtreeHomeStaging.com or call me (770) 595-8809. I will be happy to answer your questions.

I can't wait to see all of the great posts that come from the upcoming SIF Round Tables.

ENJOY! LEARN! . . . and PROMOTE our home staging industry.

And a special thank you to RESA for coordinating these upcoming Round Table events for all home stagers regardless of designation or RESA membership.

And feel free to rate "Stagin' Stan -- Quite the Man" on a scale of 1 to 10 --

#10 being our RESA SIF Round Table humor communicator;

#5 a maybe;

#1 just drop the nerd!

What, Why, When, and How Much Does it Cost?

2008-08-08T06:44:13Z

I frequently have Realtors in the Atlanta area comment that home sellers often do not understand or grasp the value of home staging. Selling the concept of home staging then becomes a real challenge for the Realtor. I think it can simply be expressed by clarifing the What, Why, When, and How Much does home staging cost?

What is Home Staging? Home staging is the art of presenting key rooms, and placement of furniture and accessory pieces in those rooms with the intent to draw general appeal to a home for sale for the most potential buyers. Home stagers design unique staging plans for a home based on the potential buyer for the demographics of that home's location, price range, and floor plan. The intent of the home staging strategy is to actually help the home buyer be able to visualize comfortably and happily living in the home.

A professional home stager will be able to highlight the home's best features for the potential buyers. In addition, professional home staging will demonstrate livable solutions for floor plan negatives and awkward spaces. An inviting home atmosphere is created with home staging as well as a strong emphasis toward creating a positive first impression of the home for sale.

Why have your home staged? The proven results of professional home staging are reduced market time, and realizing top dollar for the property. Home staging is a new trend in the real estate arena, and it is here to stay. If it's a buyers market, such as our current market, staged homes have less market time than homes that have not been professionally home staged. If our economy has us in a seller's market, a professionally staged home encourages multiple offers and a higher offer price.

For the more veteran home sellers it is important to point out that the Internet's availability of home photos for all homes for sale have increased the need for displaying cosmetic sophistication of a property. To put is quite simply, if a home does not show well in the on-line photos; physical showings will be limited. All the way back to colonial times, land has always been the prized commodity for ownership, trade, and wealth. Because 80% of all home buyers now begin their search on line, for the first time in the history of man, property must be "marketed" in order to return wealth. Home staging has become that marketing tool. Home staging is today's key criteria stimulating physical showings from the homes buyer's first impression gained via Internet viewings.

The other powerful attribute of hiring a professional home stager when marketing your home is the stager's expertise in targeting the best possible second impression, which of course in today's world of the Web, is generally the physical viewing of the home, as earlier mentioned. For example, you may have a wonderful presentation of colorful collector plates appropriately displayed on built-in bookshelves in your great room. The home buyer tours the home, admires your collection and mentally notes the built-ins. After leaving the home the buyer wonders where the fireplace was. Was it in the room with the plates? Now your home is being remembered as the home with the plates; not the home with the beautiful built-ins and custom woodwork framing out the large fireplace. A professional home stager will see changes needed that would not be expected. A professional home stager's trained expertise will know how to display your items in a way that accents your home, not your collections.

When should a home be staged? This is the simplest principal of professional home staging. Homes should be staged prior to listing. Stage, list, and sell. Once your home is listed and in the MLS Internet system, the pictures posted there can often become a permanent presentation on multiple home selling sites.

Secondly, if you anticipate your home going on the market in the next year or two, it is recommended that you hire a home stager for a consultation and advice regarding possible home upgrades that will be economical, paint color choices, landscaping ideas, etc. A home stager can help you prioritize your action list so that you can pace yourself throughout the process while feeling confident that your home equity will stay intact.

How much does home staging cost? The cost to stage a home depends on the services required. Each quote is custom as each home is unique, and each home seller's needs are unique. For example, the cost to hire a home stager to begin the process of staging your home working with your own items would start somewhere between $150 and $200. The more staging services, furniture, and accessories needed, the more the cost. In other words, if a home stager can come into your home and work with your furnishing and accessories to improve your home presentation it will cost much less than if the home you are marketing is vacant and needing furnishing as well as accessories. And, often, it is somewhere in between. Thus, custom quotes are fundamental to the business of home staging.

"Every time I step into a home to perform home staging, my goal is to assure my clients that staging can and should be fun. Home staging is not decorating and has nothing to do with personal taste or the convenience of day to day living. Home staging has everything to do with marketing features of the home to attract potential buyers. Home staging is a tool to help the Realtor® and the home seller advertise the home in a way that produces interested buyers from the Internet and to increase the number of agent showings."

Karen Dembsky, Peachtree Home Staging President

THE WAY FOLKS LIVE IN THEIR HOME IS THEIR BUSINESS,

THE WAY FOLKS PRESENT THEIR HOME FOR SALE IS PEACHTREE HOME STAGING'S BUSINESS!

Home Staging the Interior Decorating

2008-07-30T09:09:06Z

I recently had the pleasure of assisting a Realtor, Leigh Steele with Prudential Georgia Realty in preparing a model home in Walton County, Georgia for an MLS video. I found the construction and attention to detail quite impressive; not to mention the prices. These incredible homes are starting in the $190's, and they have a lot to offer for that price!

This was a fun day and a first time experience for me. The model home Leigh took me to to prep for the video had already been furnished and accessorized by an Interior Designer. The model is heavy in furnishing and although, beautiful, it was short on accessories, so I brought in some of my accessories from Peachtree Home Staging's inventory. Also, the model needed some quick alterations in the presentation, particularly for the video to be able to draw the eye to the homes excellent features. I wanted it apparent that his builder truly did quality work and had given the home all the extras a home buyer would drool over! Knowing the home buyers more than likely will first be looking on line, that was key!

For a true home staging professional such as myself, I was a bit intimidated following in behind the work of an Interior Designer. Her work was beautiful, without a doubt. Just the same, it was a great confirmation, however, as I was rearranging things to accent the homes features, that home staging is truly different than Interior decorating.

Here's a short real estate video I did on the home and neighborhood.

There is a professional video coming that was done by Tom Knight of Knightyme Studios and I can't wait to see it. I love having Tom Knight video my work and I also love doing home staging for Leigh Steele. Both of these two do top notch work!

Home Staging for that Trendy Every City & the Hotlanta Average Joe!

2008-07-28T17:01:05Z

Atlanta has so many quaint neighborhoods that feature small older homes offering nostalgic appeal. Of course, the main draw for many of these neighborhoods, however, is location, location, location!

Whether or not a home should be home staged really isn't about the price point of the home, nor is it about the size of the home, or even the demographics of the home. It should be staged.

That being said, HOW a home should be Professionally home staged is all about the price point of the home, about the size of the home, and the demographics of the home.

Many of the older and smaller homes in Atlanta have the front door opening into the living room. No foyer or hallway entrance to be found. This often creates a difficult space as you see here in this Decatur home in Dekalb County. It is always a challenge for the prospective buyer to envision the appropriate use for the awkward area when the home is vacant. Home staging this small area of the home has made a pleasant visual for the buyer.

What I have experienced in these neighborhoods in this current market, and with this style of home, is that furnishings and accent pieces allow the Internet house hunters to determine room size and which homes will best accommodate them. The key objective to placing the home's interior "for sale photos" on the Internet is to encourage home showings. In the case of this following example, someone would be comparing these photos to other homes for sale in the Atlanta area of Decatur, Scottdale, and Avondale Estates in the probable price range of the high $100's to low $200's. It is clear that the furnished home professionally staged by Peachtree Home Staging in the after pictures is going to draw more physical showings than the photos of the home shown vacant in the before pictures.

Whether or not a home should be home staged really isn't about the price point of the home, nor is it about the size of the home, or even the demographics of the home. It should be staged.

That being said, HOW a home should be Professionally home staged is all about the price point of the home, about the size of the home, and the demographics of the home.

Oh, geeze, have I said that twice? Oh, well, sometimes, I hear you have to say the message more than once to be heard !!!

You hear me, right?

Week in Review -- Stage It Forward week 7/20 thru 7/26

2008-07-28T15:44:03Z

"Applause, please now, for stage it forward on active rain! Thank you, thank you, thank you very much. Everyone, please take a seat . . . "

"We are all gathered here today to give honor to this glorious home staging industry that is about to explode. This week in review that you are about to experience is about more than a week - this week in review is a tribute to the

and the impact that home stagers have been able to make on the home staging industry as a result of this staging vehicle in the rain, called "stage it forward".

Over the 20 months we have been together we have sought out ways to better each other and promote the industry, by sharing our wisdom, advice, and concerns. This week was no different:

Why is 1% of the home's list price unrealistic for staging services?
Melissa Marro www.StagingAndRedesign.com www.RedesigningCharleston.com

Add to my Toolbag
Kathleen Lordbock (Re$ale Design) ~Minnesota Home Stager~

Business Cards - Your Visual Elevator Speech
Julea Joseph - Reinventing Space

Statistics for FREE
Shell Brodnax- President/CEO

FUNCTIONAL ART - one of the best ideas yet!
Sheron Cardin - how2homestage.com RESA

THIS Is Why You NEED to Paint Dated Cupboards!
Julia Fedak, CSP-Canadian Staging Professional

Marketing Your Business Daily
Kym Hough, Staging Consultant , Staged to Sell, SF Bay Area, CSP

Helping Home Sellers Realize the Dream of Moving On Part III of a Passport Series
Yvonne Root Northern Arizona Home Stager

Those Nickels and Dimes Sure Do Add Up!
Julia Maher, Staging Fairfield County Connecticut CT

20 months ago when we first came together here we blogged our industry questions seeking advice. This week was no different, as the better we become the more we need to learn:

Would You Stage a Home That You Don't Think Will Sell?
Amy Prouty, Prouty Home Staging, Brush Prairie, WA

What do you think about Referral Companies?
Amy Jeffrey, Currant Designs & Home Staging Serving Austin, Texas

CAN WE RETIRE THE COOKBOOK?
Tom Scanlon ASP/RESA HOUSTON HOME STAGING & KATY HOME STAGING

Another staging company left their information at MY staged home!
Maureen Bray ~ Room Solutions Staging, Portland OR

Throughout these 20 months we have extended congratulations, admiration and tributes to those that deserve our attention and praise. This week was no different:

Charleston and Melissa Marro - A First Impression that lasts, and continues to impress!
Juliet Johnson - Home Staging NJ

Staging is a truly an art form. I had a great teacher named Lori Kim Polk explain it to me.
Tom Braatz, South Eastern Wisconsin

CSI: New Jersey <Realtor Hires Home Staging Sleuth to Find Lost Money!! Money Left on the Table... ALL the tables as it happened.......
Juliet Johnson - Home Staging NJ

"Brick walls are there to stop the people who don't want it badly enough. They're there to stop the other people."
Shell Brodnax- President/CEO

BUT, 20 MONTHS LATER -- THIS WEEK-- WE HAD AN EXPLOSION! HOME STAGING IS ALL OVER THE NEWS AND NOW HAS AN INDUSTRY EARNING VISIBILITY.

Yes, this week was different!

Wake up stagers! Have none of you really been watching the show?
Melissa Marro www.StagingAndRedesign.com www.RedesigningCharleston.com

Home Staging: Backstage Expenses
Kristina, KFM Staging & Design - A Minnesota Home Staging Company

HGTV's newest "The Stagers": Bad for Business?
Erin McGinnis

How Chris will travel the world (OR Staging Expo coming soon to a city near you)
Chris Fisher of StagersLIST.com Buy Stage Sell

Los Angeles Home Stager Interview in Chicago Tribune
Michelle Minch Home Staging Pasadena & Los Angeles, CA

The Truth about Home Staging
Julea Joseph - Reinventing Space

THE STAGERS....Redeemed in Episode 2
Phyllis Pafumi-ReStyled to Sell Staging Homes NJ

HGTV's The Stagers - Episode 4 - "A Comfortable, Stylin' Home"
Charlene Storozuk - Burlington Ontario Home Stager

US News & World Report article: Secrets of Staging
Julie Dana, ASP: Staging for Buffalo, NY area

Oh My Gosh -- A Primetime Show that Has "Stage" in the Title
Amie Chaney

Who Caught The Premiere of THE STAGERS??
Phyllis Pafumi-ReStyled to Sell Staging Homes NJ

"The Stagers" on HGTV - My quick review
Karen Otto, Collin County, Plano, TX Home Stager

100 Plus Stagers - 3 Speakers - 18 Vendors - SUCCESS, SUCCESS, SUCCESS
Kym Hough, Staging Consultant , Staged to Sell, SF Bay Area, CSP

I want to thank, all of the active rain academy members who helped us create a home to "stage it forward", and the 2,098 subscribers and the 4,057 posts that have RIDDEN THE ACTIVE RAIN VEHICLE THAT'S TAKING US HOME!

HAVE A GREAT STAGING WEEK -- AND EVERY TIME YOU BLOG -- THINK ABOUT STAGING IT FORWARD!

Oh, and don't forget that "staging it forward on active rain" means learning something new everyday!

Best of everything,

Karen

b & a's in b & w? -- think newspaper print!

2008-07-21T18:04:45Z

I was asked today to submit some before and after photos of an occupied home for a press release. The press release is being done by a local community school that is offering a home staging course I will be teaching. The class participants are to bring a photo of a room they would like to redesign.

As I was going through all of my many before and after photos, it occurred to me that a press release newsprint will be in black and white. I have never looked at my photos in gray tones before! Hmmmm . . . something so simple, now became a challenge. Which ones make the best demo in black and white? After all, my Company name will be tied to this! Suddenly, I became quite picky (not that I wasn't already)! Here is what I submitted. I found it necessary to add verbiage as the photo's lack the ump that color provides.

You wouldn't think black and white would change your picture selection . . . but it certainly changed mine. If you are doing newsprint, consider the value of written descriptions if you are having to do without color.

Geeze, I am so sad to post such a gray picture on the effects of home staging! LOL!

But it's another testimony to my slogan . . .

The way folks live in a home is their business.

The way folks present their home for sale is Peachtree Home Staging's Business

Thanks for stopping by my Active Rain blog home!

Tipping $'s - OR - Tipping Your Hat?

2008-07-15T22:11:13Z

I started down this "tippy" path today as a result of staging and de-staging vacant homes. The tipping can really add up. So then I got to thinking about it - everything has rules; so tipping must, I am sure. I know it does for restaurant service obviously, but what about other services . . . am I breaking the rules; abiding by them; or foolishly giving precious green bills away that fall somewhere in between generous and acceptable to poor?

After all, I provide a service, home staging, and I have never been offered a tip. Now, that being said, I have never expected one or even thought of it until today when I was questioning my ethics on following what ever tipping rules may exist out there. This chain of thought expanded with unlinked connections regarding where all my pocket book TEN'S and TWENTY'S were disappearing to . . . without receipts, I might add! (And no, my husband and kids are not stealing them - been there; done that; under control!)

Then, well, it occurred to me, I provided a service as a Realtor® when I was practicing Real Estate and no one ever "tipped" me. Plus I am quite sure there is an ethics problem (in GA anyways) for receiving any monetary tip or gift of large monetary value for real estate services as a Realtor®.

So I did some Internet research. Here's a link to a site I found that's as good as, well, Martha Stewart, when not in jail . . .

Tipping Etiquette

Here are my favorite fun things that I learned from this site:

Tipping the Owner

Do you tip the owner of a company when he or she provides you a service?

The answer used to be no.

Now it is yes.

Oh, dear, What do you think, home stagers? Are you being tipped for your service?

The following is what I was really digging for when I stumbled on the above:

Tipping for Deliveries --(Here's where the majority of all my tip money goes as a home stager! - whether I have my stuff delivered to stage; or I use a furniture rental company to deliver for staging)

Furniture or appliance deliveries - $5-$10 per person. If the delivery is huge, then $20 per person

Personal note to others interested: I have been WAY OVER tipping and tomorrow is a new day!

And here are my notes on all the DO NOT TIP CATAGORIES that are of interest to Real Estate agents, home stagers and sellers and buyers.

Do Not Tip List!

Appliance repairman
Carpet cleaners
Contractors, installers, and home re-modelers
Electricians and plumbers
Interior designer
Maids
Mortgage loan officer
Painters (house)
Personal shopper
Realtors® or real estate agents -- The best way to say thanks to a Realtor® is to refer people to them
Telephone, security, cable, satellite, internet installers or repairmen
Title company closing agents.
Weekly lawn or landscaping service
Window washer

So I didn't see Home Inspectors or Home Stagers on the list; nor Virtual Assistants for that matter; but I would think not.

But one thing I know is, as I am swamped staging and de-staging over the next 10 days and going forward, I will gladly be tipping the furniture delivery guys with confidence! (and the correct amount!)

HAPPY TIPPING!!!

cartoons can make a point!

2008-07-07T21:53:59Z

____________________________________________________________________________ Sometimes reality is best described with a little fantasy that circles back around to reality. The Real Estate Show is so fun to do! But I think it is important to make a really good point with it! Something worth watching. Otherwise, you are just a number in the world of advertisers . . . my opionon . . . I am not there yet, (really good) but, hey . . . practice makes perfect! This is my third attempt creating a show, so, I am still learning! This isn't new . . . I just decided the time had come for me to check it out! You should if you haven't -- Good Luck! Check it out: www.realestateshows.com

Home Staging Stimulus for All!

2008-06-30T06:46:00Z

WOW! I have been reading and hearing so much about the "government stimulus check" and ways to spend that extra cash! It is mind boggling, and the ads on the radio and TV are endless! Get a new car, or take a vacation, new appliances, a luxury mattress; it goes on and on . . .

So it occurred to me that all the STAGE IT FORWARD Active Rain home stagers should join forces and help the home staging industry by voicing out to home sellers! What a better time than the week of the 4^TH of July; our country's birthday, to unite in a home staging offer unsurpassed by any other medium!

Here's the national advertising campaign I am proposing we can join forces on:

Dear Home Seller: Typically, if you own an occupied house entering the market , a home stager in the home staging industry would charge about $250 - $500 to help you ensure the timely sale of your home by providing a consolation to best present your home (your largest asset) for sale.

However, in celebration of our July 4^th independence day, and in huge gratitude of the $600.00 stimulus check you have recently received; we know you want to spend it in a way that benefits you, but also gives back to others.

That being said, we as professional home stagers, appreciate you and your stimulus check so much, that this week, and this week only, we will agree to provide your consultation at an even $600.00!

It provides you with the opportunity to best present your home for sale and possibly rake in thousands of extra dollars on your home sale. At the same time you can feel confident that you are supporting your local home stager, not to mention an investment of your government stimulus check that helps improve the current Real Estate market!

Be a part of a true win-win for all! Here's the link to find an Active Rain Home Stagers in your area!

So - Are you Active Rain home stagers on board and ready to help stimulate some home buyers?

Happy 4th of July!!! Have a great Independance Day!!!

"JUST MAYBE" This is Good Advice for Home Sellers

2008-06-27T12:28:16Z

So it's time to move! Time to sell the old homestead!

Wow, maybe you sensed it was coming. Obviously the home is now too small for your growing family. Or, maybe it is too big now that the kids have grown up and moved out. Or maybe it is too small because the kids have grown up, moved out, had their own kids and now there is more family than ever!

Maybe it's time to move, because you want different schools for the kids. Do the In-Laws need a suite that your current home does not provide?

Maybe the company has transferred you (Congrats! You knew a promotion was coming your way). Or maybe, the company has downsized you (Bummer! You sensed a let-go was coming your way).

Maybe you want to be closer to your employment. Maybe it's because GAS WILL SOON BE $500 a gallon (maybe that's an exaggeration). But as a result of that, maybe you now need a home with a home office and you will have to start home schooling the kids.

The whys for why people move are endless, don't you agree? The procedures to best make that move happen should not be endless. Having a home on the market for 2 plus years is ENDLESS! (So the homeowner of a vacant home told me today when inquiring about my home staging services.)

Needing to move is generally not a "maybe". Some choices you make to sell the home should not be a "maybe, if it doesn't sell" choice either. So, if your home is sitting on the market and you are trying to sell it by owner or using a less than a full service agent . . .

Just maybe, you could have done something different

Just maybe . . . You could have used a REALTOR®

Just maybe . . . You could have priced the home competitively according to the Realtors advice

Just maybe . . . You could have hired a professional home stager

Just maybe . . . You could have had a V8 (that wouldn't have helped)

Instead the decision was made to try and sell the home by owner at the wrong price, with no agent and no home stager. 2 years later . . . hmmm, maybe that was the wrong choice!

Here in the Atlanta area of Georgia, the Realtor will cost you about 6% of your sales price. Assuming you have the average home; that would equate out to 6% of $287,000; according to GAMLS; or $17,220. Had you chosen to use the consultation of a home stager, that service would have been approximately $250 to $500 while you were still living there and the stager could work with your furnishing to best display your home.

It would have cost the average home seller under $18,000 from their equity to sell this home 2 years ago.

Today, according to GAMLS, the average Atlanta home is valued at $263,000. That is a decline of $24,000. Ouch! The good news is the 6% real estate commission is now only $15,780. Home staging will cost the home seller more now that the home is vacant and furnishing and accessories will need to be rented.

2 years later and now the math is really ugly. It will still cost the average home seller about $18,000 from their equity to sell this home, and they will walk away from the closing table with $24,000 less in their pocket than if they had sold 2 years ago. And then there are the 24 monthly house payments they have made to the lender. Some went to equity; but more went to interest.

I know this isn't the story for every market, every seller, and every situation; but it's a real one here in Atlanta. I find it quite concerning to find so many people not making the wisest choices possible when it comes to marketing their largest assest. Posting a property for sale on e-bay and craig's list does not qualify as "Marketing".

There are thousands and thousands of Realtors to choose from and quality home stagers are bountiful, as well, in most every market.

Home Seller's please note: these professionals are there for a reason . . .

Just maybe, Realtors and home stagers are there because they are an industry necessity.

The necessity to professionally market a home is more than "Just MAYBE"

How folks live in a home is their business, how folks present the home for sale is my business!

For tips on how to prepare your home for sale and information on staging a home in Atlanta, visit the web site of PEACHTREE HOME STAGING or call us at 770 595-8809. If you would like to e-mail us specific questions our address is: Karen@PeachtreeHomeStaging.com

Peachtree Home Staging is a proud APPROVED Business of the Greater Atlanta Better Business Bureau.

And Where Exactly is "Point A and a Half"?

2008-06-23T21:55:23Z

I have accidentally learned a reminder about sales and marketing for my business this week. Just when I thought I knew it all! Okay, sometimes one feels that way (know it all), but deep down, we know the day will come (over and over again) that we will learn, or be reminded, of something new or something we have overlooked or forgotten.

I, as does everyone, learn something every day, but sometimes, things happen that create a learning inspiration, or more dead on, a significant reminder. Today it happened to me, and I am elated about that, as it was the reminder I needed for my real estate referral business and my passion for home staging.

Start from the beginning. Nobody ever wins the medal if they didn't start the competition from the beginning. Then, patiently, take it to the finish line . . .

Do not become complacent. Do not take your industry knowledge for granted, and remember, your client does not know what you know! Talk to your client, be it a listing seller, a buyer, (both) or someone gathering information on staging their home for sale, as if they are the very first potential client for this product or service ever -- start from the beginning as to how the industry works! If you do not do this, potentially this will happen:

You appear pushy . . . out for your gain; not necessarily their gain. OR
You appear confused, (because they are confused) and not much of an expert. Remember, if they do not understand the value then the only message they can grasp, is that you do not know it well enough to explain the value.

However -- If you do treat them as if they are the first potential client ever; two things will happen . . .

They will feel special that you are being so open and they found someone so caring and knowledgeable willing to start from the beginning putting everything in layman terms (not to mention enthusiastic)

Or, they will feel more intelligent than the average client and will be impressed that they know as much as you do! Obviously, that helps them (and you) cross the finish line!

I make it a point to learn something new from my real estate and staging clients everyday. My goal is to learn something from them and be confident they learn something from me. That builds partnership and partnerships build businesses.

Thank you, homeowner, (that I met today) for today's lesson and tomorrow's business!

Is Your Listing An Idol Or Just Idle?

2008-06-16T22:30:05Z

I am what I call, a true "American Idol" fan, and also, a true "So You Think You Can Dance" fan.

What I mean by "true" is I could care less about the auditions and all the pre-season wet noodles - give me meat and potatoes - give me talent - ooh and ah me; that's what I want!

So, I do not start watching either show weekly until the finalist have all been chosen. Then, from week to week, I love watching them mature; rise to the challenge; mold their presentation to captivate loyal fans and nurture votes that single them out as America's best choice.

A few weeks ago, however, I was truly dumbfounded when something I should have thought of years ago was so simply stated that I about fell out of my chair. One of those moments when I guess I could have had a V-8; but it was so much more of a major slam to the forehead!

Some of you probably saw this. Ellen DeGeneres interviewed Simon Cowell the day or two prior to David Cook winning the infamous 2008 American Idol title. Basically, Ellen was asking Simon why he was so critical of the talent on the show. Simon's response was so spot on - he wants each of them to display themselves in a winning manner . . . to be the best they can be as a WHOLE package; charismatically, aesthetically and vociferously.

And Ellen's response? She responded something to the effect of, "So, what you are saying, Simon, is that you can be the best talent around, but if you are not packaged correctly, America won't buy you."

Simon's response? Total agreement.

Hmmmm . . . sounds like the value of home staging to the real estate industry!

Describe your home listings definition.

Is your home listing an IDOL contender? Idol -- an object of excessive devotion or admiration

Or is your home listing an IDLE contender? Idle -- Lacking substance, value, or basis

Don't know?

Call your local Simon Cowell uh, Home Stager for IDOL criticism to improve your home listings overall appeal and fan rating!

Not convinced? OKAY; we'll keep Simon Cowell uh, Home Stagers hushed while your listings stay IDLE

Only Idol listings in my book, no idle listings to be found! :-)

How folks live in a home is their business, how folks present their home for sale is my business!

For tips on how to prepare your home for sale and information on staging a home in Atlanta, visit the web site of PEACHTREE HOME STAGING or call us at 770 595-8809. If you would like to e-mail us specific questions our address is: Karen@PeachtreeHomeStaging.com

Peachtree Home Staging is a proud APPROVED Business of the Greater Atlanta Better Business Bureau.

help -me - please -- 'cause you can!

2008-06-16T18:43:24Z

Okay -- you all know I do not do this often; but I do moniter the newbie group REAL WORLD HOME STAGING FOR NEWBIES -- and this is what it is all about. Please, help with a response. We all benefit.

To me -- this is a classic question seeking advice that moves our industry forward -- be a part of the response!

http://activerain.com/blogsview/552946/Need-your-input

thx, everyone!

Ready, Set, GO!

2008-06-12T18:06:39Z

Studies indicate that a home buyer's first impression occurs with in the first 3 seconds of entering the home.

That being the case, it is so important that the foyer is inviting. Just a small hall table and light accessories were what this foyer needed in this Peachtree Corners home located in Atlanta. This simple accessorizing brings attention to the attractive stair case and gleaming hardwood floors.

Think of it this way . . . you have gone to all the trouble working out to make your home for sale sparkle. You have run the extra mile to have great internet photos attracting buyers. Now those buyers are your audience for the "REAL" performance that can take you to the FINISH LINE!

Get it off to a great start!

ON YOUR MARK (stage your foyer), Get Ready, Set, Go . . . Sell!

How folks live in a home is their business, how folks present the home for sale is my business!

Peachtree Home Staging is a proud APPROVED Business of the Greater Atlanta Better Business Bureau.