My favorite staging job of 2010 was the house in West Linn, OR that was a short sale but sold in under 40 days!  Due to the efforts of my home staging company, motivated sellers and Marty and Lene Wells, a savvy real estate duo who specialize in short sales, the property moved quickly much to the delight of the buyers and sellers.  The house was listed on 8/20 and the new owners were in their new home by Halloween.  Pretty impressive for today's short sale market. This was an occupied home as well with a small staging budget so I had to make do with most of the owner's furniture and accessories. I've included a few before and after pics below.

Home Stage Home recently staged a property that had a very interesting feature that wasn't being showcased properly.  It was a dual-access cabinet that opened from the family room as well as the master bath.  The owners were using it as board game storage but I thought that turning it into a bar would appeal to many more buyers.  These days who couldn't use a bar in their master bath?  The owners loved it as well as the people who toured the home. By adding this feature it made the property more unique and memorable which is crucial when there is so much inventory in the real estate market.

Cabinet Closed

Cabinet Before

Cabinet After

Sell Your House...Not Your Home
www.Home-Stage-Home.com

Do you ever enter a home for sale that just doesn't feel right?
Are you sensitive to spaces that give off a bad vibe?

As realtors and stagers we enter thousands of homes and there's no mistaking that some places feel great and others make us want to head for the back door.
In this competitive market it's important to eliminate any negative energy that exists in the home.  At Home Stage Home we have found that a little bit of HOME CLEANSING  can be just as important as HOME CLEANING.  My ritual includes opening up all the doors and windows (weather permitting) cabinets and closet doors and ringing a bell in all the corners of the house to break up any unwanted negative energy.  I also like to play my favorite music while staging and I'll go as far as thanking the house for letting me visit and giving a little affirmation for a successful sale.  I haven't gone as far as "smudging" with burning sage in case buyers would be put off by the smell but I do like a healthy breeze of Citrus Magic when I'm done.

What are your HOME CLEANSING rituals if you have any and do you think they work in giving off a positive vibe for potential buyers?

How do you home stagers and realtors give gratitude to each other this holiday season?

I've always enjoyed sending gift baskets with gourmet treats to offices since you can never have too much to eat in the work place.  It's also fun to receive thanks at your place of business.
Any suggestions for unusual gifts of gratitude for all the people that make our job easier and/or generate business and success for us?

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Gorgeous Lake Oswego, Oregon Mid-Century Modern Home For Sale
Designed by Richard Sundeleaf - Priced at $825,000

4800 square feet
Lot Size 28,314 square feet
Bedrooms = 4
Baths = 3.5
Year Built = 1952

Come view a one-of-a-kind single family home with views of three mountains and a lake easement.  Enjoy a private and spacious backyard with four decks and a firepit - great for entertaining.  Inside you can experience the warmth of 5 fireplaces (one in the master bath) a formal dining room, 4 skylights and a beautifully remodeled kitchen.  This is a truly unique property.

Click on 14435uplandsdrive.epropertysites.com for more information and showings

Gertrud Otzen ~ Keller Williams

Gertrud@portlandpowersearch.com
503-754-8034

Professionally staged by Home Stage Home

Sweet Red Fox Hills Townhome in Lush Lake Oswego, Oregon
$208,900 ~ MLS#9071165

1008 Square Feet
2 Large Bedrooms and 1 Full Bath Upstairs
Powder Room on Main
Granite Counters in Kitchen
Wood Burning Fireplace
Private Patio
2 Car Detached Garage
Separate Utility Room
Excellent HOA

Professionally Staged by Home Stage Home

Click on 1547bocaratandrive.epropertysites.com for more information and showings

Jane Roundtree ~ Portland Premiere
503-636-5060

I staged a Lake Oswego, OR Townhome recently that was in the lush and lovely Red Fox Hills neighborhood.  The dilemma was it was occupied by a bachelor and his gorilla!  Although I hated giving the beast the boot it was obvious he had to find a new home. Now the space is appealing to more buyers than just our gorilla-lovin' bachelor.  Hope you enjoy the before and afters!

We home stagers ALWAYS need hardcover books in some capacity for our projects.  Most homes have built-ins or shelving units that need some adornment and  books add a cozy warmth to a bedroom or office.  Most of the time we need books to add a splash of color but not all books will work.  Don't assume that potential buyers won't look at the hardcover's spine and see what kind of content you have on your shelves.  Books on death, witchcraft, illness, medical disorders, criminal behavior, mental illness or even home staging might be a turn-off to buyers...you think? 

Even book store sales can cost you a bundle if you need a LOT of books.  I happened upon a nifty book sale the other day right in my neighborhood and I'll bet there will be one close to you too!  Contact your local library to see if they are planning a sale anytime in the near future.  My library in West Linn, OR lends and sells used books and I scored this collection below for $2.00 on the last day.  I took all the covers off because if you look closely you'll see a biography on Steve Allen and a Weight Watchers Cookbook. 

Good luck book-hunting!

I staged a space recently that initially seemed to have no purpose.  It was off of the front door and was too boxy to be a hallway and too transitional to be a functioning room on its own.  I thought,  "how the heck am I going to stage this space?  It definitely needs some identity, but what?"



Then, I remembered my husband and a light bulb went off.

My spouse is a heck of a guy with only one flaw.  He can be a bit of a dawdler.  My married life has been full of moments waiting patiently for him in the car, or outside our home or another property while he has to go back for his missing keys...or hat...or map...or maybe he should change into sandals...or he might need that coat...or maybe not because the sun just came out...or maybe we should leave one more light on...and on...and on.  It's been a little worse since we relocated to Portland and the weather is more unpredictable.  I can't be the only one who has a friend or partner like this.  Who else out there is plagued with the plight of the dawdler?  Many potential home buyers...that's who!  I've just discovered the next big trend in home staging.  Creating a waiting room haven while our loved ones dawdle!  Let them use the bathroom one more time, or change their socks or grab whatever before we depart.  Here's an inviting space I've dubbed the Waiting for Dawdlers Waiting Room



That empty space now has a purpose.  Go ahead and take your time honey.  I'll wait here comfortably by the front door until you're ready!

View this house in its entirety @ 6111 SW Taylor's Ferry Road
RMLS# 9052720