Pasadena, California Home Staging & Interior Design Blog

Stunning Hugo Boss Window, Champs Elysees, Paris - September 2009

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 10:10:12 -0600

I snapped this photo as my husband and I were strolling along Champs Elysees one evening in Paris on our vacation in September.

I doff my hat to the designer of this window, one of the most original I have seen. I'm about to embark on a very large Pasadena garden design project, and I hope to incorporate the spirit of this window design into the garden design. I doubt I'll be able to include a giant, moss covered naked woman into the garden, but maybe a boulder or two :o)

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Moving Mountains Design is one of the most successful home staging companies in Los Angeles, CA.

We measure our success by the speed in which our staged homes sell, often with multiple offers above listing price. We work with home sellers, listing agents and asset managers to prepare homes for sale.

Some of our services include vacant home staging, occupied home staging, color consultations, corporate and executive relocations, move organization, redesign, and interior design. We also stage model homes, REOs,foreclosures and auction properties.

For more information about our home staging services, contact Los Angeles home stager, Michelle Minch (626)441-8975 or by email.

Click here to see our Los Angeles home staging portfolio

Click here to go to our Los Angeles home staging blog

Click here for more information about home staging in Los Angeles and how we can help sell your home faster and for the best price

When I blog, who benefits? Many people, maybe even you!

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 15:42:17 -0600

When I blog, who benefits? Many people, maybe even you!

1)If you're a listing agent and I've staged one of your listings, I've probably blogged about it here on AR and on my home staging website. I've displayed photos of the listing and I've included your contact information, including a link to your website, if you have one. That's lots of additional exposure for your listing, you and your website. Here are some examples of posts I've done about the properties I've staged recently:

2)If you are a professional home stager, or want to become a home stager, you may have benefited from my blog posts as well (at least, I hope you have:o)). Here's some examples of home staging posts that I hope were beneficial to home stagers:

If you are a home owner thinking about selling your Los Angeles or Pasadena home, or your home is already on the market with no offers, you can benefit from my blogging as well. Here are some blog posts that may be of interest to you:

Local Businesses have benefited from my blogging:

Heck, even professional home inspectors benefited when I wrote this post about the importance of having a home inspection before you purchase a home:

Why You Should Always Hire A Professional Building Inspector When Buying A Home

Of course, I benefit and my Los Angeles home staging company benefits when I blog. My business would not be nearly as successful if I didn't post to Active Rain, my blogs and website. Blogging about home staging has allowed me to establish myself as an expert in the field of home staging and the business of home staging. Blogging has put me on the first page of Google, often in multiple positions in all my desired search terms. And because of that, I am found by more home owners and real estate agents, thereby getting more business.Besides that, I have learned so much by reading blogs written by others, both here on Active Rain and elsewhere on the internet.

Of course, its not only about business. I've made some incredible and priceless personal connections because I'm blogging, both here on Active Rain and on my website. The list is very long and I am very grateful for your friendships.

I first discovered blogging when I was introduced to Active Rain. When I talk to new home stagers, experienced home stagers, new real estate agents or experienced real estate agents, one of the first thing I tell them is they must blog if they want to grow their reputation and get great market exposure for little cost.

When I blog, who benefits? Lots of people, not just me.

Who benefits when you blog?

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Moving Mountains Design is one of the most successful home staging companies in Los Angeles, CA.

For more information about our home staging services, contact Los Angeles home stager, Michelle Minch (626)441-8975 or by email.

Click here to see our Los Angeles home staging portfolio

Click here to go to our Los Angeles home staging blog

Click here for more information about home staging in Los Angeles and how we can help sell your home faster and for the best price

Los Angeles Home Staging & Decorating For The Holidays

Sun, 25 Oct 2009 15:38:36 -0500

Los Angeles home staging company, Moving Mountains Design, offers Holiday Home Staging as part of their home staging and redesign services.

Thinking of having your home, office or business professionally decorated for the Holidays? We offer holiday decoration and Home Staging for the Holidays in Los Angeles and Southern California for private residences, restaurants, businesses and commercial buildings. Our team of home stagers will transform your home or business with holiday decor, be it Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza or New Years. Our styles range from very traditional Norman Rockwell style, to contemporary, to eclectic/artistic/international style. Many holiday decorations are available for rental and most are available for purchase.

Here's a photo of an Encino home we decorated for Christmas last year:

Did you know home staging and redesign isn't just for preparing your home to sell? Moving Mountains Design can give your home that home staging "WOW!" look for the holidays, too. We can create the idyllic guest room for your holiday guests, freshen your living room with new a furniture arrangement, accessories and paint, or help you purchase a gorgeous new formal dining room table & chairs. We can even arrange for beautiful rental furniture and accessories.

Its not too early to think about getting your home ready for the Holidays. For more information about our Home Staging For The Holidays service read Holiday Home Staging and Decorating in Los Angeles

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Moving Mountains Design is one of the most successful home staging companies in Los Angeles, CA.

For more information about our home staging services, contact Los Angeles home stager, Michelle Minch (626)441-8975 or by email.

Click here to see our Los Angeles home staging portfolio

Click here to go to our Los Angeles home staging blog

Click here for more information about home staging in Los Angeles and how we can help sell your home faster and for the best price

How My Home Staging Company Gets Found On Google

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 16:41:49 -0500

Getting more traffic to my website is very important to me. I have seen a direct correlation in how much business I get vs. how easily my company is found on Google. Since more than 75% of my web traffic comes from Google, that's where I concentrate my efforts, but paying attention to Google search terms will translate over to searches for Yahoo, Bing, Ask and other search websites.

I was just reviewing the blog statistics for my Los Angeles Home Staging Blog.Besides daily visitor count and what pages visitors click on, it also tells me what search terms people used to get to my site.

After looking over the list, I got to wondering which blog post or pages visitors were directed to when typing in certain search terms. Besides the typical search for home stager or home staging, there were some pretty interesting seach terms used:

Someone who typed in "where do artichokes come from" would be taken to this Gardens & Curb Appeal post about, well, where artichokes come from.

The person who typed in "house staging fireplace mantle" would be taken to this Vacant Home Staging post because I had included a detail picture of the fireplace and mentioned it in the post.

"What to ask a home stager" inquiries would be directed to my Los Angeles home staging website page Choosing a Home Stager

"grand piano entry home staging" took the searcher to my post about staging an Arcadia Luxury New Construction Home

I have lots of posts that would fit in the various Los Angeles luxury home staging search term like Los Angeles Home Staging A Luxury Arcadia Home

Now that I've blogged about staging condos for a real estate auction company I'm starting to get searched for "home staging forclosures", "model home staging" and "home auction home staging" and visitors are getting linked to Home Staging a Condo For a Real Estate Auction Company and Los Angeles Home Staging - A Second Condo For a Real Estate Auction Company

I once did a curb appeal post about improving the appearance of concrete block walls and I got a visitor to my site this week who was searching for "concrete blocks for sale". Not sure why they were directed to my site. Apparently there aren't a lot of web pages dealing with concrete blocks, for sale or otherwise, if they were directed to me.

The wierdest search term that directed someone to my home staging site this week was "front to back split house staging". I can't even imagine a) what that search term means, and b) why they were sent to my site since, other than the home staging part, I've never used that combination of words in any post.

What are the most unexpected search terms you've seen people use to get to your website?

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Moving Mountains Design is one of the most successful home staging companies in Los Angeles, CA.

For more information about our home staging services, contact Los Angeles home stager, Michelle Minch (626)441-8975 or by email.

Click here to see our Los Angeles home staging portfolio

Click here to go to our Los Angeles home staging blog

Click here for more information about home staging in Los Angeles and how we can help sell your home faster and for the best price

Model Home Staging For A Los Angeles Real Estate Auction - 2nd Unit

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 21:43:06 -0500

As I wrote in an earlier post Home Staging A Condo For A Los Angeles Real Estate Auction Company , Moving Mountains Design staged 2 Los Angeles condos last week for a real estate auction company.

Both condo developments we staged the models for are new construction and are vacant. The auction company had rented a few pieces of furniture on their own, but didn't feel that the small amount of furniture made the model home units more appealing. They hired Moving Mountains Design to do a full model home staging of all 3 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms, a home office (also could be used as a family room), living room / dining room combination, eat-in kitchen and a massive ground floor family room.

Here are some photos before and after staging:

Dining Room/Living Room Combination before home staging

Dining Room/Living Room Combination after home staging

Another view of the dining room/livingroom combination after staging

This is how the master bedroom looked before staging. The bedding is blah and the dresser makes the room feel cramped. We moved the dresser to another room, added another nightstand and lamp, changed the bedding.

Now the master bedroom looks warm and luxurious after staging

Information regarding the auction of these condos can be found here: Independence Villas

Moving Mountains Design is one of the most successful home staging companies in Los Angeles, CA. We measure our success by the speed in which our staged homes sell, often with multiple offers above listing price. We work with home sellers, listing agents and asset managers to prepare homes for sale.

Some of our services include vacant home staging, occupied home staging, color consultations, corporate and executive relocations, move organization, redesign, and interior design. We also stage model homes, REOs,foreclosures and auction properties.

For more photos and information, see Los Angeles Home Staging A Second Condo For A Real Estate Auction

For more information about our home staging services, contact Los Angeles home stager, Michelle Minch (626)441-8975.

Click here to see our los angeles home staging portfolio

Click here to go to our los angeles home staging blog

Click here for more information about home staging in Los Angeles and how we can help sell your home faster and for the best price

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Moving Mountains Design is one of the most successful home staging companies in Los Angeles, CA.

For more information about our home staging services, contact Los Angeles home stager, Michelle Minch (626)441-8975 or by email.

Click here to see our Los Angeles home staging portfolio

Click here to go to our Los Angeles home staging blog

Click here for more information about home staging in Los Angeles and how we can help sell your home faster and for the best price

Become a Fan!

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 16:30:06 -0500

I recently set up a Facebook fan page for my Los Angeles home staging company and I'm starting to populate it with useful home staging information and posts about Los Angeles and Pasadena real estate. I'm adding my home staging before and after pictures in photo albums.

I've found both Facebook and Twitter are very effective in driving traffic to my website and blog.

Here's a link if you'd like to become a fan. Let me know in the comments below if you have a Facebook page and I'll reciprocate.

Moving Mountains Design & Home Staging

You can also follow me on Twitter @HomeStagingPro

Moving Mountains Design is one of the most successful home staging companies in Los Angeles, CA. We measure our success by the speed in which our staged homes sell, often with multiple offers above listing price. We work with home sellers and listing agents to prepare homes for sale. Some of our services include vacant home staging, occupied home staging, color consultations, corporate and executive relocations, move organization, redesign, and interior design.

For more information about our home staging services, contact Los Angeles home stager, Michelle Minch (626)441-8975.

Click here to see our los angeles home staging portfolio

Click here to go to our los angeles home staging blog

Click here for more information about home staging in Los Angeles and how we can help sell your home faster and for the best price

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Moving Mountains Design is one of the most successful home staging companies in Los Angeles, CA.

For more information about our home staging services, contact Los Angeles home stager, Michelle Minch (626)441-8975 or by email.

Click here to see our Los Angeles home staging portfolio

Click here to go to our Los Angeles home staging blog

Click here for more information about home staging in Los Angeles and how we can help sell your home faster and for the best price

Staging a Los Angeles Condo For A Real Estate Auction Company

Sun, 18 Oct 2009 17:02:28 -0500

This week we staged 2 Los Angeles condos for a real estate auction company.

This was the first time they had worked with a home stager and this was the first time I had worked with a real estate auction company. I think its a match made in heaven. The condos they will be auctioning look 100% better now that they've been staged by Moving Mountains Design. Having a more desirable product to auction should create greater urgency to bid resulting in more units sold and higher prices paid.

Here are photos of the Pacoima condo before and after home staging:

Kitchen before staging

Kitchen after home staging by Moving Mountains Design

Master bedroom before staging. The auction company had rented a queen size bed when a king size bed would show how large the master bedroom was. This bed was moved to another bedroom and I brought in a king set.

Master bedroom after home staging with a king size bed. The room actually looks larger with the bigger bed.

This was the second bedroom before staging. I moved the queen bed in here to demonstrate how large the secondary bedrooms were.

There's plenty of room in this second bedroom for a queen bed.

Here's a shot of the living room. Sorry, no before shot.

To see more photos and for more information about these new construction condos in Pacoima read Home Staging A Condo For A Los Angeles Real Estate Auction Company.

If you have Los Angeles area REOs, Foreclosure listings or real estate auction properties and would like more information about how home staging can help improve the appearance of your properties for a faster sale at a higher price, contact Michelle Minch (626)441-8975.

We know what makes homes sell! (TM)

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Moving Mountains Design is one of the most successful home staging companies in Los Angeles, CA.

For more information about our home staging services, contact Los Angeles home stager, Michelle Minch (626)441-8975 or by email.

Click here to see our Los Angeles home staging portfolio

Click here to go to our Los Angeles home staging blog

Click here for more information about home staging in Los Angeles and how we can help sell your home faster and for the best price

Seeing Red In Home Staging Photos

Mon, 07 Sep 2009 21:31:45 -0500

We all know the importance of having eye-catching MLS photos. I'm all about taking great photos for my Los Angeles home staging clients. Beautiful,eye catching home staging photos accomplish 2 things:

They showcase the house to appeal to the greatest number of buyers on the MLS and in marketing materials. If my photos get them in the door, then the listing agent has a better chance of selling the home.
They showcase my ability as a home stager on my home staging website and in my portfolio

Lately, I've been using red accessories, throw pillows and bedding more and more because I recognize how those touches of red really make the photos pop. And when buyers are standing in the house, they're not disappointed by the reality vs. the photos.

Here are photos of some of our home staging projects incorporating the color red:

Valley Village Cottage Home Staging

Arcadia Townhouse Condo After Home Staging

Pasadena Mid Century Modern after home staging. We added red in the accessories to help balance the red free standing fireplace.

In every photo, the red accents really draw you into the room and causes your eye to move around the room. And let me assure you: In person, it is even more visually stimulating.

Yes, home staging is not decorating, in the traditional sense. But our job as home stagers is to stimulate the buyer's appetite to own that home. Red, used judiciously, makes a home exciting and memorable.

So, if you are ever at a loss to make your staged home more exciting, eyecatching and memorable, make sure to add a touch of red.

To see more photos of vacant and occupied home staging photos in Los Angeles, Pasadena, Arcadia, San Marino and the San Fernando Valley, visit our Los Angeles home staging website.

Follow me on Twitter @HomeStagingPro

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Moving Mountains Design is one of the most successful home staging companies in Los Angeles, CA.

For more information about our home staging services, contact Los Angeles home stager, Michelle Minch (626)441-8975 or by email.

Click here to see our Los Angeles home staging portfolio

Click here to go to our Los Angeles home staging blog

Click here for more information about home staging in Los Angeles and how we can help sell your home faster and for the best price

Arcadia Luxury Estate Slide Show

Tue, 04 Aug 2009 19:37:50 -0500

Here is a flash slide show for the luxury Arcadia home staged by Los Angeles home staging company Moving Mountains Design recently. For those that didn't read the original post, the house was sold and escrow closed 29 days after staging in July 2009.

Create a free slideshow with Picnik!

The flash slide show is a new premium service provided by Picnik.com. I really like the high quality of the photographs, and the ability to customize the speed of the slide show and whether or not you want a straight slide show, or documentary style, like the one above. If you know a little HTML you can also alter the size of the show. I'm working on how to center it in my AR blog post.

In order to use the Picnik show, write your post in WYSIWYG, then save it as a draft. Click on 'edit' on your post and switch to HTML. Copy and paste the HTML code from the Picnik page into your blog post where you want it to appear. Et Voila! a beautiful flash slide show.

Los Angeles home staging company, Moving Mountains Design, provides full service home staging, redesign and interior design in Los Angeles, Pasadena, Arcadia, San Marino, Sherman Oaks, Tarzana and Encino (the San Gabriel Valley and the San Fernando Valley as well as Los Angeles County).

Call us today at (626)441-8975 to learn how we can help you sell your home faster. You can also visit our Los Angeles home staging web site.

Please follow me on Twitter!

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Moving Mountains Design is one of the most successful home staging companies in Los Angeles, CA.

For more information about our home staging services, contact Los Angeles home stager, Michelle Minch (626)441-8975 or by email.

Click here to see our Los Angeles home staging portfolio

Click here to go to our Los Angeles home staging blog

Click here for more information about home staging in Los Angeles and how we can help sell your home faster and for the best price

Congratulations, Tommy Thai! Staged, Sold, Closed in just 29 Days

Sat, 11 Jul 2009 22:25:18 -0500

Congratulations Tommy Thai, listing agent extraordinaire! You did an incredible job marketing this luxury Arcadia listing and getting it sold quickly and for top dollar ($2.4M+).

And thank you for hiring Moving Mountains Design to stage this gorgeous new construction home.

Escrow opened and closed in a record 4 days after receiving 3 bids!

Click here to read more about how we staged this gorgeous new construction Arcadia luxury home

Click here to visit our home staging in Los Angeles and Arcadia web site

For more information about home staging in Los Angeles, Arcadia and Pasadena, or to learn how we can help you sell your home faster and for a better price, contact Michelle Minch at (626)441-8975 or via email Michelle@MovingMountainsDesign.com

Moving Mountains Design We know what makes homes sell (TM)

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Moving Mountains Design is one of the most successful home staging companies in Los Angeles, CA.

For more information about our home staging services, contact Los Angeles home stager, Michelle Minch (626)441-8975 or by email.

Click here to see our Los Angeles home staging portfolio

Click here to go to our Los Angeles home staging blog

Click here for more information about home staging in Los Angeles and how we can help sell your home faster and for the best price

Southern California Home Stager Meet Up July 17,2009

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 20:49:51 -0500

Southern California Home Stager Meet Up Friday July 17, 2009!

This event is OPEN TO ANY AND ALL HOME STAGERS regardless of experience, education, affiliation or accreditation. You do not have to be the member of any organization to attend. All professional home stagers are welcome to join us as we discuss moving the home staging industry forward. We may have a couple of well know stagers from other parts of the country in attendance as well.

Lunch (buffet) will be generously provided by Brook Furniture Rental.

Here are the details:

*Cost: Free!

* Where: Brook Furniture Rental, 15125 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks (just east of where Ventura Blvd. crosses under the 405 Fwy.

* Date: Friday July 17, 2009

* Time: Meet and Greet 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM

*Schedule:

11:00-12:00 Ricardo Bueno speaks about using Social Media and Blogging to promote your home staging business

12:00-12:30 Lunch

12:30-1:00PM Ram Katalan NorthStar Moving speaks about how to help your clients have a smooth move and organizing a move

1:00-2:00PM Paint & Color Consultant (to be announced)

2:00-3:00PM General Discussion & Q&As about home staging in Los Angeles

I have organized 3 of these events in the past and they were all outstanding opportunities to meet other local stagers in an atmosphere of non-competition and information sharing.

Venue is limited to 50 people - you must be a professional home stager to attend. Email me if you are interested in attending and I will send you the official Evite. If you would like more information or have suggestions you can leave a comment here or call me at (626)441-8975 .

UPDATE: If you would like to attend and have not received an Evite invitation, please email me at michelle@movingmountainsdesign.com and I will forward you the Evite. If you are planning on attending and have not RSVPd please do so ASAP. Than

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Moving Mountains Design is one of the most successful home staging companies in Los Angeles, CA.

For more information about our home staging services, contact Los Angeles home stager, Michelle Minch (626)441-8975 or by email.

Click here to see our Los Angeles home staging portfolio

Click here to go to our Los Angeles home staging blog

Click here for more information about home staging in Los Angeles and how we can help sell your home faster and for the best price

Los Angeles Luxury Home Staging - Gorgeous New Construction Arcadia Home

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 15:10:22 -0500

Los Angeles home staging company, Moving Mountains Design, was hired to stage this gorgeous Arcadia home last week.

It's brand new construction, approximately 6,000 sq. ft. with 5 bedroom suites, 5 1/2 bathrooms. We staged the entire downstairs including the entry, living room, family room, dining room, breakfast area, 2 kitchens, pantry, butler's pantry, family room/great room, formal office and downstairs bedroom suite. Upstairs we staged another family room, a second bedroom suite, a wet bar, the Master bedroom and bath.

It took 6 stagers & 2 furniture movers the better part of the day, but we got this beautiful home staged in one day on time and on budget.

Read more and see more photos at Moving Mountains Design home staging web site

For more information about this gorgeous new construction Arcadia home, contact the listing agent, Tommy Thai, Prudential California Realty, (626)389-3899.

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Moving Mountains Design is one of the most successful home staging companies in Los Angeles, CA.

For more information about our home staging services, contact Los Angeles home stager, Michelle Minch (626)441-8975 or by email.

Click here to see our Los Angeles home staging portfolio

Click here to go to our Los Angeles home staging blog

Click here for more information about home staging in Los Angeles and how we can help sell your home faster and for the best price

Model Home Staging a Pasadena Townhome

Mon, 08 Jun 2009 22:19:46 -0500

Model Home Staging A Pasadena Townhome

A couple of weeks ago, I was contacted by a very upset Pasadena builder. It seems the home staging company they had hired earlier, had sent them an email that they would not be able to stage the builder's model the following week. She asked if I would be able to stage a model home in time for the scheduled open house and do it within their budget. Of course I said yes!

Southern California home staging company Moving Mountains Design offers vacant home staging, occupied home staging, model home staging and home staging consultations in Los Angeles, Pasadena, Arcadia, Encino, Long Beach and throughout Los Angeles County. Contact us via email or by telephone (626)441-8975 to learn how we can help you prepare your home for a faster sale.

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Moving Mountains Design is one of the most successful home staging companies in Los Angeles, CA.

For more information about our home staging services, contact Los Angeles home stager, Michelle Minch (626)441-8975 or by email.

Click here to see our Los Angeles home staging portfolio

Click here to go to our Los Angeles home staging blog

Click here for more information about home staging in Los Angeles and how we can help sell your home faster and for the best price

Real Estate Staging Association International Conference - Get the 411!

Thu, 28 May 2009 13:37:51 -0500

The Real Estate Staging Association (RESA) is proud and excited to announce our first International Home Staging Conference on January 24-26, 2010 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

"What happens in Vegas may stay in Vegas, but what you learn goes home with you!"

The Real Estate Staging Association International Conference is the only one of it's kind focused on providing Professional Home Stagers (RESA and non-RESA members) with personal and professional develovpment opportunities.

With the home staging industry growing in leaps and bounds, this is the perfect opportunity to :

Learn how to take your business to the next level

Network with other professional home stagers from across the country and Canada

Learn what it takes to become a leader

Hear first hand what industry leaders are doing to insure business success

Understand how to "close the deal"

How to give a professional presentation that nets you more business

Learn how to market your business

Meet vendor partners that are there to help you grow your business

This conference will benefit both newbies and staging veterans alike and is open to all professional home stagers regardless of education, experience or designation.

For more information: RESA International Home Staging Conference or click on the above photo.

Personally, I'm really excited about the professional and personal opportunities this conference and convention presents. Wild horses couldn't keep me away. The thought of so many talented professional home stagers under one roof, and in Las Vegas no less, makes me swoon! The speakers we are lining up are phenomenal, as are the sponsors. I don't care who your training provider was (or if you are self taught) or what designations you sport after your name, you'll be missing out on an incredible opportunity to network and learn with the creme de la creme of the home staging industry if you don't attend. Every professional home stager is welcome to attend.

There is more information regarding speaking opportunities and sponsorship opportunities on the web site.

Many thanks to Shell Brodnax and Kathy Nielsen for putting this wonderful web site together and for all the members of the RESA Executive Board who are working to make this incredible convention happen.

UPDATE: ROOM SHARE/ROOM MATE FORUM (if you are looking for someone to share a hotel room with)

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Moving Mountains Design is one of the most successful home staging companies in Los Angeles, CA.

For more information about our home staging services, contact Los Angeles home stager, Michelle Minch (626)441-8975 or by email.

Click here to see our Los Angeles home staging portfolio

Click here to go to our Los Angeles home staging blog

Click here for more information about home staging in Los Angeles and how we can help sell your home faster and for the best price

Los Angeles Home Stager - Staging A Pasadena Rental

Thu, 21 May 2009 22:40:41 -0500

Do smart landlords and property managers hire a home stager to stage Los Angeles rentals?

Yes, because they understand the value of having a beautiful guest house, apartment, condo or townhouse to show prospective tenants. It works the same way as home staging when selling a home. The better the rental looks, the more tenants you will have to choose from. Nicer people want and will be attracted to a nicer place to live. It’s that simple.

As a smart landlord myself, and a professional home stager in Los Angeles, I always stage my rental properties in hopes of attracting the best tenants.

Los Angeles home staging company Moving Mountains Design, stages homes and rentals in Los Angeles, Pasadena, Arcadia, San Marino, South Pasadena, Long Beach, Studio City, Sherman Oaks, Tarzana, Encino and the San Fernando Valley. Contact Michelle Minch today at (626)441-8975 or by email to learn how staging can help you sell your home faster.

Moving Mountains Design - We know what makes homes sell! (TM)

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Moving Mountains Design is one of the most successful home staging companies in Los Angeles, CA.

For more information about our home staging services, contact Los Angeles home stager, Michelle Minch (626)441-8975 or by email.

Click here to see our Los Angeles home staging portfolio

Click here to go to our Los Angeles home staging blog

Click here for more information about home staging in Los Angeles and how we can help sell your home faster and for the best price

Los Angeles Home Staging Altadena Spanish Cottage Staged and Sold!

Sun, 17 May 2009 10:59:08 -0500

A few weeks ago we staged this lovely Altadena Spanish Revival home. Altadena is an unincorporated city located in Los Angeles County. The home had been on the market for more than 2 months with no offers before staging.

I'm happy to report that this Altadena home is now in escrow less that 3 weeks after staging (there was an earlier offer that fell out), with multiple offers!

As you can see, the home had some furniture in it before it was staged. The owner had attempted to stage it themselves with whatever furniture they had on hand. While it was a good effort, the furniture they used and the way it was placed did not help sell the concept this was a home, not just a house. Proper furniture and accessories, along with proper placement made this Altadena Los Angeles home feel warm and welcoming.

Home staging works in Altadena and Los Angeles!

For more information about this home read Los Angeles County Home Staging - Staging an Altadena Spanish Revival.

Call Michelle Minch at Moving Mountains Design (626)441-8975 for more information about home staging and preparing a home for sale in Los Angeles, Pasadena and Long Beach CA, or visit our Los Angeles Home Staging Info blog.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Moving Mountains Design is one of the most successful home staging companies in Los Angeles, CA.

For more information about our home staging services, contact Los Angeles home stager, Michelle Minch (626)441-8975 or by email.

Click here to see our Los Angeles home staging portfolio

Click here to go to our Los Angeles home staging blog

Click here for more information about home staging in Los Angeles and how we can help sell your home faster and for the best price

The Best Los Angeles Real Estate Blogs

Sat, 09 May 2009 13:39:04 -0500

On May 1, Relocation.com posted a list of The Best Real Estate Blogs in Los Angeles. This is part of an ongoing series of The Best Real Estate Blogs in (pick a city) across the country.

Here's an excerpt:

For people who are moving, these blogs are a great way to learn about neighborhoods, learn about real estate in those neighborhoods, and maybe even find a real estate agent who knows their assessments from their elbow (and is a likeable person, to boot).

I'm familiar with several of these blogs, and intimately familiar with two. I write home staging posts for both Irina Netchaev on www.PasadenaViews.com and for Laurie Manny on LongBeachRealEstateHome.com. Both Laurie and Irina have afforded me a wonderful opportunity to reach a wider audience by inviting me to write guest posts about home staging and preparing a home for sale on their wonderful blogs.

Here is the list, according to Relocation.com of The Best Real Estate Blogs in Los Angeles:

San Fernando Valley Real Estate Blog by Judy Graff
Pasadena Views Pasadena Views by Irina Netchaev
Beach City Real Estate Info by Kaye Thomas
Malibu Real Estate Blog by Michael Gardner
Red Square Homes Blog by Blake and Diana Roberts
Phyllis’ LA Real Estate Blog by Phyllis Harb
Long Beach Real Estate by Laurie Manny
Up2Date Real Estate by Deena and Doug Willis
Palos Verdes Lifestyle by Norma Toering
Terra Firma by Christopher Hain

There are many excellent blogs about Los Angeles real estate here on ActiveRain and on the Internet. I encourage you to visit these particular blogs and see what it is that makes them so special.

Congratulations to all those chosen as The Best Real Estate Blogs In Los Angeles. It is well deserved.

Photo by Russel Lee, 1940 courtesy of Library of Congress

While I was not mentioned in The Best Los Angeles Real Estate Blogs article (sniff) I write a Los Angeles Home Staging Info blog where you can find lots of information about home staging Los Angeles, curb appeal and gardening Los Angeles, and see posts about our recent Southern California home staging projects.

Moving Mountains Designs (626)441-8975 email: Michelle@MovingMountainsDesign.com

We know what makes homes sell!

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Moving Mountains Design is one of the most successful home staging companies in Los Angeles, CA.

For more information about our home staging services, contact Los Angeles home stager, Michelle Minch (626)441-8975 or by email.

Click here to see our Los Angeles home staging portfolio

Click here to go to our Los Angeles home staging blog

Click here for more information about home staging in Los Angeles and how we can help sell your home faster and for the best price

Los Angeles Home Stager - Home Stager as Miracle Worker

Sat, 02 May 2009 17:31:24 -0500

A couple of weeks ago, I was called to a house in Altadena, CA for a home staging consultation. We were hired to stage the home, but it wasn't your typical Los Angeles home staging...Staging Intervention (or Stagervention as my friend Laurie March likes to call it) was more like it. My assistants, Melissa and Michelle, worked on the house with me over the course of two weeks (including painting and repairs). Besides the paint crew, the carpenter and electrician, there were also 2 movers from the moving company (to move excess items into storage) and 2 furniture movers from Brook Furniture Rental. We transformed the whole house, but there is one room in which we did perform miracles.

Here is a set of before and after photos of the daughter's bedroom:

Before (this was after we tidied up a little bit - you couldn't see the floor when we walked in):

After (what a difference a Staging Intervention crew makes):

What we did:

Placed all items on floor into boxes for teenage daughter and mother to sort through. Mother pointed out items she wanted donated immediately which were placed into clear plastic bags. Obvious trash was put into black plastic bags
Gave the daughter instructions that she had 1 week to go through the boxes. Whatever wasn't put away would be donated
Remove the existing twin bed and replaced it with a rented full size bed (with new mattress) and headboard
Donated the desk in the corner but used existing chair, rug, nightstand and dresser (not pictured)
Moved a table that was in the living room into the bedroom to be used as a desk
Purchased multiple plastic organizing containers and taboret for school & office supply storage
Purchased new bedding
Painted room pale green, with white trim (Benjamin Moore Guilford Green HC-116)

At first the daughter was not happy about the invasion of her personal space, but now she is thrilled that she can find everything and she is no longer embarrassed to have friends over after school.

We lived up to our company name to complete this job - Moving Mountains Design. We moved mountains to get this home into market ready condition!

Moving Mountains Design - We don't sell homes but we know what makes homes sell!

If you are looking for a home staging company in Los Angeles, Pasadena or Altadena, call Michelle Minch at Moving Mountains Design at (626)441-8975. You can also contact us via email at Michelle@MovingMountainsDesign.com .

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Moving Mountains Design is one of the most successful home staging companies in Los Angeles, CA.

For more information about our home staging services, contact Los Angeles home stager, Michelle Minch (626)441-8975 or by email.

Click here to see our Los Angeles home staging portfolio

Click here to go to our Los Angeles home staging blog

Click here for more information about home staging in Los Angeles and how we can help sell your home faster and for the best price

Los Angeles Home Stager - Altadena Spanish Cottage Staged Inexpensively

Sun, 26 Apr 2009 17:57:35 -0500

Add one Los Angeles home stager plus a fantastic 1928 Altadena Spanish Colonial Revival in (with an entry courtyard), the homeowners furniture, plus a few rented pieces of furniture, a Persian rug and some staging accessories et voila!

An interesting note about this lovely cottage: It was built and designed by Anna P Latham, one of the first women to be licensed as a building contractor in California. In 1928!

Here are some before and after pictures after staging. We brought in a new sofa, chair, rug, some artwork and accessories. We moved the existing furniture around to use it to best advantage. This was an inexpensive yet effective staging.

Kitchen before staging

Kitchen after staging

Living Room before staging

Living room after staging. Note that the fireplace was painted. The coral color was a choice the homeowner made before we were hired to stage. While I am a big fan of using color to accentuate architectural features, this was not the right color.

Note the valuted ceiling. BTW, the chandelier is lit by candlelight and is raised and lowered with a pulley system.

For more pictures and information visit Los Angeles Home Staging Info

For more information about this super nice 3 bedroom 2 bathroom Spanish Cottage located in the Country Club neighborhood of Altadena, contact the listing agent, Judy Rubin (626)797-6669.

We stage homes in Los Angeles, Altadena, Pasadena, the San Gabriel Valley and the San Fernando Valley. Moving Mountains Design Home Staging...We don't sell homes but we know what makes homes sell

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For more information about home staging in Altadena, Pasadena and Los Angeles visit our Los Angeles home staging web site, or contact Michelle Minch at (626)441-8975 or via email Michelle@MovingMountainsDesign.com.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Moving Mountains Design is one of the most successful home staging companies in Los Angeles, CA.

For more information about our home staging services, contact Los Angeles home stager, Michelle Minch (626)441-8975 or by email.

Click here to see our Los Angeles home staging portfolio

Click here to go to our Los Angeles home staging blog

Click here for more information about home staging in Los Angeles and how we can help sell your home faster and for the best price

Gorgeous, Elegant, Magnificent, Stunning, Stylish, Sexy - Our Latest Pasadena Home Staging Project

Tue, 31 Mar 2009 19:26:52 -0500

There just aren't enough superlatives to describe the Pasadena home we staged last week. This is an owner occupied staging and we were fortunate to work with the homeowners beautiful furnishings. We added artwork & accessories from our extensive inventory. Here's the brochure for the home:

Contact the listing agent, Gerard Current at (626)893-5700 for more information about this magnificent one-of-a-kind home. You can also visit the web site www.524SouthGrand.com

To read more: Pasadena Home Staging - Luxury Living At Its Best

The home will be open this Thursday, April 2, 2009 for Brokers Caravan and thereafter by appointment.

Michelle Minch is an award winning designer and Los Angeles home stager. Please visit our Los Angeles home staging web site to learn more about home staging and how we can help you sell your house faster and for the best price. You can also call Michelle at (626)441-8975 or contact her via email Michelle@MovingMountainsDesign.com.
Call Moving Mountains Design, for help selling your home faster and the at the best price. We know what makes homes sell!

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Moving Mountains Design is one of the most successful home staging companies in Los Angeles, CA.

For more information about our home staging services, contact Los Angeles home stager, Michelle Minch (626)441-8975 or by email.

Click here to see our Los Angeles home staging portfolio

Click here to go to our Los Angeles home staging blog

Click here for more information about home staging in Los Angeles and how we can help sell your home faster and for the best price

Home Staging For A Home Office in Los Angeles

Sun, 29 Mar 2009 19:54:49 -0500

How to Stage a Home Office (good Feng Shui, too)

Moving Mountains Design recently staged a home that had a dedicated home office. Here is the "before" picture.

As you can see, there are piles of papers yelling "Pay attention to me" and "Look at all the work you have to do before you can relax". Not the message you want potential buyers to get when touring your home. Yes, the homeowners could have just cleaned the papers off the desk and the place would have looked a whole lot better. Better, but it would be even better if the office actually looked like someplace a buyer might like to hang out. Look what happens when we removed the HUGE desk and put in a desk (still large at 6' long) more in scale with the room.

The room now looks large enough to accomodate almost any home business venture. And it looks like a pleasant place to work. Take note that the desk is in the power position (very good Feng Shui) which helps when dealing with difficult clients and invites success.

Home staging isn't just about clearing clutter, removing personal photos or choosing neutral paint colors. As a professional home stager I help my clients by selecting appropriately sized furniture and arranging it to maximize the appeal, available space and functionality of any room.

For more information about our home staging services and choosing a home stager, visit our Los Angeles home staging web site. Moving Mountains Design helps home owners prepare their homes for sale in Los Angeles, including Pasadena, Arcadia, San Marino, Studio City, Sherman Oaks, Tarzana and Encino. You can contact Michelle Minch at (626)441-8975 or via email Michelle@MovingMountainsDesign.com.

©2009 Michelle Minch & Moving Mountains Design. All photos taken by Michelle Minch

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Moving Mountains Design is one of the most successful home staging companies in Los Angeles, CA.

For more information about our home staging services, contact Los Angeles home stager, Michelle Minch (626)441-8975 or by email.

Click here to see our Los Angeles home staging portfolio

Click here to go to our Los Angeles home staging blog

Click here for more information about home staging in Los Angeles and how we can help sell your home faster and for the best price

Stylish Occupied Home Staging in Pasadena, CA

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 21:30:06 -0500

Staging An Occupied Pasadena Home With Art & Accessories

Here's some photos from our latest Pasadena home staging project. Moving Mountains Design was hired by the homeowner/listing agent to "add the icing" to this beautiful home. As this was an occupied home staging, we used the homeowner's existing furniture and some accessories, and brought in art work, silk plants and additional accessories from our extensive inventory. We were very fortunate that the homeowner had some lovely pieces for us to stage with.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Moving Mountains Design is one of the most successful home staging companies in Los Angeles, CA.

For more information about our home staging services, contact Los Angeles home stager, Michelle Minch (626)441-8975 or by email.

Click here to see our Los Angeles home staging portfolio

Click here to go to our Los Angeles home staging blog

Click here for more information about home staging in Los Angeles and how we can help sell your home faster and for the best price

Los Angeles Home Staging & Consultations

Sat, 07 Mar 2009 18:12:42 -0600

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Silverlake

Santa Monica

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San Marino

Silverlake

Description

If you are thinking of selling your Los Angeles or Pasadena home, staging by Moving Mountains Design will help you get your home in top market condition.

When you put your Los Angeles home on the market, you are entering it in a beauty contest. The best looking homes sell faster and for a better price. Home buyers today are looking for turn-key homes, homes they can move into without having to invest money in painting, carpeting and repairs. Moving Mountains Design home stagers will help you get your home or listing into tip-top shape and enhance it with furniture, rugs and accessories so that potential buyers will choose your home over the hundreds of others currently on the market.

Moving Mountains Design was featured in the Sunday Los Angeles Times Real Estate Section, the Chicago Tribune, Green Builder and numerous other national and international publications. Don't settle for second best, and don't trust the sale of your home to anyone but one of the top home staging companies in Los Angeles.

We stage occupied and vacant homes, from $500,000 to $15 million. We honor the architectural style of the home and stage to appeal to the greatest number of buyers while minimizing any less desirable features.

We also offer comprehensive home staging consultations - a staging "road map" for the homeowner who would like to do the work themselves. Many of our Realtor Partners offer a home staging consultation by Moving Mountains Design as part of their listing package.

If you want to sell your home or listing faster and for a better price, call us today (626)441-8975 or visit our Los Angeles home staging web site http://www.MovingMountainsDesign.com .

Profile

Service Area:

Los Angeles, Pasadena, Los Feliz, Silverlake, San Marino, Arcadia, San Gabriel Valley, San Fernando Valley

Location

Pasadena, CA CA

vFlyer Id: 1495281

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Moving Mountains Design is one of the most successful home staging companies in Los Angeles, CA.

For more information about our home staging services, contact Los Angeles home stager, Michelle Minch (626)441-8975 or by email.

Click here to see our Los Angeles home staging portfolio

Click here to go to our Los Angeles home staging blog

Click here for more information about home staging in Los Angeles and how we can help sell your home faster and for the best price

Los Angeles Home Staging Consultations

Fri, 06 Mar 2009 09:37:59 -0600

Home Staging Consultations by Los Angeles Times Featured Home Stager

Our Comprehensive Home Staging Consultations act as a 'road map' to prepare your home for sale. We assess your home and tell you everything you need to do to get your home in prime selling condition. You can do all the work yourself, do some of the work and hire us to do the rest, or hire Moving Mountains Design to stage your home to perfection. Some of the items a consultation covers are:

*Paint color choices
*Carpet choices (if needed)
*Furniture layout and arrangement
*Which features of your house to accentuate
*Curb appeal
*Organizing and decluttering
*Pre-moving check list (our staged homes sell quickly and we want you to be ready)
*Closet organization check list
*Open house prep
*Suggested items to purchase (we even tell you where you can buy it!)
*Maintenance and repair issues

*We can even help you find a real estate agent, if you don't have one already. We work with many real estate agents in Pasadena, Los Angeles and the San Gabriel valley

When you put your home on the market, you are entering it in a beauty contest. The best looking homes in the best condition sell faster and for a better price. Home buyers today are looking for turn-key homes, homes they can move into without having to invest money in painting, carpeting and repairs. We can help you get your home into tip-top shape so that potential buyers will choose your home over the hundreds of others currently on the market.

Moving Mountains Design was featured in the Sunday Los Angeles Times Real Estate Section, the Chicago Tribune, Green Builder and numerous other national and international publications. Don't settle for second best, and don't trust the sale of your home to anyone but the top home staging company in Los Angeles.

We are professional, reliable and experienced. Moving Mountains Design is insured and all our workers are covered by Workers Comp insurance.

We have a Rolodex full of contractors and suppliers to help you get your home ready. Need a painter, plumber or handyman/woman? We've got them. If you want to sell your home or listing faster and for a better price, call us today (626)441-8975 or visit our Los Angeles home staging web site http://www.MovingMountainsDesign.com .

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Contact Information

Moving Mountains Design & Staging

Michelle@MovingMountainsDesign.com

(626)441-8975

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Rates

Rate Details: Consultations are $350 (up to 3,500 sq. ft. house) or $175/hr with a 2 hr. minimum. Most consultations are completed in 2 hrs. or less. REALTORS contact us directly for pricing.

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LA Home Staging Info

Profile

Service Area: Los Angeles, Pasadena, Los Feliz, Silverlake, San Marino, Arcadia, San Gabriel Valley, San Fernando Valley

Specialties

A la carte menu of services including consultations, occupied stagings & full service vacant stagings

Photo Gallery

View as Slideshow View Photo Gallery (13 Photos)

VFLYER ID: 1970779

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Moving Mountains Design is one of the most successful home staging companies in Los Angeles, CA.

For more information about our home staging services, contact Los Angeles home stager, Michelle Minch (626)441-8975 or by email.

Click here to see our Los Angeles home staging portfolio

Click here to go to our Los Angeles home staging blog

Click here for more information about home staging in Los Angeles and how we can help sell your home faster and for the best price

Staging A House To Sell In Encino

Thu, 26 Feb 2009 21:41:27 -0600

Last week, we had the great pleasure of staging another beautiful home in Encino for my favorite builder. We moved the furniture and our accessories from a different Encino home we had staged for him which sold. I love working with this builder because the quality of construction is excellent, his attention to detail is amazing and his homes are always so well designed.

Both houses are similar in style, and while the square footage of each house was different, we staged the same number of rooms (except for one bedroom, a wine cellar and media room). The furniture fit in the new house perfectly.

For more information about this beautiful Montecito Spanish style pool home South of the Boulevard in Encino, contact the Listing Agent, Kevin Driscoll (818)398-0797.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Moving Mountains Design is one of the most successful home staging companies in Los Angeles, CA.

For more information about our home staging services, contact Los Angeles home stager, Michelle Minch (626)441-8975 or by email.

Click here to see our Los Angeles home staging portfolio

Click here to go to our Los Angeles home staging blog

Click here for more information about home staging in Los Angeles and how we can help sell your home faster and for the best price