Penny's Blog

Home Staging Re-Design, Westlake Village California

Fri, 15 Jun 2012 14:26:55 -0700

Home Staging Re-Design, Westlake Village California

A little re-design home staging will get your home sold Fast and at Top Dollar!

So, what does re-design mean? We use the furniture and decor you already have in your home, re-arrange, add some Delicious Decors decor and finishing touches and your home is re-designed and ready for sale!

Re-design home staging is often used when the home owners are still living in the home. The home owner often has plenty of furniture pieces we can use; it simply needs to be re-positioned, sometimes taken from one room to use in another room and sometimes just a little added decor or furnishings from our inventory is added for that extra punch.

Let's take a look at this living room before and after...

We took the homeowners' existing furniture from their family room and repurposed it here in the living room. We created a nice sitting area in front of the fireplace and positioned the chaise to create a cozy reading area in the room. The added mirror now reflects the light from the large front window, which makes the room look larger and brighter. Excellent features when marketing your home.

We used the furniture that was in the living room and arranged it in the family room.

The owners had the perfect furniture to use for the re-design, they just needed a little help from Delicious Decors to re-design. We added some pillows, a new area rug and a little decor and now home buyers can see themselves enjoying a family movie around a cozy fire.

In the dining room, we started by nuetralizing the wall color. By removing some furniture, adding a mirror and a center peice, we took this room from blah to nice family dining! The space now looks larger, brighter and more up to date.

New bedding is sometimes all it takes to put the WOW factor into the bedrooms. We shop for you, at no cost! We found some fantastic bedding, along with new window treatments and a much needed updated curtain rod to put the pizazz back into this master bedroom.

Re-design is a very inexpensive way to get your home market ready. For your FREE re-design quote give us a call at 805.448.9226 or email penny@deliciousdecors.com.

We look forward to working with you to sell your home Fast and at Top Dollar!

Penny & The DD Team

Turn Your Home Into a Money-Maker by Delicious Decors, Santa Barbara California

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 12:42:51 -0700

Turn Your Home into a Money-Maker by Delicious Decors, Santa Barbara California

Did you know that 80% of people planning a vacation book their reservations 6 months prior to their vacation? Of those travelers, 75% of them will chose to stay in a home rental in 2012.

Now is the time to get your vacation rental home spruced up and booked up for the summer! Delicious Decors is here to help.

From remodeling, to sprucing up, furnishing and decorating, to booking and managing, we’ve done it all and would like to pass on a few tips to you.

1. Is your vacation rental a place you would like to spend your family vacation? This is always a good question to ask yourself.
2. Curb appeal, you’ve got to have it! Give your house a fresh coat of paint, trim plants, add fresh plants & flowers, repair anything damaged or unsightly.
3. Whether you are just now turning your property into a vacation rental or sprucing it up for this year, select attractive, comfortable furniture. Keep in mind how many people your house will accommodate, and then double-check to make sure you actually have enough dining chairs, TV viewing seating, outdoor seating and eating capacity. You get the picture.
4. Décor & Accessories … make it vacationy. If you’re near the beach, add beach décor and beach toys. If you have a mountain cabin retreat, go with mountain cabin décor. Include some fishing rods if there’s a lake or river nearby.
5. Do everything on the “Honey-do” list to make sure everything is running in smooth top form.

How do you get your vacation rental rented?

These are my Top 3 suggestions for success on turning your property into a Money-Maker:

1st Your vacation rental should look great! You are appealing to people’s emotions, they need to be attracted to your home.

2nd PHOTOS. I capitalize this because it’s your #1 selling tool. You need excellent photos that not only show the property accurately, but show off the property as well. Again, you are appealing to emotion!

3rd Whether you are managing your own property or you have hired a management company, responses to inquiries must be done Promptly. If they have contacted you, they have contacted 5 other property owners as well, so jump on it.

Please call Delicious Decors today at 805.448.9226 or email peenny@deliciusdecors.com for a FREE estimate to turn your investment property into a Money-Maker and a retreat your entire famiy!

99% of Home Buyers are Looking Online for Their Next Home

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 10:34:16 -0700

Professional Real Estate Photography, Santa Barbara California

Now, more than ever, it is essential to use professional photos to sell your home!

Did you know that 99% of home buyers are looking online for their next home? And that 84% of these folks said what they valued most from their online research were the photos? The first impression of your home is no longer when the potential buyer walks through the front door; they are only a click away

A professional photographer uses a high quality camera, a wide angle lenses and knows how to maximize space and shoot interesting angles. A pro knows how to showcase your homes' best features and most interesting details. A professional will make your house stand out from the crowd.

After staging your home ... cleaning, organizing, repainting, removing personal items and adding curb appeal ... you need a series of professional marketing photos to ensure potential buyers can see how special your home really is.

Please resist the urge to capture snapshots with your own camera or smartphone and let the professionals do the job!

We offer FREE professional staging photos when you stage with Delicious Decors.
We look forward to working with you,
Penny & The DD Team

Gorgeous Redwood Deck by Delicious Decors, Santa Barbara

Fri, 09 Mar 2012 10:35:26 -0800

Gorgeous Redwood Deck by Delicious Decors, Santa Barbara

When your daughter is getting married and you need a deck to host over 50 people for the wedding reception, what do you do? Call Delicious Decors!

We built this deck on 9 levels to accomodate the slope. To make sure everything was going to be safe for over 50 people dancing we added more posts and cross braces to the framing.

The deck was originally built in the 70:s and had weathered well. It was a good constuction from the beginning and original plans still existed. However, the redwood decking was getting too dry and had started to break in some places. The posts were not of treated lumber and would have to be replaced, as well as all the joists. In the original plans the joist were set at 24 inches on center, so we upgraded that to 16 inches OC. to add extra strength.

We made some changes to the look of the original railing and to the design of bracing the railing, which was very important to the home owners. The old railing moved when leaning against it! The home owners surely wanted to eliminate movement.

After 3 weeks of hard work and over 10,000 screws, the deck was completed. The home owners were thrilled with their new 9 platform deck, safe and sound and ready to be danced on all night long!

Need a deck? Please give me a call at 805.284.2628 or email fredrikbergstrm@me.com for your FREE estimate.

I Love custom carpentry! Just let me know what your looking for and I'll get started on your project right away!

Fredrik Bergstrom

Which is More Important, a Wedding or a House?

Mon, 27 Feb 2012 14:38:31 -0800

Which is More Important, a Wedding or a House?

Bryan makes an excellent point here. Perhaps we just need to make sure young couples know the cost of a down payment vs. the cost of their special day. The wisest choices are always made when people have all the information to consider. There are plenty of ways to have a Special Day and the savings for a home.

Via Bryan Robertson, Los Altos REALTOR Los Altos Real Estate - Homes For Sale (Sereno Group - Los Altos):

I read an interesting article this morning that talked about the cost of weddings and the impact on parents saving for retirement. Then I looked at the current average cost of a wedding. Wow!! Are you kidding me? Have we really brainwashed couples for so long that the whole wedding racket costs this much. The obscene overcharging that goes on with anything associated with a wedding is a whole other article. Guess how much the average wedding costs! $25,631! That's the cost for ONE SINGLE DAY.

Now, consider the down payment on a house. Given the average price of a house in the United States, that $25,000 could be a nice down payment. How long will the house last? Homeowners stay in their homes an average of 7 years. So, which is a better deal, the house or the wedding? Is one day worth 2555 days? In today's world where budgets are more important than ever, how about spending less on the wedding and more on the house?

OK, I know, it's "that special day" and all that. I'm not cynical. My first marriage was a blow-out and the cost went WAY beyond that $25K. When I think back on it all, I don't regret the fun everyone had but I think the money could have been spent better. My second marriage (and definitely my last) cost about $5K. It was held at a high-end resort overlooking the ocean. We had music, a beautful ceremony, flowers, etc but we cut the guest list from 150+ to only 10 - including me and the bride (immediate family only). The reception was held there as well. It was very memorable and not as exhausting as the massive wedding.

I guess my point is that couples considering getting married might consider that all the money spent on one day isn't worth the home and life you could get if that money were spent on a house. Just a thought.

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Bryan Robertson, Broker Associate | T: 650.799.9951 | Email: bryan@serenogroup.com | Website: http://www.BryanRobertsonHomes.com |CA License: 01191946 | Sereno Group - Los Altos branch | 369 S. San Antonio Road | Los Altos, CA 94022

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Before I Learned "How To" Write a Blog

Fri, 09 Sep 2011 17:48:23 -0700

Before I Learned "How To" Write a Blog by Delicious Decors.

Before I learned that blogs should be on average 300-500 words in length. Before I learned that keywords should be 2-4% of my content. Before I learned that I should add at least 2-4 photos or even knew how to add them. Before I knew what hyperlinks meant, let alone add them. Before I learned to underline or bold key phrases.

Before I learned ... this is what I wrote ....

"My Most Rewarding DD Project"

For any of you that have a loved one transitioning from home to a retirement community I share this rewarding story …

I was called for a staging consultation for an elderly gentleman who had lost his wife
six months prior. His son, and only child, called me not only to advise his Dad as to “what to remove, re-arrange and such to get his home ready for sale,” but to listen to his father. Gently walk him through the process and ultimately turn his new place at a retirement community into his new “home.”

I met with our client at his home. Beautiful, very nice designer details throughout, one of a kind pieces from his travels with his wife. Although they had only one child, the home was filled with family photos … past and present, relatives and friends; all very endearing.

The first time I met Bob, I listened, I walked through his home/his life with him and made a detailed to-do list. Next, together, we started packing up and moving forward.

After all the de-cluttering, re-arranging and a stamp of approval from the realtor and Bob’s son on a “Staging job well done,” I was able to put on my Interior Designer hat and make Bob’s move into the retirement community easy, smooth and comfortable.

I drew out a floor plan for Bob with all the furniture in its place, showing him on paper how it would all work in his new living environment. I got the “Ok” from Bob, but I could tell he wasn’t quite convinced that we could get his favorite pieces and decor into his new 700 square foot space and make it feel like “home.”

And we did exactly that. Turned Bob’s 700 square foot retirement space into a Home for his later years with all his cherished memories making up his surroundings. Our strategic planning allowed for Bob’s favorite furniture from his 4000 square foot family home fit comfortably and elegantly into his new home. More importantly we were able to include he and his wife’s special art and decor pieces from their travels over the years.

It gets even better … All those family photos on the walls of his previous home? After packing up with Bob, we discovered lots of family photo loves he hadn’t seen in years! As we went through the photos Bob shared stories with me about his glory days as a quarterback for his high school football team, he told me about his first date with his wife, his son’s first steps.

Today, old and newly discovered photos frame his Grandfather clock (just like they did in the old house), are a feature display in the entrance and warm up his bedroom. Bob’s new space is now his new home.

Bob’s joy brings me so, so much joy. Thanks to Bob for trusting in Delicious Decors.

It was my pleasure working with Bob,
Penny

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Stephanie Young, the Santa Barbara Realtor that Makes Things Happen

Fri, 02 Sep 2011 16:52:32 -0700

Stephanie Young is the Santa Barbara realtor that Makes Things Happen!

We, at Delicious Decors, have worked with Stephanie on several occasions in the past few years and what strikes me most about Stephanie is her ability to Make Things Happen and all with a smile on her face!

A second generation Realtor, Stephanie was born and raised in Santa Barbara. After graduating from UCSB, Stephanie got her real estate license and joined her mom, Marie Sue Parsons, working at Coldwell Banker.

Selling your house? Stephanie takes the bull by the reins to get your home ready for sale!

Paint ✔ New Carpet ✔ Staging ✔ Ready to market! Stephanie is on the forefront of internet marketing using virtual videos and video tours, professional photos, blogging and posting about Your property on the most visible real estate sites!

Buying a house? Call Stephanie, she'll take care of you! Stephanie is on top of the real estate industry and will provide you with detailed listing information that is not available to the public. She puts You in the driver's seat, alerting you about properties before they even hit the market!

While attending UCSB, Stephanie worked as a Substance Abuse Counselor helping woman recover from alcoholism and substance abuse. Stephanie has always been passionate about helping others, and especially enjoys being able to assist people during one of the biggest financial decisions of their lives ... the purchase or sale of a home!

We highly recommend Stephanie Young and her mom, Marie Sue Parsons for all of your real estate needs!

Pay it Forward,

Penny & The Delicious Decors Team

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A Swedish Summer Day by Delicious Decors

Mon, 29 Aug 2011 14:50:35 -0700

A Swedish Summer Day by Delcious Decors

We had a great visit with my husband's family and friends in Sweden this summer. Although I enjoy Stockholm's beauty and all it has to offer, my favorite days were with the family at the summerhouse enjoying the simple pleasures.

"Jungle golf" was popular with the whole family! Even into the wee hours of the morning. Through the house, over the house, around the house; anything goes.

My son and his girlfriend, Billy & Dani, we able to spend a few days with us also, making our Swedish vacation even more special. I believe Billy was declared the golf champ, but Dani's smile won us all over.

We took the boat out on the Baltic cruising along the coast to see all the summer houses, so picturesque. This day on the Baltic was perfect ... (we'll leave out the story of the day on the Baltic, in the rain, with a broken motor ... !).

Dani, Mona-Lisa and I and were the gathers, while the guys watched over the bbq. We hunted for mushrooms, ningon and blueberries in the forest. Mona-Lisa's tool for cleaning mushrooms was new to us American gals, making it all the more interesting.

Oh, and The Door! Whether at home or on vacation, Fredrik always has a home repair or remodel project going on. Fredrik's parents had been talking about changing out that front door for months before our arrival. So, after several (and I mean several) trips to the one hardware store on the island, the project began.

Brotherly love replacing their parents front door ...

A meal at the end of the day with the people you love most is always the best!

What did you do this summer? We'd love to hear about your ventures and adventures. I think it's fun to get to share your vacation; look through photos again, tell some stories. It's almost like re-living your vacation all over again!

Happy Family Vacation,

Penny & Fredrik of Delicious Decors

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Selling Homes - You only Have 90 Seconds to Make a Great First Impression

Tue, 19 Jul 2011 11:58:15 -0700

This is an excellent post by Kristine! It only makes sense to get your listing market ready; staged with professional photos!

If only all home owners could read this, education is the key!

Penny

www.deliciousdecors.com

Via Kristine Ginsberg (Morris County, NJ: Elite Staging and Redesign, LLC):

Selling Homes - You only Have 90 Seconds to Make a Great First Impression

* According to NAR (National Association of Realtors), 90% of potential home buyers start their search on the Internet before ever stepping out with their Realtor. MLS photos are what draw buyers to your house so make sure they represent the best of your home inside and out.

* On average, buyers make a decision about your home within the first 90 seconds - that first impression is critical to selling your home or sitting on the market becoming stale.

* A professionally staged home shows at its optimum best, creating more foot traffic at open houses and showings which is why 85% of Realtors recommend staging to their clients.

* According to National Association of Realtors (NAR), the average staging investment is between 1 and 3% of the home's asking price, which generates an 8-10% return. That small investment could be the defining difference between receiving offers, or your first price reduction, costing the seller tens of thousands of dollars.

* Vacant homes appear cold and sterile. Professional staging allows the buyer to assess the proportions of the rooms by creating warm and inviting spaces so they can see how they could arrange their furniture taking the guess work out.

* Professional home stagers combine decorating, marketing, & psychology to create emotional connections, enabling potential buyers to visualize themselves living in your home.

* Buyers view a clean and organized home as well maintained making it more desirable. Homes in good condition are more likely to get close to their asking price. This is priority one in home staging.

* Ideally, you want to stage your home before you put it on the market, instantly creating the most interest on MLS, which brings in more foot traffic and a successful open house. However, if your home has sat on the market with no respectable offers, it's time to stage and bring back buyers who previously past your home by, as well as create interest and excitement for new potential buyers.

* Don't neglect curb appeal and outdoor living space; it's key for today's market. Hire a landscaper, add fresh mulch and a few potted plants – your home will be much more welcoming and make buyers want to see more.

Home Staging Morris County - Kristine Ginsberg

Elite Staging and Redesign (201)602-2562

When you're looking to sell quickly and for top dollar, Elite Staging and Redesign of Morris County knows how to get the job done right. We will use proven techniques to create warm, inviting, updated spaces that will appeal to the masses. In today's competitive market, every home can use an edge and that's what Elite Staging is all about.

Home Staging Website: Elite Staging and Redesign

Morris County Staging Before/After pictures: Portfolio

Email: Kris@elitestagingandredesign.com

The Best Home Staging in Santa Barbara California

Fri, 01 Jul 2011 17:28:47 -0700

The Best Home Staging in Santa Barbara California!

Delicious Decors, 805.448.9226, penny@deliciousdecors.com

I am currently visiting my husband's family in Sweden. My brother in law recently bought a condo in Stockholm, which was staged. Staging is worldwide because it WORKS!

The staged condo was so appealing that he not only bought it, he bought all the stager's furniture and decor in the condo! He was thrilled! As a bachelor, he wasn't interested in shopping and had no idea how to set the condo up as nicely as it was staged. Such a win/win! The home was staged, he bought it, and he could buy everything in the home and move right in!

We, at Delicious Decors, own our own inventory. In fact, we have the largest selection of inventory along the Central California Coast! This allows our home buyers to purchase everything they like in the home and move right in! It's great for the realtor and great for the home buyer! We have already set everything up so nicely with a designer's touch for the home buyer.

These are the photos of the staged condo in Stockholm that my brother in law bought. Photos work! He bought the house unseen from the photos on the website! Staging, photos, designer touch ... call Delicious Decors at 805.448.9226 for your FREE staging estimate and FREE professional staging photos! We do it all!

Please join us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Merchant Circle, Youtube!

Staging it forward,

Penny & the DD Team

Santa Barbara Staging

Sat, 18 Jun 2011 13:00:26 -0700

Santa Barbara Staging by Delicious Decors

I just Love Home Staging! We turned this house from a construction site into a Home Dressed to Sell, let's take a look at some before and after photos.

The remodel update throughout the home is somewhat contemporary. To appeal to the largest potential market, we used traditional furniture with a blend of contemporary accents. Just what the realtor was looking for!

The living room is rather deep and has unbelievable views! To show this off, we added a pop of color with traditional wing back red chairs creating an inviting sitting area with views, views, views!

We offer FREE professional staging photos when you stage with Delicious Decors!

Check out this kitchen/dining area ... a dining delight along with counter barstools to join the chef of the house.

I absolutely love this master bedroom suite! Nice warm and luxurious bedding, along with beautiful artwork and a chaise to relax and enjoy the view. I think we nailed it! Custom Staging is what we're all about.

Views, views, views! I love detail photos, so here's one more!

Santa Barbara Staging by Delicious Decors! Contact us Today for your FREE staging estimate; 805.448.9226, penny@deliciousdecors.com. We stage along California's Central Coast; from Malibu to Arroyo Grande and everywhere in between!

Please join us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Blog, Videos.

We look forward to working with you,

Penny & The DD Team

www.deliciusdecors.com

Home Staging and Interior Design Thousand Oaks CA

Sun, 12 Jun 2011 10:51:45 -0700

Home Staging and Interior Design in Thousand Oaks, California

Delicious Decors specializes in Custom Home Staging. The realtor was having trouble getting clients to walk into this room! She asked us to make it a playful media room for the entire family and this is what we came up with.

We turned this contemporary bedroom from blan to WOW with new bedding, artwork and lamps. A little redesign goes a long way!

From cold and vacant to warm and inviting. Before and after staging photo.

Custom Staging works! Take a look at this family and dining room.

Contact Delicious Decors today for your FREE staging estimate! 805.448.9226 penny@deliciousdecors.com

Please join us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Youtube, Blog.

We look forward to working with you!

Penny & The DD Team

Home Staging and Interior Design Moorepark California

Thu, 09 Jun 2011 16:00:14 -0700

Home Staging and Interior Design; Moorepark, Thousand Oaks, Malibu, Santa Barbara California

A little staging goes a looooong way! The realtor asked us to stage on a limited budget, so this is what we came up with ... We staged the living room and partially staged the kitchen and dining area of this condo. You've got to check out these before and after photos!

Which living room would you prefer to show your home buyers?

We turned the dining/kitchen area into "Warm and Inviting."

Realtors that know what a difference staging makes are willing to kick in their own $ to get the home staged! We staged a home for Stephanie that sold 3 weeks after staging and for $150,000 over asking price!! Staging is priceless!

We offer our Preferred Realtors the following perks:

10% off staging fee when the realtor pays 50% or more of the staging costs
FREE professional staging photos
Internet Marketing for your listing
5% off your next staging project when you have referred us 5 times
Feature You in our most recent newsletter along with your staged listing

Please contact us today to become a Preferred Realtor: penny@deliciousdecors.com, 805.448.9226

Delicious Decors will come take a look at your property to give you a staging bid for free.

Please join us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Blog, Videos

We look forward to working with you,

Penny & The DD Team

Professional Real Estate Photography, Santa Barbara California

Wed, 01 Jun 2011 17:34:23 -0700

Now, more than ever, it is essential to use professional photos to sell your home!

Extensive industry research demonstrates that professional photos of your home will help increase interest, drive traffic and result in a significantly higher sale price. You need a professional photographer!

A professional photographer uses a high quality camera, a wide angle lenses and knows how to maximize space and shoot interesting angles. A pro knows how to showcase your homes' best features and most interesting details. A professional will make your house stand out from the crowd.

If you are not using a professional photographer for your listing, you are not truly marketing your home to its fullest potential. Homes with many professional photos receive more page views online, making them rank higher on Web sites, resulting in increased visibility.

After staging your home ... cleaning, organizing, repainting, removing personal items and adding curb appeal ... you need a series of professional marketing photos to ensure potential buyers can see how special your home really is.

Please resist the urge to capture snapshots with your own camera or smartphone and let the professionals do the job!

We offer FREE professional staging photos when you stage with Delicious Decors.

Please join us on Facebook, Blog, LinkedIn, Videos

We look forward to working with you,
Penny & The DD Team

Home Staging and Interior Design Santa Barbara, Camarillo, Westlake Village California

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 15:16:13 -0700

Much-A-Do-About Nothing? Custom Staging in Santa Barbara, California.

(Part 2 of a 4 part series about the importance of wall art in home staging.)

We, at Delicious Decors, believe that wall art in professional home staging has much to do about everything!

A Home Stagers job is to "set the stage," to get the home sold quickly, at top dollar.

And we believe in custom home staging.

There are many things to consider when staging a property, but in this series we are talking about wall art in particular.

For this staging project, the existing wall art chose the staging! The home owners had several signed original black and white photographs of old time movie stars lining the walls of this contemporary home. We combined the wall art and the contemporary style of the home and created a "Hollywood Glam" feel with our staging.

We added contemporary furniture and decor to create the finished look for this high end contemporary "Hollywood Glam" home.

Did our custom staging with art work do the following:

1. Create a feeling that goes with the architectural style of the home?

2. Add interest?

3. Showcase the property's style and attributes?

4. Entice potential home buyers?

All of these important aspects of home staging was met with our custom home staging using the home owners' original art work along with Delicious Decors inventory and decor.

Does wall art matter?

We at Delicious Decors believe, "Wall art has much to do about everything!"

(Stay tuned for Part 3 of our "Much-A-Do-About Nothing" blog.)

For your FREE staging estimate call Penny Today at 805.964.0866 or email penny@deliciousdecors.com.

Please join us on Facebook, Blog, LinkedIn, Videos

Stage it Forward,

Penny & The DD Team

Home Stager Santa Barbara California

Mon, 21 Mar 2011 15:40:30 -0700

Much-A-Do-About Nothing? Custom Home Staging in Santa Barbara, California.
(Part 1 in a 4 part series about the importance of wall art in home staging.)

We, at Delicious Decors, believe that wall art in professional home staging has much to do about everything!

A Home Stager's job is to "set the stage," to get the home sold quickly at top dollar. A large part of setting the stage and creating a feeling for prospective home buyers is wall art.

We specialize in custom home staging; top to bottom. "Custom wall art, this is what we're talking about ... "

When we were hired to stage a classic Santa Barbara home located across the street from the Santa Barbara Mission and Rose Gardens, our first thought was custom artwork. We knew setting the stage for this home meant including artwork of the Santa Barbara Mission and the Santa Barbara Fiesta, both stuped in Santa Barbara History.

One of the strongest selling points of this particular home is it's Santa Barbara history and it's location. So, we knew our job was not only to compliment this attribute, but to show it off!

Using his professional photography skills, Fredrik created custom artwork of the Santa Barbara Mission for the living room niches. He shot the photos, had them enlarged and printed on canvas for added dimension.

We went a step further to set the stage by purchasing Santa Barbara Fiesta posters, framing and hanging them in just the right places throughout the home.

In fact, these Fiesta posters touched the heart of one guest that viewed the home during caravan enough to give me a call. He is the grandson of the original artist that painted one of the posters we used in the home!

Did our custom staging with art work do the following:
1. Create a feeling?
2. Showcase the property's #1 asset (it's location and history)?
3. Add interest?
4. Add a sense of welcome, warmth and home?

The answer to all of these important aspects of the home staging purpose is Yes. And that's just the artwork side of the job. :-)

Does wall art matter?

We at Delicious Decors believe, "Wall art has much to do about everything!"

(Stay tuned for Part 2 of "Much-A-Do-About Nothing?" I'll be unveiling my choice for this blog tittle on my final blog of this series.)

For your FREE staging estimate call Penny Today at 805.964.0866 or email penny@deliciousdecors.com.

Please join us on Facebook / LinkedIn / Blog / Videos

Stage it Forward,

Penny & The DD Team

Custom Home Staging in Santa Barbara CA

Tue, 01 Mar 2011 15:06:48 -0800

Custom Home Staging by Delicious Decors in Santa Barbara, California.

This is what we mean by Custom Staging: please look for the following features on the video presented in this blog:

The entry and dining room of this home has a very unique paint color. We took paint samples to custom stage the dining room and living room. Our custom work includes re-upholstering the dining chairs, purchasing a new area rug of just the right color and having custom pillows made for the home.

The home owner had a very specific look in mind for the living room. We listened to our client and our own design instincts and had a custom living room set of furniture made to work perfectly to showcase the room.

There are several niches of custom size throughout the home. We purchased special wall art pieces and custom framed them to enhance all areas of the home.

Delicious Decors hired an expert for the interiorscape of this home. We work closely with the owner of Carpinteria Nursery, Lynn Adams, to complete our custom staging. Lynn provided all of the interior plants you will see in this video, servicing them weekly to keep them fresh at all times.

Call 805.964.0866 Today for your Free estimate!

Penny & The DD Team

Turn Your Home into a Money-Maker

Wed, 12 Jan 2011 15:09:36 -0800

Turn Your Home into a Money-Maker

Posted on January 12, 2011 by Delicious Decors

Did you know that 80% of people planning a vacation book their reservations 6 months prior to their vacation? Of those travelers, 70% of them chose to stay in a home rental in 2010.

Now is the time to get your vacation rental home spruced up and booked up for the summer! Delicious Decors is here to help.

Vacation Rental Preparation Services
• Just need some sprucing up? From new fresh bedding & towels, replacement kitchen ware, to fresh paint and curb appeal, our team can get the job done.
• Perhaps it’s time to replace that old sofa or ragged rug. From one sofa to an entire house, call Delicious Decors.
• Would you like to get more $$$ for your rental? Add a second bathroom, extend the patio, remodel the kitchen; our team is ready to get started.
• If you’re interested in managing your rental on your own, we’ve got the know how on what it takes to get your rental booked all summer long and we’ll pass that information on to you.
• Looking for a great management company to handle your vacation rental for you? Just ask us and we’ll steer you in the right direction.

From remodeling, to sprucing up, furnishing and decorating, to booking and managing, we’ve done it all and would like to pass on a few tips to you.

1. Is your vacation rental a place you would like to spend your family vacation? This is always a good question to ask yourself.
2. Curb appeal, you’ve got to have it! Give your house a fresh coat of paint, trim plants, add fresh plants & flowers, repair anything damaged or unsightly.
3. Whether you are just now turning your property into a vacation rental or sprucing it up for this year, select attractive, comfortable furniture. Keep in mind how many people your house will accommodate, and then double-check to make sure you actually have enough dining chairs, TV viewing seating, outdoor seating and eating capacity. You get the picture.
4. Décor & Accessories … make it vacationy. If you’re near the beach, add beach décor and beach toys. If you have a mountain cabin retreat, go with mountain cabin décor. Include some fishing rods if there’s a lake or river nearby.
5. Do everything on the “Honey-do” list to make sure everything is running in smooth top form.

How do you get your vacation rental rented?

These are my Top 3 suggestions for success on turning your property into a Money-Maker:

1st Your vacation rental should look great! You are appealing to people’s emotions, they need to be attracted to your home.

2nd PHOTOS. I capitalize this because it’s your #1 selling tool. You need excellent photos that not only show the property accurately, but show off the property as well. Again, you are appealing to emotion!

3rd Whether you are managing your own property or you have hired a management company, responses to inquiries must be done Promptly. If they have contacted you, they have contacted 5 other property owners as well, so jump on it.

Please call Delicious Decors today for a free estimate to turn your investment property into a Money-Maker and a retreat your entire family can enjoy at 805.964.0866.

805 County Real Estate Features Deilcious Decors

Fri, 26 Nov 2010 10:25:03 -0800

Delicious Decors: Ventura County’s Professional Home Staging, Interior Design, and Photography

by: Mana Tulberg Category: County-Wide Businesses

When it comes to selling your home, the first impression has the most significant impact on the price and type of offers you will receive for your home. As a Realtor® I can attest to many situations in which a home sold higher than the asking price after the home was staged. As a matter of fact, according to Penny Bergstom, owner of Delicious Decors, 78% of staged homes sell faster and 16% of staged homes sell above the homeowner’s asking price.

Delicious Decors is a locally owned and operated interior design and photography company. Penny and her husband Fredrik Bergstrom have combined their photography and interior decorating talents to help homeowners with all tastes and styles facilitate selling or just simply redecorating their home. Contemporary, traditional, cottage, or Mediterranean styles are just a few of Penny’s expertise in the interior decorating field.

Along with professional photography and home staging for home sellers, Delicious Decors offers redesign, interior decorating, and vacation rental preparation services. Delicious Decors realm of services extends as far north as San Luis Obispo and all the way to the Malibu area.

After meeting with you and listening to your needs, Penny and her team of professional interior decorators will use your own furniture and may add a few items from Delicious Decors’ collection to enhance the feel and look of your home. In the case of Vacant properties, if you work with Delicious Decors there is no need to rent furniture or decorative items to stage your property. For all of their staging projects, Delicious Decors uses their own up-to-date furniture, which are stored in their local warehouse.

And of course, if you are looking to redesign your home Penny is able to assist you with her vast knowledge in interior decorating.

For a free estimate by Delicious Decors please call: 805-964-0866.

If you need any help purchasing or selling a home anywhere in Ventura County please feel free to contact me, Mana Tulberg: 805-443-8898.

Staging For The Sexes Santa Barbara California

Wed, 24 Nov 2010 15:06:03 -0800

"Staging for the Sexes"

Yes, you've got it, I’m talking about staging for the sexes in this blog. We all know about “Men and Mars” and “Women and Venus.” And, yes, what a man is looking at when buying a new home is from the eyes of Mars and a woman is looking through the eyes of Venus, at the same house.

I’ll start with Man. The top two things that Man is considering when buying a new house is:

1. Price
2. Square footage (yes, size matters)Then Man moves on to:

3. Where will I put my TV? And you ask, where does a home stager fit in? Square footage, well it is what it is. Price, that’s the realtor’s job, but do let’s remember, “Price brings interest, staging sells.” That’s where Delicious Decors comes in.

We’ve got a Man magnet in our inventory! This very cool roulette table, works like a charm. Now you’ve got Man involved emotionally (his Venus side kicking in).
He pictures himself and his buddies on Game Night. He’s the dealer, of course.

After all this is his house.

Now, I think we’ve about covered Man, let’s move on to Woman.

Most of you probably know this one. When Woman is going to open houses looking for that special home, the #1 thing that captures her interest most is:

1. How does the house Feel.

Yes, Woman is Venus and a house, which will become her home, needs to have a certain feeling.

I Love this part of my business, staging a home for Woman! I’m aWoman and it’s a natural for me. Now that we have taken care of Man, Delicious Decors moves on toWoman.

A feminine touch to the master bedroom and bath is always a good idea. We add touches of romance in our bedding,décor and accessories. The master bedroom should feel like a sanctuary, a place to get away from your day’s responsibilities and relax.

For Woman the feeling in the family gathering place is also very important. You know us Women are the Gatherers, “When I’m preparing dinner, I like to keep an eye on little
Johnny playing and watch Lisa tagging along with her blanket in tow.” Here's little Johnny.

We do a nice, but simple job in the kitchen (less is more here, as you want to show off all the prep room the counters have to offer).

And then we turn the adjoining family room into a cozy, yet practical space for the whole family to gather.

Yes, there’s more to the success story of“Staging for the Sexes with Delicious Decors.” Until then, the Williams family is very happy in their new home!

If you want to get your house or listing sold, call Delicious Decors for Custom Home Staging at 805.964.0866 or email me at penny@deliciousdecors.com.

Stage it Forward,

Penny

Home Staging Santa Barbara California

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 17:20:49 -0800

Delicious Decors is on the forefront of Home Staging and Interior Design, Santa Barbara California.

Home Staging is often much more than setting the stage to sell a property; it's reward comes in many forms.

For any of you that have a loved one moving into a retirement community I share the heartwarming story with you .....

I was called for a staging consultation for an elderly gentleman who had lost his wife

six months prior. His son, and only child, called me not only to advise his Dad as to "what to remove, re-arrange and such to get his home ready for sale," but to listen to his father. Gently walk him through the process and ultimately turn his new place at a retirement community into his new "home."

I met with our client at his home. Beautiful, very nice designer details throughout, one of a kind pieces from his travels with his wife. Although they had only one child, the home was filled with family photos ... past and present, relatives and friends; all very endearing.

The first time I met Bob, I listened, I walked through his home/his life with him and made a detailed to-do list. Next, together, we started packing up and moving forward.

After all the de-cluttering, re-arranging and a stamp of approval from the realtor and Bob's son on a "Staging job well done," I was able to put on my Interior Designer hat and make Bob's move into the retirement facility easy, smooth and comfortable.

I drew out a floor plan for Bob with all the furniture in its place, showing him on paper how it would all work in his new living environment. I got the "Ok" from Bob, but I could tell he wasn't quite convinced that we could get his favorite pieces and decor into his new 700 square foot space and make it feel like "home."

And we did exactly that. Turned Bob's 700 square foot retirement space into a home for his later years with all his cherished memories making up his surroundings. Our strategic planning allowed for Bob's favorite furniture from his 4000 square foot family home to fit comfortably and elegantly into his new home. More importantly we were able to include he and his wife's special art and decor pieces from their travels over the years.

It gets even better ... All those family photos on the walls of his previous home? After packing up with Bob, we discovered lots of family photo loves he hadn't seen in years! As we went through the photos Bob shared stories with me about his glory days as a quarterback for his high school football team, he told me about his first date with his wife, his son's first steps.

Today, old and newly discovered photos frame his Grandfather clock (just like they did in the old house), are a feature display in the entrance and warm up his bedroom. Bob's new space is now his new home.

Bob's joy brings me so, so much joy. Thanks to Bob for trusting in Delicious Decors.

Penny

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Home Owners using the house after it has been staged.

Thu, 26 Jul 2007 05:53:00 -0700

We just had a realtor ask us if the owners of the house could use the house for 10 days after we have staged it. I think to allow that we would be openning up a whole new can of worms and we should stick to a "no" policy. What do you all advise on that?

Thank you,

Penny

Home Owners using the house after it has been staged.

Thu, 26 Jul 2007 05:50:11 -0700

Hi Everyone,

We just had a request from the realtor to let the home owners come back to live in the house for 10 days after we have staged it! If we allowed that I think we would be opening up a whole new can of worms and we should not let them stay. What do you all think? Has anyone come up with this request before?

Thank you,

Penny

Fees

Sun, 27 May 2007 21:17:50 -0700

Hi Everone,

I am new to the staging business and would like some advice on pricing ... upfront fees as well as monthly rental fees.

Thank you,

Penny

Pricing

Sun, 27 May 2007 21:12:00 -0700

I'm trying to figure out a fail monthly fee to pass on to our clietns. We buy all our furniture, high upfront cost that I expect will pay for itsself down the road. We charge $2.00 per sq. ft. of area staged upfront and then 15% in monthly rental. Which sure isn't much. Doesn't come close to covering the cost or our furniture. Any advice is much apprecieated.

Thank you,

Penny