Now that the holidays are officially upon us, now is the time to really start preparing your home for your holiday guests. Do you have a "guest bedroom" that looks more like an office? A storage room? A gym? The last thing you will want is to be running around frantically at the last-minute trying to transform that "room" into a Guest Suite you will be proud to present to your visiting loved ones.
You have enough on your plate already! With planning holiday meals, making travel arrangements, the kid's school holiday programs, gift shopping, work ... where on earth are you going to find the time to organize, empty or decorate a room in your house in the next couple of weeks, and on a budget?! Now is the time to releave yourself of this stress and call in the services of a Professional Home Stager.
Experienced, Professional Home Stagers are experts at using what you already have, embellishing with things you may consider buying and storage solutions and options that will put your mind, and your Guests, at ease. If you are in the Los Angeles or Ventura County areas, call Platinum Home Staging, Inc. to get your Guest Room ready for your family and friends in as little as 2 weeks. Platinum Home Staging, Inc. can also help you decorate your entire home for the holidays or special event as well. Call us today to schedule a FREE in home estimate at (805) 553-9952
Have you seen this? It may not be new to you, but it was definitely new to me, so it must be new to some ~ so I have to share!
I found them at my local Hardware Store in the paint section offered for FREE from Valspar Paints. They are clear velums with various neutral room decors, and you simply slide your paint chips behind the different areas to show how the colors will work together in different spaces.
Not as good as virtual painting but fast and easy and much more convincing to the eye when you don't have your laptop or programs handy with you when meeting clients.
I found them to be particularly handy just this past week when meeting with an young couple who just bought their first home and gutted EVERYTHING! It's hard to visualize paint colors when you're wearing a dust mask and walls are coming down. These really helped my clients see how paint colors in different rooms will effect the mood and feel of the house, as well as picking out accent colors without the worry of choosing the wrong colors.
From paint colors, to place settings, Platinum Home Staging, Inc.is your complete Interior Design and Home Staging company. The only Preferred Interior Design Company endorsed by Pottery Barn in Southern California serving Santa Barbara to Los Angeles and everything in between.
Platinum Home Staging, Inc.does Home Staging, and SO much more! Even if you're not selling your house, why not make it look like a model home? Call Platinum Home Staging, Inc. for an Interior Design Consultation at (805) 553-9952 Our Staging and Interior Designs are Platinum!
Serving Ventura County and Greater Los Angeles Areas: Los Angeles, Los Feliz, Hollywood, Hancock Park, Sherman Oaks, Encino, Canoga Park, Van Nuys, West Hills, Northridge, Simi Valley, Moorpark, Wood Ranch, Thousand Oaks, Calabasas, Oak Park, Agoura Hills, Westlake Village, Newbury Park, Camarillo, Oxnard, Ventura, Santa Barbara, Malibu
Most would like to think that most homes in Hollywood have a "history" of some sort of a famous person who once lived in them. Truth be told, most that did have a "history" have been either torn down completely or remodeled beyond recognition. This house, however, is one of the originals: almost 100 years old and was home to a famous 1930's Starlet by the name of Helen Twelvetrees.
However, the way her past home had been marketed by FOUR different Brokers/Realtors over the past TWO YEARSI think would make Ms. Twelvetrees roll over. Realtor # 5 was the smart one and called upon Platinum Home Staging, Inc. to make this home shine like a brand new listing.
Is this the Dining Room? Nooo, This is the Dining Room!
Platinum Home Staging, Inc.Home Staging Los Angeles, Los Feliz, Hollywood, Hancock Park, Sherman Oaks, Encino, Canoga Park, Van Nuys, West Hills, Northridge, Simi Valley, Moorpark, Wood Ranch, Thousand Oaks, Calabasas, Oak Park, Agoura Hills, Westlake Village, Newbury Park, Camarillo, Oxnard, Ventura, Santa Barbara, Malibu
Remember this house? Appropriately dubbed the "House of Doors", doors, and more doors!
Yes, the same house that also had a bath tub immediately adjacent to the master BED (not room, BED)
Yes, the very same house with oddities such THIS ?!?!
Well, nay-sayers of Home Staging, I am here to state that even though the average days on the market for this BEACH community is 146 days - this one is under escrow in just 48 days AFTER Staging! HA!
Platinum Home Staging, Inc.Home Staging Los Angeles, Los Feliz, Hollywood, Hancock Park, Sherman Oaks, Encino, Canoga Park, Van Nuys, West Hills, Northridge, Simi Valley, Moorpark, Wood Ranch, Thousand Oaks, Calabasas, Oak Park, Agoura Hills, Westlake Village, Newbury Park, Camarillo, Oxnard, Ventura, Santa Barbara, Malibu
MANY of us use Google or Yahoo notifications to scan the Internet for specific topics or keywords. Mine are pretty basic: Home Staging, Staging Homes, Connie Tebyani, Platinum Home Staging, etc
IF YOU RECEIVED A GOOGLE ALERT OVER THE WEEKEND FOR HOME STAGING, AND IF/WHEN YOU TRIED TO OPEN THE WEBSITE LINK YOU MAY HAVE GOTTEN A POP-UP WINDOW THAT READ SOMETHING TO THE EFFECT OF:
"YOUR COMPUTER HAS COME IN CONTACT WITH A VIRUS WHICH MY BE HARMFUL OR EFFECT YOUR COMPUTER. WE WILL PERFORM A FREE SCAN NOW"
DON'T DO IT!!!!
There are hackers out of Europe that use popular keywords to get their ranking right to the front of Google search. What happens is that when you click this "free scan", this is actually when they are PLANTING THE VIRUS! In a few weeks from now, your computer WILL begin to have problems, and you WILL have to clean the virus. At which point a very timely new pop-up will say, "You have bee effected, to clean you computer of this virus, please pay $69.99...." or whatever their price may be.
DON'T do the free scan - it's a SCAM
If you have any firewalls, Norton, McCafee or any other virus protection you should have been notified of the "virus" before clicking on any internet website link. I just so hapened to be listening to Leo Laporte (the Tech Guy) last Sunday when he talked about this very issue, and I received it twice this weekend! Be safe!
This could not have been said any better. If you're a Seller that is even the slightest bit curious about Home Staging, or your Realtor is not a "believer" then call Platinum Home Staging, Inc.
You contacted my company 3 months ago and requesteda staging proposal for your home. It's in a premier Portland neighborhood and you said you knew it needed some helpbefore listing. You'd already bought another home and were packing up your things to move out in a few days.
When I arrived to view your home, it was surprising to see a huge pool table in your dining room! We laughed together about that and also the long heavy dark velvet drapes! Your home needed major cleaning and packing up of many small items. I knew we could help you!
We'd be able to work with most of your furniture that you'd be leaving behind, and we'd provide the necessary missing pieces as well as accessories, art, trees & plants, etc. as needed. We discussed that if we were going to work together, I'd give you a detailed list that would include which furniture pieces to leave behind as well as some easy cosmetic improvements that you could do yourself.
You told me that your listing agent did not believe in home staging. I was surprised to hear this, because I thought that your home was one of the better candidates for staging that I've seen this year, but I kept my opinion to myself. I told you that our company keeps track of our staging statistics, and we're proud of them. I knew we could help you!
Later that day I emailed you a very cost-effective proposal that included staging your home using your items and providing quality furniture& accessories from our inventory. We'd stage your home to make it appealing to your target buyer. Our proposal also included quality digital photos for the online listing ... critical in today's challenging market. I knew we could help you!
Later, I was disappointed that you decided not to stage your home. Looking at the online listing, it was a shock to see the photos of your home! They are dark, out of focus, crooked, and don't show the best features of your home. I won't show them here because that would not be discreet, but I noticed the heavy velvet drapes are still there, and your furniture is not in the right position to showcase the space. The photos are about the worst I've seen. I knew we could have helped you!
After 6 weeks on the market I noticed that you took a $30,000 price reduction! After another 4 weeks, I saw that your price had now dropped $50,000! Hmmm ... your agent discouraged you from staging (even though you would have paid for it) but has no problem recommending that you drop your price by $50K?
Wow! Staging your home with a professional staging company would have cost a tiny fraction of your first price reduction -- but you decided to drop your price by $50,000 instead. How does that make sense from a financial viewpoint?
The sad thing is, today I drove by your home again on my way to staging one of your neighbor's homes, and saw the new addition now hanging from your "For Sale" sign ...
Mr. Seller ~ We really did try to help you! I wish we could have.
I've heard it time and time again. It typically starts out with "Business is slow..." and is usually followed up with, "It must be the economy." or "People just don't get it." (refering to the service they are selling). Now, I can't speak for other industries, but I'll share my experience of what I do know, what we all have been hearing and why it seems that I have been hearing it more and more.
Without showing my age (too much), long before I entered into Home Staging and Interior Design I worked for MANY years as a Human Resource Manager, Recruiter and Trainer for an Interntionally known "jeans & t-shirt" retailer (as well as many more before THAT) and I can't tell you how many times I wanted to slap the head of a teenager who would come to our "jeans & t-shirt establishment" for a JOB INTERVIEW in a tank top and flip flops and think that it was "ok".
That being said; why then do some "Professionals" feel it is acceptable to do the same when they are grown adults? If you cannot get to a meeting in decent attire then what is that saying about YOU and more importantly, YOUR COMPANY? Especially in a profession such as Home Staging where we often toute, "Your home gets one chance to make a great 1st impression." And this little rant of advice goes beyond mere image.
However, I have been told by two recent clients that the reason Platinum Home Staging, Inc. was awarded the job was because of how we came to the first meeting, or interview, with the Home Owners. Yes, we dress up just as if we were going to a job interview - because we ARE. One Seller even commented, and I quote: "The 'other' stager looked like she was in her pajamas and I didn't think we'd be able to get the home staged at the level we would like it be because of the way she presented herself." YOU only get one chance to make that great 1st impression, not only for YOU, but for your COMPANY!
If you didn't get the chance to read the comment left by Erik Hitzelberger in this blog post please do so. He says that 5 of 7 Home Stagers NEVER EVEN RETURNED HIS CALLS?!?!?! Maybe they are already out of business, and if they are not then they soon will be. Unfortunately I personally have heard this from a Realtor who's Sellers were willing to pay a premium price for our services to Stage a home since we had to travel outside of our normal service area. Why? Because THEY had called several Stagers, and THEY never got a return call either. Unfortunately, when I did try to refer them to Stagers in their area, 2 of the 3 were companies they themselves had already attempted to contact. What's the point of having a business if you can't ever answer your phone or check your voice mail? If you're too busy, at least call the client and let them know. If you are no longer in business, disconnect the number and stop advertising. If you are going out of town, update your voice mail to say so and when you will be returning.
Time is Money we all know it, we live by it, most industries charge by it. So why then would you show up to a meeting late? I try to make a point of always being early to appointments and nobody KNOWS traffic, like us in Los Angeles KNOW traffic - but you know what I'll admit it, I LOST a bid recently because I was late. And you know what, I deserved to lose that bid. That poor Realtor took time out of his busy day to meet ME and I was late - serves me right! On the other hand, I learned my lesson and on another recent bid I was 10 minutes early. The Seller specifically said that I was awarded the job, "Because in the land of late, you were early."
OK, lastly I have to mention websites. I do NOT have the most professional, glitzy nor glamorous website on the web. What I DO have a pretty darn good SEO and Google juice (might I add I designed and maintain my website MYSELF from scratch) and I am updating it constantly. As Stagers we are constantly mentioning how Buyers shop the internet for homes first, well you know what? They shop the Internet for Home Stagers first to! One local Home Stager website has a picture of the Owner in a strappy tank top, floppy sun hat with dark sunglasses and shorts. Now I'm just saying, but I felt like hanging a sign around her neck that reads, "Would you hire me?". You also need to make sure that YOUR website photos are of your best Staging work and that they are updated frequently WITH YOUR OWN WORK. Don't just throw up some pictures and think that you're "done" - your website is your virtual business card.
This blog is NOT a rant. I am just trying to put it out there that YOUR BUSINESS and success of it is completely in YOUR CONTROL! If you can't respect your own business, then why should your clients? Just my $.02 spend it how you wish.
Platinum Home Staging, Inc.Home Staging Los Angeles, Los Feliz, Hollywood, Hancock Park, Sherman Oaks, Encino, Canoga Park, Van Nuys, West Hills, Northridge, Simi Valley, Moorpark, Wood Ranch, Thousand Oaks, Calabasas, Oak Park, Agoura Hills, Westlake Village, Newbury Park, Camarillo, Oxnard, Ventura, Santa Barbara, Malibu
This Home Staging was a FUN one! Platinum Home Staging, Inc. has Staged MANY homes, but it had been SO-O long since we had done a mid-century modern style, that quite frankly we couldn't even find the pictures in our back-up hard drive. Since that time we have also greatly increased our inventory and found some additionally fabulous vendors that really helped to make this Home Staging SING!
Click on the picture to be transported to this Mid Century Modern Home Staging in Santa Monica, CA
One of the most important aspects to consider when hiring a Professional Home Stager is to ensure that they have the knowledge and experience to Stage to the style and/or period of your home. Every home is different, the Buying Demographics are different to each area as well. Platinum Home Staging, Inc. is your Home Staging Company with the experience, knowledge and expertise to effectively Stage your house to the architecture of the home and demographics of the BUYER.
Platinum Home Staging, Inc.Home Staging Los Angeles, Los Feliz, Hollywood, Hancock Park, Sherman Oaks, Encino, Canoga Park, Van Nuys, West Hills, Northridge, Simi Valley, Moorpark, Wood Ranch, Thousand Oaks, Calabasas, Oak Park, Agoura Hills, Westlake Village, Newbury Park, Camarillo, Oxnard, Ventura, Santa Barbara, Malibu
Sometimes Home Staging can be simple mathematics: addition and subtraction. In this case, Platinum Home Staging, Inc. was called by the Home Owners to Stage their beautiful newly constructed Tuscan Villa located on the Westlake Village Island. They needed additional space for their additional grandchildren to come visit (seems they hadn't thought about their children multiplying so quickly).
So to maximize the results of the equation, we stuck to simple mathematics:
By subtracting the negative spaces and clutter, and adding drama and focal points.
To get more information and pitcures of this amazing property in Westlake village, click here,
to see a complete before and after transformation of our Home Staging, click here.
Platinum Home Staging, Inc.Home Staging Los Angeles, Los Feliz, Hollywood, Hancock Park, Sherman Oaks, Encino, Canoga Park, Van Nuys, West Hills, Northridge, Simi Valley, Moorpark, Wood Ranch, Thousand Oaks, Calabasas, Oak Park, Agoura Hills, Westlake Village, Newbury Park, Camarillo, Oxnard, Ventura, Santa Barbara, Malibu
Disclaimer: ActiveRain Corp. does not necessarily endorse the real estate agents, loan officers and brokers listed on this site. These real estate profiles, blogs and blog entries are provided here as a courtesy to our visitors to help them make an informed decision when buying or selling a house. ActiveRain Corp. takes no responsibility for the content in these profiles, that are written by the members of this community.
Have you seen this? It may not be new to you, but it was definitely new to me, so it must be new to some ~ so I have to share!
If you didn't get the chance to read the comment left by Erik Hitzelberger in 
Posted by 
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