PS - The Art of Home Preparation

SAFETY FIRST!!

Monica Murphy, ASP, IAHSP, RESA (Preferred Staging, LLC) — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 07:39:23 -0600

A couple of weeks ago I attended a 1 hour seminar offered by the Southern Crime Prevention Task Force. Commander AJ Gywn of Atlanta, Georgia gave a fantastic presentation on safety for stagers, although the main focus of the seminar was Realtor safety.

I STRONGLY recommend that all real estate offices contact the SCPRF and schedule a FREE seminar for their offices, especially with the holiday season just around the corner. (A minimum group of 25 or more people is required.) As Commander Gywn told us, the holiday season, combined with the current economy, is a sure recipe for increased crime rates across the country. From their website:

The task force has one of the best training seminars
in the United States on real estate agent safety!!

"The Southern Crime Prevention Task Force has seen the crimes against real estate agents increase over the last five years. Crimes are being committed against male agents also, as criminals now are not as gender-specific. Our Real Estate Agent Safety Training Seminar is a 60-minute seminar, and 25 different topics on agent safety are covered. Agents who attend the seminar will learn how and why criminals often target a real estate agent, and agents in attendance will also be provided with different ideas and strategies on how they can become safer while on the job. The instructor will also be available after the seminar to interact with agents who may have questions, and for those wishing to discuss any situations they may have been involved in the past. This training seminar is in huge demand by real estate companies, boards, and associations."

The seminars are offered free of charge, and are only 60 minutes long. But the amount of information provided is invaluable! We learned why real estate agents are targets, how to market yourself safely, how to communicate safely yet professionally with people you're meeting for the first time, how to protect yourself during open houses, how to identify suspicious activity, and how to defend yourself if you find yourself in a difficult situation. And that's just the first 20 minutes! At the end of the seminar, a handful of safety items can be purchased, all of which are thoroughly explained and demonstrated.

You can contact the Southern Crime Prevention Task Force in Gainesville, Georgia for more information at 678-947-5914, or by email at scptf@aol.com.

As we were told, you have to be pro-active, and not re-active - so be pro-active and schedule your seminar soon!

All the best,

Monica

Minimal Costs for Maximum Results

Monica Murphy, ASP, IAHSP, RESA (Preferred Staging, LLC) — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 06:58:51 -0600

Let's get right to the numbers:

The national average cost to stage a house is approximately 1% of the asking price of the house.

This is true on some levels, but not for every house. First, this sort of number really only applies to vacant houses, where furniture and accessories have to be rented. Second, I've staged many a million dollar house and the cost was no where near $10,000. On the other hand, I've staged mid-priced vacants where this formula comes close to being on target - it all depends on what the homeowner and Realtor want.

I'm asked by virtually every new client with a vacant to stage for a ballpark estimate. It is a professional policy of Preferred Staging's not to give estimates without first having seen the property, as there are too many variables to take into account (room size, layout, natural light, etc.). However, I do offer the 1% formula as a starting point for the client to understand the cost of staging.

Another number:

"Preferred Staging's proposals to stage vacant houses generally fall between 0.5% - 0.8% of the asking price of the house."

I quickly follow up the national formula with the above statement. It doesn't have to cost a lot to stage your house. Remember, all of the above numbers refer to VACANT houses. Occupied houses are a completely different story.

We staged this very sweet house in Arlington, listed by Anya Macklin. The first step was a 2 hour walk-through consultation, which was paid for by the Realtor as a value added service to her clients. Home owners know they have to declutter, but they often don't know what the next step is in presenting their house for sale. In this case, we talked about moving some furniture to open up spaces, replacing some larger furniture with smaller furniture to allow easier access through rooms, removing and/or switching some wall art, using their own decorative pieces for display, and the addition of a couple of lamps, art work, and greenery from Preferred Staging's inventory.

One week later we came back and spent just 2 ½ hours at the house; the home owners had done the bulk of the work themselves already. The only items they had purchased were 2 new lamps for the master bedroom nightstands on my recommendation after a brief tutorial on table lamps and suggestions of where to buy them. I generally don't encourage home owners to buy new items for staging a house unless it's something they really need and can use in their new home, in which case it becomes an investment, not just a purchase.

The final staging cost to the home owners - including the cost of new lamps - is just about $500. That's 0.001% of the asking price of the house. The Realtor was very pleased with the results, and the open house had over 20 couples. The house is priced right and shows well - and I'm sure to hear back soon that it has sold.

Before and after photos of this property can be found on the Preferred Staging gallery.

All the Best,

Monica

A VIEW OF EVERY ROOM

Monica Murphy, ASP, IAHSP, RESA (Preferred Staging, LLC) — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 06:23:25 -0600

Preferred Staging firmly believes that every property is unique, so when we approach a house for staging, we need to take into consideration all of the wonderful features that the house has to offer. We stage each house to highlight its best features, and work with the challenges. Each house, therefore, is staged a little bit differently.

Last week we staged a fabulous house in the Evermay area of McLean, Virginia. It's a split level house with a large and open front foyer, which is very welcoming. However, from the foyer you can see into every main room of the house - the dining room, kitchen and family room, living room, and finished basement. What a view! And this was our main challenge - to stage each room visible from the front foyer so that it was warm and welcoming, but also with focal points that would invite buyers to walk into the rooms to experience each space further. The longer a buyer will linger in a room, the more interested they can become, and hopefully envisioning themselves living in that room. This is a major first step in the buying process.

Our team staged this large house in just one day, and when the Realtor stopped by as we were finishing up, he stood in the foyer and looked around him and into each room. He was thrilled with the results!

The Broker's Open the next day was a huge success, and we are expecting a sale in the very near future! Before and after photos of this property can be found on the Preferred Staging gallery.

All the Best,

Monica

“I’VE NEVER USED A STAGER BEFORE…” PART 3

Monica Murphy, ASP, IAHSP, RESA (Preferred Staging, LLC) — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 11:58:46 -0500

This is the last of a 3 part series that addresses many of the questions we receive from Realtors and home owners who are calling a stager for the first time. In the first article, we talked about the first steps Preferred Staging takes when you call us and schedule an appointment to see your listing, including consultations and proposals. In the second article, we described how we present our proposals and generally how the staging process works. This week I'm going to tell you how Preferred Staging keeps working for you after the staging is completed.

Preferred Staging offers a variety of services to our clients, from staging occupied homes to vacants, color consultations, and redesign. Add to that list the use of our "after" photos for your MLS listing and marketing. My advanced degree in Architectural History and working for over five years with architectural photographs and documents for the National Park Service contribute to my knowledge of taking a good interior and exterior photo. All of my photos are taken at a high resolution with a wide angle lens, and all photos are perspective corrected, as well as color corrected and balanced prior to printing or posting. At this time, we offer these photos to the listing agents for free.

Preferred Staging is also a big believer of using technology to market properties, especially blogging. We blog about every property we stage on two different blogs as well as in local blogs, and we also highlight each property in our newsletter, which reaches about 5,000 Realtors in the Northern Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, DC metro area.

Besides our own website, we also list your property on Preferred Staging's web page on StagedHomes.com, which gets over 10 million hits a day. That's even MORE exposure for your listing in places that are complimentary to your Realtor's web listings.

We look forward to working with you to stage your house and help it sell quickly and for top dollar.

For more information, visit us at www.preferredstaging.com.

“I’VE NEVER USED A STAGER BEFORE…” PART 2

Monica Murphy, ASP, IAHSP, RESA (Preferred Staging, LLC) — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 11:47:52 -0500

Last week I wrote about the first steps Preferred Staging takes when you call us and schedule an appointment to see your listing, including consultations and proposals. So, now what happens when you have the proposal and we're good to go?

Well, let's start with the proposal first. Preferred Staging's proposals outline what rooms and areas are to be staged, and how much time we believe it will take us to stage the property - from loading the accessories we bring to the house to de-staging when the house has sold. We also provide a general list of accessories from our inventory that will be used, which runs the gamut from lamps, mirrors, rugs, and wall art, to place settings, floral arrangements, towels, and those extras that really make a room feel welcoming and inviting. The final part of our proposal includes the cost of rental furniture, if necessary.

If everything is acceptable, then Preferred Staging emails the client (whomever is paying for the staging) a Letter of Agreement for signing. If rental furniture is needed, then the rental company will email a separate contract. Preferred Staging only facilitates the contract, which is between the client and the rental company.

Once all signatures and deposits are received, then a delivery and staging date is scheduled, usually about 3-5 business days after signing the contract. We usually arrive at the property in the early morning (around 8am), unload the accessories, and then start to create wonderful rooms and spaces that will entice potential buyers to linger and envision themselves living in the house - a crucial first step in the buying process. Along the way, we also manage the furniture delivery and set up, hang pictures, set tables, make beds, create spas in the bathrooms... we virtually move in!

The time it takes to stage a house depends on how big the property is and how much staging is needed. A 2 bedroom condo can be completed in about 8 hours or less, while a 4,000 square foot house can take 2 days. Each house is unique - in its layout, square footage, price point, what rooms need to be staged, etc. - which is why it's virtually impossible to provide an estimate over the phone.

Next week I'll tell you how Preferred Staging keeps working for you, even after the staging is completed.

It's what you expect in Georgetown, right?

Monica Murphy, ASP, IAHSP, RESA (Preferred Staging, LLC) — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 16:37:40 -0500

Well, yes and no. I guess it depends on what you're looking for. When I think of Georgetown, I think of a historic town that was there before Washington, DC, cobblestone streets, and elegant homes with tall ceilings and fabulous crown moldings, decorated in the latest fashions from England and France. Of course, that's the architectural historian in me coming out. But we all know that's not what Georgetown is really like. It's certainly not the experience of some of my family members who attended Georgetown University. For them, it was more urban with trendy stores and great restaurants.

So when you're looking for a new home in Georgetown, what are you looking for? Well, it goes without saying that you're probably going to end up with an old house. But does that mean you have to decorate it like a museum? If you walked into a Georgetown row house up for sale, what would you expect to find?

Well, on one hand, I think you'd expect on some level to find that long ago elegance of a parlor. (Does anyone even use that word anymore?) On the other hand, though, you'd want more modern, urban, livable surroundings. This was my approach to a beautiful, vacant Georgetown row house we staged. When you walk in, you almost expect it to look a certain way, and this was achieved by renting a few antique pieces that really complimented the size and shape of the living room (or is it a parlor?), yet are actually comfortable and not overwhelming, and are OK to sit on and relax. All of the other rooms, however, reflected a modern elegance.

The dining room, which can easily seat 8 comfortably, had updated furniture and contemporary art work. It's a beautiful room with a lot of personality already built into it (see the built in cupboard?). The master bedroom had a gorgeous queen bed with a leather headboard and matching leather cubes at the foot of the bed. Certainly not something George Washington slept on!

All in all, this house as a staged property spoke to a broad audience of potential buyers. It's got a little bit of old and a lot of new, all of which you'd expect in Georgetown, right?

The feedback from the Realtors on this property was fantastic. Virtually everyone who saw the house thought it was lived in by some very neat people. I take that as a compliment, as it tells me that I achieved the warm and welcoming feel that a good staged home - vacant or occupied - should have.

But best of all was that this home, listed for $1.2M, sold in just 26 days! And the new home owners have been in touch with me regarding buying some of the furniture and accessories, and with questions about the size of rugs and tables. They also told me that they are going to copy my layout, as they can't imaging the furniture placed any other way.

There's more to the story of this staging, but that's for another blog! In the meantime, visit Preferred Staging's Gallery for more pictures of this fabulous home!

All the best,

Monica

"I've Never Used A Stager Before..." Part 2

Monica Murphy, ASP, IAHSP, RESA (Preferred Staging, LLC) — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 16:00:34 -0500

Next week I'll tell you how Preferred Staging keeps working for you, even after the staging is completed.

"I've never used a stager before..." Part 1

Monica Murphy, ASP, IAHSP, RESA (Preferred Staging, LLC) — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 23:12:51 -0500

Of all the phone calls and inquiries I receive, one of the most common comments I hear is, "I've never used a stager before... so I'm really not sure how all of this works".

Actually, the process is quite simple. Generally, you tell us what you need and want and we take care of the rest. Well, maybe it's not that simple, but that's not too far from the truth, and it really is quite painless.

Each staging company has their own menu of services and fees, so make sure the company can do whatever it is you want. Preferred Staging will do as much as or as little as your client wants, and we offer a full compliment of services, from consultations (walk-through or written), staging occupied or vacant homes with rental furniture and accessories, and hands-on staging. We also do color consultations, and provide Redesign services (a.k.a. Staged for Living).

OK, so now you have a general idea of what we can do for you. But what's the first step? When you call Preferred Staging, we ask a variety of questions about the house so we can have a better understanding of what's really needed, which in many cases leads to a cost savings for your client by avoiding unnecessary staging fees. Generally, a consultation is the first step, and if the client wants Preferred Staging to do the actual staging, then we prepare a proposal for them. For vacants, however, a consultation is usually not needed and we skip right to the proposal.

Whether we meet for a consultation or a proposal, we always take reference photos. Then we proceed with the consultation, or we discuss what's needed for us to stage the house, such as what rooms are to be staged, vignette or full staging or somewhere in between, and most importantly the budget. Proposals are usually ready within 48 hours.

You've probably noticed that I keep using the word "proposal" instead of "bid". We view a bid as a set price - this is what we're going to do and this is what it will cost - period. However, we've learned that a "bid" per se doesn't always work for every client. Time frames and/or budgets change, and the bid may not be what is needed anymore. So Preferred Staging prepares proposals, which we consider a working document. The proposal can be modified to meet the client's needs, and it's not done until everyone is satisfied.

Next post I'll tell you about the staging process once the proposal is accepted and we are good to go.

All the best,

Monica

A Magic Garden in the Bath

Monica Murphy, ASP, IAHSP, RESA (Preferred Staging, LLC) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 17:24:49 -0500

A couple of weeks ago we completed staging a beautiful contemporary single-family home in Reston, Virginia. The house is beautiful and the furnishings are quite nice, but there were a few pieces missing here and there, and the overall presentation lacked that oh-so-important "wow" factor (or "umph", as I like to sometimes say), especially since you enter almost directly into the living room.

As is the case with virtually all occupied stagings, all the pieces are in the house, but they're just not in the right room or in the right place. In the master bedroom, for example, the bed was placed on the largest bare wall, following the general decorating rule of putting the largest piece of furniture against the largest wall. In this case, however, the wall also had the door, so upon entry into the bedroom a buyer would see the dresser with a TV on it and not the beautiful queen bed with new bedding. By simply moving the bed to the opposite wall, now framed by 2 windows, the bed became the focal point of the room. The sofa from the living room was then placed along the large bare wall, creating a lovely sitting area that emphasizes how large the master bedroom is.

A large curio in the dining room was placed in a niche to the left of the fireplace in the living room, balancing the large chest in the right niche, and a buffet from the family room was then moved to the dining room. And so it went - all the pieces falling into place like a huge puzzle. Rental furniture and accessories from Preferred Staging's inventory were brought in complete the rooms and fill in the blanks.

The most challenging room, however, was the master bath. With its cathedral ceiling, large soaking tub, and gothic-like windows, it required a very special and imaginative treatment. Our solution was to create a magic garden surrounding the tub, with greenery, topiaries, delicate dogwood flowers, a bird cage and a nest, a statue, candles, and even a picture of the Eiffel Tower. Perhaps it sounds a bit like "Where's Waldo?" but in this bathroom, it works. The tub is now a destination spot, the perfect place to soak your cares away, and to enchant a buyer for this house.

Feedback from the Realtor at the Broker's Open and open house was all positive. Realtors and clients were lingering!

All the Best!

Monica

A Magic Garden in the Bathroom

Monica Murphy, ASP, IAHSP, RESA (Preferred Staging, LLC) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 17:13:11 -0500

Feedback from the Realtor at the Broker's Open and open house was all positive. Realtors and clients were lingering!

All the Best!

Monica

Thank you, Mr. Trump

Monica Murphy, ASP, IAHSP, RESA (Preferred Staging, LLC) — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 07:45:24 -0500

The Donald has come to town, and he clearly made his presence known last night!

Donald Trump and his son, Eric, recently purchased the Lowes Island Golf Club in Potomac Falls, Virginia, which is about 3 blocks from my house. The club and courses border the Potomac River, and across the river is a Maryland state park, so the views are beautiful. Needless to say, the club name was quickly changed to Trump National Golf Club.

Last night, the Trumps hosted quite the 4th of July party. Security was tight near the club. One can only imagine what Washington, DC and PGA diginitaries were in attendance!

Word got around the community that there was going to be a fireworks display, so after our own little neighborhood display of legal (read: boring) fireworks and sparklers, we all started to head over in the direction of the club to see what we could see.

We didn't have to go far - only to the end of our block. We couldn't see everything, and a few houses were in the way, but it was still a great show.

Thanks, Mr. Trump, for a fantastic finale to our 4th of July!

All the best-

Monica

Zoning Issues & Unusual Spaces

Monica Murphy, ASP, IAHSP, RESA (Preferred Staging, LLC) — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 07:22:49 -0500

We staged an absolutely charming house in Arlington, Virginia. It's on the "quite" part of North Glebe Road, and sits up and back a bit from the street. It looks like many other homes in the area, but looks can be deceiving. This house is about 3,000 square feet, with 4 good sized bedrooms, a finished family room in the basement, and 2 fireplaces. The screened porch leads to a large fenced backyard.

The front entrance has a bit of a hall, but then opens up to an absolutely huge living room with beautiful hardwood floors and a large bay window. The challenge to staging such a large space was to make the room feel welcoming and intimate, but to put all of the furniture around the focal point (the fireplace) would have easily left half of the room empty. Traffic patterns would also have to be kept clear.

The solution was to stage the living room in zones. The fireplace was still the focal point, but there are 3 different seating areas that gently overlap, allowing each space to interact with each other, but yet each can stand on its own. The first zone is a large upholstered chair between the fireplace and the entry to the dining room. The second is a grouping of 2 chairs and a chest, and the third is the sofa by the window.

A similar layout exists in the basement family room, but there is a wall which divides the space. The family room is a bit smaller, and the focus is still on the fireplace. But the wall creates an unusual space between the family room and the entry to the garage. One of the family members who grew up in the house told me that they never quite knew what to do with that space. For staging, I wanted to utilize the space and brighten it up, so I placed a bookcase console against the back wall with a table lamp and a complimentary print on the wall. Now the space had a purpose, and when the family member saw how it was staged, suddenly the ideas started to come. It could be a reading nook, or a niche for Mom's computer, or a crafting space. The ideas are endless.

This is one of the primary functions of staging - to provide viable ideas for how various spaces in the house can be utilized. If that unusual space had been left empty, potential buyers would have thought the same as the owners - what are we going to do with that space? But once the space had a purpose, the space is no longer an issue but a bonus space.

All the best-
Monica

Pick a Color, Any Color...

Monica Murphy, ASP, IAHSP, RESA (Preferred Staging, LLC) — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 08:02:52 -0500

As Realtors, you know you can't simply pick any color when you're painting a house to prepare it for sale. But the hard part is what color to use that will show the house to its best advantage and appeal to the majority of buyers.

I was recently asked about what my favorite staging paint colors were for an article that appeared in the May 7, 2009 Washington Post. But there's more to painting and picking a color than what is in the article.

If the paint is old, dated, or dirty, peeling or showing signs of damage, or is very "style specific" (a very personal color to the current owner), I will recommend painting. Painting is the least expensive way to update your house, and the return on your investment will certainly be over 100%, most likely more. Painting not only updates a room, but freshens it up, can considerably lighten and brighten a room, and make the room look and feel bigger - all the attributes you should strive for when preparing your house for sale.

Certain rooms get more wear and tear than others, and therefore are more of a priority when it comes to painting. The formal living room will most likely not need of a fresh coat of paint compared to the family room, kitchen, or bathrooms. If one room or area is to be painted, I choose a color that is very neutral and will compliment the rooms that are not going to be painted, so there will be a cohesive look to the house.

I take into consideration a lot of other factors when choosing colors for a house, such as the demographics of the house (surburban or urban?), the size of the house (condo? single family?), the size of the room (big or small?), how much light the room gets (north or south facing?), who the potential buyer might be (single? married with young children? older with grown children?), and the style of the house (colonial or contemporary?).

I usually don't recommend that the same color be painted throughout the entire house. Each room has its own purpose, and I feel should have its own color. Also, all the same color makes a house boring, and the one thing you don't want is a boring house. You want your house to show well and have some "life" to it, albeit a neutral life, so to speak.

Sometimes, if rooms are joined, like a living and dining room, then obviously they would both be painted the same color. But you can also use color to make a room seem bigger. Color receeds, so if you can see through the living room to the dining room, and then the family room beyond, then the family room can be a darker color, thereby making it seem farther away, and in turn making the rooms seem bigger (because that family room seems so far away).

Bathrooms, since they are private rooms and often have the door closed, can have more whimiscal colors, like pumpkin, or a deeper green, or a silver gray - colors I would never suggest for a public room like the living room or dining room. But in a bathroom, a pop of color can make that little room really stand out and have some personality.

The other thing I've come to realize is that most people are afraid of color, and so stick with the very basic and neutral colors of white, off white, and taupe. And that's OK. But there are so many other colors out there that are considered neutral - a whole veritable rainbow of browns, yellows, greens and off-whites - that will work for virtually every room, every style, and every taste.

Note I didn't mention blue. Although blue is America's favorite color, it's not our favorite to paint with. So unless it's an absolute perfect color for a room, I generally don't recommend blue.

With that said, I really don't have any specific "go to" colors, as each house is unique and has its own special requirements. However, there are a few colors that I find have worked well in many houses.

For trim, I prefer Snowfall by Behr (W-F-400). It's a clean white, and not shockingly bright.

Other Behr colors I like:

Whites/neutrals: - both are pale off-whites that add a tint of color, very neutral

Cottage White (1813)

Navajo White (1822)

Greens:

Ground Ginger (380-F-4) - a pale green/yellow that isn't overwhelming

Browns/yellows: - all are lighter/paler browns with yellow tones, and mix and match well

Rivera Sand (320-E-3)

Calm Air (300-E-2)

Classic Taupe (290-E-3)

Clair de Lune (300-E-3)

Benjamin Moore colors I like:

Yellow Bisque (220) - a rich but pale yellow

Monarch Gold (1109) - a very nice golden brown

Gingerbread Man (1111) - a lovely brown with gold tones

Wilmington Tan (HC34) - a beautiful neutral with depth

All the best,

Monica

The Importance of the Call Back

Monica Murphy, ASP, IAHSP, RESA (Preferred Staging, LLC) — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 18:36:52 -0500

I received a call from a realtor who lives in Northern Virginia wanting to know if I would come out to the Baltimore area to stage her house. The realtor really wanted a stager from the Northern Virginia area, as she would potentially use them again for local listings. In essence, it was a trial run. Now, Baltimore is a bit of a drive for me, but I've staged a home in Annapolis, and the drive is really not much longer than what some people commute everyday, so I agreed.

This gorgeous house is located in Reistertown, Maryland, and was worth the drive. I did a 2 hour consultation, and then returned a few weeks later to do a hands-on staging with the realtor/owner. We also went shopping together at the HomeGoods in Owens Mills, and we had a great time. Not only did I have the opportunity to work in a stunning home, I also met a fantastic realtor who is a really nice person, too.

Here is just one set of B&A's of the living room:

For this opportunity, I can thank our professional policy of always returning phone calls and email messages. Of course, we all know that the call back is just a normal part of doing business. But it's amazing how many people don't do it. This realtor had told me that she called another stager who is based in Maryland, but they never called her back, so she called me next. And I called her back. And that got me the job, and potentially more projects in the future.

All the best,

Monica

"I've never used a stager before..." Part 1

Monica Murphy, ASP, IAHSP, RESA (Preferred Staging, LLC) — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 12:40:10 -0600

Of all the phone calls and inquiries I receive, one of the most common comments I hear is, "I've never used a stager before... so I'm really not sure how all of this works".

Next post I'll tell you about the staging process once the proposal is accepted and we are good to go.

All the best,

Monica

Staging for the Inaguration

Monica Murphy, ASP, IAHSP, RESA (Preferred Staging, LLC) — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 12:11:08 -0600

I received a phone call the other day from a gentleman who owns a house in Maryland, not far from Washington, DC. He's preparing to move at the end of the month, and wanted his house staged to help facilitate a quick sale. But he also had a means of helping to pay for the staging, and that was to rent his staged house during Inaguration Week for visitors!

It's quite a clever plan. Hotels in the area are already booked solid, and of course it would cost a tremendous amount of money for a family of 4 or 5 to stay in a hotel - even one in the suburbs - and to pay for meals and transportation, etc. This house will be vacant and staged, and would certainly be more comfortable for a family or small group to stay there. There is a bus stop at the corner, and it goes to the local Metro station, which goes right into Washington, DC. Transportation issue solved.

I will be meeting with the owner next week, and with local rental companies such as American Furniture Rental providing all the necessities for such a situation, I'm sure it will all work out.

I wonder how many other sellers are considering the same? It seems to me to be quite a viable option on many different levels.

All the best!

The Devil is in the Details

Monica Murphy, ASP, IAHSP, RESA (Preferred Staging, LLC) — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 09:33:54 -0600

According to the website www.usingenglish.com, "When people say that the devil is in the detail(s), they mean that small things in plans and schemes that are often overlooked can cause serious problems later on..."

This couldn't be truer than when you're selling a house!

As a home stager, I see lots of details that are little devils, and really need to be taken care of. These little red flags are often missed by the home owner, not because they are thoughtless or careless, but more likely because they are too closely involved with the preparation of their house for sale that they just don't see all the little details that will make a big impact on potential buyers. Paying attention to the details is even more important in vacants, as anything amiss will really stand out.

When I'm walking through a house, it is rare that I encounter a house that hasn't been cleaned. That's always a good sign. What I often see, however, are dirty light fixtures, old bathroom light fixtures that are rusting, and burned out bulbs. The floor or carpet may be cleaned to within an inch of its life, but if the buyer can't see it because of the dust on the fixture, or the lack of working light bulbs, then it starts to set a negative tone that will carry throughout the rest of the house. Make sure the light fixtures are cleaned - especially if there are bugs in it! - and the highest wattage light bulbs recommended for the fixture are used. If the light fixture is old and tired, rusting or broken, then replace it. It need not be an expensive fixture, but a new one is a lot better than one that looks like it's ready to fall off of the wall.

Other little devils are all the small, obvious repairs that need to be done. Make sure all doors work properly, in particular bi-fold doors, which can easily come off their tracks. Imagine a potential buyer opening a closet door and it falling out, or worse yet, not being to open the door at all. Yikes!

Another repair of sorts is when painting to remove all the old nails and hooks that held up wall art - don't just paint over them. That nail by the kitchen cupboard may have been perfect for your calendar, but probably won't be for the new owner. A potential buyer is going to look at the wall of painted nails and think only of how much work it's going to take them to remove the nails, patch the holes, and repaint. If it's too much work, they'll most likely cross that house off of their list.

As I mentioned above, it is rare that I walk into a filthy house. But it seems that one area that is often forgotten about is windows - sills, screens, and the windows themselves. Dust and dead bugs on the sills is a real turn off, along with broken, bent or torn screens, and dirty windows. A clean window is going to make a room look a lot lighter and brighter, which in turn will help show the house better.

Don't forget to tell your clients while they are preparing their house for sale to look at their house with the eye of a potential buyer, and to be sure to look for all the little devils that lurk from floor to ceiling, and wall to wall. Taking care of the details will help prevent potential problems later on.

The Stats to Back it Up

Monica Murphy, ASP, IAHSP, RESA (Preferred Staging, LLC) — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 22:00:47 -0500

I recently wrote a post about how 70%-90% of buyers don't "see" how a vacant can look with furnishings; basically, they see a big empty room.

As I mentioned in that post, I've heard numbers between 10%-30% of the population can visualize spatial relationships, but I couldn't find proof of those numbers. After a bit of digging, I found the following on Wikipedia about visual/spatial thinking:

"Research by Child Development Theorist Linda Kreger Silverman suggests that less than 30% of the population strongly uses visual/spatial thinking, another 45% uses both visual/spatial thinking and thinking in the form of words, and 25% thinks exclusively in words. According to Kreger Silverman, of the 30% of the general population who use visual/spatial thinking, only a small percentage would use this style over and above all other forms of thinking, and can be said to be 'true' "picture thinkers".

This is from a paper Silverman wrote titled, "Upside-Down Brilliance: The Visual-Spatial Learner". If you're interested, you can learn more at www.visual-spatial.org.

With stats to back up the statement, I can now confidently include that information in furture staging presentations further demonstrating the importance of staging vacants.

I hope you find this information useful, too.

70%-90% of Buyers Really Don't "See" Your Vacant

Monica Murphy, ASP, IAHSP, RESA (Preferred Staging, LLC) — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 07:51:57 -0500

I was recently talking with a Realtor about various staging options for her clients, when she asked, "Is it really important to stage vacant houses? I mean, there's nothing in the house to be cleaned up or put away. I would think a big empty room would be ideal."

Her question is not an uncommon one. However, we all know that it's very difficult to sell a vacant home for a variety of reasons, the least of which is that a big empty room lacks warmth. But what is more important is that only a small percentage of the population can visualize spatial relationships in an empty room. I've heard the number range from between 10% to 30% of those who can "see" how a room will look with furniture in it - which means that anywhere from 70% to 90% of potential buyers just see a big empty room. No wonder its so hard to sell a vacant property!

A few weeks ago I completed a staging of a brand new condo in a North Capitol Hill neighborhood of Washington, DC. This is a new building with six units in it, with the 2 condos on the top floor having 2 stories and a fabulous deck looking over the mature tree tops, row houses, Gallaudet University, and the Capitol and Washington Monument in the distance (http://www.1018florida.com/).

Walking into a property for the first time, I see it as a buyer would, and in the case of this condo, my first thoughts were "How do I fit all of my furniture in here?" Then the professional stager takes over, and I begin to "see" where the love seat would go, how the cocktail table and chairs will fit to make a comfortable conversation area, where lamps will work to the best advantage, where the dresser will go in the bedroom, where wall art is needed to add visual interest and balance the room, etc.

When the staging was completed, I stepped back to take a final look. It was amazing how much furniture I was able to bring into this condo, and yet it still felt spacious. There was room to comfortably move between the kitchen/dining area/living area without feeling cramped or crowded.

This is truly the "magic" of staging. The correct placement of the right scale of furniture and accessories actually made the condo look and feel larger than when it was vacant, and provided the spatial relationships that 70%-90% of the population have difficulty envisioning. It also provided the warmth and atmosphere that invites buyers to linger, hopefully imagining themselves living in the condo.

To see more "magic" like this, please visit the Gallery at Preferred Staging's website, http://www.preferredstaging.com/index-2.html.

More inexpensive wall art - follow up

Monica Murphy, ASP, IAHSP, RESA (Preferred Staging, LLC) — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 10:47:16 -0500

Here's another great way to use scrapbook paper:

I bought 12x12 frames from Michael's that are made to frame scrapbook pages - I think they were $10/ea. I went online to www.paperaddict.com, and bought about 50 pieces of scrapbook paper. I got multiples of some really graphic ones, like those in the first picture. Also, many companies sell papers in coordinating sets, like in the second picture - I can mix and match red, yellow, green, cream, etc., with those. The papers are about 75 cents apiece (give or take...). All I have to do is switch out the papers and I have a rotating selection of wall art to fit virtually any color scheme and interior design - from contemporary to traditional.

Hope you find this helpful!

Monica

Inexpensive wall art - in action!

Monica Murphy, ASP, IAHSP, RESA (Preferred Staging, LLC) — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 17:10:19 -0500

Way back in February I posted about an inexpensive way to create wall art using scrapbook paper and foam board (Cool and REALLY inexpensive wall art ideas!!).

In April, I did a detailed consultation report for a young couple that needed guidance in getting their house ready to list. At the end of the report, I added a copy of the wall art instructions.

Well, last week I got a call from the Realtor who asked me to come back to the house and see how awesome it looked - the couple had followed all of my advice - and the Realtor was quite confident that their house would sell quickly.

One of the first things I noticed when I walked into the house was the beautiful wall art they had put up over the mantle. When I went closer to look at it... it was scrapbook paper! Here are some photos:

I thought the home owners did a great job - and it's nice to see the idea in action.

Great Deals on Furniture/Accessories in Rochester NY Area

Monica Murphy, ASP, IAHSP, RESA (Preferred Staging, LLC) — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 09:19:47 -0600

For all of you stagers, designers, and anyone looking for great deals on furniture and accessories, check out the Private Sale (which anyone can attend) at the Bassett Direct store in Victor, NY, which is just off I-90 on route 96 just east of Rochester. (I believe the exit off I-90 is #47.)

The sale is at both Bassett stores in Rochester, but one of the stores is closing, so will be selling old inventory from the warehouse for clearance. My advice - go to the the store that is remaining open - directions above - as the prices are the same at both stores, but the quantity and quality will most likely be better.

Ask for Greg Paprocki, who is managing the sale, and he'll do his best to work out some specials for you, especially if it's a large order. (Maybe 2 stagers/designers can team up?)

They will deliver within a 200 mile radius.

Great deals on Furniture/Accessories in Rochester NY Area

Monica Murphy, ASP, IAHSP, RESA (Preferred Staging, LLC) — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 09:14:16 -0600

Ask for Greg Paprocki, who is managing the sale, and he'll do his best to work out some specials for you, especially if it's a large order. (Maybe 2 stagers/designers can team up?)

They will deliver within a 200 mile radius.

Cool & REALLY inexpensive wall art ideas!!

Monica Murphy, ASP, IAHSP, RESA (Preferred Staging, LLC) — Sun, 03 Feb 2008 09:59:51 -0600

Check out this link to Michael's - it's all about really inexpensive, easy, and fast wall art you can make in a matter of hours.

http://www.michaels.com/art/online/static?page=greatdecorinaflash

If you can't find the scrapbook paper that meets your needs, check out www.paperaddict.com. They have a HUGE selection, and shipping is quick.

If you want to make the pieces look even better, put a layer of glaze or semi-thick Modge Podge over it to give it a semi-gloss look and add the appearance of brush strokes.

I personally like the idea of using fabric.

Monica

So which Kodak is really better?

Monica Murphy, ASP, IAHSP, RESA (Preferred Staging, LLC) — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 21:58:16 -0500

My Kodak DX3600 is on it's last legs. So sad to see an old friend go, but it's really been a work horse. I got it for Christmas in 2002, and it was a refurbished camera bought on halfprice.com - it was only $200, including the docking station and a one year warranty. I've sent it back to Kodak twice for repairs to the lens cover and they repaired it both times free of charge. (The first time was about 2 months after I got it, and the second was 5 days after the warranty expired, but they honored the warranty anyway. Good customer service.) I've taken about 4,700 pictures with it, and that was BEFORE I started staging!

My business is beginning to take off - slow but steady - and I need a better camera. (It's also my birthday next month... wonderful how these things coincide!) I've read a lot about both the Kodak V570 and the V705, but which one is really better? Here in the Rain there are accolades and complaints about both cameras. For staging and real estate photos, which do you prefer? They seem to be pretty much the same camera but at a cost difference of $100.

By the way, I've got a 30% off coupon from the Kodak to use at their on-line store. AND I'll be taking the camera to France next year (never been - can't wait!).

What's your opinion on the cameras?

Thanks!