Denise -'s Virginia Home Staging Blog

Happy New Year and Happy Staging

Denise_ Virginia Home Staging (Interior Concept Designs) — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 18:56:42 -0600

Get Geared Up To Sell

Happy New Year all. As we welcome in 2008, I wanted to share with you a few thoughts about preparing your home for sale with Home Staging. Now that the holidays are officially over, and yes they are over, it is time to pack away all those wonderful decorations. While they definitely made your home come to life, it is time to get back into the "sell" mode and transform your home into a house for potential buyers.

The weather will be getting warmer and its time to focus your attention to the outside of your home. Spruce up your front door, paint if needed and take a close look out for any repairs that may be necessary. Remember, you only get one chance at a first impression so take the time to impress with your front door and entry way.

I have already had several staging calls this year. The market is getting into gear after the holidays and so should you.

For more information and home staging tips contact Interior Concept Designs. We offer professional home staging services in Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, DC.

http://www.interiorconceptdesigns.com/

571-264-1747

Home Staging in Virginia

Denise_ Virginia Home Staging (Interior Concept Designs) — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 11:58:55 -0600

Home Staging continues to increase in popularity in the Virginia area. While we still see those awful pictures on the MLS with laundry on the floor, kids toys everywhere and the family pet smack bang in the middle - a higher percentage of homes are presented more favorably for the potential buyer.

Don't let your MLS pictures cause a potential buyer to pass you by. With over 80% of folks heading to the Internet to search for homes, take the time to "stage" your home for sale. Interior Concept Designs offers Home Staging in Virginia, MD and DC.

To find out more, Click here Staging

Model Condo in Haymarket Virginia

Denise_ Virginia Home Staging (Interior Concept Designs) — Sat, 21 Jul 2007 12:33:44 -0500

Model Condo Staged in Virginia

We recently had the opportunity to work with an awesome real estate company, Exit Heritage Realty on a new development in Haymarket Virginia. The developer of this new site of condominiums wanted one model in phase I of their building, staged. Phase II will be coming in about 8-months. Here are a couple of before pictures:

You may view some pics of the "after" condo here:

http://usee360.net/phototours/EXHER_15101WashSt201_Slideshow/

Interior Concept Designs is a full service home staging company serving Virginia, Maryland and Washington DC.

Contact Interior Concept Designs at 571-264-1747

www.interiorconceptdesigns.com

Staging works in Virginia, Maryland and D.C. - we staged and sold 11 homes and counting....

Denise_ Virginia Home Staging (Interior Concept Designs) — Sat, 19 May 2007 19:09:50 -0500

I know that some of you Realtors are still on the fence about Staging and unsure if it really works or not. Many seem to believe there is some value in staging homes, but perhaps don't want to spend the money to get a listing professionally staged. I wanted to share some local results with you. We have staged and sold over 11 homes in the last few months here in the D.C Metro area. We have done this via word of mouth and repeat business; we do not advertise.

Details of the homes we have staged and sold are available on our website at: www.interiorconceptdesigns.com .

For those of you who are unsure about staging, now is the time to seek out a stager and develop a good working relationship. There are good stagers and not so good ones. Find one that works well for you. Ask other Realtors in your office for a referral. Sometimes it can be more about personality than anything else. Staging is here to stay....find yourself a reliable stager sooner, rather than later.

Your competition already has a good stager on their team....do you?

Denise

www.interiorconceptdesigns.com

Home Staging in Virginia, Maryland and DC

571-264-1747

Local Staging Company Featured in Interior Design Magazine

Denise_ Virginia Home Staging (Interior Concept Designs) — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 18:59:37 -0500

For those of you local to the Washington DC Metro area, you may be familiar with the Premier, Interior Design Magazine, Washington Spaces. If you are....look out for us in the next issue due out on stands on Monday.

We worked on two projects with Washinton Spaces magazine in February and March this year. Needless to say, I was honored to work with such a talented, and well respected group of people not once but TWICE.

Washington Spaces magazine chose us to stage their booth at a luxury home show in Maryland. They chose us over several other staging companies because they felt our style was a good match to represent their magazine.

I have to thank my husband for his help and support for pulling this off because I truly could not have done it without him. The booth was a hit at the show; we received compliment after compliment on the setup and design. The booth received twice as much traffic as last year and we were completely out of magazines before the show was over.

Before and After pics below:

For home staging contact Interior Concept Designs at 571-264-1747 . We offer home staging in Virginia, Maryland and Washington DC

Local Staging Company Featured in Interior Design Magazine

Denise_ Virginia Home Staging (Interior Concept Designs) — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 18:58:14 -0500

Before and After pics below:

For home staging contact Interior Concept Designs at 571-264-1747 . We offer home staging in Virginia, Maryland and Washington DC

Virginia Staging Company Featured in Interior Design Magazine

Denise_ Virginia Home Staging (Interior Concept Designs) — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 18:54:30 -0500

Before and After pics below:

For home staging contact Interior Concept Designs at 571-264-1747 . We offer home staging in Virginia, Maryland and Washington DC

Don't Reduce the Price, Stage Your Home for Sale

Denise_ Virginia Home Staging (Interior Concept Designs) — Sun, 15 Apr 2007 17:31:41 -0500

Home Staging CAN make a difference when done the right way. Interior Concept Designs offers Professional Home Staging in Virginia, Maryland and Washington, DC. We were contacted by the listing Realtor on this Reston town home a week before it was going to be listed. She was panicked because she needed a Staging Consultation, there was no furniture in the dining room, she needed furniture for the sunroom and she needed this all done in less than one week! "NO PROBLEM" we said. We specialize in meeting tight deadlines. We keep an inventory of furniture, artwork and accessories on hand; this allows us to provide a quick turnaround time for our customers. (See why NOT to sell a vacant listing here)

We scheduled an appointment to do the initial consultation, and then followed up with a detailed, written report for the home owner. This report is essentially a "to-do" list for the homeowner to get their home ready for potential home buyers. In this case, the "to do" list was the precursor for our arrival and mainly included packing and moving several larger items to storage.

We arrived two days before the open house and immediately got to work. We re-arranged the furniture in the basement to establish two functional areas and a focal point. We brought in accessories to accentuate the home-owner's existing furnishings. On the main level, we re-arranged the furniture in the living room, hung artwork, and brought in furniture for the dining room and sun room.

We were finish a few hours later and the house looked amazing. The house went under contract the same day it was listed to the first buyer that walked in the door. The sellers didn't even hold their open house.

Is Home Staging worth the money? After reading the story above and seeing the pictures below....you decide. Similar units in the same neighborhood are sitting on the market for 45+ days at a lower price. Two-days after this house went under contract, we got a call from another home-owner in the same neighborhood who wanted her home Staged. Her home had been on the market for 60-days and was priced $20,000 below the unit we just Staged.

To be successful requires the right combination of several elements, including the right Realtor.

For more information contact Interior Concept Designs 571-264-1747

http://www.interiorconceptdesigns.com/

Don't Reduce the Price, Stage Your Home for Sale

Denise_ Virginia Home Staging (Interior Concept Designs) — Sun, 15 Apr 2007 17:29:56 -0500

(The main level was repainted a lighter color since we couldn't match the existing color and the home-owner opted for this lighter color)

To be successful requires the right combination of several elements, including the right Realtor.

For more information contact Interior Concept Designs 571-264-1747

www.interiorconceptdesigns.com

Don't sell a house empty. Hire a Professional Home Stager and get it SOLD fast.

Denise_ Virginia Home Staging (Interior Concept Designs) — Sun, 15 Apr 2007 13:50:21 -0500

Selling your home? Don't leave it empty.

By: D. Malden

Here is the scenario: you have to move next month to a new home in another State. You hope to sell your existing home quickly but in the interim it will sit on the market desolate. What to do? You pack up all your things and leave your sale in the hands of your competent Realtor, right? WRONG!!!

Instead, you need to leave your current home in a state that is appealing to the average home buyer. An empty house will NOT evoke warm emotions from a potential buyer. Go "shopping" in your own home and look for items that you can live without for a couple of months. Grab a chair, a bookshelf, and maybe a faux plant. Check with friends and family for items that you can borrow on a short-term basis. Choose things to create ambiance and impose a sense of "home" for your potential buyer.

80% of home buyers begin their home search on the Internet. Many will not view a home if the online pictures and/or virtual tour offer a poor representation of the property. If you were shopping for a home, which picture below would make you want to view the property?

Before Vacant Staging

After Vacant Staging

Prior to staging this condo sat on the market for over 6-months. After staging, the owners received an offer in 7-days, and it later sold.

FACT: 99% of the homes staged by Interior Concept Designs are under contract in less than 30-days.

For more on home staging visit: http://www.interiorconceptdesigns.com/ or call 571-264-1747.

We offer Professional Home Staging services in Virginia, Maryland and Washington DC. Furniture and accessory rental is available.

Interior Concept Designs

Beautifully Staged Townhome for Sale in Maryland - Professionally Staged Home

Denise_ Virginia Home Staging (Interior Concept Designs) — Sun, 15 Apr 2007 13:41:26 -0500

3218 Lombard Street, Baltimore, MS - Everything is brand new. Attention to detail throughout. 2 bed and 2.5 bath (2 whirlpool tubs) & finished lower level. Gleaming hardwood floors, gourmet kitchen, granite counters, ss appliances, washer/dryer, recessed lighting, tray ceilings, crown moldings, ceiling fans. Deck, balcony. WONT LAST!!! $2500 TOWARDS CLOSING if contract by 4/30. DON'T MISS THIS !!

View property details here:

http://homes.longandfoster.com/Real-Estate/PropertyDetails.aspx?MlsCompanyID=2&MlsNumber=BA6291743

Or:

http://www.interiorconceptdesigns.com/featuredlistings.html

Does Home Staging Really Sell Homes Faster?

Denise_ Virginia Home Staging (Interior Concept Designs) — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 11:09:40 -0500

Does Home Staging Sell Homes Faster?

I get asked that question frequently, and it is a valid question. Here is how I answer it. The Realtors that I talk to and work with tell me that homes are sitting on the market anywhere from 60 - 150 days or more in their respective markets. Why? Well, there are a variety of reasons from being priced wrong, to location, to condition; the recent problems in the mortgage industry certainly isn't going to help.

However, all this aside, I can tell you that Professional Home Staging certainly does seem to provide an advantage in helping to sell a home more quickly than an unstaged home. Interior Concept Designs is a Professional Home Staging Company located in Virginia. We have helped sell 7 homes in the Northern Virginia area in the month of March. Some might chalk that up to luck; however, I believe those sales are a direct result of hiring a professional stager to help showcase those homes. In fact, not only did our staged homes sell in under 30-days, they all went under contract less than 10-days after being staged!!

Does home staging help sell homes faster? When you work with a Home Staging company with proven results? Absolutely.

Don't let your home get stuck on the market longer than it needs to. Contact Interior Concept Designs to find out how we can showcase your home and get it Sold.

For more information, or to see homes which recently sold go to:

www.interiorconceptdesigns.com

We serve Virginia, Maryland, and the Washington DC area.

571-264-1747

Quick Staging Tips

Denise_ Virginia Home Staging (Interior Concept Designs) — Sat, 24 Mar 2007 06:01:17 -0500

Tips on staging your home:

Clean your home from top to bottom.
Make sure there are no bad odors (pets, smoking, etc)
Remove distracting items such as personal picture collections, doll collections, trophies, etc
Repair any broken items
Do not forget the exterior of your home. Invest in simple landscaping

For more information go to: www.interiorconceptdesigns.com

We offer Professional Home Staging in the Virginia, Maryland and Washington DC area. Tips on selling your home and preparing you home for sale.

Selling your home? Don't leave it empty.

Denise_ Virginia Home Staging (Interior Concept Designs) — Fri, 23 Mar 2007 11:31:44 -0500

By: D. Malden

Before Vacant Staging

After Vacant Staging

Prior to staging this condo sat on the market for over 6-months. After staging, the owners received an offer in 7-days, and it later sold.

For more on home staging visit: http://www.interiorconceptdesigns.com/ or call 571-264-1747.

We offer Professional Home Staging services in Virginia, Maryland and Washington DC. Furniture and accessory rental is available.

Interior Concept Designs

Please comment on my website

Denise_ Virginia Home Staging (Interior Concept Designs) — Sun, 25 Feb 2007 06:04:54 -0600

Oh yes, me, me, me......LOL. Great idea.

I would love your constructive criticism. Like most folks here, I am a DIY at this and on a low budget until I actually can make some more income so plase be gentle..

http://www.interiorconceptdesigns.com/

Email me your comments and I will try to implement as many as I can.

Selling your home in Virginia

Denise_ Virginia Home Staging (Interior Concept Designs) — Wed, 21 Feb 2007 21:13:46 -0600

Preparing your home for sale

Written by: D. Malden

I keep hearing from realtors that the spring market is picking up. More listings are coming on the market and more buyers are surfacing. If you are considering listing your home for sale, DON'T FORGET to invest the time to make sure your home shows well to potential buyers. Buyers form an initial opinion on your home in under 60-seconds; make every second count.

If you were selling your car, wouldn't you get it detailed? Clean out the trash or at the very least take it to the car wash? So why not detail your home? Your home is often the biggest investment you make. Spend the time to ensure you receive the highest possible return on your home sale. Prepare your home for sale using the following tips as a guideline.

Tips on staging your home:

Clean your home from top to bottom.
Make sure there are no bad odors (pets, smoking, etc)
Remove distracting items such as personal picture collections, doll collections, trophies, etc
Repair any broken items
Do not forget the exterior of your home. Invest in simple landscaping

Arm yourself with information on your market. Buyers are educating themselves and so should you. Know the details of recent home sales in your market and take an honest look at how your home compares. Recent statistics on home sales in PW county are below:

Homes for sale/sold in PW County

Homes in Price William County Sold in December 2006
Average Home Price Sold - ALL Types - $414,638
Average Days on the Market - 103
Average Sale Price as a percentage of Average List Price - 93.97%

ACTIVE Listings of Single Family Homes for Sale in Prince William
County - Jan. 2007 - 1786 Listings
Minimum List Price - $169,900
Maximum List Price - $3,400,000 - Water Front in Woodbridge
Average List Price - $542,204

ACTIVE Listings of Town Homes for Sale in Prince William County
- Jan. 2007 - 959 - Listings
Minimum List Price - $214,900
Maximum List Price - $1,275,000 - Water Front Town Homes in Woodbridge
Average List Price - $337,094

Invest in preparing your home for sale, as you would your car. Home staging is a sensible investment when selling your home. Independent studies prove that staged homes sell faster and for more money. For more on home staging visit: http://www.interiorconceptdesigns.com/, or call 571-264-1747.

Interior Concept Designs

Top three things to do when showing a listing:

Denise_ Virginia Home Staging (Interior Concept Designs) — Mon, 12 Feb 2007 09:34:40 -0600

Top three things to do when showing a home/listing:

I compiled this list based on common questions asked by realtors and what I see on consults and in open houses.

1: Clean & odor free- your house should be spotless. Hire a professional cleaning company to clean your home. Open the windows frequently to let in fresh air

2: Lights - let in the natural light. Open drapes, blinds, etc and turn on all lights. A well lit room appears larger and shows better.

3: Less is more - pack away unused furniture and personal collections. Showcase the space in your house vs your possessions.