Ginger's Blog

Speechless Sunday...a river of FIRE

Sun, 06 Dec 2009 12:54:33 -0600

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Visit the Big Island of Hawaii and see things that you won't see anywhere else. Experience the volcanos, lava, rainforest jungles, black and green sand beaches, great snorkeling or diving, zipping, and enough other activities to keep you busy for weeks.

Click here to see more photos of a great place to stay.

EVERYTHING is bigger here...answer to earlier post. TEXANs it's a must see!

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 22:52:36 -0600

This blog post is an answer to my Price is No Object post from last week.

Here is one more photo that should be a BIGGER clue, before I give the answer below.

Sorry for the blurr...we were walking and not suppose to stop.

Here is the behemoth or maybe better called the STARship.

This is the new Dallas Cowboys stadium in Arlington Texas (not Dallas) and my understanding is that the name of the facility is still being "discussed".

We all know that EVERYTHING in Texas is BIG and this place is no exception. Last month we were visiting the kids in the DFW area and daughter Cheryl had to show us this place. Yes, they have tours and for me it was absolutely worth it. She was concerned because she knew that her football addicted dad would enjoy it but me, that was questionable. However, since I am a big fan of architecture and design I was enthralled for the entire 2.5 hours of the tour.

IF you are ever in the area, do consider taking the tour. Son Jeff has been to a couple of games but he never got to see the place that we visited. The locker rooms, (for the cowboys and the cheerleaders), the high end suites and much, much more.

Here are just a couple more photos..

There are over 3000 sony flat screen monitors in this place...so you never have to worry about missing a play even while you're watching it live on the field or on the massive center field LED screen:

You can book the team locker room for your next grand affair

Or how about the special room where the team enters the field under their LOGO:

The entire facility is opulent and over-the-top but then at 1.2 Billion it should be expected!

Thanks Cheryl dear for taking us on this journey. Fascinating.

Price was no object or it appears that way.

Sun, 29 Nov 2009 10:54:43 -0600

I am a fan of lighting. When we're traveling I will photograph lighting more than most. Here's one that I shot recently:

Care to take a guess at where this is?

Here's another that has built in clues: If you don't see the clues show it to the man of the house.

Supposedly the owner's wife did much of the designing of this SPACE.

I will come back later with the answer. It's a must-see place if you're ever in the area.

The ANSWER IS HERE. SURPRISE!

Local Team forms to help Senior Citizens in Oakhurst area

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 10:51:40 -0600

This group of local business professionals has teamed up to bring information to senior citizens, their families and caregivers. The population in our local area is predominately seniors and we know that many of them have issues that we can help them resolve.

We hold informational seminars to help them achieve peace of mind with their decisions.

We are: SIRT= Seniors Information Resource Team

The members of this group are: (left to right)

Ken Card- Advanced Home Inspections

Barbara Lehmann- C-21 Golden Chain, Senior Real Estate Specialist

Val Allen- Cedar Creek Retirement Community and Chicago Title

Ginger Foust- Dream Interior ReDesign and Staging

Kevin Lowry- State Farm Insurance

Andrew Pence- WJ Bradley Senior Loan Officer

not pictured: Evon Kruse, RN & Bernie McGoldrick, Attorney at Law

Our next seminar will be in January 2010 at the Yosemite Gateway Association of Realtors, Community Room. If you would like more information, send me a private email: ginger@dreamredesigns.com

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Dream Interior Redesign & Staging by Ginger Foust is a full service Professional Staging and ReDesign company serving the California foothill and mountain communities of Oakhurst, North Fork, Coarsegold, Ahwahnee, Bass Lake, Wawona and Mariposa. Click here to see a short slideshow with examples of our staging work. Also, visit our website at www.dreamredesigns.com or www.oakhurststaging.com for more information or call 559-877-2442.

Oakhurst Haunted House a BIG SUCCESS...join us TONIGHT for HALLOWEEN

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 11:03:52 -0500

Our first night of the Haunted house, sponsored by the Sierra Lions Club was a big success.

Here is a preview of just two of the attractions.

Located on Highway 49 at the top of the summit in Nipinawassee at Camp Pacifica. The fun starts at 7 and continues until 10 pm. Cost is $6 per person and includes free spooky movies and a gift drawing.

Updating needed and achieved

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 10:53:26 -0500

When these property owners contacted my company,and I saw this kitchen, my first response was...."what's with this lighting?" The owners response was, "every unit in the building is like this and they have been like this for 30 years." In the past, renting this unit was easy but this time it had been sitting on the rental market for 4 months. Change was in order. They hired Dream Interior Redesign and Staging to update, stage and make it right for today's rental market.

It took us three days to remove that plastic and aluminum fluorescent contraption, rewire, paint, install new lighting, add cabinet hardware and crown molding on the cabinets. For three days work and approximately $150 in supplies, don't you agree that it's a BIG improvement. We couldn't find one updated fluorescent fixture (code in So. Cal kitchens) that would put out as much light as the three we removed, but additional under cabinet lighting will be added soon.

If you want to sell or rent your home, condo or apartment, updating is crucial in today's market. Call us we can help.

Click HERE to see additional photos of the changes we made to this formerly vacant apartment.

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Dream Interior Redesign & Staging by Ginger Foust is a full service Professional Staging and ReDesign company serving the California foothill and mountain communities of Oakhurst, North Fork, Coarsegold, Ahwahnee, Bass Lake, Wawona and Mariposa. Click hereto see a short slideshow with examples of our staging work. Also, visit our website at www.dreamredesigns.com or www.oakhurststaging.com for more information or call 559-877-2442.

Cookin' Chili for a Cause.

Sun, 25 Oct 2009 21:41:55 -0500

Every autumn in North Fork, California you will find a friendly group of locals cooking chili. This year and last year the North Fork Women's Club has sponsored this event. Previously, the North Fork Fire Dept. Auxiliary sponsored the event for 5 years.

If you like Chili, friendly competition and comraderie come to North Fork and experience autumn in the mountains.

Staged FOR RENT...now with a few more photos.

Sun, 25 Oct 2009 11:03:47 -0500

This past week I made the trek to Huntington Beach California to stage an apartment For Rent. In the past the owner of this unit had no trouble renting it in less than a month. However, in this economy and with today's renter's expectations it had been sitting vacant for 4 months.

So I crammed the van with as much as it would hold and we staged the most important rooms.

Do you think that it will now appeal to more renters?

Today is the Open House and I will hear the results tonight. I have mixed feelings. I don't want to make that 5 hour drive this next week to pick up my items BUT I would like to hear that it's rented. (This was for a family member.)

We also made some drastic updating changes in the kitchen and I will post those photos soon.

The living area:

One of the bedrooms:

The dining area:

(I needed four chairs but couldn't squeeze two more into the van.)

Kitchen updating photos to follow later. Thanks for stopping and taking a look.

Click HERE for kitchen photos.

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Haunted House in Oakhurst California

Sun, 25 Oct 2009 10:15:06 -0500

Just 5 days remain until the Haunted House at Camp Pacifica, just north of Oakhurst, California on Highway 41, out of Nippinawassee.

Sponsored by the Sierra Lions Club of Oakhurst this spooky event will be fun and frightening.

Join us on Friday, Oct 30 and 31 from 7-10.

Why did THAT agent get the listing???

Mon, 12 Oct 2009 14:06:38 -0500

Friday, Dream Interior Redesign and Staging got a call from a REA that wanted a consultation on her new listing. Fantastic, I will await the call from the seller.

Immediately the seller called. She explained that their family home had been listed with another agent for six months and they we so outraged with his lack of marketing and MORE, that they had to change listing agents. This smart daughter helped her dad interview 3 agents. She explained that the original listing agency attempted to replace the first agent with one of their "BETTER" agents but the sellers were so disgusted that they just had to start fresh with a new agent from a new brokerage.

I asked her who they interviewed and all of those agents are active, busy agents.

SO...WHAT got this agent the listing?

She offered a free staging consultation with her listing package. The seller told me, "that sealed the deal." She continued, "everyone was offering the same thing but this agent went a step further" and this was exactly what they wanted and needed.

Here are two photos from this house: (Keep in mind this is how this house has been presented for SIX months, in person and in listing photographs)

ONE DAY later, the wallpaper is GONE and today they are shopping for paint and new light fixtures. I know that the changes they are making will help them SELL THIS HOUSE quickly.

Clearly, these sellers were VERY open to my staging suggestions and they remain disgusted that their first agent had never indicated that any changes would increase the appeal of this house and make it more marketable. They WANTED open and honest feedback and that's what I gave them.

Check back later for another post with more photos and results.

SO REALTORS...if you haven't considered having a professional stager assist you with getting more listings AND making those listings stand out from the competition, CALL ONE TODAY. It just might be the best marketing dollars that you've ever spent on your listings.

If you don't know a professional stager, start your search right here on Active Rain.

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Dream Interior Redesign & Staging by Ginger Foust, is a full service Professional Staging and ReDesign company serving the California foothill and mountain communities of Oakhurst, North Fork, Coarsegold, Ahwahnee, Bass Lake, Wawona and Mariposa. Visit our website at www.dreamredesigns.com or www.oakhurststaging.com for more information or call 559-877-2442.

Come to the Mountains and do some yummy tasting

Fri, 09 Oct 2009 11:02:17 -0500

This weekend in Oakhurst, at the Community Park is the annual

Wine and Chocolate Festival.

It's Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 10-11 from 10am to 5 pm.

Besides great chocolate treats and different varieties of wine to sample, many local restaurants are also preparing delicious taste treats.

Our Sierra Lions Club is sponsoring the chocolate fountain booth so drop by between 11-2 on Saturday and mention that you saw this blog on Active Rain and I will give you a free chocolate dip. Don't forget to ask for Ginger.

Admission is $2 at the gate.

Enjoy our crisp mountain air and have some family fun with activities for the young and old.

For more information visit the Oakhurst Chamber of Commerce Website.

Speechless Sunday...waiting for the Green Flash

Sun, 04 Oct 2009 12:25:18 -0500

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There's still time to book your escape to Hawaii's paradise in November.

Click here for a short slideshow (turn on your speakers for the full Hawaiian effect)

Click here to visit our vacation rental website for more photos and information.

Haunted House coming to Oakhurst

Sun, 27 Sep 2009 17:26:21 -0500

October 30, Friday and October 31, Saturday, the Sierra Lions Club of Oakhurst, will be sponsoring a Haunted House.

Currently we are busy converting an abandoned, old house at Camp Pacifica into a spooky, chilling and fun event for anyone in our mountain communities. Camp Pacifica is located on Highway 49, just north of Oakhurst at the top of the Nippinawassee summit.

All proceeds will be used to benefit our ongoing service projects. Stay tuned for more details!

Senior Citizen Seminar in Oakhurst...and it's FREE

Thu, 24 Sep 2009 11:25:38 -0500

October 16, from 10:30 - 12:30 our S.I.R.T. group will present a seminar to senior citizens, their families and caregivers.

The seminar is FREE to everyone and will be at the Yosemite Gateway Association of Realtors Community Room. It is located at the far end of the Sears parking lot, under the flag pole. Space is limited and is first come, first serve.

S.I.R.T, the Seniors Information Resource Team is a volunteer group of local professional business people that want to help get information out to senior citizens. We DO NOT sell anything at this seminar. Leave your wallet, checkbook and credit card at home.

Subjects range from: Housing Transitions, Reverse Mortgages, Homes Selling, Home Maintenance, Long-term Care Insurance and much more.

Coffee, tea, sweets and information will be provided.

JOIN US.

Call Ginger Foust at 559-877-2442 for more information and visit our website at www.SIRT4U.com

Selling your home in the Oakhurst, California mountain area. Attention to DETAILS

Mon, 24 Aug 2009 10:08:12 -0500

Whether you live in Coarsegold, Bass Lake, Mariposa, Ahwahnee, Wawona, Fish Camp, North Fork or Oakhurst there are things that every seller can do to optimize the chances of selling your home or second home.

Dream Interior Redesign and Staging is frequently called in to stage properties that are very unique. We can provide accessories and artwork that work to make each house stand out from the competition. Our focus is on the house, the environment and the season. Here are a few of the details that we added to a mountain cabin on the road to Yosemite, staged in the winter.

Sorry you can't buy this one...its SOLD. If you have a mountain cabin or a home FOR SALE at the lake, Dream Interior Redesign and Staging will stage it to bring the focus to that house.

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Kitchens and Baths sell homes. Here are some of the details that our company has added kitchens and baths of staged homes in the Oakhurst and Mariposa mountain communities.

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Living and family rooms are frequently the first room that a potential buyer will see beyond the foyer. Our company will give your house the WOW factor that makes buyers want to see more. Attention to the smallest of details is what sets us apart and will set your house apart from the competition.

Let us add the DETAILS to make your home a STAR!

This blog post is the sixth (6th) in a series about selling a home in the mountain communites that surround Oakhurst and Mariposa, California.

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Selling your home in the Oakhurst California mountain communities. Staging the Kitchen

Sat, 22 Aug 2009 15:02:01 -0500

The kitchen is truly the Heart of the Home and its condition and presentation are crucial when selling a home. Today's buyers want a kitchen with high-end features: stone counter tops, stainless steel appliances, large islands and more. IF your home does not have these features, then a professional stager can help you improve its image without spending a lot of your hard-earned cash. If you do have these luxuries, then we can warm up the space and add personality.

Below are examples of kitchens that our company has staged locally. You will see kitchens from a wide range of listing price-points, from over $800,000 to under $100,000.

This manufactured home needed some sprucing up before it was marketed, but it was an estate sale and the heirs just didn't want to spend the money. After a year on the market, they listed with a new agent and he pushed for some improvements and staging. The home sold in just 37 days after we achieved this new look.

This lovely traditional home just had too much of the owner's personal treasures on display. We simplified the look, removed the clutter and helped buyers focus on the kitchen's features. It SOLD in just two weeks.

This home's kitchen had many of the wow factors that buyers want today. We added the color, the pizazz and the personality. Professional staging works at any price point and in any setting.

Beautiful but very design & decor specific on the interior because this was the personal DREAM home of a building contractor. His family used it on weekends as their second home, waiting for retirement, but this economy changed those plans. We added personality and pizazz to make the home more appealing to a wider range of the buyers in this mountain community. It was under contract in just two weeks.

Let us help you transform your kitchen into a space that will truly appear to be the HEART of the HOME.

This post is fifth (5^th) in a series about staging and selling homes in Oakhurst and Mariposa mountain communities. The first four were: #1 Master Bedrooms, #2 Bathrooms, #3 Dining Areas, and #4 Living Areas.

Coming Soon,#6 DETAILS.

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Dream Interior Redesign & Staging by Ginger Foust is a full service, Professional Staging and ReDesign company serving the California foothill and mountain communities surrounding Oakhurst, North Fork, Coarsegold, Ahwahnee, Bass Lake, Wawona and Mariposa. Click here to see a short slideshow with examples of our staging work. Also, visit our website at www.dreamredesigns.com or www.oakhurststaging.com for more information or call 559-877-2442.

Selling your Home in the Oakhurst California mountain areas. Staging Important Living Areas

Fri, 21 Aug 2009 13:39:35 -0500

The living room and family rooms areas of your home are critical when your place your house on the resale market. If your furniture is in a good state of repair, is clean and not TOO old, then a professional stager can use your items to save you money on the cost of staging.

Below are photos of living areas where all major furniture pieces belonged to the sellers.

This formal living room was the first room that potential buyers saw from the foyer, a crucial room for staging. In the before photo, the sofa was blocking the view and taking up space in the desirable bay window. Also this arrangement was not functional since the love seat was the only piece of furniture. We moved furniture in from other rooms and removed dated window dressings and excessive wall art. Then, we created a room arrangement that did not impede traffic flow but created a comfortable, conversation area that unblocked the views from that bay window. Now the focus is where it should be for potential buyers.

This vacant home had potential but most buyers don't "see" potential. The sellers agreed to part with their sofa and loveseat while this house was being marketed. We created a conversational TV viewing area that highlighted the fireplace as a focal point. Buyers no longer had to guess on how to arrange furniture in this space.

In the photos above this mountain retreat was the second home of the sellers. They enjoyed this home on the weekends and holidays but they never added any personality to the interiors. This house felt unfinished. We used only the sellers major furnishings but we added our artwork, accessories and finishing details to give new life to every room. We added the personality, color and comfort. Now buyers could visualize themselves gazing out of the windows towards the twinkling lights in the valley below.

This vacant home has an awesome creek side setting. It had been on the market for well over a year and had been listed by three different agents. All three had told the sellers that the home showed better vacant...so it lingered on the market with NO activity. We had the sellers bring back major furniture pieces and WOW what a change. The house no longer felt cold and the burgundy carpet was no longer the only thing that potentials buyers saw as they entered this space. Dream Interior Redesign and Staging added all of the accessories to highlight the massive stone fireplace and the views of the creek (not visible in these photos). No more lookie-loos in this house...it's SOLD.

Let us transform your living spaces into rooms where potential buyers do more than just take a look. They want to sit down, linger and write an offer.

This post is #4 in a series about staging and selling homes in Oakhurst and Mariposa California mountain communities. To see the first three posts, click on the numbers: #1 Master Bedrooms, #2 Bathrooms, #3 Dining Areas. Coming Soon, #5 Kitchens

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Selling your Home in the Oakhurst California mountain area. Staging Dining Areas

Wed, 19 Aug 2009 14:13:08 -0500

Whether you are selling your home in Coarsegold, Bass Lake, Mariposa, Ahwahnee, Wawona, Fish Camp, North Fork or Oakhurst there are things that every seller can do to optimize the chances of making that sale.

This post is #3 in a series on staging homes in the Oakhurst, California mountain communities. Click here to see post #1, Master Bedrooms and #2 Bathrooms.

Below are just a few examples of the wide variety of dining areas that we have staged.

The kitchen island in this Mariposa home was huge and very functional. With granite countertops and plenty of space the problem here was that most buyers are visual and many wouldn't couldn't "see" how useful this island would be for family breakfasts or additional seating adjacent to the dining table. A few counter height stools, some place settings and now buyers could imagine the functionality of this space. We gave it some life and personality.

Every room in this Oakhurst home was nicely decorated, including the dining room. The problem was that there was just too much in this space and too many of the seller's personal collectibles were on display. Staging means removing personal items so that buyers can focus on the details of the house.

Staging is not for vacant homes. This 2nd home, get-away "cabin" hadn't been updated in many years. Dream Interior Redesign and Staging came in and neutralized some of the décor, added pops of color and created a dining area that was inviting and we did it on a very tight budget.

Don't overlook the dining areas outside. We are blessed with good weather much of the year and eating on the deck, balcony or patio is part of the joy of our California lifestyles. Add a punch of color, add some pizazz, add some fun accessories and let the potential buyer imagine welcoming our cool evenings with a cocktail or soft drink.

Let us help you create an appealing dining area in your home so that buyers can imagine themselves sitting down for a good meal and conversation.

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Selling your Home in the Oakhurst, California mountain area. Tips for Staging Bathrooms.

Mon, 17 Aug 2009 14:16:10 -0500

This post is the second in a series on staging homes in the Oakhurst mountain area. Click here to see post #1, Master Bedrooms.

Today's buyers want the bathrooms to be both functional AND have a touch of luxury. THINK Spa Look when preparing the bathrooms in your home for the resale market. A professional stager knows how to achieve that look for a very budget friendly price. Owners of vacant properties can rent these items from us for a minimal investment.

EVERYONE wants high-end surfaces throughout their homes today. Updating your bathrooms with those surfaces can be cost prohibitive when preparing a home for resale. To overcome those issues you must do everything that you can to give your bathrooms a high-end look.

First and foremost, every bathroom MUST sparkle and shine. Buyer's will look everywhere and if they find grungy shower stalls or stained and cracked grout, they will most likely be turned off and move on to the next house.

I frequently see bathrooms with wallpaper and themed décor. Removing those issues helps potential buyers "see" the bathroom as an easy fit into their decorating style. Neutral paint schemes are usually the best choice. You cannot go wrong with Glidden's: Water Chestnut as a choice for a paint color.

Fresh, new towels add a spa feeling to a bath. Your family should know that those are your "show towels" and their daily use towels can be stored in the washing machine or dryer. If your bathroom needs a shower curtain you can purchase a new one for under $10 but don't choose one with a pattern that is specific to your taste. Try to be "neutral" in your selection.

The countertops, in all of your bathrooms, should be cleared of the daily use items like: toothbrushes, lotions, colognes and hair dryers etc. Store those items in the cabinets or drawers. Add a simple silk arrangement and/or candles.

Below are just a few examples of the bathrooms in homes that we have staged.

In the photos above the seller's had décor that was very personal to their taste and a bit dated. Before the house was listed these savvy sellers called in Dream Interior Redesign and Staging for a Staging Consultation. They took 6 weeks to prepare their home. Reluctantly they removed the wallpaper and the blue and mauve color scheme. They followed up with a neutral paint color, (but not white) Glidden's: Water Chestnut. On "staging day", we added the final touches with our accessories and the house sold in just two weeks after listing.

In the bathroom above Dream Interior Redesign and Staging prepared this home for renting not for sale. We painted all surfaces, added a frame to the large mirror, replaced the rusted light fixture and cabinet knobs and then added decor. This vacation rental is rented close to full time. Vacationers are SOLD when they see the photos on-line. Make sure that your home's online photos will entice buyers to make an appointment to see YOUR house.

This luxury mountain home was already a stunner. Unfortunately the owner/seller had done nothing to add some "neutral" personality to the house" and it had been listed for many months with no offers. Adding a "spa feeling" helped complete the desired looked for this high-end home and it had an offer within 16 days of professional staging.

Let us help you transform the bathroom in your home so that buyers can see themselves luxuriating in those spaces.

Check back later for #3 in this series...Staging Dining Areas.

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Dream Interior Redesign & Staging by Ginger Foust is a full service, Professional Staging and ReDesign company serving the California foothill and mountain communities surrounding Oakhurst, North Fork, Coarsegold, Ahwahnee, Bass Lake, Wawona and Mariposa. Click here to see a short slideshow with examples of our staging work. Also, visit our website at www.dreamredesigns.com or www.oakhurststaging.com for more information or call 559-877-2442.

Selling your Home in the Oakhurst California mountain area, Tips for Staging Master Bedrooms

Sat, 15 Aug 2009 22:05:40 -0500

Whether you are selling your home in Coarsegold, Bass Lake, Mariposa, Ahwahnee, Wawona, Fish Camp, North Fork or Oakhurst there are things that every seller can do to optimize the chances of making that sale.

Today's buyers want a master bedroom that is a retreat. They want comfort and style. They do not want clutter or excess.

When preparing your home For Sale, first make sure that the Master Bedroom is visually, as large as possible. This often means removing excessive furnishings and placing them in storage for an eventual move. Large scale chest of drawers and other cabinets may need to be removed to enhance the appearance of the square footage in the bedroom.

Second, make sure that every surface is white glove clean and tidy (steam iron the bedding). Third, remove your personal items, such as family photos. Buyer's do not want to move into your bedroom, they want to visualize themselves in this space. Also, the bed should always be the focal point. Placement of all items is crucial to capitalize on this element.

Dream Interior Redesign and Staging has worked with a wide variety of seller situations and budgets. Vacant or occupied, new or very used we have solutions to help you get your house SOLD.

Below are just a few examples of our staging projects and work with Master Bedrooms.

PHOTOS ABOVE: In this occupied home, the seller had a good start at preparing their master bedroom but she needed help in completing the transformation and putting on the finishing touches. This professionally staged home sold in just 2 weeks.

ABOVE PHOTOS: In this vacant home the agent (owner) kept hearing how the master bedroom was too small. It had been on the market for months and had received many showings but no offers. We staged just two areas in this house: the master bedroom en-suite and the kitchen/dining area. After we moved in our inventory and did the staging, the second prospective buyer to see the house purchased the house. Vacant homes lack personality, feel cold and often appear smaller than they do with the proper furniture placement.

The home above was a vacant property in the Bass Lake area and it had been on the market for OVER a YEAR. The third, smart and savvy agent convinced the seller's to let Dream Redesign and Staging professionally stage their home. Our first goal was to tone down the lush but overwhelming burgundy carpet throughout this awesome creekside, mountain home. We added all the furniture, artwork and accessories to this master bedroom retreat. The property was removed from the market shortly afterwards in a lease option arrangement and it is now SOLD.

Let us help you create a master bedroom retreat where potential buyers want to linger.

This is Part 1 in a series of posts about selling a home in the Oakhurst, California mountain area...check back for Part 2.

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Dream Interior Redesign & Staging by Ginger Foust is a full service Professional Staging and ReDesign company serving the California foothill and mountain communities surrounding Oakhurst, North Fork, Coarsegold, Ahwahnee, Bass Lake, Wawona and Mariposa. Click here to see a short slideshow with examples of our staging work. Also, visit our website at www.dreamredesigns.com or www.oakhurststaging.com for more information or call 559-877-2442.

We Serve...Sierra Lions Club, Oakhurst CA

Thu, 13 Aug 2009 10:14:19 -0500

I'm so proud to be a member of the Lions Club. I now have the time to devote to a service club and I began my search for the right club 4 years ago. I visited several of our local community service clubs and finally made my decision to be part of the Sierra Lions Club in Oakhurst, California

My husband has been a Lion where ever we have lived and he is a member in our small community today (but his club doesn't have any women members.). Until recently I didn't have the time for club membership, because I cannot just be a member, I need to be an active member.

If you are not familiar with Lions Club it is the largest service organization in the WORLD. The primary focus of Lions has always been vision care but each club determines their own mission, projects and fund-raisers.

This July our club participated in the annual "camperships" at Camp Pacifica just north of Oakhurst. The camp facility is a Lions facility and is supported by many regional clubs. During the week of our participation 135 deaf teens and their counselors spent time bonding and enjoying their time in our beautiful Sierra Mountains. Lions club volunteers flew in teens from across the US for this experience.

Our job was to feed the campers and counselors three times during their weeks stay, plus tranport them to and from camp from the airport.

It was a very quiet dining room at lunch and dinner until the boom box was turned up FULL blast so that they could "feel the beat". We had a great time and the teens were very respectful and appreciative.

If you are looking for a service club in your area check out LIONS CLUB INTERNATIONAL. You won't be sorry.

Bass Lake California...there's plenty of water. Cool off here.

Sat, 18 Jul 2009 14:09:26 -0500

Bass Lake, California,...there's plenty of water. Cool off here.

Ignore those new reports that tell you about how little water there is at Bass Lake in the beautiful Sierra Mountain range, just outside of Oakhurst, California

If you are on your way to Yosemite, on Highway 41, take a very short side trip just north of Oakhurst. Turn right on Road 222 and in 10 minutes you will be at the lake. Take a drip in the lake, have a picnic, enjoy lunch at the soda fountain at the Forks, a shave ice at Millers or a gourmet dinner, lakefront at Duceys. Rent a ski boat, a pontoon boat or a fishing boat.

Enjoy the day or the week. Bass Lake is a great place to visit and to live.

Why hasn't my Oakhurst California home SOLD?

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 16:59:22 -0500

Most of us know of the tried and true BIG 3 when it comes to selling a house, PRICE, LOCATION and CONDITION. If your house is listed or you are considering selling, have your looked seriously at these crucial issues?

Knowing the correct listing price is critical. A professional real estate agent is your best friend in determining a price that will make your home attractive to potential buyers and then actively marketing your property. The location of your house helps determine the price, as does the condition of your home. Though you cannot change the location, the price and the condition are under your control. Helping you to know how to properly prepare your house, so that you can reap the largest return on your investment in the shortest period of time is the job of a Professional Real Estate Home Stager.

Here are some examples of homes, in our area, with issues that potential sellers could not overlook. In each of these examples, Dream Interior Redesign and Staging was called in for a staging consultation. When a Professional Stager comes into your home for a consultation the following are the areas that should be addressed:

CURB APPEAL and EXTERIOR CONDITIONS:

REPAIRS:

DECLUTTERING:

DEPERSONALIZING:

NEUTRALIZING:

UPDATING:

CLEAN:

STAGING of OCCUPIED & VACANT PROPERTIES:

To the best of our knowledge, when the sellers made the recommended changes and spent some time preparing the house for the resale market, the house SOLD. When our Dream Team does the actual staging the statistics are even stronger. Professional Staging does help sell houses. Hiring a team of: a Real Estate Sales Professional and a Professional Home Stager is the best option available today for making the sale in the shortest period of time for the largest return on your investment.

The houses, from the photos above and many more, where the sellers chose to ignore the staging suggestions and did not listen to the Realtor regarding pricing, have not sold. Some of those houses have been sitting on the market for years and some have now become short sale or foreclosure properties.

Smart and savvy home sellers recognize the need for preparation. Sales price alone is rarely the answer to making the sale.

Click here to see a slideshow with a small sampling of our staging projects. IF you seriously want to sell then you need to consider AT LEAST a staging consultation.

Dream Interior Redesign & Staging by Ginger Foust is a full service Professional Staging and ReDesign company serving the California foothill and mountain communities of Oakhurst, North Fork, Coarsegold, Ahwahnee, Bass Lake, Fish Camp, Wawona and Mariposa. Also, visit our website at www.dreamredesigns.com or www.oakhurststaging.com For more information call 559-877-2442.

Pooh, the Dinosaur, the Garden and the Watermelon

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 23:06:00 -0500

How many times do we (professional stagers) say it. Have you heard it: The way we dwell is NOT the way to SELL.

These photos are from an example of clients that took my staging consultation seriously and made the necessary changes even though their house was a short sale property. They knew that paint was an inexpensive investment in getting the house more attention and getting it sold.

This house had 5 bedrooms and here are four:

The DINOSAUR (boys) room before:

Boys Bedroom AFTER

The garden (girls) bedroom before:

Girls Bedroom AFTER:

The Pooh (girls) Bedroom before:

Girls Bedroom AFTER:

The "Watermelon" master bedroom before:

Master Bedroom AFTER:

EVERY listed house needs at least a staging consultation AND savvy clients that implement some needed changes.

Call Dream Interior Redesign and Stagingfor an inexpensive staging consultation. Learn the professional tips that will help get your home off the market and SOLD. Serving the California foothill and mountain communities of Coarsegold, Oakhurst, North Fork, Ahwahnee, Mariposa, Raymond, Wawona and Fish Camp. (559) 877-2442

Do You Want To Sell The House Or Do You Want To Be Comfortable?

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 16:06:27 -0500

I am in TOTAL agreement with this blog post of Sharon Tara and I couldn't have said it better. PLEASE read.

Via Sharon Tara New Hampshire Home Stager (Sharon Tara Transformations):

Selling a house is a stressful process. Preparing a house for sale is a lot of work. Living in a house for sale can be very inconvenient. You may have to rearrange the furniture or even worse, move your favorite recliner to storage.

If you are going to sell your house, here's the first question you need to answer:

What's more important to you - that you be comfortable in your favorite chair or that you sell quickly without having to reduce the price?

I find it quite amusing when sellers take a firm stand, arms crossed, a look of defiance on their face, and refuse to remove the giant TV from the master bedroom because they just can't give up watching TV from their bed. Or, they refuse to move the monster bag of dog food from the kitchen to the garage, because it would be too inconvenient to store it out there.

I actually had a seller look me in the eye and say it would be "disturbing to their routine" to have to remove their personal products from the shower on a daily basis.

If you believe that it's your right to live in your house comfortably and that buyers will just have to see past your stuff, and you have made up your mind that you will give this "staging thing" a try, but only for one month and then you are going back to living "normal" then this message is for you:

It doesn't matter to me how long your house sits on the market. I'm not making the mortgage payment or paying the taxes. I get paid for my consultation and get the same amount regardless if you sell tomorrow or a year from now.

I am here for one reason only, to tell you how you can make your house more appealing to buyers, which will help you sell faster and increase your odds of making more money. You can follow my advice or choose not to.

We are on the same team. We both want the same end result.

I'm not the one who is going to lose or gain depending on the outcome, you are!