nh home stager: Only ONE Photo Used In This MLS Listing....And, It's Not Of The House - 04/12/13 03:56 AM
 
I recently noticed a new FOR SALE sign in the area.  A beautiful house has come on the market and in addition to being a Home Stager, I'm also a curious neighbor... I couldn't wait to check out the MLS pictures.  Imagine my surprise.....my complete disbelief ....when I saw only one photo.  As if having only one photo isn't bad enough, the only photo for this listing isn't even of the whole house.
The single photo for this listing is of the front door....not even the whole entryway (which is very nice)....just a cropped shot of the door.
For illustration purposes … (164 comments)

nh home stager: Interesting Study Reveals How Home Buyers Look At Listings Online - 03/29/13 04:50 AM
Interesting Study Reveals How Buyers Look At Listings Online
 
Nearly all home buyers begin their search online.  This is not new information.
 What is new information is HOW buyers are looking at listings online.  Knowing exactly how buyers scan listings can be very useful information in real estate marketing.  What part of a listing do buyers go to first and where do they spend the most time?
Prof. Michael Seiler, Old Dominion University at Norfolk, Virginia tracked the eye movement of people viewing online home listings in his study "Toward an Understanding of Real Estate Home Buyer Internet Search Behavior: An Application of … (63 comments)

nh home stager: NH Home Staging Tip For Bathroom Tile....Making Grout Look New - 08/06/12 12:43 PM
NH Home Staging Tip For Bathroom Tile....Making Grout Look New 

You don't have to be preparing your house for sale to want to improve the look of your bathroom tile.
 If you have stained or discolored grout that you would like to make look new again, I recommend using  Grout Refresh.
It's an easy to use colorant.  The results are wonderful!
The grout on my guest bath floor was discolored in some areas...no matter what I tried, including my steam cleaner, it just wouldn't come clean.  
I got Grout Refresh at Lowe's and applied it with a toothbrush.
If you … (27 comments)

nh home stager: Getting Rid of Your Clutter Could Change The Life of Someone Else - 08/03/12 03:51 AM
Getting Rid of Your Clutter Could Change The Life of Someone Else
 
I've learned so much over the years as a Home Stager in New Hampshire.  I've worked in many homes and it never ceases to amaze me how much "stuff" people accumulate and how reluctant they can be to part with it.
It's interesting how much of a hold material items can have on us...and how often they are allowed to take over our living space.  
Getting rid of the clutter will improve your life,  and it could also change the life of someone else.
I am currently … (72 comments)

nh home stager: New Hampshire Home Stager's #1 Rule For Decorating Your Home - 07/09/12 03:18 AM
New Hampshire Home Stager's #1 Rule For Decorating Your Home

I'll start by saying although Home Staging is considered decorating by many;
I do not claim to be, nor have I been trained to be, a decorator.
 
As a New Hampshire Home Stager, I help sellers make their homes more appealing to buyers. My client's taste and personal style are not my concern.  Home Staging is not about the homeowner's convenience or comfort...it's about creating space and flow and highlighting positive features.    It's not decorating, it's marketing. 
As a New Hampshire Home Stager, I also help homeowners, who are not selling, give … (35 comments)

nh home stager: NH Home Staging Consult - Before & After - Contingent In 3 Weeks! - 06/15/12 05:24 AM
NH Home Staging Consult - Before & After - Contingent In 3 Weeks!

A few months ago I did a Home Staging Consult for a nice couple planning to list their house for sale.  Their agent, John Rice of Tate & Foss, recommends staging consults to all his new listings.
My first impression was that the house was much older than it actually is.
The first room you see upon entering their house is the living room.  It screamed "colonial" with a dated eagle mirror over the fireplace and a burgundy and navy color scheme.  There was too much furniture, … (28 comments)

nh home stager: Selling Your New Hampshire Home - Simple Home Staging Tips - 05/18/12 05:34 AM
 Selling Your New Hampshire Home - Simple Home Staging Tips

I was recently hired to provide a Home Staging Consult at a beautiful Barrington, New Hampshire home.  New paint colors were suggested and some furniture was rearranged.  For the most part, the suggestions made were easy to follow and no major updates were needed.
This child's bedroom provides a good example of some simple Home Staging tips to keep in mind when preparing your home for sale.
 

Furniture placed partially in front of a window suggests a lack of space.


 Potential buyers may think the room … (19 comments)

nh home stager: Portsmouth New Hampshire Home Staging Consult Results In Quick Sale - 05/11/12 05:26 AM
Portsmouth New Hampshire Home Staging Consult Results In Quick Sale
As a professional Home Stager in New Hampshire, one of the greatest rewards of my work is a fast sale for my clients.   I got a call last week from a client who wanted to thank me for helping her find a buyer in record time....she received TWO offers on the first day!
I was thrilled to hear that all our her hard work had paid off.
I wish I had some great before and after shots to share....unfortunately that is one aspect of my business that could use improvement.  I often … (26 comments)

nh home stager: New Hampshire Home Stager Product Review - The Xtend & Climb Telescoping Ladder - 05/07/12 06:29 AM
New Hampshire Home Stager Product Review - The Xtend & Climb Telescoping Ladder
 I rely on product reviews from consumers when I'm looking to purchase.  It's helpful to hear the pros and cons from someone who has used the product, so....
When I find a great product, I like to share it with others. 
My latest "great product" is the Xtend & Climb ladder. My husband bought the ladder for access to our attic.  Our new home only has an opening to the attic, no drop-down stairs.  He wanted a ladder that's compact and easy to store since it wouldn't be used … (26 comments)

nh home stager: You Don't Need A DeLorean To Get Back To The Future - 04/09/12 03:52 AM
You Don't Need A DeLorean To Get Back To The Future I lOVE Michael J. Fox and the Back To The Future movies!  Time travel has always been a favorite of mine.
 Ironic that I should end up as a Professional Home Stager in New Hampshire helping sellers find their way out of the past and into the future!

Too many sellers are trapped in a time warp and don't even realize it.  Grandma's curtains, heavy "custom" drapes, brass light fixtures,  mauve carpeting, gold bathroom fixtures, lace doilies, dried flowers, and 25 year old baby blue sofas hold homeowners captive in the … (83 comments)

nh home stager: New Hampshire Home Staging - Feeling The Love - 01/20/12 08:39 PM
New Hampshire Home Staging - Feeling The Love
You've probably heard that once you list your New Hampshire home, it's no longer a "home" but now a "house" for sale....a product.  Although it's important to remember that selling a house is marketing a product, it's also important to make sure that your product is emotionally appealing to buyers. 
Janice Ankrett, professional Home Stager in Canada, suggests feeling the love when it comes to real estate preparation and I totally agree!
Via Janice Ankrett Burlington Ontario Accredited Staging Professional (Janice Ankrett Home Staging):
 
In Staging we talk a lot about de-personalizing a … (8 comments)

nh home stager: Chalkboard Paint Your Pumpkin - 10/24/11 11:37 AM
Chalkboard paint on pumpkins?  
Why not?
 It makes perfect sense....

Black pumpkins are great for decorating
 
 
but, even more important....
the kids love them!
 
 Jack and Zack spent over an hour decorating their black pumpkins with chalk.  They love the erasing as much as the chalking!
It's easy to do.  Just tape off the stem and spray your pumpkins with Rust-Oleum Chalkboard Paint.
Spray a second coat within an hour.  Your pumpkins will be ready for chalk art in 24 hours.

… (27 comments)

nh home stager: Choosing Color - Making The Best of a Bad Situation - 10/03/11 04:54 PM
Whether you are preparing your house for sale or just want a fresh new look, choosing color is an intimidating task for most.  It's even harder to choose a color when there is a negative color "permanently" attached to the room for one reason or another.
For example, a dated carpet or tile color that you can't afford to replace or a wall color that you don't have the time or physical ability to change.  Not everyone is in a position to make major improvements.  That doesn't mean you can't make the best of what you have to work with.
Sometimes … (34 comments)

nh home stager: New Hampshire Home Stager - The Miracle Worker Widow Maker - 05/16/11 12:34 PM

I'm a professional home stager in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.  I assist people in preparing their house for sale.  New Hampshire isn't exactly the hub of home staging, but I believe, it's just a matter of time before home staging becomes the real estate standard.  Until then, sellers who understand the benefits of home staging have a significant competitive edge over those who don't.
Although I don't consider myself a miracle worker, I have been called one.  While there have been a few Realtors who declared the results of my work "nothing short of a miracle",  I didn't get the name as a result … (29 comments)

nh home stager: How Far In Advance Should I Schedule A Home Staging Consult? - 02/04/11 10:52 PM
"My husband and I are selling our house probably within the next 6 months.  I found your home staging site online and would like some advice on getting the house ready.  How far in advance should I call to schedule a consult?"  Lisa K.

 
The sooner the better!  The more time you have to prepare your house for sale, the less stressful it will be. 

 
Also, the home staging consult gives you the information you need to work smart - addressing the areas that matter most.
Many sellers invest money, time, and energy on the wrong improvements and find their house sitting instead of selling.
Once listed, a house … (29 comments)

nh home stager: OK I Surrender! Tagged Five Times! Here's My MeMe!! - 01/22/11 06:59 PM
OK Already!!  I Surrender!  I got TAGGED by Kathy Streib.  Kathy wasn't alone.
 Pat Haddad and Valerie Sagheddu and Cynthia Bartch and Nancy Conner also tagged me!
I feel so popular!  Or...could it be there is no one else left to tag?
 
Here's the MeMe Rules (please paste the following paragraph into your post if you are tagged):
"I'd like to know what YOUR Big Hairy Audacious Goal (BHAG) is for 2011. I'd also like to know more about you, and your background, what is it about you that makes this BHAG so important?  What experiences are you bringing with you into 2011 that will make … (38 comments)

nh home stager: Some Real Estate Agents Insist On Having ALL The Fun - 09/14/10 08:12 AM
In a recent post "Home Stagers and Real Estate Agents...Fun Work and Easy Money" I wrote about how over worked and under appreciated real estate agents are.  One solution to improve their situation would be to find a professional home stager they trust to work with their clients.
Some agents, however, just don't want to share the fun...they want it all for themselves.
Would the agent's job be easier if a stager were assisting their sellers prepare the house for sale?
Sure it would be easier, but the agent would miss the fun of creating the seller's to-do list and justifying the expense investment of the necessary improvements. 
They wouldn't get to have that conversation regarding the foul smell … (18 comments)

nh home stager: Thirty Two Years Ago Today I Married My Best Friend - 09/09/10 08:26 AM
Thirty two years ago today, September 9, 1978, I married my best friend.

It hasn't all been perfect - it certainly wasn't easy.  We didn't always know where the money was going to come from to pay the bills, but we always knew we would be ok.  We always knew we had each other. 
I supported him when he really wanted a dog, when he really wanted a pool table, when he really wanted a boat...even though we couldn't afford any of them.  I eventually forgave him when he bought the motorcycle even though he knew I was dead set against it.

He has supported me through panic disorder and anxiety … (32 comments)

nh home stager: The Fish Won't Clean Themselves - 09/05/10 09:10 AM

 
It's a dirty job, but someone has to do it.
Get someone who knows what they are doing,
someone with skill and experience,
and it's a beautiful thing to watch.
Fast, clean and no bones! 


Get someone who has no idea what they are doing, and you will be left with
a stinking, bloody mess.
I guarantee you'll be spitting out bones at the fish fry.
 
What's all this got to do with selling your house? 
Nothing really...
 I just love this picture of my friend Carlos, cleaning the fish after a day of deep sea fishing.
 
If you don't … (20 comments)

nh home stager: Wordless Wednesday - While Mommy & Daddy Are In Vegas... - 07/14/10 08:53 PM

… (32 comments)

 
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Sharon Tara New Hampshire Home Stager

Portsmouth, NH

More about me…

Sharon Tara Transformations

Address: 23 Alice Lane, Rochester, NH, 03867

Office Phone: (603) 661-8524

Cell Phone: (603) 661-8524

Email Me

Author Bio: Sharon Tara is a professional Home Stager serving the greater Seacoast New Hampshire area. Sharon specializes in owner-occupied home staging consults to help sellers prepare and present their home for sale.



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