home staging: Do You Need to Stage Your Home in a Seller's Market?
- 07/17/20 10:18 AM
I know many people are asking that question and wondering if home staging is needed when inventory is low and homes are selling quickly. The answer may depend a bit but if you don't stage, may you be leaving some money on the table?
Let's say you list your home 'as is' and you put the asking price a bit lower so you don't have to do much of anything. You get an offer within a few weeks, maybe a few thousand below list but overall the percentage is still really good. Ok great!
But now let's say you bring in a … (22 comments)
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home staging: Stay Safe and Prepare Your Home for Sale During Corvid-19
- 03/20/20 03:15 PM
There are still many great reasons to sell your home during this time of fighting a virus. A concern to many however, and rightfully so, is coming into contact with others when you don't know where they have been.
The nice thing about technology is that you can still have a certified home stager give you expert advice on how to get your home in top selling condition without having to come in contact with anyone.
I have done many ‘distance’ home staging consultations for clients with cabins out of town or living out of state. It can be done well to offer … (0 comments)
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home staging: Seeing Your Home Through the Eye of a Camera
- 11/30/19 07:58 AM
You may never have thought of this but when you go to sell your home you should. This is the first way a potential buyer will see your home.....through the eye of a camera lens.
That MLS photo is small yet it is capturing an entire room. What will the buyer see in that photo?
Will they see your things? Their eyes going to the tops of cabinets where they don't need to be.
Or will the buyer's eyes focus in on your beautiful granite?
Will their eyes bounce from nick-knack to nick-knack.....wondering what that thing in the corner is? Or wonder how they could … (52 comments)
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home staging: A Need To Address Odors When Selling Your Home
- 06/11/19 03:37 PM
This isn't the most fun topic to address, it's a little stinky. Okay really I had to say that! :) But seriously, when you are selling your home you need to address any odors that may be present.
This is a tough one because many of us don't smell an odor in our own home. Or we smell it when we first walk in the door but it seems to goes away after a few minutes so we forget about it. If you are selling your home you need to bring in an independent person that will be brutally honest with you. … (6 comments)
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home staging: Tips for Selling Your Home When You Have Pets - Home Staging Minneapolis
- 01/30/19 09:29 AM
Let me be the first to say that I love animals! Love love love. That does however exclude snakes :-)
But...when I put my house up for sale I had to address the issue of my dogs and what I was going to do when I had showings. It is something you need to give some serious thought to and discuss with your Real Estate Agent.
Although it is disclosed that there is a an animal in the home, it is always best if the potential buyer never encounters or sees your pet. They do not always read all the disclosures or remember … (3 comments)
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home staging: Fall Decor When Selling Your Home
- 10/05/18 04:39 AM
I ran into this situation this week while doing a Home Staging Consultation. The home owner had filled every room with Fall decor. Table tops, baskets of pumpkins on the floor, little scarecrows hanging here and there, towels with leaves hanging in the bath.
There is a right and wrong way to enjoy the seasons while selling your home.
Wrong Way:
Having Your Seasonal Decor Overwhelm The Features of Your Home:
This can happen even without seasonal decor, it's called clutter. You don't want buyers looking at your 'things' as they are not buying your things. You want them looking at the architectural features … (11 comments)
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home staging: Does Your House Have a New Year's Resolution? Home Staging Minneapolis
- 01/03/18 08:31 AM
We all seem to make them...New Year's resolution to achieve some big goal. Have you ever stopped to think that your house may have them too?
Let's start with the most popular resolution. LOSING WEIGHT!
Is your house bursting at it's seams? Way too much 'stuff' crammed in the basement, the closets, the storage spaces?
Perhaps it wants to shed some of that weight and be able to breath a little easier with some extra space.
Another popular resolution is GETTING HEALTHY!
Getting healthy is much different from losing weight. You may have shed the pounds but if you are still unhealthy at your core … (3 comments)
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home staging: But I Love My Themed Home!
- 10/12/17 12:26 PM
What is a 'themed' house and is it okay?
A themed house is one that fits a very specific decorating motif. Such as a beach theme, or a desert theme. Is it okay to have one? Absolutely! Unless you are selling your home. Then I am sorry to be the bearer of bad news but if you are selling, the theme has got to go.
A themed house, or even a themed room can turn off any buyer that does not like that theme. They may not like the feel of the house, or they can't see past the theme to see the … (8 comments)
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home staging: If You Can See Through It - Clean It! Home Staging Minneapolis MN
- 06/26/17 07:16 AM
When selling your house, if you can see through it, it must sparkle!
Let's look at the list:
Windows:
That means inside and out, all levels of your home and yes the screens too. Your home does show better without the screens at all so clean them and put them in your storage area.
Dirt, grim, winter grit all need to go! That includes the tracks of the window sills.
Light Fixtures:
Buyers don't know if the light fixtures are worn, corroded or just plain old dirty. Spit and polish is the key on both interior and exterior light fixtures.
Glass shower doors:
Ugh....soap build up and water spots … (23 comments)
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home staging: Is Your Fireplace a Good Focal Point? Home Staging Minneapolis
- 02/16/17 08:25 AM
Step back and look at your fireplace objectively. Is it dated? In rooms that have fireplaces, the fireplace is normally the focal point of the room so ask yourself "Is my fireplace a good focal point?"
If your fireplace has dated brick paint it....please! I know it is scary.
I know you may like it the way it is and if you aren't selling then great....keep the dated brick. But if you are selling, or if you want to update the look of your home, PAINT IT!
It makes such a difference to the overall look of your fireplace and your room. … (29 comments)
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home staging: Area Rug Rules for Living Rooms
- 11/16/16 09:36 PM
Well the great thing about area rug rules is that you can break them! Really, it does come down to personal preference for both size and style but I want to address some common size options that you have.
Although it is personal preference, I do believe there are times when a room can look odd if the area rug is placed wrong or if it isn't the correct size. Let's look at the main living area of the home such as the living room or family room.
Option 1:
The rug comes up to the front edge of all furniture. In this option … (9 comments)
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home staging: What Don't Buyers Want? Home Staging Minneapolis
- 02/03/16 07:59 AM
A lot of people know what buyers want:
Stainless Steel Appliances
Open Concept
Move In Ready
And so on.
But it is just as important to talk about what buyers DON'T want. Actually this is a little tougher to talk about as sometimes people take it personally. Don't take it personally. These are things we all need to know to get our homes sold.
1: BUYERS DON'T WANT SMELLSI am not talking about smelling fresh flowers, although fake fragrances and air fresheners are bad. Many people are allergic to fragrances so be careful.
The smells I am talking about are:
A. Pet Smells. I have dogs, large … (11 comments)
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home staging: Sleek, Modern & Sexy Still Needs Staging! Home Staging Minneapolis MN
- 12/05/13 09:19 PM
Sleek, Modern & Sexy Still Needs Staging! Home Staging Minneapolis MN
Yes even you, as sleek, modern and sexy as you are, you still stage yourself every morning and real estate is no different. It needs a little texture, it needs a little style and of course it needs some accessories.
Take a look at these 'Before' photos of a great hip condo in downtown Minneapolis, MN
Great Living Area but too small to fit furniture?
Great Kitchen!
Dining Area is okay......
Bedroom is okay......
Okay you sexy thing....let's show what … (12 comments)
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home staging: So the Verdict is In: Home Stagers Do Protect AND Serve!
- 11/07/11 12:18 AM
I thought Home Stagers were only out there to serve. But....I was wisely shown differently.
My post: "Home Stagers - We Are Here To Protect and To Serve" talked about a super fast job I did yesterday for a special Realtor friend of mine.
I threw the 'Protect' part in there just to be funny until my fellow Home Stagers took me to task:
"Hey, we protect our client's interest".
"We protect the home owner's equity".
So, I stand corrected. Home Stagers do both. We Protect and we Serve. So I now carry a badge. I am on constant lookout for … (16 comments)
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home staging: A Home Stager.....We Are Here to Protect and To Serve.
- 11/06/11 07:24 AM
A Home Stager.....We Are Here to Protect and To Serve.
Okay never mind the protect part....I made that up. But we are here to serve! Here's how:
I received an email this past Thursday accepting a bid to stage a vacant home.
I replied to the email that I could stage the home next Friday, just over a week later.
I followed that up with an email to the Realtor asking for the feedback received so far, traffic, etc. Her first comment:
"Can you have it staged in time for my Open House on Sunday?"
"This Sunday?"
"Yeah"
" I am booked Saturday so … (21 comments)
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home staging: I LOVE Getting Emails Like This! - Home Staging in Burnsville, MN
- 10/04/11 10:26 PM
I LOVE Getting Emails Like This! - Home Staging in Burnsville, MN
"Dear Shar:
Here is a very belated thank you for your assistance with staging our house back in February. I was dubious when our real estate agent suggested staging. I was worried it would add more stress to an already stressful situation but just the opposite was true. It was so reassuring to get a professional opinion and it was amazing the difference small changes in our own furniture arrangement and accessories made in the appearance of our home.
You were so upbeat and supportive - even answering panicky … (20 comments)
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home staging: Negative Feedback Needs to Be Addressed - Home Staging Minneapolis, MN
- 10/25/10 03:33 AM
Listen to the feedback you are receiving on your home or listing and do something about the negative feedback whenever possible. A professional Home Staging Expert can be a huge help.
I was called to stage this vacant property that had almost been sold when first listed but the buyer walked away because they loved to entertain and they didn't know if they could fit a dining room table in the area right outside the kitchen. Months went by with no more interest so the owner wanted my opinion on whether or not the area could be a dining room.
I took a look and made the decision … (23 comments)
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home staging: When Selling A Home - All Square Footage is Important...Especially Right Inside the Front Door.
- 10/06/10 07:22 AM
When I first viewed this house to provide a vacant home staging bid before the homeowners moved out, I was stunned at the wasted square footage right inside the front door. This was a large home but that wasn't a reason to waste the utilization of the square footage.
The homeowner never knew what to do with the space so they just left it. If a potential buyer liked to dance it would be perfect! There was even space for a few chairs against the wall to take a rest from dancing.
With the size and length of the room, it almost had a bowling alley affect as … (29 comments)
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home staging: Never Underestimate the Power of a Home Stager!
- 09/16/10 12:44 AM
I got a call from a very busy Realtor in town that I had never worked with. The Home Stager she had used for years had moved away and she got my name from a co-worker.
She asked me to go to one of her upcoming listings that needed some guidance and help. She told me upfront of some things that needed to be done but qualified it with, "I have already talked to the home owner and she will not take the wall paper down or paint".
So off to the Home Staging Consultation I go. Wondering what I really can advise if the home owner is … (11 comments)
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home staging: When You Have A Weird Space in a House......Show the Buyer Something They Can Do with It!
- 09/13/10 01:34 AM
Many houses have them, a weird space that when it is empty you don't have a clue what you would do with it. Show the buyer SOMETHING they can do with it.
I have had a few of these lately during vacant home stagings. Here are three examples where I had to stand, stare at it and wonder.......what shall it be??
I do not have a before picture of this first one, but you'll get the idea. Small corner in a kitchen not big enough for a bistro table. What shall it be? How about a little desk to hold Cook … (21 comments)
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I know many people are asking that question and wondering if home staging is needed when inventory is low and homes are selling quickly. The answer may depend a bit but if you don't stage, may you be leaving some money on the table? 
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