before and after home staging photos: Should A 100 Year Old Home Be Staged With Antiques? - 09/06/12 10:11 AM
When planning the staging design for each property, the style of the house tends to guide the furnishings that will be installed. However, keeping in mind the potential buyers, it is important that they can visualize their furniture in the house and not be overwhelmed with a specific style.
From time to time we get calls from Realtors or sellers who say they have an old house and ask if we have period furniture that can be used for staging.
Does a Craftsman home require Craftsman style furniture? Does a home built in the early 1900′s call for antiques … (16 comments)

before and after home staging photos: Staging a Model Home For a New Portland Development - 08/13/12 10:15 AM
Our Portland Home Staging company has been busy all summer and we have really seen the real estate market picking up. Nothing is a better indicator than the amount of new construction that is taking place throughout the city, and the quick sales!
We have been working with a national builder to stage the model homes for their new developments. One of the challenges is staging every single room which is not typical for our vacant home staging projects. It is imporant to know who is the target buyer, and specifically how to address the additional bedrooms.
Below you can see … (10 comments)

before and after home staging photos: You Won't Believe This Transformation from Dated to Contemporary - 05/10/12 05:02 AM
Synergy Staging was recently selected to stage a beautiful listing in Portland, Oregon. The home has an amazing view and great layout, but it was very dated. Buyers in the current market are looking for move-in ready properties. No longer is a great home with potential enough to get a deal closed.
We began with a color consultation and made some recommendations regarding the removal of wallpaper, flooring, and fixtures. While wallpaper tends to be very personal from a design perspective, it is rarely going to help sell a home. We encourage people all the time to live in their houses … (25 comments)

before and after home staging photos: Stagers Are Expected to Have A Solution for Everything - Part Two - 05/04/12 09:42 AM
The first installment of this blog focused on the upper level of this beautiful mid-century modern home in Portland which presented some staging challenges. We now turn to the master bedroom and bathroom downstairs.
Although the sellers had the kitchen painted in the upper level, we had to work with the bright green and yellow colors in the lower level. It was our goal to warm them up and make the spaces feel inviting and cozy.
*** Make sure to read the footnote at the bottom of the blog ***
 

 

 By bringing in a darker color palatte … (13 comments)

before and after home staging photos: Stagers Are Expected to Have a Solution for Everything! Part One - 03/31/12 02:09 AM
We love helping our clients sell their homes quickly. And we love helping buyers see how they can best live in the home they are purchasing.
However, many people think staging is just plopping some furniture and decor in a house, calling it done, and waiting for the offers to come in. We wish it were that easy!
One thing that we discover at almost every project is a tricky space, odd layout, or some other challenge that must be addressed. Clients expect their home stager to overcome these obstacles. And we should meet the challenge - it's our job. But … (13 comments)

before and after home staging photos: Staging Helps Overcome Budget Limitations - Sold in 2 Days - 02/15/12 03:37 PM
Our Portland Home Staging Company works with many investors who are buying and renovating homes. Many times we are able to consult with our clients prior to staging their homes for color, finishes, and other recommendations. While we always have our wish list, sometimes the reality is that budgets limit what can be done to a house prior to listing.
Here is a great example of a home that Synergy Staging recently staged in Happy Valley, Oregon. It is a beautiful property that had some challenges that would have posed major issues if the house hadn't been staged.
As you will … (14 comments)

before and after home staging photos: Bringing a Gorgeous Home to Life - 02/05/12 05:05 AM
Synergy Staging was recently contacted to stage a gorgeous home in Lake Oswego Oregon. It's sweeping views, dramatic ceilings and high end finishes were definite selling points. However, our client understands the value of bringing a home like this to life to so potential buyers fall in love.
Prior to staging, the home was cold, empty, and stark. Once furnished and accessorized with an elegant design it was transformed into a home that buyers could envision living in.
Here are some of the before and after photos of this property:

Note all the living room built-ins. When approaching a space … (14 comments)

before and after home staging photos: Synergy Staging Top 9 Success Stories of 2011 - 01/16/12 03:50 AM
Synergy Staging is pleased to present our Top 9 Success Stories of 2011. This video of before and after photos showcases the vacant homes we staged that sold the fastest this past year. Some had been on the market well over 100 days prior to staging and sold very quickly.
Although it was a challenging year for the Real Estate market, there were plenty of positive signs to show that the market is moving well when a home is priced appropriately for the neighborhood, prepared well, and professionally staged. Taking those three steps is the most important thing a seller can … (7 comments)

before and after home staging photos: Staging A House So It All Connects - 12/12/11 04:18 PM
Our Portland Home Staging Company recently staged a beautiful home in Happy Valley, Oregon for one of our investor clients. The home had some design issues which needed to be addressed, and our client understood that staging was the answer to help buyers see the potential of the home.
Although this property is 4,000 square feet, some of the living spaces were small. There are also very large custom drapes in the living room that felt out of place without some connection to the rest of the home. By showing this house vacant, potential buyers would have had many reasons to … (14 comments)

before and after home staging photos: Neutralizing Wall Colors with Home Staging - 09/18/11 04:45 AM
As home stagers we often get to work with owners to prepare their homes for sale. Many times this includes a color consultation to ensure that the paint color is pleasing to potential buyers and works with the architecture and feel of the home. However, sometimes we don’t get the benefit of a consultation and must work with the house as it is, especially when budgets are tight.
Here is a wonderful house in Oregon City overlooking Beaver Lake that we recently staged with just such a color issue. The walls were overwhelming with a gray/green that didn’t feel warm and … (19 comments)

before and after home staging photos: Home Staging Bank Owned Properties is a Win-Win - 08/26/11 06:25 AM
Do you ever wonder what separates a house that sells quickly from one that lingers on the market?
There many factors to take into consideration such as location, price, condition, presentation, home staging, and on and on. However, even with the multitude of answers to this question, there are important steps a seller can take to ensure the best possible chance at selling their home quickly and for top dollar. One of the key factors in selling quickly in the current marketplace is home staging.
Synergy Staging has provided home staging for newly constructed bank owned homes in a wonderful development … (24 comments)

before and after home staging photos: Home Staging Helps A Portland Bungalow Sell in Two Days - 07/14/11 03:43 PM
Our Portland Home Staging company stages many different types of homes throughout Portland. Our clients range from homeowners, to banks, to investors, to Realtors. One thing that is similar are the results. Staged then Sold! Again and again and again! It’s been hard to keep up. We hope that other markets are seeing the same increase in quick sales.
It doesn't seem to matter if the properties are newly built, recently remodeled, or owner occupied. The secret to a quick sale is consistently the same formula. Price your listing appropriately for your market, and make sure it is prepared and presented … (20 comments)

before and after home staging photos: Lots and Lots of Bedrooms - Before and After Photos - 05/10/11 07:32 AM
Although our Portland home staging company typically stages the impact rooms in a vacant home (living room, dining room, kitchen, master bedroom, and bathrooms), sometimes a house needs more help. There are few things less inviting than MLS photos of empty bedrooms where all you can see are a few bare walls and the floor. There is just no way for potential buyers to connect to the space and want to see it in person. And without a showing, there is no possible way an offer will be made.
Synergy Staging recently staged a contemporary home in the hills of Portland … (16 comments)

before and after home staging photos: Investment Property Sells at First Open House - 04/18/11 10:54 AM
Synergy Staging has partnered with several investors who understand the power of home staging. Our recommendations and staging, combined with their smart pricing and marketing, have resulted in homes that are consistently selling in several days.
A recent project located in Happy Valley, Oregon presented a unique challenge since this area has been particularly hard hit by the economy. There are numerous homes on the market in this area and on the same street and it was important that it stood out over the rest. The attraction to this area is lower priced homes with million dollar views. However, with so … (18 comments)

before and after home staging photos: Don't Leave Large Spaces to Buyer's Imagination - 04/05/11 05:40 PM
When our Portland Home Staging company prepares a staging plan for a potential property, we typically focus on the impact spaces - the living room, dining room, kitchen, master bedroom, and bathrooms. We sometimes add options for additional spaces such as offices, extra bedrooms, and bonus rooms. It is not generally necessary to stage every room in a vacant house in order to convey the look and feel that will draw in the potential buyer. However, every property is unique...
We recently staged a large home in Newberg, OR that had a massive family room on the upper level. The seller … (38 comments)

before and after home staging photos: Consultation and Staging Showcases Downtown Portland Condo - 03/05/11 02:57 PM
Staging consultations are one of the services that our Portland Home Staging company provides. A consulation is a cost effective way to ensure that your property will show at its absolute best when it goes to the market. The results we have seen from our consultations have been consistently positive with quick sales in an otherwise depressed market.
What is included in a staging consultation? Every aspect of your home will be addressed, both inside and out, to ensure that it is presented in the best way possible for potential buyers. This includes details such as furniture placement, minimizing personal items, … (15 comments)

before and after home staging photos: Don't Stage Your Listing and Then Use the Old Pictures - 02/22/11 10:26 AM
It's a fact that almost all potential buyers shop online before seeing a property in person. If they don't like what they see in the pictures, chances are likely that they will not view a property in person, no matter how great it may be. That means no offer.
This is one reason we insist that our clients update their photos in flyers and online, especially if they've staged their property after it has already been on the market.
Nothing can frustrate a stager, or a homeowner more, if their home is staged, and the property is still being marketed with … (24 comments)

before and after home staging photos: Sold on Christmas Eve - Only 3 Days After Staging - 01/12/11 06:40 AM
As professional home stagers we love many parts of our job.  Transforming a house from vacant to unforgettable.  The challenge of surpassing the expectations of our clients.  And of course, seeing the Sold sign go up on the house.
In December one of our investor clients had us stage this fantastic view home in Happy Valley, Oregon.  We've a had a great string of success with this client, but he had been listing his homes when they were vacant, and THEN had us stage them when they hadn't sold for a few months.  After staging they were consistently selling in less … (18 comments)

before and after home staging photos: Staging After Six Months on the Market = Sold in One Month - 12/28/10 05:35 AM
Even in what many are calling the worst Real Estate market in years, we are seeing home staging help homes sell time and time again.
Our Portland home staging company recently staged a gorgeous new build in NE Portland. The wood work and detail was impeccable and the home was worth every dollar they were asking. When it was vacant, the rooms were a bit overwhelming and it could be seen as being overbuilt for the neighborhood.  The builders had to move this property and after sitting on the market for six months, we came in and staged the property.  We … (20 comments)

before and after home staging photos: Home Staging in the Dark - Sold in Three Weeks - 11/27/10 04:40 PM
Well, fortunately we didn't have to stage completely in the dark, but this was the first time we'd ever had the power go out while we were staging.  We had just plugged in the iron and all the power went out.  Of course, the first thought is that we somehow did it.  After looking at the breaker box and seeing that nothing had flipped, it occurred to us that the strong winds may have caused the outage.  It had, which a next door neighbor confirmed! 
These are things you don't really account for and when it's busy staging season, you can't … (29 comments)