home staging los angeles: Staging Works - A Case Study - 09/14/10 08:49 AM
Last month we were asked to preview a beautiful but vacant modern loft in Playa Vista. The Realtor had recommended that the property be staged as soon as she got the listing, but the owner didn’t want to spend the money – and he wanted to price it for what he paid for it, not what it was worth in today’s market.
So after 3 months of sitting on the market and $100,000 in price reductions, the seller finally agreed to stage it.
One of the issues with showing this home empty was that the second bedroom was directly across from … (11 comments)

home staging los angeles: Los Angeles Home Stager Takes a Palisades Home from Drab to Fab! - 04/12/10 09:18 AM
 
We were recently called on to Stage a new listing – a beautiful 4-bedroom home in Pacific Palisades. The family had moved out, but left behind some of their furniture and a few accessories for us to use. We were asked to “fill in the blanks” with the necessary furniture, art and accessories to give this property some Wow Factor!
Here's a taste of the transformation:
LIVING ROOM BEFORE

Here was the living room in its original state. The piano took up so much of the space that there was no room for a proper seating area. The furniture … (29 comments)

home staging los angeles: Another Staging Success Story! - 10/30/09 07:54 AM
We recently Staged an adorable vacant townhome in Santa Monica. It had been listed for awhile with no offers, so we were brought in to help buyers see the potential.
The townhome had been painted and remodeled, so we had a great canvas to work with! Unfortunately the awkward layout of the living room, a not-so-neutral paint color, and a seemingly unusable loft space above the guest bedroom made it difficult for buyers to fall in love with the home.
BEFORE STAGING
     
CLICK HERE to see how Stage to Sell transformed this Santa Monica townhome from drab … (26 comments)

home staging los angeles: Give Your Home a Fresh Look for Fall - 10/16/09 06:26 AM

A few weeks ago I celebrated my 10 year wedding anniversary with a trip to New England to see the fall foliage. That part of the country is breathtaking this time of year, but even in places like Southern California we can enjoy fall’s bounty!
There’s no better way to get in the fall spirit than by updating your living space with the warm earthy tones of the season.

Click here to read about two cheap and easy ways to update your space for the fall season!
 
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*************************************************************************************Annie Pinsker-Brown | Stage to … (6 comments)

home staging los angeles: Home Staging Stories From the Trenches: "Yes, we can work with your furniture!" - 10/07/09 05:37 PM
I often get calls from Realtors who say, “I have a family who is actually going to be living in their home while it’s on the market. They would like to use their own furniture. Do you do that?” It always amazes me that they have to ask whether a full service Home Staging company would be willing to work with (gasp) someone’s OWN THINGS?! But I know why they have to ask.
There are some Stagers out there who refuse to work with anything but a completely blank slate. I once did a consultation for a guy who had a … (11 comments)

home staging los angeles: Our Latest Low Income Housing Project - The Ardmore - 10/07/09 08:12 AM
If you follow my AR blog, you'll know that I've done several "staging" jobs for American Communities, a developer of low income housing in Los Angeles. If you read my posts about Staging 1,  Staging 2 and Staging 3, you will remember that our goal was to make the common spaces in these buildings warm and inviting, as well as functional for the residents to relax, watch TV, attend meetings & classes and use a computer.
We recently completed Staging #4 for American Communities. Like the previous building, this one was designed in a contemporary Art Deco style, so we chose … (8 comments)

home staging los angeles: Local Stagers Give Back - 09/14/09 08:34 AM
Every September, Accredited Staging Professionals (ASPs) around the country and around the world give back to their communities by participating in Worldwide Staging Service Week, an annual service project of IAHSP (International Association of Home Staging Professionals).

I am a proud board member of the West Los Angeles IAHSP chapter and have been lucky enough to participate in this wonderful event for the last several years.
This year our chapter chose the Richstone Family Center's Transitional Living Program as our beneficiary. The program serves young women (ages 18 – 24) from LA County, who have been emancipated from foster care. … (10 comments)

home staging los angeles: Survey Highlights Gender Differences in Home Purchase Decisions - 08/26/09 05:20 AM
Earlier this month Coldwell Banker released the results of a survey they created to discover the extent to which men and women differ in the home-buying process. They surveyed 1,000 men and women, asking questions like:
"How long did it take for you to know that the last home you purchased was right for you?
and
“Who 'wears the pants' in the relationship when it comes to making major financial decisions?”
It is crucial for all Realtors, Stagers and home sellers to understand the results of this survey, so that they can make sure the property they're selling will appeal to … (11 comments)

home staging los angeles: Selling Your Home When Your Neighbor’s House is an Eyesore - 08/13/09 11:34 AM
 

Just read an interesting article in the Los Angeles Times about the problems associated with trying to sell your home when you live next to a dilapidated home or a vacant foreclosed property.
This was very timely since I encountered this very issue while previewing a beautiful new construction home in Sherman Oaks just last week. The developer built 2 gorgeous, side-by-side, high-end homes with luxury upgrades and beautiful finishes. The homes were identical in layout, but the builder wanted to Stage only one - the less desirable one. Why was it less desirable? Smaller? Fewer rooms? Ummm...no. This … (14 comments)

home staging los angeles: Worthwhile Updates When Selling a Home - 08/03/09 11:15 AM
I recently Staged a gorgeous home in Los Feliz, California. It was very large, had a beautiful outdoor covered terrace with amazing city views, and  a view of the Griffith Observatory from the Living Room window. When I arrived to preview the home, the Realtor told me the home had initially been listed at $2 million. With the square footage and views I mentioned, that wouldn’t seem completely outrageous. However the moment I stepped in the door I knew this home was not a $2 million dollar property. Why?
Click here to find out!
 
BEFORE STAGING

STAGED

 
… (9 comments)

home staging los angeles: Another Staging Success Story – Cheviot Hills Spanish - 07/10/09 06:26 AM
As a professional Los Angeles Home Stager, it is always a pleasure to work with clients who  take your advice and roll with it! Such was the case with a recent listing in Cheviot Hills. The couple living in the home were retiring and moving to Palm Springs, so they wanted to sell their beautiful Spanish style home…quickly!
The agent, Randy Troup of Coldwell Banker Brentwood West, often hires me to do Staging Consultation reports for his sellers. I preview the property and spend a couple of hours giving the sellers detailed recommendations of low-cost things they can do to (using … (7 comments)

home staging los angeles: Staging For Small Spaces - A Case Study - 07/08/09 09:43 AM
 
I recently got a call to Stage a “cute little bungalow” in Hollywood. Whenever you hear those 3 words together in LA you have to know this is going to be a tiny place. But I was completely unprepared for just how small this one was! At 500 square feet this is now officially the smallest home I’ve ever Staged!
Click here to read the full post and to learn how we answered the 3 crucial questions buyers have when previewing a small space!
 

 

 

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Annie Pinsker-Brown | Stage to Sell Owner & Principal … (27 comments)

home staging los angeles: Staging Works: West Los Angeles Condo in Escrow 1st Week on Market! - 05/27/09 10:48 AM
Since we have been so busy Staging lately, I was remiss in posting about our latest project - a lovely condo in West LA that we Staged on May 15th. Blogging about it was on my “to-do” list for today, but when I checked my email this morning I got the following email from the Realtor:
“I am happy to tell you that I got an accepted offer on the Pelham condo in the first week. It’s in escrow & inspection and I’m looking for a backup offer.”
It must have been fate that I hadn’t yet blogged about this project, … (19 comments)

home staging los angeles: The Power of Home Staging: Bachelor Pad to Loft Chic - 05/18/09 03:35 PM
Last week we Staged a beautiful loft at The Broadway on Hollywood & Vine. The owner was a young professional who had beautiful furniture, but almost nothing else. The condo certainly wasn’t cluttered, and the furniture was in the right place. But something was missing. The Realtor on this job has great taste and knew immediately that this listing needed some Staging help.
Click here to see how we took this loft from bachelor pad to loft chic!


 

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Annie Pinsker-Brown | Stage to SellOwner & Principal Designer310-384-1084www.stagetosell.biz"We get you to SOLD so you can get on … (20 comments)

home staging los angeles: A HUGE Thank You for Voting for Stage To Sell... P.S. We WON!! - 05/05/09 01:16 PM
Well, after all my shameless plugging, the votes are in and thanks to YOU, my company Stage to Sell has been named one of the winners in StartUp Nation's Leading Moms in Business Competition for 2009!
This contest really struck a chord with me because when I became a working mom five years ago, I was amazed at how difficult it was to run both a family and a business. It is often a thankless job and the hours are quite long! Of course as any mom knows, we wouldn't have it any other way.
Being a mom-preneur has given me … (22 comments)

home staging los angeles: Los Angeles Home Staging Company needs your vote in StartupNation Leading Moms in Business Competition! - 03/23/09 10:16 AM
So now that it's down to the wire, I am going to shamelessly and humbly ask you, my wonderful network of friends and colleagues, to PLEASE take a moment out of your busy days to vote for me in the 2009 StartupNation Leading Moms in Business Competition.
A couple of months ago, I posted a blog asking for your support as I entered the competition.
Most of you know me as a professional Home Stager in Los Angeles, but you may not know that I am also a mom of two wonderful kids ages 3 & 6. I started my Home … (6 comments)

home staging los angeles: Inspirational Grand Opening of a Los Angeles Low Income Housing Development - 03/12/09 11:17 AM
If you follow my blog, you may have seen my post a couple of months back about a Low Income Housing development in Los Angeles that we "Staged" at the end of 2008.
Today was the Grand Opening event for Hobart Heights. Hobart is the 3rd low income housing community we did the interior design work for (see projects #1 and #2 here). They are always great projects, due in large part to our wonderful client American Communities. They are a joy to work with, and we look forward to many more projects with them.
Today was the first time I … (14 comments)

home staging los angeles: Are you serious about selling your home? - 03/11/09 12:05 PM
Today I saw a post by David Painter of Keller Williams in Spartanburg, SC entitled "Dress Your House Well So It Will Sell." 
In his blog, David points out how the national stats are clear that sellers need to have their homes "priced right and staged right" in order to sell in this highly competitive buyers' market. He goes on to say how buyers are looking for homes in move-in condition and don't want to spend time painting and remodeling after they move in. I couldn't agree more!
Especially in today's market, it is crucial that your home appears well-maintained and … (63 comments)

home staging los angeles: Staged & Sold - Santa Monica Townhome - 03/04/09 03:04 PM
Right before the holidays last year I blogged about a Santa Monica townhome we Staged on December 8th (I remember because it was my birthday). This was the second townhome in the same condo complex, and this one was listed by Randy Troup of Coldwell Banker.
I must admit I was leery about Staging a home so close to Christmas since it's a tough time to hit the market, but the homeowner was insistent. He made some great updates to the unit with paint and carpet and was gung-ho on Staging from day one. Not to mention he was a really … (20 comments)

home staging los angeles: Los Angeles Staging Seminar for Seniors Part 3 - A Follow Up to My Fairly Lame Follow Up! - 02/28/09 12:22 PM
Ok, I admit it. When I wrote that follow up blog last night I was TIRED...really tired after a long day of work and a long week preparing for the seminar. Then my husband surprised me by coming home early (if you can call 9:30pm early!) and I was anxious to wrap up my blog and spend some time with him.
So unfortunately I left out some pretty important details about the Senior Staging Seminar I gave yesterday at the Culver City Senior Center. I hope you don't think I'm beating a dead horse here, but since so many Stagers seem … (17 comments)