portland home stagers: Staged Portland Condo in the Heart of the City - 08/22/10 01:24 PM
Condo units are generally more challenging to stage than houses because of the logistics of elevators, restricted hours, loading zones, and long hallways.  Our Portland home staging company has staged several units in the Eliot Tower and the experience at this building has been very positive for us and our clients.
Most recently we staged a condo unit on the 2nd floor which has a great feeling as it is just above street level and you feel like you are right in the city.  This unit had previously been used as an office, and now that the owners wanted to sell … (25 comments)

portland home stagers: Gorgeous Portland Home - Before & After Photos - 03/28/10 04:52 AM
It's been a busy month - both with home staging and other outside projects.  It's time to get back into the groove of blogging again.
Thought we'd start by sharing some photos of a house that we recently staged in the Forest Heights neighborhood of Portland, Oregon.  Synergy Staging was brought in to help this home sell quickly as it had been on the market vacant with no offers.  While we always recommend staging a home before it hits the market, it is never too late to make a home show it's absolute best.  The tri-level aspect of this home makes … (24 comments)

portland home stagers: Top 10 Home Staging Success Stories of 2009 - #3 - 01/21/10 02:24 PM
The beginning of each new year always feels like an appropriate time to reflect on the previous 12 months while looking forward to what the next 12 may bring.  This year we at Synergy Staging decided to assemble our list of Top 10 Home Staging Success Stories for 2009.  While we had a variety of projects, both home staging and design, we'll limit this list to those that sold quickly or had particular challenges to overcome.   In re-visiting these projects we hope to share some valuable staging tips that will help others as well.
NUMBER 3Single Family Home, Gresham, OR
This … (12 comments)

portland home stagers: UPDATE - Brightening Up a Dark Space - SOLD in 2 Weeks - 11/27/09 11:52 AM
*** UPDATE ***
Heard from the Realtor yesterday that a full price offer was accepted after only two weeks.  More details later...
 
One of our Realtors contacted us recently about staging her new listing - a classic home in Northeast Portland.  This was a project with a small budget (don't be shocked!) and it definitely needed some help. 
The walls were painted a deep burgundy giving the whole space a very dark and uninviting feel.  The camera flash actually lightened up the room quite a bit, but in person it was very dark.  We staged the Living Room, Dining Room, … (27 comments)

portland home stagers: Staged Home Sold in 2 Hours - Unstaged Homes on Same Street Still Available - 10/07/09 07:42 AM
Synergy Staging was recently contacted by another investor who had just purchased a home at auction.  This was a small single family home in a nice neighborhood, however, there were several other homes on the same street for sale with the exact same floorplan.  The investor believed staging would set her house apart from the others.  We agreed, and it turns out she was right!
We staged the home and also replaced all the knobs on every cabinet and drawer throughout the unit to update the look from the original hardware.
The home had multiple full price offers only two hours … (21 comments)

portland home stagers: Why Hire a Professional Stager in Portland, Oregon? I Chose the Colors Myself! Part 5 in a Series - 08/24/09 12:13 PM
Neutral wall colors!  You've probably heard this over and over again.  But what if you've painted the rooms in your house your favorite color and think it looks great!  Certainly everyone else will like your favorite color too, right?
Well, it's possible some might, but there is a major difference in what you think looks good and what will appeal to the widest possible range of potential buyers.  A professional home stager can provide a color consultation prior to staging and recommend the best color scheme for the rooms in your house. 
While the common rule-of-thumb is to go neutral when … (14 comments)

portland home stagers: Video Compilation of Some Best Occupied Home Transformations - 07/25/09 07:09 AM
Here is a new video that shows some of our best occupied home transformations.


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Let Synergy Staging make your property picture perfect both in photos and in person. Please call us at (503) 557-2244 for a free no obligation quote.
… (6 comments)

portland home stagers: Video Compilation of Some Best Vacant Home Transformations - 07/19/09 05:24 PM
We've started creating videos of some of our projects. Here is the most recent video that shows some of our best vacant home transformations. Click on "Facebook" in the upper left hand corner to visit our new Facebook page and become a fan! Hope you enjoy!



========================================================================================= Let Synergy Staging make your property picture perfect both in photos and in person. Please call us at (503) 557-2244 for a free no obligation quote. … (10 comments)

portland home stagers: Staged, Listed, Sold, and Closed - in 20 Days! - 07/17/09 09:09 AM
This is a follow up to last weeks posting on July 9 Staging a Five Bedroom Foreclosure - Before and After Photos.

The home was staged on Saturday, June 27, then listed and open on Sunday, June 28.  Shortly thereafter an offer was made and accepted.  The home not only sold, but closes tonight - 20 days later.  We de-staged the home today and look forward to working with the investor on their next property.
There is a magic combination of staging and price, prior to the first showing, that results in quick sales and happy clients.  Yes - Staging … (21 comments)

portland home stagers: Are we staging what? I'm flattered... - 07/13/09 10:21 AM
Today we de-staged one of our favorite homes.  It was built by a home builder who has been a great client of ours.  He does absolutely beautiful work and we are pleased that this home sold after many months on the market.  
While we were de-staging he asked if we had any homes on the Portland Street of Dreams tour this year.  I was flattered that he thought our work could be presented on that level of design.  I let him know that typically interior designers do those homes and often times work with high end furniture companies that are … (16 comments)

portland home stagers: Does Move-In Ready REALLY Matter? - 07/10/09 08:15 AM
While homes can certainly take longer to sell in the current market, home staging gives a property the edge it needs to succeed.   Bringing in a professional home stager allows a home owner to understand how a potential buyer will see their home.  Someone with a perspective and experience specifically geared to what the current buyer is looking for to ensure a home shows the best it possibly can.
We all know about de-cluttering, and de-personalizing, but more and more, the move-in condition of a home is additionally critical for a successful sale.  If an owner is showing a home that … (18 comments)

portland home stagers: Staging a Five Bedroom Foreclosure - Before and After Photos - 07/09/09 02:12 PM
Here is the another foreclosure property that Synergy Staging recently staged.  This is a rare five bedroom home with a view in the Gresham area near Portland under $270k.  With a modest budget only the impact rooms were staged, but the empty house was brought to life.
Here are a few pictures of the before and after results.
      
Living Room
      
Living Room - Another View
      
Dining Room
      
Master Bedroom
      
Master Bathroom
 
For more pics and details about this home please visit the Staged Listings page on our website.
For more … (18 comments)

portland home stagers: Fresh Look for Summer - when was your last website update? - 07/07/09 07:01 AM
We felt it was time to freshen up the look of our website, so we did an overhaul this weekend.  It was quite time consuming, but it's very important to keep the face of your company fresh and current. 

Although staging is a word of mouth business, more and more people will find you on the internet.  We must keep in mind two audiences when we think about our websites.  Those who are coming for the first time as well as our returning clients and referrals.  If your site looks stagnant and never changes, that gives just as much of … (14 comments)

portland home stagers: From Foreclosure to Fantastic Listing (with highest towel bar ever) - Before and After Photos - 07/06/09 03:27 PM
In this challenging Real Estate market, there are still many opportunities to be found for investors.  Synergy Staging was recently brought in to stage a foreclosed property that was being turned around very quickly for sale.  Although the budget was tight for the quick turn over, we were glad the investor knew the value of home staging.  The home had some definite issues to be addressed, but the asking price is very reasonable considering the location, layout, and the incredible views of Portland.
One of our challenges was staging two properties in different cities for the same owner in the span … (24 comments)

portland home stagers: Stager Invasion on TLC - What Did You Think? - 07/01/09 11:40 AM

Have you seen the new show Stager Invasion on TLC?  It premiered last night with two back-to-back episodes.  It's a totally different take than The Stagers on HGTV.
After watching it I'm not sure that it's the best representation of how staging really works, but anything that keeps the business and concept out there in front of potential clients can't be a bad thing, can it?

The concept of this show is that they go into occupied homes that are a disaster and stage them with a team of about 20 people in 8 hours.  The team walks down … (27 comments)

portland home stagers: From Estate Sale to Open House - Before & After Photos - 04/23/09 06:09 PM
Synergy Staging was recently asked to stage a lovely ranch in Canby.  When we went to review the property and take photos they were in the midst of preparing for an estate sale.  After the sale the house was prepped for staging and we went to work.  The house is just about to hit the market and we are hopeful for a quick sale.
As you can see this home was very traditional with window treatments in almost every room that the owners didn't want removed.  It was also a custom house that is wheelchair accessible.  For that reason it is … (16 comments)

portland home stagers: Staging an Occupied 4 Level Contemporary Home - Before & Afters - 04/10/09 08:32 AM
It's been a hectic few months and I've been missing the Active Rain community.  Hopefully I'll be able to update this blog a little more often in the coming weeks!
Synergy Staging recently staged a 4 Level Occupied home in Lake Oswego, Oregon.  This house overlooks the lake and was quite the challenge since each level was connected only by a narrow spiral staircase.  Our calves burned for days after this project!
This ultra-contemporary home has a unique floorplan with the master on the top level.   We began with a consultation and after the owners removed much of their furnishings … (15 comments)

portland home stagers: Forbe's List of America's Top 5 Best - and Worst - Housing Markets - 02/25/09 12:11 PM
Here is a link to a fascinating article from Forbes that lists the Top 5 Best and Worst Housing Markets in the country with data released February 24, 2009.  As we navigate through these challenging economic times, any information that we can have about the housing market is very beneficial for each of us. 
No matter what market you are in, Home Staging is a vital marketing opportunity that should be used whenever possible.  Knowing how homes are selling in your area will allow you to strategically market your services based on the local conditions.
Hope this information is helpful.
Forbes … (13 comments)

portland home stagers: Questions From Curious Neighbors and Advertising On Your Vehicle - 02/24/09 05:02 AM
How many of you Stagers have been working at a house, only to be interrupted by neighbors wanting to know everything about the new owners?  Or perhaps they wonder if you are moving in?  They also sometimes want to know what you're doing and if you  could possibly stop by and look at their house.  Or have you ever gotten the suspicious eye from someone who thinks you are stealing from the home?
These are just a few scenarios we've run into over the last few years while staging homes in the Portland, Oregon area.   Of course, it didn't help that … (24 comments)

portland home stagers: Staging a Beautiful Oregon Remodel - Before & Afters - 02/03/09 11:36 AM
Synergy Staging recently staged a beautiful remodel in Hillsboro, Oregon.  This 4 bedroom, 3 1/2 bath home has a great floorplan with two masters - one on each level - a pool - both a living room and family room, plus a loft.  We staged the entire house except for 2 bedrooms as the upstairs really needed to be defined for potential buyers.
Here are some pictures of the before and after results.
      
Here is the large Living Room just off the front door
      
Another View of the Living Room
      
Lower Level Master Bedroom
       … (39 comments)