omaha home staging: Liability Insurance a Must Have
- 05/11/08 02:43 AM
Even before I recruited my first Home Staging client I signed up for a hefty personal liability policy. I am admittedly ever-so-slightly accident prone despite my best efforts and let's face it, our litigious society is not one to mess with. For less than $700/year I have a policy that covers me for up to $1.1 mil, per occurrence, up to 2 occurrences per year. Knock on wood, throw salt over my shoulder, light a candle, whatever superstitious beliefs tell a person to do, I haven't had a claim yet. But I definitely feel much safer with this policy in place. … (13 comments)
omaha home staging: The Rule of 1/3's Will Always Win With Display Shelves
- 05/06/08 03:36 PM
Here is what I tell my clients (or do for them) - when working with display shelves, use the rule of 1/3's. A third books, a third accessories (not personal photos if you are selling!), and a third SPACE. Here are a few examples (these were all vacant houses, so it is my inventory in the photos):
… (23 comments)
omaha home staging: Want A Magnificent Wall Decor Item? Spruce Up A Wreath With A Floral Bouquet
- 05/06/08 03:14 PM
Sometimes when decorating or Staging a house with large walls or fireplace facades, a large wreath is just the right touch - nice to introduce a round shape of wall decor every once in awhile. One way to really add bulk and interest is to attach a silk floral bouquet to rest in the center of the wreath. I created this two years ago for a large vacant Staging job I had on Champions Run Golf Course during the Cox Classic Golf Tour in Omaha, Nebraska. I was able to re-utilize this arrangement in subsequent homes. Several months after creating this … (5 comments)
omaha home staging: For You Stagers that Buy Your Inventory - Versatile Sofa Set Must Have!
- 05/06/08 02:59 PM
Okay, for you Stagers out there that purchase your own furniture inventory, I have a great set for you! Check out the photos of this two piece sofa set; it can be set up as a sectional or two contemporary, stand alone sofas. The colors are definitely neutral and can be accessorized with different accent pillows to coordinate with any decor. Best of all was the price - only about $1,140.00 for the two! I purchased this set at Nebraska Furniture Mart for one of my condo models in downtown Omaha, at 902 Dodge Street (I have overseen the development and furnishing of … (10 comments)
omaha home staging: Area Rugs Have Their Place
- 05/04/08 11:38 AM
I realize by posting this blog I will incense several of my fellow Home Stagers, but I have a definite opinion on the issue and must speak out - I am against area rugs over wall-to-wall carpeting! Area rugs are great for LIVING in a home; they can define a space, establish a sitting area, add more color or style preferences. And those are the exact reasons they are NOT great for Staging or selling a home. When defining a space, a larger space is then broken up visually; when adding more taste-specific color or style preferences, neutralizing does not occur. When … (14 comments)
omaha home staging: Mis-Matched Towels? Make a "spa" basket!
- 05/04/08 11:23 AM
We all have many different types and colors of towels in our Staging inventory. Over time my sets have either lost one, been misplaced, or part of the set has just needed to retire. What to do with those leftover towels? Roll 'em up and make a spa basket! A great accessory in a bathroom, especially one with a large tub, is either rolled towels in a basket or as a stack on their own, or possibly adorning a shelving unit. If they are mismatched either by color or type, roll 'em up and it will look like they were placed that way … (12 comments)
omaha home staging: Grout Recolorant To The Rescue!
- 04/29/08 09:51 AM
When Staging existing homes, I am constantly looking for inexpensive techniques that I can recommend so sellers can make upgrades and improvements to their homes. One of my biggest pet peeves is dark grout lines with light colored tilework, especially in an entryway. Dark grout lines really break up the visual expanse of a floor and just scream "I'm old!". Nothing turns off buyers more or negatively affects the first impression than an outdated floor in the entryway. If the tile is in good condition it is not necessary to replace the grout to get it updated - just recolor it! … (20 comments)
omaha home staging: Grout Recolorant To The Rescue!
- 04/29/08 09:50 AM
When Staging existing homes, I am constantly looking for inexpensive techniques that I can recommend so sellers can make upgrades and improvements to their homes. One of my biggest pet peeves is dark grout lines with light colored tilework, especially in an entryway. Dark grout lines really break up the visual expanse of a floor and just scream "I'm old!". Nothing turns off buyers more or negatively affects the first impression than an outdated floor in the entryway. If the tile is in good condition it is not necessary to replace the grout to get it updated - just recolor it! … (2 comments)
omaha home staging: Grout Recolorant To The Rescue!
- 04/29/08 09:48 AM
When Staging existing homes, I am constantly looking for inexpensive techniques that I can recommend so sellers can make upgrades and improvements to their homes. One of my biggest pet peeves is dark grout lines with light colored tilework, especially in an entryway. Dark grout lines really break up the visual expanse of a floor and just scream "I'm old!". Nothing turns off buyers more or negatively affects the first impression than an outdated floor in the entryway. If the tile is in good condition it is not necessary to replace the grout to get it updated - just recolor it! … (3 comments)
omaha home staging: A Striking Financial Reason To Address Price & Condition Immediately
- 04/27/08 03:16 AM
Okay, so I am a professional Home Stager and NOT a financial wiz :-) However, I learned something very interesting last week at a presentation that is ANOTHER striking financial reason to price right and stage a home before it's listed on the market. I do not have all of the technical terms down but I will do my best to quickly and accurately explain what I know. In response to our nationwide increase in housing foreclosures and other related economic injuries, the mortgage industry is tightening their lending practices (some voluntarily, some federally mandated). As a result, if a home is … (3 comments)
omaha home staging: But you should have seen it BEFORE we did all this work ....
- 04/26/08 11:18 AM
Inevitably when Staging existing homes I run into several that have been updated at least half-way. At least MOST of the wallpaper has been removed and replaced with paint, at least MOST of the flooring has been upgraded, at least MOST of the lighting has been replaced with more fashionable options. But the key word in that sentence is MOST - i.e. not all. Often times the sellers neglected to update a few areas of the home, areas that can be very important when selling a home, such as the entry way. When I suggest to sellers that the wallpaper covering the giant … (7 comments)
omaha home staging: How Closely Did You Supervise?
- 04/25/08 04:35 PM
How closely to you supervise your furniture movers while they are moving things into or out of a vacant Staging job? I usually watch my guys fairly closely, but not like a hawk. I use two vendors; one team is very careful, usually wraps moving blankets around doorways, cover wood floors before assembling furniture, etc. The other is a local team that probably has never had formal "moving man" training, but still strive to do a good job. I had a situation arise awhile back from a very particular seller (read: Total Grinder). They had dated wallpaper and lighting throughout the home … (15 comments)
omaha home staging: Steps for Removing Lingering Cigarette Smell From A House
- 04/22/08 08:00 AM
Even though smoking is no where near as "chic" as it used to be, there are still some die hard smokers who eventually decide to sell their home. Their addiction to smoking then becomes an agent's problem as homes with lingering cigarette odors are much harder to sell than clean smelling listings. There are several steps that home owners can take to eliminate the overwhelming odor. They are listed below. 1. Repaint all offending rooms, possibly the entire interior, depending on where the sellers smoked. Don't overlook the ceilings as they can be dingy, yellowed, and also contribute to the lingering odor. 2. Fabrics especially … (10 comments)
omaha home staging: Another Striking Financial Reason to Stage Before Listing - Omaha, NE
- 04/18/08 07:05 AM
Okay, so I am a professional Home Stager and NOT a financial wiz :-) However, I learned something very interesting this week at a presentation that is ANOTHER striking financial reason to stage a home before it's listed on the market. I do not have all of the technical terms down but I will do my best to quickly and accurately explain what I know. In response to our nationwide increase in housing foreclosures and other related economic injuries, the mortgage industry is tightening their lending practices (some voluntarily, some federally mandated). As a result, if a home is flagged as being … (12 comments)
omaha home staging: A Free Consultation Can Be Helpful - How To Reduce Your Time
- 04/17/08 05:01 AM
Sometimes in the name of building a business it is helpful to offer some time to do a free consultation. I am not a proponent of working for free or reduced fees just because someone asks, but when trying to recruit a new high volume client or someone who can be significantly influential in referrals, it may be wise to break my usual rule on this. I have found that in using the right phrasing I can offer a mini-consultation and not have my time abused. I typically have a two hour appointment which includes a full consultation and some work. When I would like to … (3 comments)
omaha home staging: Real Estate Agents Are Interpreters of the Market
- 04/15/08 11:05 AM
I really hate it when people operate with misconceptions. Blame gets misplaced, anger is misdirected, resentment builds. In the end nobody wins. The housing market operates the same way as other markets in our capitalist society. Supply and demand dictate pricing. Supply and/or demand change to make corrections when things are slow or moving too fast. Supply and demand can be interpreted by an expert but cannot be set by a single force. Real estate agents are expert interpreters of the market. They can do their homework and use their experience to guide sellers in establishing a price for their listing, but … (6 comments)
omaha home staging: I Was Wrong - Wallpaper Can Successfully Be Painted Over
- 04/15/08 10:20 AM
Okay, I have to admit that I was slightly wrong in a blog I posted last week. I really HATE to admit when I am wrong :-) Last week I discredited the theory of painting over wallpaper as a quick fix. I have seen the end result in person several times and it always looked terrible - seams were obvious, the pattern of the wallpaper showed through no matter how dark the paint was, etc. TODAY I stand corrected! I was staging a home and the owner told me she had painted over wallpaper in the kitchen and I didn't believe her. … (7 comments)
omaha home staging: Proud To Be Omaha's Naked Home Stager
- 04/12/08 04:32 AM
That's a title that will get some attention! I just read a great post from one my fellow AR members and finally learned the definition of a "naked" home stager. Before everyone gets too excited, let me explain. There are literally HUNDREDS of staging courses/training sessions/materials that a person can purchase if they desire training on becoming a Home Stager. In 2004 when I stumbled across the world of Home Staging I did quite a bit of research on these courses in addition to some analysis of my local market. In the end I elected to purchase two sets of study at … (8 comments)
omaha home staging: People Sell Houses, Manequins Do Not
- 04/11/08 04:05 PM
I co-host a radio show called the "Real Estate Reality Hour" on Saturday mornings. My co-host is a builder client/friend of mine; his building company has several model homes here in Omaha, Nebraska. Steve Smithberg (co-host) is an interesting character. He likes to stir the pot and get people on edge or even angry sometimes. He's a little impish that way. He and I have lots of debates which can make for interesting listening. One of our long-standing debates is the use of manequins in model homes. He is strongly FOR it and I am staunchly AGAINST it. He believes that having manequins in … (5 comments)
omaha home staging: "Easy" Fixes Can Create Disasters - i.e. paint over wallpaper
- 04/11/08 01:41 PM
In our incredibly busy world today it is enticing to take the "easy way out" whenever one is available. So many of us are overstretched with regard to time, money and energy in our daily lives; add the stresses of selling a home on top of that and it can seem impossible to make the necessary changes/repairs/upgrades to get a home ready for market. Wallpaper can kill a potential sale (so can bold paint colors, but that's another blog :-). Everybody knows that but most homeowners don't want to admit it. After all, they bought the house with wallpaper. Or they put up the … (9 comments)
Even before I recruited my first Home Staging client I signed up for a hefty personal liability policy. I am admittedly ever-so-slightly accident prone despite my best efforts and let's face it, our litigious society is not one to mess with.
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