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 Dog GONE It!  Please Leave Canines Out of the Photos

~ Home Staging Tips in Portland OR ~

Don't misunderstand ... I come from a family of dog lovers  and have had the good fortune to have had wonderful dogs most of my life.  But if my house was on the market, there would be no online photos of my dog, and little evidence of them living in the house, once potential buyers came in person. 

Why?  Because potential buyers may be allergic to pets, or they may be afraid of dogs.  If a buyer sees dogs in the online photos, right away they imagine that the house may not be as clean as they'd like ... or that the house smells like a dog ... or that the yard might be dug up or messy.  Any of these reasons may prevent a buyer from putting your home on their "must see" list.

A Portland home staging client of mine was shocked to find out that their agent put these photos of 3 of their dogs online (which have since been removed) -- it's likely that photos like this could discourage showings.

If you have a dog & your house is on the market, here's some tips for better showings:

• Vacuum & Dust all surfaces often

• Hide the dog beds, blankets & toys

• Put the food & water dishes out of sight

• Shampoo & brush your dog weekly 

• Air out the house before showings, if possible

• Take the dog out of the house during showings

• Keep the yard clean of dog debris    

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Room Solutions Staging offers home staging services to Portland Oregon homeowners, real estate agents, builders, banks,  and investors to prepare homes for the market.  Our home staging clients love our customer service and our home staging statistics!  Our home staging services in the Portland OR metro area include consultations, staging for both vacant and lived-in homes, and interior restyling service.  For a free home staging proposal, please contact us @ 503-246-1800.

Anatomy of a Home Staging: from Lived In - to Vacant - to Staged & SOLD

 ~ Portland Oregon home undergoes a staging transformation ~

UPDATE:  this home SOLD in just 8 days!

People sometimes ask if they should stage their home after they move out, wondering if it would look bigger when it's vacant.  We believe the answer lies in the photos that show a home lived in, then vacant after the family moved out, and finally when staged by our Portland OR home staging company.

When we live in our homes, we make the spaces work for us, but when it's time to sell, we have to think like a buyer.  Today's buyers want an open space where they can imagine entertaining their family and friends, a space that feels inviting.

Here's an example of a home that we staged recently, showing all three phases (lived in - vacant - staged)

In the living room: Defining the room's function & adding art to highlight the home's best features adds to its appeal & opens up the space

In the family room: Clearly defining the focal point & highlighting the fireplace gives balance & proper flow

In the office: lightening the paint color and removing excess furniture really opens up this space

In the master bedroom: exposing the hardwood floors, opening blinds & adding light makes the room feel more open

If you're selling your home, make it easy on yourself:  Consult with a professional home stager on the best way to present your home to today's buyers for a faster sale!  This home was sold just 8 Days after staging and listing ... in the month of December!!

~ Staging and Photos by Room Solutions Staging ~

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Room Solutions Staging offers home staging services to Portland Oregon homeowners, real estate agents, builders, banks,  and investors to prepare homes for the market.  Our home staging clients love our customer service and our home staging statistics!  Our home staging services in the Portland OR metro area include consultations, staging for both vacant and lived-in homes, and interior restyling service.  For a free home staging proposal, please contact us @ 503-246-1800.

Tip for Sellers: Dark Cluttered Office Transformed with Paint & Staging Help

This is one of the rooms in a Portland OR home we staged last week ... but the transformation is quite dramatic!  Not only that, it was quick and easy, too ~ something anyone could do before putting your home on the market.

The main floor bedroom was being used by the sellers as a home office -- perfect use for the space.  It was painted about 8 years ago when dark red was a very popular color.  It was also overstuffed with furniture, making the space look much smaller than it really was.

Here's how the office looked BEFORE

We recommended a lighter paint color to brighten up the room, and removal of the existing furniture.  We then staged it lightly, letting buyers see the function of this space as an office.

And here's how it looked AFTER 

For a minimal investment, buyers don't have to "see past" a dark, cave-like room to imagine how they might use it.  EASY!

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Room Solutions Staging offers home staging services to Portland Oregon homeowners, real estate agents, builders, banks,  and investors to prepare homes for the market.  Our home staging clients love our customer service and our home staging statistics!  Our home staging services in the Portland OR metro area include consultations, staging for both vacant and lived-in homes, and interior restyling service.  For a free home staging proposal, please contact us @ 503-246-1800.

~ Staging and Photos by Room Solutions Staging LLC ~

Home Stagers' Secret Weapon for Furniture Touch Ups!

Don't you just hate it when you find scratches, dings or scuffs on furniture, cabinets, lamps, frames, & other household items?  Here's an easy-to-use product that works on wood surfaces.  It covers scratches, dings, worn-off finishes, etc. 

There's a professional home stager's SECRET WEAPON to cover up those flaws in items that don't really need full refinishing, just a small fix.  Just match the color you need (blend two colors if needed for just the right look).

• Fills in scratches, scuffs or damaged areas on furniture, kitchen or bathroom cabinets & even touches up small scuffs on wood floors. 

• 6 colors to match any wood tone: Maple, Oak, Cherry, Walnut, Mahogany & Espresso 
  

What is this miracle product?  It's something I keep in my tool kit at all times (along with Black Sharpies for other surfaces):

REJUVENATE Repair Markers

You can find them at big box stores & online for less than $10 for the package

Give them a try -- you'll love the results!

Watch this YouTube video about them

Maureen Bray is a Portland OR home staging expert who shares staging advice with homeowners and real estate professionals.  For more information on our home staging services visit us @ www.RoomSolutions.com or call us for a free staging proposal @ 503-246-1800.                                                                                              

The Difference that Staging Makes (in Portland Or Anywhere Else)

After this 1987 home had been on the market for six months, our Portland OR home staging company was contacted by the sellers to stage it.  Previous viewings had been sporadic and the feedback from potential buyers was that the house looked "dated."  No problem ~  we know how to help update a home with suggestions for easy cosmetic improvements, followed by staging it with current furnishings that appeal to the target buyer!

Here are some Before & After photos of how we helped bring this home into the 21st century -- after the sellers completed the interior painting and some easy cosmetic fixes.

The kitchen nook needed new paint, replacing the light fixture, & removal of the valance

The dining room just needed paint, replacing the chandelier & removal of those dated window coverings

The living room had a challenging layout, but paint & removing the window coverings did the trick

Quick Tip:  The brass fireplace screen & brass mirror dated this room ... it's easy to spray the screen with a matte black heat-resistant paint, and replace the mirror with art for a dramatic difference

The master bedroom just needed paint and removal of the dated window coverings to let in all the light

The seller emailed me afterwards: "Wow! Is this the same place?!! You did a wonderful job Maureen! We all agree that the staging played a big part in the sale!  Thank you."

UPDATE:  After six months on the market before staging, this Portland home deserved a few easy cosmetic improvements and professional home staging.  Once staged, this home had a pending sale in just one month!  If your Portland-area home or listing is lingering on the market, contact your local home staging experts for a staging consultation and proposal -- you'll be glad you did!

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Room Solutions Staging offers home staging services to Portland Oregon homeowners, real estate agents, builders, banks,  and investors to prepare homes for the market.  Our home staging clients love our customer service and our home staging statistics!  Our home staging services in the Portland OR metro area include consultations, staging for both vacant and lived-in homes, and interior restyling  service.  For a free home staging proposal, please contact us @ 503-246-1800.

Which Home Would You Want to Live In?  

Our Portland Oregon home staging company often gets calls from Realtors or homeowners whose property has been on the market for months without a sale.  We ask about the feedback the home has received, and usually hear that the home appears dated or it didn't "feel" right to the potential buyers (another way of saying they just didn't like it).  After we've been hired, we provide our suggestions for cost-effective and easy cosmetic fixes to be completed, then we stage the house, including taking the photos for the online listing.

We recently staged this Portland home and think that the "Before" & "After" photos kind of speak for themselves ... would you  agree? First is the living room ...

Here's the dining area Before & After photos

Finally, the kitchen looked "just OK" Before but needed some color & interest for Buyers

Sellers ~ Jump on the Bandwagon and Stage your home so that buyers have a chance to fall in love!

Happy Thanksgiving!!

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Maureen Bray is a professional home staging expert based in Portland, Oregon, and a member of the Real Estate Staging Association.  She serves as a Moderator of the 'Stage It Forward' forum on Active Rain and writes posts helpful to homeowners, real estate professionals, and other home stagers.  Her successful home staging company, Room Solutions Staging LLC was established in 2006; Maureen's staging and design work has been featured in multiple episodes of HGTV's show 'My First Place,' on AM Northwest and KATU News, and her interviews are found in publications including The Oregonian, Portland Monthly, Personal Real Estate Investor, and Angie's List Magazine. Maureen was awarded the Super Service Award by Angie's List in 2010, and was voted by her peers throughout North America as a Finalist for Professional Stager of the Year for both 2012 and 2011.

Staging Tips:  Taking a Home from Dated to "Move-in Ready"

Our Portland Oregon home staging company is often hired by Realtors and homeowners to help a dated home look more appealing to potential buyers.   When buyers first preview a home online, they're making mental notes as they scan through the photos.  If they see what looks to them like "work" that needs to be done, then they usually keep looking, often not even adding the home to their "must see" list because they are like most of today's selective buyers:  with so much inventory to choose from, they don't want to  spend lots of time or money to turn the house into their dream home.

Here's an example of a home that was on the market for a year, and was showing as dated in the online listing photos.  A new listing agent was selected who suggested that the sellers consider staging.  We advised a few cosmetic changes be taken care of, and then we staged this home.  Here's what we did:

Before, the Library had great views, but the dark green carpet was seen by buyers as dated

Neutral carpet and just enough furniture highlights the useful space in this room

The Kitchen had green walls and floral shades; we suggested a neutral paint & letting all the light in

In the Entry, buyers determine their First Impression ... be sure it's a good one! Before, this entry looks dark

Adding a seating area and some accessories really brightened it up, don't you think?

The Master bedroom lacked emotional appeal when it was vacant; not much there for buyers to see

Adding furniture and accessories helps buyers imagine that THEY could live here!

The Office wall color made the room seem dark ... we suggested a lighter color & removing the floral drapes 

If you're putting your home on the market -- consult with a professional home stager to increase your home's appeal to your target buyer.  A consultation is very reasonable and pays for itself immediately.  Staging your home with appropriate furnishings and accessories -- and having great photos of your staged home for the online listing -- is a cost-effective way to make sure buyers add YOUR home to their "must see" list.

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Room Solutions Staging in Portland OR helps our clients maximize home equity by staging to sell. Join the Portland Oregon homeowners, real estate agents, builders, banks, and investors who turn to Room Solutions Staging for help preparing homes to sell faster.  Our home staging clients love our service and our home staging statistics!  Our home staging services in the Portland OR metro area include consultations, staging for both vacant and lived-in homes, and interior redesign  projects.  For a free home staging proposal, please contact us @ 503-246-1800.

     6 Months on the Market (Ho-Hum) Then Staged -- A Portland House Becomes a Home

You know how most vacant homes look and feel .... kind of boring and ho-hum?  After all, when there's nothing for buyers to look at except 4 walls, the floor, ceiling, etc. even little paint chips and small flaws start to seem worse than they really are.  Much of the home buying decision is made with emotions.  Buyers may say that their criteria is "X,Y &Z" but in fact when they find a house that they  connect with, their hearts start to beat a little faster, and they can't wait to see more of it.  There's an energy that homes give off to buyers, and the best way to capture it is to make the home feel inviting.

Our Portland home staging company was recently hired to stage a remodeled home that's been on the market for six months with no offers.  The house has some great features, but buyers were having a hard time making that important emotional connection to get them to the "make an offer" stage.  Here's what we did:

Buyers thought that the main living area was too small.  Staging it showed them that there's plenty of space for a variety of seating arrangements in the great room.  Here's the MLS online photo before 

Now the features of the room stand out ... great fireplace, hardwood floors, vaulted ceiling, big windows with views of tall trees, and buyers can "see themselves" sitting and enjoy this room with family and friends.

The kitchen photo shows a compact space -- but nothing that adds color or excitement

After staging with a few colorful items, buyers can easily imagine using this kitchen.

Without showing a usable dining area, buyers weren't sure how a table might fit in the space

Staging shows them how they can live here -- making this house a HOME

Before staging, buyers said the bedrooms were too small; here's a "before" photo

Staging the bedroom shows there's plenty of room for a queen bedroom suite.

Don't forget about curb appeal!  This home was a dated color & got an instant face lift with neutral paint

Sellers ~ Make sure that buyers have the chance to make an emotional connection to your home.  Call a professional home stager to make sure that your home draws buyers inside and let's them see the possibilities of living there! 

~ Your property on the market can go from a Ho-Hum House to a Home ~

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Join the Portland OR homeowners, real estate agents, builders, banks,  and investors who turn to Room Solutions Staging for help preparing homes for the market.  Our home staging clients love our service and our home staging statistics!  Our home staging services in the Portland OR metro area include consultations, staging for both vacant and lived-in homes, and interior redesign  projects.  For a free home staging proposal, please contact us @ 503-246-1800.

        Easy Updates Make a Big Difference When Selling Your Home in Portland Oregon

Update:  This staged home SOLD in just 6 weeks!

Our Portland home staging company recently worked with a wonderful family to help them prepare their home for sale.  In addition to staging this home, we also provided suggestions for easy cosmetic updates that were also cost-effective.  When you're selling a home in today's challenging market, why give buyers an excuse not to write an offer?  When buyers see outdated features and fixtures, it's too easy for them to walk away, and look for a home that's 'move in ready.'

These sellers were open to painting the interior, which was needed to give the house a fresh, new energy, so we gave them  neutral paint colors that buyers love.  They'd already wisely decided to change out the carpeting.  We suggested a few new light fixtures in key places where they'd impact a buyer's 'feeling' about the house (entry, dining room, master bedroom), and  gave them links to the best prices locally & online.  Here are a few Before & After photos that show this home's transformation:

Before, the family room walls were stark white and the room appeared cold & empty:

Adding furniture, buyers can see how the space could work (much better than viewing an empty room).

In the dining room we suggested a warm neutral paint & changing out the dated brass chandelier:

For the cost of paint + $100 for the new chandelier, buyers can now see themselves living here!

90% of today's buyers use the internet to preview homes before deciding whether to see them in person.  This master bedroom needed new paint & a light fixture to replace the dated brass fan:

With furniture, the room actually looks bigger, doesn't it?

Buyers' first impressions are always important.  Before, here's what you saw from the entry:

                  We staged this area to give buyers something to draw them into the space.

If you're selling your home, be sure to contact your local professional home stager for easy tips on making it appealing to your target buyer ... you'll be glad you did!

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Room Solutions Staging offers home staging services to Portland Oregon area homeowners, real estate agents, builders, banks,  and investors to prepare homes for the market.  Our home staging clients love our customer service and our home staging statistics!  Our home staging services in the Portland OR metro area include consultations, staging for both vacant and lived-in homes, and interior redesign  projects.  For a free home staging proposal, please contact us @ 503-246-1800.

   Skeptical about Home Staging?  This Home Sold 12 Hours after Staging & Listing

As a professional home stager in Portland OR I've had many clients who know that staging is an effective marketing tool to help their home sell faster.  Once in a while though, we come across "staging skeptics" who aren't convinced that staging can really make a difference.   Sometimes 'seeing is believing' so for any staging skeptics out there, here's a true staging success story for your consideration.

We were contacted by homeowners in Beaverton OR who asked for a home staging consultation to help determine what cost-effective improvements would make their home more appealing to the target buyer in their neighborhood.  I met with this lovely, enthusiastic couple and gave them a list of Things To Do before putting their home on the market.  Since they planned to relocate out of state, they also requested a proposal for staging their home after they moved out.  Here are some Before & After photos of this home:

We gave the homeowners our suggestions for neutral paint colors that buyers love; tips on new kitchen cabinet hardware and paint for the dated oak cabinets; updated light fixtures in brushed nickel finish; & other easy, cost-effective advice.

Since the sellers were relocating due to a job, they wanted the house to sell quickly so that they could buy a home in their new state.  They were motivated and eager to do whatever it took to get the best return on their staging investment.

Buyers love a master bedroom that feels like an inviting retreat ~ here it's transformed from blah to wow

This home had a pending sale only 12 hours after it was staged and listed! The listing agent, Deborah Jackson of Re/Max Equity Group in Beaverton OR had this to say:   "One of my recent clients did everything on Maureen's list of  staging suggestions.  After the home was vacant,  Maureen then staged the important rooms of the home, and it was gorgeous!  Needless to say, we got an offer on the home within the first 12 hours that it went on the market!  That was a record, especially in this real estate market of 2011."

The homeowners, who had moved out of state, emailed me after seeing my photos of the staging:  "WOW! Is that our house? It looks amazing! Thank you so much! It was great working with you and if you need a reference just send them our way!" 

So don't be a staging skeptic!  Instead, contact your local professional home stager.  Ask to see Before & After photos of their work, and ask about their Days on Market statistics.  (Year to Date for 2011, Room Solutions Staging's DOM is just 24!)

~ Staging and Photos by Room Solutions Staging ~

Related Post: Home Staging Tip: Dated Oak Cabinets? Update them with Paint!

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Room Solutions Staging offers home staging services to Portland Oregon homeowners, real estate agents, builders, banks,  and investors to prepare homes for the market.  Our home staging clients love our service and our home staging statistics!  Our home staging services in the Portland OR metro area include consultations, staging for both vacant and lived-in homes, and interior redesign  projects.  For a free home staging proposal, please contact us @ 503-246-1800.