Gene Mundt - Let's Talk Mortgages & Real Estate! : Oregon: Lake Oswego

            Motivated Sellers use Their Furniture + Our Staging Accessories = Great Before & Afters

As professional home stagers, most of us have a statement like this one that we share with our clients:  "How we live in a home is very different than how we prepare it for selling ..."   Recently on A/R another clever stager had this version, which I love:  "How you Dwell is not how you Sell .."

The point is, none of us really "lives" in a showcase -- but when your home is on the market, you want your home to be as appealing as possible so that your target buyer who sees it either online or in person says, "I could live here!" 

We recently worked with sellers in Lake Oswego OR who were moving out of ther home, but were willing to leave some furniture behind in order to help it sell.  We advised them on updating paint colors, light fixtures, cabinet hardware, and a few small cosmetic repairs.  They completed everything on their "To Do" list and we then returned to add our accessories to their remaining furniture where needed.  The result was a home where buyers could move right in to ... no work needed!

Here are a few Before & After photos that will appeal to the target buyers of this home showcasing the space & function of each room. 

In the great room, we suggested a soft brown paint color to replace the stark white; an updated light fixture in the dining area; removing the dated valance; & removing the hutch since it overwhelmed the space:

In the family room, we suggested the same soft brown paint, adding a wood mantle to the fireplace, and packing up the toys; then we used furniture from other rooms in the house and accessorized:

In the kitchen, we suggested replacing the worn white appliances & sink, painting, adding satin nickel cabinet hardware, removing the valance, and updating the counters to stay competitive with other homes nearby:

In the office, painting & removing the valance & excess clutter made this room "move in ready" for potential buyers, using what the homeowner already had:

If you're planning to sell your home in today's super-competitive market, a consultation with your local professional home stager will help you by making sure you only do what's necessary to make your home appealing to your target buyer.  Remember, HOW YOU DWELL IS NOT HOW YOU SELL  :-)

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Room Solutions Staging offers help to Portland Oregon metro area homeowners, Realtors, builders, banks and investors in preparing homes for the market.  Our home staging clients love our service and our staging statistics!  Our home staging services in the Portland OR metro area include consultation reports, staging for both vacant and occupied homes, and interior redesign  projects.  For a complimentary home staging proposal, please contact us @ 503-246-1800.

How do you bring a 1970'q home to the 21st century?  First, call a Home Stager in Portland Oregon.

Our Portland-based home staging company has worked on hundreds of homes, but this one in Lake Oswego Oregon was quite a transformation.  (Every day across North America this scenario plays out:  the client contacts a local professional home stager for a proposal to help prepare their home for the market.  In this case, it was an estate and the family wasn't sure if they should do any repairs or painting.)

When I walked through this house, I could hear it telling me "I'm actually much prettier ~ I have great potential!"  It's true that homes we stage "talk" to us -- so I've learned to listen to them :-).  This home wanted to be much more attractive, and it deserved it.  It's in a very desirable Lake Oswego Oregon neighborhood on a 3/4 acre lot.  When the client gave us the green light for staging, first we provided them with a lengthy "To Do" list which included painting, replacing light fixtures, changing out hardware, replacing flooring, installing new carpeting, deep cleaning every surface, etc.  They were so motivated and got right to work!  We selected the paint colors and the work began ....

UPDATE:  This home was staged, listed & SOLD in just 40 days -- much faster than our local DOM average of 142!  The seller wrote to us:   "Thanks Maureen for all your expert advice and creative design.  It really made all the difference in being able to sell my parents' home so quickly!"

Here are some Before & After photos of this staging project ...  in the living room you saw white walls, white brick fireplace, old carpeting, a hodge-podge of furnishings -- no real opportunity for a buyer to make an emotional connection and fall in love with this home...

Soft brown neutral colors on the walls & fireplace, and new carpeting instantly updated this home.

In the master bedroom white walls & old carpeting didn't invite buyers to move right in ...

In the dining room we advised replacing the brass chandelier with something more modern, plus paint & new carpet ...

A small bedroom is perfect for an Office - after removing the dated wallpaper & short curtains, and painting ...

The family room lacked buyer appeal "before" but like the rest of this home, had great POTENTIAL ...

If your home is languishing in the last century and needs an update .... contact your local home staging professional for help!  Be prepared to do some hard work and you'll be rewarded with increased buyer interest.  Don't forget the importance of good photos for the online listing ~ our company provides photos as part of our home staging services.

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