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

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

 ~ Portland Oregon home undergoes a staging transformation ~

UPDATE:  this home went under contract 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 ~

***                ***                    ***

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.

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!

***                    ***                    ***

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!!

***                    ***                    ***                    ***                    ***

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.

Real Estate Sign Riders: Yes or No?

You can drive down almost any residential street in your town and you'll see 'For Sale' signs ~ sometimes multiple signs on the same street.  Since I'm a real estate stager in Portland OR I'm often visiting homes in many neighborhoods to meet a potential homeowner or Realtor client.  I'm curious about some of the sign riders attached to 'For Sale' signs and want to ask the Realtor community:

DO THESE SIGNS REALLY HELP TO PROMOTE A PROPERTY?   ARE THEY A POSITIVE REFLECTION?

This sign rider seems to imply that the outside of the house isn't gorgeous is UGLY:

I’M GORGEOUS INSIDE

When I see this sign, I think 'wouldn't a buyer PLAN to see the inside?'  MUST SEE INSIDE

HONEY! STOP THE CAR ~ This one just seems silly!

These 3 signs send one message to me as a potential buyer:  the home was not priced correctly to begin with, so it's likely going to be easy to negotiate an even lower price (maybe the sellers are getting desperate?)

NEW PRICE    MOTIVATED SELLER     PRICE REDUCED

This sign is usually along a busy commuter route & makes you think, who wants to live near heavy traffic?  

YOU COULD BE HOME BY NOW!

... AND THE BEST SIGN A SELLER CAN SEE IS THIS ONE:

 IF YOU USE RIDERS, WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE ONES?

The saddest sign I've ever seen was this one; on the market for months, and never sold:

If you'd like to avoid dealing with some of these signs, consult with a professional home stager in your area ~ we can help any home appeal to the target buyer.  An inexpensive staging consultation can help downplay any potential weaknesses in a property, inside and outside.

***                    ***                    ***

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.

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.

***                    ***                    ***

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 ~

***                  ***                    ***

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.

                Selling Your Home?  Don't Just "Show" the Space ~ Buyers Need to "Feel" Emotion Too

When we're selected to stage a vacant home in Portland Oregon, we keep a few important goals in mind:

1. Show the spaciousness of each room ... and make sure there's a good flow from room to room

       2.  Give the buyers a chance to connect with the house on an emotional level ~ this includes having great photos that show the home's best features in an inviting way

The best way to illustrate these ideas is with Before & After photos ... here is a Portland-area home that we staged recently that's  been on the market for over 2 years.  Although it's beautiful new construction, when it was vacant it just didn't "feel" like home.  Here are some examples of staging that helps a buyer "see" the space, but also to "feel" the emotion of what it would be like to live there.

Here's the Great Room as shown in the MLS for the past 2 years:  does it evoke any emotion?  Does this photo show enough of the room to give a buyer previewing it online a compelling reason to put it on their list?  Not really ...

We also took this photo to show buyers more of the space to buyers, to help them "mentally move in" 

The Dining room is for sharing good meals with family & friends ~ but when it's shown as a Vacant room, there's no way for a buyer to "feel" much about it  ... but add some simple staging, and they're hosting a dinner party ...

For 2 yrs the online photo of the Den looked boring in the MLS, so we took 2 photos to show buyers more of the space:

Buyers think of the Master Bedroom as a peaceful retreat, but when vacant, it looked cold in the online listing for 2 yrs; After staging we show more of the space to let buyers "feel" an emotional connection!

Here are a few other photos of this home that can help buyers "See" and "Feel" it better than Before

Remember when selling your home that buyers want to "see" the possibilities ~ Don't make them guess!

~ Staging and Photos by Room Solutions Staging ~

***                    ***                   ***

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 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.

                           Home Staging Tip:  Sometimes just a few Props are all You Need

When staging your home to sell, it's not necessary to stage every room ... our Portland home staging company usually suggests staging the key impact areas such as the living room, great room or family room, kitchen, dining area and the master bedroom.  Many sellers in today's economic climate are on a budget -- so we offer home staging services that are cost-effective.

We recently staged a remodeled 3-story home that's over 4500 sq ft.  We fully staged all of the key rooms, but to reduce costs, other areas were given just a few staging props to show function & to warm up the space.  This home has many interesting areas that were fun to stage using a "less is more" approach.  Here are a few examples of using a few staging props to show buyers how they might enjoy these spaces:

This modestly-sized open space is somewhat of a pass-through area, with a sliding glass door to the deck, a low window to enjoy the view, open hallways on two sides, & powder room off it, with no wall space for conventional furniture.  By using a round table with four chairs, we showed a conversation area ...

On the lower level, a large room was remodeled into a media room.  Although the budget didn't allow for furniture in this space, we placed some movie-themed wall decor so that buyers would instantly "see" the room's intended function ...

This space off the master bedroom was a perfect spot for a desk; since this home already has an office on the main floor, this provides a more intimate space; light staging gives the buyer some ideas ... 

This area off the entry has a natural spot for a chair but not much more, because this is a main traffic area ...

On the lowest level of this home you'll find a second, huge family room that resembles a bowling alley.  Rather than stage the entire room, we staged just one end of it .. leaving the other end open for a ping-pong or pool table or a huge sectional ... 

Remember that if you're selling your home, buyers not only look for the size of home they want, but they also like ideas for how to use any extra spaces (especially ones that may have more than one function).  Consult with a professional home stager to find the best advice for staging your home!

***                    ***                    ***

Room Solutions Staging offers staging services to Portland Oregon metro area homeowners, real estate agents, builders, banks,  and investors in 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 live-in homes, and interior redesign  projects.  For a free home staging proposal, please contact us @ 503-246-1800.

                                 ~ Staging Can Add ENERGY to a Home on the Market in Portland OR ~

It's amazing how vacant homes can look cold, stagnant, and void of energy.  Here's some Before & After photos of a mid-century home in Portland Oregon that we staged recently ... the smart listing broker suggested staging to the sellers, and they hired our company to stage it.

Before, the Living room looks OK, but it's hard for buyers to "feel" how the space might work for them ....

Which one of these Dining rooms would most buyers prefer to enjoy a meal in? 

A vacant Bedroom won't give buyers "feelings" of warmth -- but staged, they can imagine living here  

~ After Photos by Room Solutions Staging ~

Sellers -- consider staging your home before listing, so that it has the best exposure from it's first day on the market.

Realtors -- find experienced professional home stagers in your area, check their portfolios & their references.  Partnering with a professional home stager can make your listings stand out in a sea of distressed or boring properties.

***                    ***                    ***

Room Solutions Staging offers help to Portland Oregon metro area homeowners, real estate professionals, builders, banks, trustees and investors in 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 live-in homes, and interior redesign  projects.  For a free home staging proposal, please contact us @ 503-246-1800.