Category: staging

Home stager: Kelly Kurtz, a licensed REALTOR(R) with Exit Options Real Estate and founder of Simply Well Simply Organized

The home: This cottage was located in a small community in Groton, Mass. The home was rundown, and the owner had accumulated years of belongings that were scattered everywhere. Kurtz knew the home needed a deep cleaning and some staging to make it appealing to a buyer, without sacrificing the owner’s potential for profit by listing it under market value. Kurtz took the strategy of decluttering and cleaning the property but purposely muted her staging accessories to fit the style of the property. The home, which was built in 1925, was listed for $249,900.

 

 

Kurtz’s Staging Tips:

1. Work with the “feel” of the property. In this cottage, there already was a “vintage feel” so Kurtz knew shiny, new accessories wouldn’t work. The home’s kitchen was last updated in the 1950s, and so she worked with what she had. She weaved in timeless accessories–like a red kettle on the stovetop and tea towel curtain valances–to bring out the vintage charm already present in the space. She added a vintage kitchen stool by the laundry area and a chrome rimmed high-top table and colored stools in a sitting room off the kitchen, which fit more a 1950s decor style.

2. Fit the home to the likely buyer. Kurtz envisioned what type of buyer might live there. She added simple accessories that would appeal to that demographic. Kurtz staged the home with inspiration that a young couple who possibly had a small, younger family would be drawn to the home’s location, square footage, and budget.

3. Highlight any unique features. Kurtz knew the vintage stove might be one of the first items that many real estate professionals would recommend replacing, but instead she sought to accentuate it. The new owners could then decide to keep or toss it after they closed on the home, but it was all part of the vintage feel she tried to create.

 

Have a home you recently staged that you’d like to show off here at Styled Staged & Sold? Submit your staging photos for consideration, along with three to five of your best spruce-up tips. Contact Melissa Dittmann Tracey at mtracey@realtors.org.

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By Laura Love Bardell, guest contributor

This year in home decor, green is really having a moment. Far from being a short-lived trend, however, this verdant color is definitely here to stay. Luckily for us, green goes with just about everything, and it’s easy to incorporate into any room of your home.

Add some life.

The simplest way to add green into your home decor is with botanicals, which blend effortlessly into any color scheme. Place a cluster of potted succulents on the coffee table, and fill that empty corner behind the sofa with a statement fiddle leaf fig tree. In spaces that lack sufficient natural light for live plants, consider faux varieties. With advances in manufacturing techniques, many artificial plants look just as convincing as the real thing and require no maintenance.

Accessorize.

In rooms with a neutral color palette, use green accessories to add a pop of color or texture. Swap out existing window treatments with curtains featuring botanical leaf prints or patterns. Layer throw pillows and blankets on the living room sofa. Avoid choosing all solid color pillows as the effect can be a bit flat; instead opt for complementary patterns and textures for a fresh, updated look.

Style your bookcase or end table with a vibrant emerald centerpiece bowl, or intersperse green vases with on-trend marble decor on the console table for a chic, of-the-moment look. For a bolder statement, consider a kelly-green statement wall, palm print wall decals, or a luxe velvet sofa in a rich olive hue.

Mix it up.

Beyond neutral palettes, green works beautifully in any number of color schemes. Many shades mix easily with black and white; use this combination for a classic, timeless aesthetic. Juxtapose a muted lime green with pops of red, orange, and yellow for a playful, energized space. Paler hues mix well with pastels or jewel tones offer a rich, vibrant look.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Laura Love Bardell  writes for  Crate and Barrel,  where  she creates design-savvy content on the latest home-furnishing trends. Laura enjoys giving tips for how to use furniture creatively for any space, big or small.

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By Melissa Dittmann Tracey, REALTOR® Magazine

Orange can be a great color for adding curb appeal, and it fits perfectly into the fall season too. Bright orange pumpkins and flowers can add just the color pop needed to get potential home buyers looking straight at that front door. Check out some of these photos from the remodeling site Houzz and see how designers added inviting fall curb appeal to their front stoop.

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By Melissa Dittmann Tracey, REALTOR® Magazine

So you don’t typically think of concrete as a decor item inside your home but something more reserved for your driveway or a home’s foundation. It can be a cold, harsh surface. So, why are so many designers now using it in the design of interior spaces?

The faux industrial look is very popular at the moment, and concrete sinks, flooring, countertops, or even a concrete accent wall fits right into that style. Polished cement countertops or even concrete soaking tubs are on-trend.

Concrete’s neutral gray can appear less harsh too when used against whites, marbles, or wood.

A perk to concrete is it’s relatively easy to maintain, durable, and eco-friendly. It can retain heat and help keep moisture out—a reason we’re seeing it surface in more bathrooms lately.

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By Melissa Dittmann Tracey, REALTOR® Magazine

Getting a little mismatchy in kitchen cabinet color designs is no longer being viewed as an unfinished reno job, but instead perfectly stylish in fitting with today’s trends. These “tuxedo kitchens,” as they’re nicknamed, are where the upper cabinets may be in one color—like in all white—and then the lower cabinets are in a contrasting shade, like a gray or dark walnut. It’s essentially a way to color block your cabinets.

The idea of going with two different shades on your kitchen cabinets may make some homeowners’ a little uneasy, but it’s nothing to fear nowadays and can actually make your kitchen look more open.

Typically, with tuxedo cabinets, the lighter color is on top and a darker color is on the bottom. It can help make a kitchen seem taller when the lighter color is above. It can also create a focal point, when a contrasting color is used on a kitchen island. And the differing shades can also break up the monotony of all one color cabinets, particularly in all-white kitchens.

Some real estate studies are suggesting that white cabinets contrasted by a dark navy blue or black kitchen island is among the most common tuxedo kitchen pairings in some real estate listings too.

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By Melissa Dittmann Tracey, REALTOR(R) Magazine

The paint company Behr has named a rich, bluish hue its 2019 Color of the Year. Blueprint is a mid-tone blue that is described as warmer than denim but softer than navy.

Behr is predicting that embracing a full range of blue, teal,and gray will be a key style for home design in 2019. “Layer light and dark blues on walls, cabinets, furniture, and decor for impactful results,” Behr says.

The color matches with the jewel tone trend that has been taking off in 2018, which also has seen the popularity of dark greens and purples in decor.

Blueprint is a dark color but can also be a classic that can be mixed with many color combos and in different home styles too, the company notes. The color can work as an accent wall color, on kitchen cabinets, in home accessories, bedding or blankets, or furnishings.

Gray will remain a hot neutral in 2019, but color forecasters believe that as warmer tones in taupe and terra-cotta rise in popularity, earthy blues and brown combinations will grow too.

Also, Behr predicts that powder blue, blush peach, and tinted lilac will emerge as new neutrals in the new year as well. These colors  create “relaxed and expansive spaces,” the company says. “Matte finishes emphasize softness, while metal accents add glamour.”

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By Audra Slinkey, Home Staging Resource

A lot of real estate agents are looking for a good, reliable home stager that can magically transform their listings into the price point their seller is hoping to achieve.  The trouble and confusion sometimes comes when the real estate professional asks a few home stagers to “bid” or present a proposal on their vacant home.

BEFORE

 

AFTER

The vacant staging proposal price can range anywhere from $1,500 to $8,000 for a smaller home, so do you just pick the best priced stager?

I think we can all agree that there is a BIG difference between Walmart and Restoration Hardware when it comes to furnishings, so choosing a home stager on price alone is not a good idea … here’s why.

BEFORE

AFTER

The professionally certified and trained home stager ranks the home based on “luxury level” and places the most ideal furnishings that kind of buyer would “expect” in the home.  In each area across the country, there is a certain buyer “expectation” that corresponds to price point and location.

DO make sure the furnishings enhance and correspond with the buyer expectation for that home.

BEFORE

AFTER

It’s not a matter of simply choosing a couch/chair/coffee table/rug to go into the space … it’s an art form. Professional stagers tend to base their price on the VALUE of the furnishings that go into that home. This is how they calculate their return on investment (ROI) and cover their costs, so that their business will be around in a year. This is also how they are able to stay on trend, turn over older furnishings, and present the home in a fresh, modern way every time.

BEFORE

AFTER  

DON’T choose on price alone. 

Going with the lowest priced staging proposal could mean you are getting low priced furnishings, which ultimately could hurt the sale of the home. Here are a couple questions to ask a home stager rather than base your choice on price:

BEFORE

 

AFTER

DO ask them what kind of “look” can I expect to go in this home?

This is their chance to show and talk you through their expertise and show you their work. If they fumble or choose a style that does not fit the style or luxury level of the home, then I would question their credibility and training.

BEFORE

AFTER

DO ask them if they buy wholesale?

The certified stager knows how to buy wholesale and can get AMAZING prices on luxury furnishings (thus more bang for your buck!) But some home stagers are not certified or trained in this kind of advanced shopping.

I train on this extensively, and here’s an example of the kind of pricing you can get by going to the market. I love the look of layered rugs and this zebra hide rug costs only $99 at the market … what?!

 

DON’T base your choice on experience alone. 

Staging will always be an art form and some of the most talented stagers I’ve seen who do not sacrifice on quality of materials are brand new to the industry. Their heart and soul is placed into that home and it shows.  Take a chance and try someone new.

BEFORE

AFTER

A good rule of thumb is to consider spending a little less or around 1 percent the value of the home on vacant staging in order for the staging to match the luxury level of the home. The million-plus dollar home needs to be staged like a million bucks …. buyers expect this.

BEFORE

AFTER

If the seller’s furnishings are over 10 years old then DO have them consider “moving out” beforehand, so that they can make an extra 5 to 10 percent the value of the home in the sale.  According to recent staging statistics, the seller who spends close to 1 percent on staging usually sees over a 10 percent return on investment. There does appear to be a connection between spending more and getting more.

BEFORE

 

AFTER

DO educate the seller on how they can get the best price for their home by staging.

I’m seeing a lot of smart agents educating their sellers on this critical cost, sometimes even paying it up front (for the cash poor seller) and then charging it in closing as part of their fee. We all know that markets go up and down, but the real estate agent who consistently puts the best marketed and priced product on the market for the sellers, is the one that will be around forever.

To find home stagers that do the kind of work featured above, visit Directory of Certified Home Stagers and Designers.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Audra Slinkey is president and founder of the Home Staging Resource, an advanced home staging and redesign certification training company.  Slinkey has been awarded the “Most Innovative Product of the Year Award” three times for her training and serves on the board of the Real Estate Staging Association. Slinkey is a published author and international speaker on staging, color, and design. She is proud and privileged to help create and mentor thousands of staging and design businesses across the globe.

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By Patti Stern, PJ & Company Staging and Interior Decorating

What is the key to staging a home in appealing to a broad demographic?  Presenting a property’s main rooms so buyers can see its true potential beyond what they read in the listing.

A room showcased in a way that features the best use of the space will not only get noticed but will increase the perceived value and ultimately reduce the time spent on the market. The following are some examples of rooms that were “styled to sell” by meeting targeted buyer specific needs.

Feature a Room’s Original Purpose

Take away the guesswork from buyers by converting the key rooms of a home back to their original purpose. A living room that was being used as a library or office space (as shown in the example above) lacks the “wow factor” when entering the home and is a turn-off to young buyers looking for room to entertain guests.

By adding cozy furniture and modern accents such as a plush rug, wall art, and colorful throw pillows, the space has a fresh, welcoming appeal and helps buyers see the home’s true potential.

For the bedroom above that was used by the sellers as a wardrobe closet, it’s safe to say that buyers would lose interest if they can’t see how a full-sized bed, side table, and shelving would work in the room. Presenting a more functional use of the space rather than one that appears tiny with nothing but racks of hanging clothing, immediately might increase the property’s perceived value for buyers with young families.

Use Furnishings That Fit a Small Space

When staging a small, vacant property such as this flip/investment property shown above, choose the right sized furniture and don’t overdo with too many accents.

Try a love seat and smaller accent chair in the family room or position the head of a bed in front of a window to save space and increase perceived room size.

 

Present Creative Options For A Large Space

Or when styling a large space such as this living room, divide it into distinct sections to show creative uses of the space. We created a cozy game zone in this living room by incorporating a large round table and chairs accented with wall art by the window for an extra inviting touch. Buyers will not only be attracted to the style of the room, but the potential function as well.

For more examples of interior decorating and home staging, visit www.pjstagingdecorating.com.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Patti Stern is principal, interior decorator, and professional stager of PJ & Company Staging and Interior Decorating. She has been decorating and staging homes since 2005. She and her team provide turnkey, full-service home staging and interior decorating to clients across Connecticut, New York, and Massachusetts. She also developed an award-winning staging program for the luxury homebuilder, Toll Brothers. Her company received the Houzz 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 Awards for Customer Service.

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Home stager: Justin M. Riordan, founder of Spade and Archer Design Agency, with offices in Portland, Ore., and Seattle

The home: This Portland, Ore., home was a “complete and total fixer,” Riordan says. But it wasn’t anything that some savvy staging couldn’t fix. The 3,180-square-foot home was built in 1906 and features five bedrooms, 3.5 baths. It’s listed for $875,000.

Riordan’s Staging Tips: 

1. When staging a home, stick with neutral rugs with little to no pattern. This will keep the the rugs from distracting from the house itself.

2. Mix styles because not everybody loves modern or Victorian or vintage. By having an eclectic mix of styles in each room, the staging can appeal a little bit to each person.

3. Use color blocking. By assigning a single color to each room, buyers will have a way to discuss each room. This house has a green bedroom, a pink bedroom, a grey bedroom, and a brown bedroom. When the buyer say, “I think Sally should have the pink bedroom,” the other buyer will understand immediately which room they were talking about.

 

Have a home you recently staged that you’d like to show off here at Styled Staged & Sold? Submit your staging photos for consideration, along with three to five of your best spruce-up tips. Contact Melissa Dittmann Tracey at mtracey@realtors.org.

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By Brian Balduf, VHT Studios

Technology and the convenience it offers to buyers and sellers has changed real estate forever. The days of starting a home search inside the office or car of a real estate professional and touring five or six houses are long gone. Now, interested buyers expect to “shop” for their new home whenever they want on whichever device they desire and they often spend hours clicking through listings online before ever scheduling a visit. As a result, savvy real estate professionals are using many new tools to help their listings gain an advantage and sell faster.

One of the hottest tools deployed by real estate professionals is virtual staging, especially when used to market vacant condominium units.
Let’s face it, an empty condo unit, whether it’s a studio or penthouse, can lack the “curb appeal” that motivates buyers to take the time to make a visit. Empty rooms appear as boxy walls of white (or even worse, depending on the previous owners’/tenants’ tastes and color palette).

If many condos are for-sale in the same building, those big boxes with beige carpet and white walls appear disappointingly similar and fail to present their possibilities as a home. Virtual staging can help a vacant condo stand out from the rest and inject a new look into the listing photography, which brings that condo to life.

Not to worry – you don’t have to put on silly helmets or special goggles to do it.

Virtual staging in real estate refers to the virtual photographic tools available to real estate professionals, in partnership with their professional photographer, to showcase a home and its potential. Virtual staging is the most common tool in the virtual real estate drawer and is playing a major role in the marketplace by appealing to prospective buyers or tenants.

Through virtual staging, a professional photographer captures photographs of vacant or lived-in homes and virtually changes a condo’s décor and furniture to make a great first impression to buyers or renters searching for their next home.

In many cases, you really don’t want to show a house as it is decorated by the current owner/tenant, since buyers may not be interested in seeing the current owner’s stuff. Sellers should be reminded that their listing needs to help the next homeowner envision their own unique future lifestyle in that condo or apartment.

Take a fresh look at those empty rooms where the next owner will spend most of his/her time. Ask how you can appeal to that future owner/tenant by presenting the different possibilities of styling and furnishing various rooms. Various virtual staging tools such as virtual redecorate, virtual furnish, virtual repaint, and virtual declutter provide endless ways to showcase homes.

These virtual tools give owners the chance to showcase the multiple functions of a spare bedroom by using virtual redecorate as an inexpensive virtual makeover to convert it to an office, arts and crafts room or nursery.

Want to appeal to a fitness fanatic? You can virtually redecorate a second bedroom as a workout space. Virtual redecorating strips all furnishings from a photograph and drops in new furniture, wall color and décor to help you attract the next homeowner by showcasing the potential of the room in different styles or even different functions.
No two homeowners have the same taste, so appeal to the broadest audience possible by offering many different styles of the same living room, such as rustic, modern, shabby chic, traditional and beyond.

Sometimes, the virtual tools solve real estate professionals’ biggest headaches.

Did the current owner move out quickly, taking all her furniture and leaving behind a unit that appears cold and unwelcoming? Virtual staging can fill a vacant room with furnishings without the expense or inconvenience of having to rent or move in tables, chairs, couches or beds. The savings in time and budget are significant when compared to traditional staging costs.

Did the seller forget to clear the clutter before a photo-shoot? Virtual declutter can magically eliminate all of the current owner’s/tenant’s personal effects and knick-knacks from surfaces to present a clean, wide-open look.

Or does the dark red wall make the living room appear smaller? It can be virtually repainted a calming gray or white, making the room look more spacious and inviting.

During showings, to remind buyers of the virtually staged photographs they first saw online, real estate professionals can place the virtually staged photographs on an easel, or offer as a handout so buyers can actually see the potential of a room, rather than imagine it on their own.

Another tool that is rising in popularity is interactive floorplans. Some people just can’t look at a floorplan and “see” the flow of a condo. Interactive floorplans include photos from each room, to effectively help a buyer visualize how she’d live in her new home, or how he’d quickly move from his exercise room to the shower and make it to work on time.

Young singles and married couples now make-up the largest population of buyers and are accustomed to being wowed by the content they read and watch. Their expectations are no less when it comes to being dazzled by the potential of the next property they’re thinking of buying. Smart real estate pros will sell listings faster and grow their businesses stronger, by appealing to the needs and expectations of this young market and by helping them envision the full realm of possibilities.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Brian Balduf, CEO, chairman and co-founder of VHT Studios, has built the Rosemont, Ill.-based firm into the nation’s largest real estate photography and image management services company. Since he co-founded the company in 1998, VHT Studios has helped more than 200,000 real estate professionals sell more than $200 billion in properties through its nationwide network of hundreds of photographers and image specialists. Delivering to real estate professionals their most powerful selling tools – high quality photography and video – Balduf has worked to ensure their properties get seen more, sell faster and at the highest price. For more information, visit VHT.com, The VHT Studios Blog or find us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram.

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