Home Staging in Portland Oregon Blog

Update Your Master Bathroom on a Budget ~ whether you're in Portland or anywhere else

Homeowners often wonder if they can update a master bathroom in a cost-effective way, finding solutions that will improve the look of the bathroom without breaking the bank.  Here's a recent bathroom remodel our company did,  finding ways to cut costs and still get the results we wanted.

Here's how the bathroom looked Before .. note the large unframed mirror, the 4" white tiles, older faucets, & boring beige-yellow walls

The look of this builder-original bathroom circa 2001 was BORING!  What did we do?

• First, we had a carpenter frame the large mirror;  labor & materials = $100.

• We replaced the 2 vanity faucets with Delta "Dryden" ones;  cost = $135 x 2; replaced the tub faucet; cost = $245

• Granite Transformations (many locations across the country) did a seamless overlay of granite Trend stone on the double vanity + the front & sides of the jacuzzi tub, directly over the tiles (no demolition), color Bianca Wintermute;  labor + materials = $2180

• Painted the walls (Devine Mocha + accent wall Devine Cocoa, wood trim Dove White); cost = $300

We found cost-effective solutions to update this bathroom to appeal to today's buyers who want their bathrooms to look like a stylish spa retreat.

Granite tiles or slab granite would both have been much more expensive since the tiles would have had to be removed;  the Granite Transformation system lays stone directly over the existing tiles and backsplash, saving time and money (this job was completed in less than 4 hours).  Here's a close-up ...

If you're planning to sell your home, or just refresh the one you're living in, contact your local home staging professional for advice on what cosmetic improvements will be cost-effective ~ you want to get the most bang for your buck!

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Room Solutions Staging offers help to homeowners, real estate professionals, 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, contact us @ 503-246-1800. 

Fabulous Multnomah Village Townhouse in Portland @ 7909 SW 31st Ave, Portland ~ RMLS #10058304

Beautiful, rare Multnomah Village end unit townhouse.  Guest Suite w/separate entrance, kitchen, bedroom, Great room & full bath.  The main townhouse features a 2-story Great room with 25' ceilings, corner windows, master suite dual vanity slab counters & jacuzzi tub and a sunny deck. Side-by-side 2 car oversized garage + add'l reserved parking space.  Footsteps from Multnomah Village's trendy restaurants & charming shops.  $459,900 

MLS 10058304;  3 Bedrooms, 3 full Bathrooms; 2,380 sq ft.  Other features include refinished hardwood floors, wool carpeting, designer colors, A/C, built-in vacuum, 2 decks + a landscaped paver patio in a small complex in the heart of Multnomah Village.

For more details on this unique home, contact John Duncan of Oregon First @ 503-803-9184.

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This occupied home was professionally staged by Room Solutions Staging in Portland OR; we assist homeowners and their agents in preparing homes for the market so that they appeal to the target buyer ~ and sell quickly!  If you have a home or listing lingering on the market, contact us for a complimentary home staging proposal.  Join our happy clients who have seen the powerful benefits of professional home staging in Portland Oregon!

Here in the Northwest many homeowners have wood decks and find maintaining them challenging.  Here's an excellent post from Jay Markanich, a home inspector in Virginia, who gives us excellent tips on how to properly take care of our decks.  Remember, never use a pressure washer on a deck!

Highly desirable Colonial Heights neighborhood in SE Portland OR with private back patio for outdoor entertainment.  Charming 1924 bungalow with updated kitchen and bathrooms and central A/C. Finished basement for media or play room.  Location is everything!  Walk to nearby boutiques and coffee shops along Hawthorne and Division.  Perfect space for a family OR the ultimate entertainment home for professionals.

RMLS# 10056150

2900 sq ft; 3 bedrooms & 3 bathrooms

For more information, call the listing broker Donni Phommany @ Portland Realty Associates 971-344-9356.

~ Photos provided by Room Solutions Staging ~

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This home was professionally staged by Room Solutions Staging in Portland OR.  We help homeowners, real estate professionals, banks, investors and builders prepare homes so that they sell quickly.  Our satisfied clients appreciate our menu of home staging services including cost-effective verbal consultations and staging for both occupied and vacant properties. For a free staging proposal for your Portland metro property, contact us @ 503-246-1800.

Stunning Contemporary remodel with 3,500 sq ft on two floors;  4 spacious bedrooms and 3.5 baths.  Enjoy the features of a new home in the established Hayhurst neighborhood near Gabriel Park.  Open floor plan with vaulted ceilings, a fabulous new gourmet kitchen with granite island and S/S appliances.  This home has wood floors and new carpeting along with two fireplaces, AC, and an oversize 2-car garage.    RMLS# 10054917

For more information on this home, call Portland Metro Realtors @ 503-516-2648.

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This home was professionally staged by Room Solutions Staging in Portland OR.  We help homeowners, real estate professionals, banks, investors and builders prepare homes so that they sell quickly.  Our satisfied clients appreciate our menu of home staging services including cost-effective verbal consultations and staging for both occupied and vacant properties. For a free staging proposal contact us @ 503-246-1800.

Tips for Selling Success: Eliminate Bold Colors & Show the Room's Original Purpose (Before & Afters)

This updated home in Portland Oregon's trendy Beaumont Village neighborhood needed more neutral paint colors as well as the original function of each room clearly shown to potential buyers.  Although this staging budget was very limited, the end result is a much more buyer-friendly home that shows as spacious and move-in ready.

When selling your home, stage the dining room to allow buyers to imagine entertaining here ...

Living rooms should have the furniture in an open, welcoming configuration that highlights the space ...

When selling, kitchens need to look spacious -- put that clutter out of sight ...

The Master bedroom should look like a calm, peaceful retreat (not an office) ...

When selling, bold colors from the last century should be neutralized ...

For more home staging tips, contact your local home staging professional ~ you'll be amazed how a few  cost-effective changes can make a big difference in how potential buyers view your home.

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Room Solutions Staging offers help to Portland-area homeowners, real estate professionals, 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 free home staging proposal, contact us @ 503-246-1800. 

~ Room Solutions offers interior photos as part of our home staging services ~

Spacious contemporary-style home on a corner lot in the heart of Portland's Beaumont village neighborhood.  Newly painted 3 bedroom, 2.5 baths with a modern kitchen and light-filled living/dining rooms with skylights and a brick fireplace. Upper level is a 600+ SF master suite with jacuzzi tub. Backyard has private patio, raised garden beds, and water feature.  Walk to Beaumont school, shops, and restaurants!

2,272 sq ft total ~ RMLS 10027479.

For more information on this lovely home contact Milan Cole of JMA Properties @ 503-953-3416

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Room Solutions Staging offers help to homeowners, real estate professionals, 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 free home staging pricing proposal, contact us @ 503-246-1800. 

 This Realtor Became a Staging Supporter when HER Home was Staged ~ and SOLD for full price!

 We all know that sometimes, the only way to really BELIEVE in something is to "see it for yourself." 

Our Portland-based home staging company has worked with many award-winning Realtors over the past few years.  One of them contacted me last year and asked me to provide a home staging consultation at her own home;  she was planning to list her home in 2010 and wanted to know exactly what type of information our staging consultation service provided, so that she could feel comfortable referring her seller clients to me.  I was delighted to be asked to help this wonderful Realtor with advice for updating her own home prior to putting it on the market, and we spent a couple of hours walking through each room and also discussing "curb appeal" and some landscaping ideas.

This savvy Realtor knew that it would take time to complete the updates we discussed so she methodically began getting bids for the work (and enlisting her husband's help as well) and worked from her "To Do" list that we developed during the home staging consultation process.  As with all my clients, follow-up emails went back and forth as she sought more information on materials, paint colors, furniture placement, accessorizing, etc.  I couldn't wait to see the final results ... and was SO proud of my Realtor client when I saw how she'd taken my suggestions; and once the work was done, staged her home herself using the tips I'd given her.

Here's a few "Before & After" photos to show what a great job our Realtor client did transforming her home for selling.  In each bathroom the cabinets, hardware, and light fixtures were replaced, granite counters added, and the mirrors were framed.  Those changes really helped to bring this 1970's home into the 21st century ...

One of our tips to sellers is to remove pet beds and toys, since buyers might not find them appealing ...

We also advised making the bedroom a peaceful retreat by adding art & accessories ...

This lovely home went on the market and SOLD for FULL PRICE in less than 2 months!  The new owners moved in last week, and my Realtor client and her husband found their next "dream" home ... making this another home staging success story.

So, if you have to "see it to believe it" then take a look at our home staging statistics for homes we've helped sellers stage in the Portland Metro area.  Home staging consultations start at just $150 and are such a cost-effective tool  to help homeowners prepare their homes themselves.  We'll be happy to help you sell YOUR home quickly too!

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Room Solutions Staging offers help to homeowners, real estate professionals, 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 free home staging pricing proposal, contact us @ 503-246-1800. 

These 5 Portland Sellers Took their Home Stager's Advice & Came Out Winners (Before & Afters)

One of the most cost-effective home staging services that homeowners (or their agents) can take advantage of is the Home Staging Consultation.  For a minimal fee and two hours of time, a professional home stager walks through the entire property with the seller or agent and advises on things like:

1. Which cosmetic improvements need to be completed (and which don't)
   
2. How to properly place the furniture for best traffic flow
   
3. How to highlight the home's best architectural features
   
4. Minor updates that will make the home appealing to today's demanding buyers
5. Curb appeal that will make buyers rush to see the inside of this home

In our local real estate market, home staging is becoming more widely accepted as an excellent marketing tool.  Homes that are priced right, have an aggressive agent, are in good condition, and presented in their very best light are the homes that sell faster.  Staging helps buyers imagine how THEY would live in the home ... it takes away the sellers' imprint on the home, so that buyers can immediately connect to the property.

Sometimes the best way to make a point is to show proof ~ so here are some Before and After photos of clients' homes where my company has provided a verbal consultation.  These motivated sellers did a great job taking our advice, and spent a minimal amount of money preparing their home for sale.  We rarely advise remodeling the kitchen or tearing out walls --  instead, we give our seller clients easy-to-follow tips on how to make their home irresistible to buyers.  In all of these examples, these 5 sellers worked with what they already had -- there were no fees for staging inventory rental -- and all SOLD in less than 2 weeks ...

We're proud of how our homeowner clients took our advice and made their homes "move in ready."  The end result is a happy client, a grateful listing agent, happy buyers, and a quicker sale!

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Room Solutions Staging offers home staging consultation services starting at just $150 ... so if your home or listing is going on the market, join the hundreds of other smart Oregon sellers who have used our help to get their homes sold quickly.  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, contact us @ 503-246-1800. 

   How a Home Stager can 'Tweak' an Occupied Home to make it Move-in Ready!    

Update:  This home went under contract in less than a week after staging and listing!!

Home staging isn't complicated ~ sometimes all it takes for a home to look its very best for selling is the "magic touch" of a professional home stager.  We're trained to use what the homeowner already has and make the most of it, adding new pieces as needed (and removing excess that can distract potential buyers).

As an example, here's some Before and After photos of a recent Portland home staging project.  The sellers were living comfortably in their beautiful vintage Craftsman home, but recognized that staging it would help potential buyers see all the best features of this home, as well as the spacious rooms.  We started with a home staging consultation where the sellers were given advice on how to best present their home for selling.  They had some packing up to do, as well as completing a few easy cosmetic improvements.

In the Living room, we advised the sellers to move their large leather furniture into the family room and we used smaller pieces to allow for better traffic flow and to highlight the fireplace area ... After, buyers notice the home's charming features instead of the furnishings ...

In the Dining room, we advised moving the exercise equipment, and we brought in a more fitting dining table ...

A spare bedroom was turned into a child's room using furniture the sellers already had ...

The large living room furniture & flatscreen TV went to the family room in the basement, which now is a wonderful space ...

These simple "tweaks" are all it takes to make homes look appealing for the online photos as well as in person .... so when your home or listing is on the market, contact your local professional home stager for advice.  We're here to help!

Photos by Room Solutions Staging

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