Home Staging in Portland Oregon Blog

Portland OR Condo is Staged and SOLD in 4 days for 103% of the Asking Price

One of our Realtor partners asked me for a home staging proposal for a modest vacant condo in Portland OR recently. Since this condo faced stiff competition from several other units in the same complex (that had more updated features & designer paint colors compared to this unit) -- she knew that staging would give this townhouse an "edge."

We staged the townhouse and it sold for 103% of asking price in just 4 days!  Naturally the sellers and their Realtor are thrilled with the fast sale.  Here are some Before & After photos of this unit ...

Since the walls had recently been painted a stark white, we used color to add some needed life & warmth; and we also recommended removing the dated vertical blinds ...

Before, the kitchen had a faux grape arbor hanging from the light fixture (too much of a personal statement for a home on the market) so we recommended removing it and then added some props to this black & stainless kitchen ...

The second bedroom was staged as a home office; for an instant update we recommended that the brass-trim closet doors be replaced with white trim ones, and the dated spot light fixtures be replaced with new ones ...

Just for fun, I usually like to take an overhead shot from the second floor ....

The other nearby units in this complex?  They're still on the market -- but they're not professionally staged.

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Do you have a home or listing going on the market soon, or on the market but not getting offers?  For a no-obligation free staging proposal, call Room Solutions Staging in Portland OR @ 503-246-1800.  We'll be happy to help you!  Our professional staging gets great results ~ this year our average Days On Market is less than 30!  To see Before & After photos of both our Vacant and Occupied properties, view our updated Portland OR home staging photo gallery.

Many of us regularly receive emails or calls from "wannabe" stagers .... I've had so many that I came up with a letter to send them.  They deserve to know the "reality" of the staging business and not just hear about how "easy" it is (as shown on TV and by some staging training companies) .... 

Dear Wannabe Stager,

Thank you for inquiring about the home staging business.  I’m often contacted by people who’d like to know more about staging and how to get started.  One of the most important things to consider is that professional stagers should be committed to running a business which is so much more than “decorating” someone’s home.  There are a lot of costs to consider, such as:

• Inventory and props – even if you plan to rent some of the furnishings, you’ll still need to invest a substantial amount of money into accessories, rugs, wall décor, linens, plants, etc.  The cost of these items adds up much quicker than you might imagine. 

• Storage space – once you’ve accumulated accessories and small furnishings you’ll soon find that you need more than just your garage or spare bedroom to store them.  Public storage or warehouse space will add to your expenses. 
  

• Special insurance to cover your staging company for liability in the event you or your helpers damage something in the client’s home, and also to cover your staging inventory whether it’s in transit, in the client’s home, in storage, or in your own home. 
  

• Legal help – you’ll need a good business attorney who can help you develop a staging contract for occupied & vacant homes;  this is very important as you’ll find that being in other people’s home exposes you to liability you may not have thought about, or what happens to your rented staging inventory in the event of non-payment, etc.  It’s best to seek help even if you have a “template” contract, to make sure everything in it applies in your state.

• A good accountant who can help with taxes and what requirements your city & county have for small business owners. 

• Labor help with packing, loading & unloading, transport, and the actual staging and de-staging.

• Register your business with the city and county you’re in and get the proper instructions on your responsibilities; get a TAX ID number.
  

A domain name for your website & a reputable host for it; SEO help to get your site noticed.

• A great blogging platform to help your business grow (Active Rain) 

• A portfolio and website with photos of your own work  (not the work of your training company or stock photos off the internet!).

• A reliable vehicle that can carry your many staging props to each job.

• Office space with a good computer, printer & supplies ~ and good computer skills.

• Marketing advice on the look of your company logo, letterhead stationery, flyers, etc.

• Investment in advertising & marketing to potential clients in your area.   

•  Cost of joining local professional organizations to network and get support from others in the industry 

• Sources for purchasing your inventory and for local furniture rental if needed. 

• The ability to give presentations to Realtors and Homeowners

These are just a few of the things to consider when thinking about setting up a staging company. The best advice I can give someone interested in staging as a career ~ and not just a hobby ~ is to take one of the professional foundation staging training courses that are available (some are better than others so be sure to get recommendations from established stagers).  Continuing education in this field is vitally important.  It’s also just as important to maintain contact with other local stagers for support and to further our common goals.  We have a lot of work to do to educate real estate agents and homeowners about the powerful benefits of staging their properties. 

If you’re truly committed to starting a professional staging company then I hope this advice has been of help to you.  Home staging is an extremely rewarding career ~ but please don't quit your current job just yet until you've really considered all the facts.  You  may also want to read this blog post about running a staging company.  Best of luck to you as you move forward with meeting your goals!

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Maureen Bray is a fulltime professional home stager in Portland Oregon.   To see Before & After photos of both our Vacant and Occupied properties, view our updated Portland OR home staging photo gallery.

A repeat client contacted me recently and asked me to view his latest project, a stunning new contemporary home in a premier Portland OR neighborhood, and provide a proposal for staging it.  Last year we staged a couple of nearby homes for this client and they sold quickly.  Because his homes are known for their stunning design, high quality materials and attention to detail, I couldn't wait to see it.  As professional stagers, we really appreciate when everything is done "just right."

I dropped by this home after staging a nearby house to take photos for my staging proposal.  As soon as I drove up the driveway I felt the excitement of this property, set apart on a hill with a great view of a forested area.  I walked in the front door and immediately noticed that all of the doors and cabinetry throughout the home were made of exotic African Sapele wood (part of the mahogany family) -- and every door was 8 ft high.

The seller knew that buyers would relate much better to this home if it were staged so that they could imagine living there and enjoying all of its unique features.  The great room has soaring windows about 30 ft high .... and dramatic architectural features that are found throughout this 3,800+ sq ft home:

Another view of the great room shows it's fireplace that also serves a cozy study on the other side: 

The dining area with Brazilian cherry floors opens out to a spacious redwood deck:

The master suite carries on the clean lines of this home so we staged it with contemporary furniture:

The gourmet chef's kitchen is an entertainer's dream ... it was a treat just to stage it!

We staged the study with a small desk and showcased the fireplace & beautiful views:

The rear exterior of this home shows its dramatic design ...

For more photos of this home please see the virtual tour

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This home was professionally staged by Room Solutions Staging in Portland Oregon ~ we help Homeowners, Builders, Realtors, and Investors prepare their homes for the market with a variety of home staging services.  For a free home staging proposal call us @ 503-246-1800.  To see Before & After photos of both our Vacant and Occupied properties, view our updated Portland OR home staging photo gallery.   Room Solutions ~ Staging that Sells Portland Homes!

Dear Mr. Seller,

You contacted my company 3 months ago and requested a staging proposal for your home.  It's in a premier Portland neighborhood and you said you knew it needed some help before listing. You'd already bought another home and were packing up your things to move out in a few days.

When I arrived to view your home, it was surprising to see a huge pool table in your dining room!  We laughed together about that and also the long heavy dark velvet drapes!  Your home needed major cleaning and packing up of many small items.  I knew we could help you!

We'd be able to work with most of your furniture that you'd be leaving behind, and we'd provide the necessary missing pieces as well as accessories, art, trees & plants, etc. as needed.  We discussed that if we were going to work together, I'd give you a detailed list that would include which furniture pieces to leave behind as well as some easy cosmetic improvements that you could do yourself. 

You told me that your listing agent did not believe in home staging.  I was surprised to hear this, because I thought that your home was one of the better candidates for staging that I've seen this year, but I kept my opinion to myself.  I told you that our company keeps track of our staging statistics, and we're proud of them.  I knew we could help you!

Later that day I emailed you a very cost-effective proposal that included staging your home using your furniture and providing accessories and other items from our inventory.  We'd stage your home to make it appealing to your target buyer.  Our proposal also included quality digital photos for the online listing ... critical in today's challenging market.  I knew we could help you!

Later, I was disappointed that you decided not to stage your home.  Looking at the online listing, it was a shock to see the photos of your home!  They're dark, out of focus, crooked, and don't even show the best features of your home.  I won't show them here because that wouldn't be discreet, but I noticed the heavy velvet drapes are still there, and your furniture is not in the right position to showcase the space.  The photos are about the worst I've ever seen.   I knew we could have helped you!

After 6 weeks on the market I noticed that you took a $30,000 price reduction!  After another 4 weeks, I saw that your price had now dropped $50,000!   Hmmm ... your agent discouraged you from staging (even though you would have paid for it) but has no problem recommending that you drop your price by $50K?

Wow! Staging your home with a professional staging company would have cost a tiny fraction of your first price reduction -- but you decided to drop your price by $50,000 instead.   How does that make sense from a financial viewpoint?

The sad thing is, today I drove by your home again on my way to staging one of your neighbor's homes, and saw the new sign addition now hanging from your "For Sale" sign ...

Mr. Seller ~ We really did try to help you!  I wish we could have.

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For help making sure your home shines for potential buyers, contact Room Solutions Staging in Portland OR to learn more about our home staging services.  We work with Homeowners, Banks, Realtors, and Investors to prepare homes to SELL.  Give us a call at 503-246-1800 for more information.  To see Before & After photos of both our Vacant and Occupied properties, view our updated Portland OR home staging photo gallery.

Kathy Alexander, a local staging colleague and A/R member, invited me to a Grand Finale party hosted by Dan Vickery, HGTV's Season 4 Design Star finalist.  The big bash was held at Kell's Irish Pub in downtown Portland this evening, where they had large screens set up to play the actual HGTV Season 4 Finale show.

We arrived early to get a good table (and had a cocktail before ordering a delicious Irish dinner) and soon a big white limo pulled up outside and out popped Dan Vickery with some of his family & friends ... when Dan walked into the pub, everyone cheered and he happily posed for photos with his "fans" and even signed autographs.  Dan was accompanied by a gorgeous tall brunette who he later introduced as his girlfriend, Rose.  Dan is extremely gracious and about the nicest, most humble person you could meet.  Not to mention what a talented designer he is!

There were multiple huge screens set up in the pub, and once the actual HGTV Season 4 finale started, during the intermissions Dan stood at the mic and took questions from the audience.  We learned some interesting things about the show, some of which may surprise you:

• The "Elimination Rounds" actually take 10 to 12 hours!  There is a lot of editing done to whittle them down to just a few minutes on each weekly episode.  Dan said the atmosphere during these rounds is quite tense.

• None of the Design Star contestants are paid for their time on the show.  Their accommodation and meals are provided, but nothing more.  They work an average of 14-16 hours each day for 6 weeks and exist on about 6 hours of sleep each night.  Dan said his Oregon family was hugely supportive of his entering the competition and that he couldn't have done it without their help.
  

• There is no interaction between the contestants and the judges (Vern Yip, Candice Olson, and Genevieve Gorder) during the filming of the show -- only at the Elimination Rounds.   
  

• Where do the "Helper carpenters" come from for the Grand Finale?  The producers run an ad on Craigslist!

• How do the families and their homes get on the show?  The producers figure out which neighborhoods are relatively easy to get permits in, and go knocking on doors.  Anyone who participates gets all the work done for free.  After the designers do their work, a professional construction crew follows up to correct any deficiencies and to make sure everything is done according to local code.

Kathy & I put this sign on our table so there was no doubt who we thought the winner was!

Although Dan was the Runner-Up we think he did a fantastic job ... and we hope he'll win the "on line show" on HGTV.  There's still time to go to their website and vote for Dan!  That competition ends on Tuesday Sept. 15th @ 5pm EST.

Here's a few photos of Dan tonight during the Grand Finale Party held in his honor ... he was a superb host!

Did you see the show?  Did you agree with the judges' outcome? Looking forward to hearing what others thought of it.

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Maureen Bray's Room Solutions Staging is a Portland-based professional home staging company.   To see Before & After photos of both our Vacant and Occupied properties, view our updated Portland OR home staging photo gallery.

Recently I was contacted by a homeowner whose townhome in Portland Oregon had been on the market for 3 months.  She said she was looking into having it professionally staged to improve it's appeal, both in the online listing photos and when potential buyers & agents view it in person.

It's a small condo about 1100 sq ft in the desirable Portland neighborhood of Forest Heights.  We discussed keeping to a budget yet staging all of the rooms because buyers' feedback had been that they didn't think the main living area was "large enough" for their furniture.  With some creative staging, I think we've showed them the space works just fine!

UPDATE:  This property has SOLD!

Here's how the condo looked the past 3 months to buyers ~ and how it looks today after home staging:

This is the view you see from the front entry; this area serves as both living & dining areas:

Here we showed potential buyers how they might configure a seating area:

Buyers wondered where could they place a dining table?

The master bedroom has a small nook which makes for a perfect place to sit and read:

The second, smaller bedroom would make a perfect office space if needed:

Buyers now have a chance to "see" how they might live in this townhome .... Before, with no way to reference furnishings in the space, they guessed that it was smaller than it is.  Staging can help properties attract more viewings -- more viewings means more opportunities for offers! 

Professional photography courtesy of Gary Shepard, CPS Real Estate Photography Lake Oswego OR

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Do you have an existing listing in the Portland Oregon metro area that's not attracting offers?  Let us provide you with a free staging proposal ~ you'll be happy to know that Room Solutions Staging offers a variety of home staging services for all price points.  Give us a call @ 503-246-1800 and we'll help your property sell faster than the competition!

This gorgeous move in ready home in Tualatin SOLD in just 12 days after staging and listing!

It's been carefully and beautifully updated and sports a gorgeous new kitchen with eveything today's buyers are looking for including slab granite, large travertine tiles, superb cabinets, S/S appliances, and French doors opening to the deck and landscaped yard. 

Related Post About This Home

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This home was professionally staged by Room Solutions Staging in Portland OR.  We help homeowners and their Realtors prepare homes for sale to make them irresistible to buyers with a variety of home staging services.  For a free staging proposal give us a call @ 503-246-1800.  Our staging gets great results in the Portland OR metro area!

Update:  This home sold in just 12 days after staging and listing!  Another home staging success story in Portland OR

I've worked with a lot of bachelors as well as "flippers" to help them prepare their homes for sale in Portland Oregon ... but this recent project may take the top prize.  Why was this Seller so successful?  Because he made a plan, did the work, hired a professional home stager, and also asked me for a referral for a great Realtor whose track record is awesome!

My client planned this "flip" in a home he's been living in for several years.  He contacted me 3 months ago and asked for my recommendations for final cosmetic improvements like paint color, cabinet hardware, landscaping, etc.  We also discussed staging each room to show the best use of each space for potential buyers and making sure we had a great traffic flow throughout the home.  When the home was ready for staging, we used the owner's furniture wherever possible and provided needed items from our own inventory, to keep the client's costs down.

In the living room, there's a wonderful beam in the vaulted ceiling, a great fireplace and big windows, but the existing furniture was typical "bachelor" style.  Here's how it looked Before and After our staging ...

Another view of the main living area shows the new fireplace mantle and a new accent wall color ...

A spare bedroom was underutilized and so we staged it as a home office to appeal to the target buyer ...

The seller completely remodeled the kitchen, adding high-end finishes & appliances, granite counters & a travertine floor ...

This home sold in just 12 days!  The seller made all of the right decisions along the way!

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For help with your home staging project, call Room Solutions Staging in Portland OR @ 504-246-1800.  We help sellers, Realtors, and investors in the Portland Oregon metro area by providing cost-effective home staging consultations and staging for vacant or occupied homes. Our staging really works ~ let us know when you're ready to SELL!