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.

Staging That Sells Portland Homes!
Maureen Bray of Room Solutions Staging was the Featured Designer for 5 episodes of HGTV's show "My First Place"

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Good post. Home stagings is very important. It helps people see their belongs in the home. Great work.
Aaron
The hoome took on another look and I'm surprised the owners decided to go ahead and sell
Excellent job done my your client with all of your suggestions.............very nice Maureen.
You are up late just blogging away! No wonder -- you must be so excited about the tremendous staging you have done here that you can't sleep! Beautiful!
You are so right regarding making believers. Just, yesterday, after staging, my client said, "I wouldn't of believed the difference staging makes if I hadn't seen it for myself!"
Maureen- I love the transformation, especially the framed mirrors. It just goes to show you how, with the right guidance (YOU!), a seller can transform their home into a marketable SALE!
Hi Aaron ~ Staging is a great marketing tool allowing sellers to show buyers the best features of the home. Thanks for your feedback.
hi James ~ Funny you should say that -- they considered staying after the updates were completed!
Hi Roger ~ My client did a fantastic job staging the home herself ... I'm really proud of her hard work.
Hi Karen ~ Not as late as it looks .... we're three hours behind the "A/R clock!"
Hi Kathy ~ Those mirrors came out so well, didn't they? Framing them is one of my standard recommendations. The plain mirrors usually installed by builders are just so boring and look unfinished.
12:33 am !!! What in the world are you doing girl? Now I know that I am not the only night owl out there lol. Your recomendations were stunning. So glad that your client was receptive to everything you advised. As a realtor, she was able to go through the process hereself and what a great way for her to promote the consultation experience to her clients now.
Your recommendations were spot-on, Maureen. The home looks entirely different and so so much better!
Kathy
Hi Lori ~ yes, it's true that when a Realtor sees the benefit of a staging consultation firsthand, it turns them from a skeptic to a strong supporter of home staging!
Hi Kathy ~ those dated bathrooms just need a few changes, and they'll be so much more appealing to today's picky buyers.
Wow Maureen, what great changes. No doubt now another believer in your court. They even moved the plumbing in the bathroom....wow!!!
Congratulations to the Realtor (and you)! What a great testimonial for your services, Maureen! Julie
hi Ginger ~ This Realtor client was very motivated to ensure her home would meet buyers' expectations. How great that it sold for full price too!
Hi Julie ~ It always helps when RE agents see firsthand the powerful benefits of staging a home. Now this agent tells her sellers the story of how she hired me for a consultation for her own home, and how it made such a difference. It's the best kind of testimonial, you're right.
Gotta love it! So glad to get those converts to believe Maureen and from one of the masters too!
Hi Maureen,
Another job well done - congratulations. Each room looks lovely, but my favourite would have to be the bathroom. I really like the new cupboard door fronts.
I too have done an agent's own home. She saw her clients reaping the benefits of (my) staging to sell and decided to get in on the act. She swears by it when it comes to getting top dollar in a shorter time frame.
Be nice if there were more like these realtors.
Donna
Hi Karen ~ Every single agent converted to the benefits of home staging is like a walking, talking billboard! They want all their sellers to know the "secret" of home staging and what a difference it makes.
Hi Donna ~ I always wonder what your time zone is over there in Sydney ... I think you're many hours ahead of us and that it's already "Sunday" over there. I like what happened in these bathrooms too ... the new faucets, cabinets, countertops, hardware, light fixtures, and shower doors really instantly updated both bathrooms. Getting a full price offer in this market was proof that all of their work paid off so I'm very happy for my clients.
Hi Maureen,
You are right. We are many hours ahead of you guys in the US. It is already Sunday here. As I write this little not to you, it is 11:30am Sunday morning. Being the month of June, we are in the first few weeks of winter too.
It almost feels like we are on different planets. But you know what? The concept of home staging is exactly the same!
Enjoy your weekend Maureen.
Donna
Hi Maureen,
I just did a blog on bathroom makeovers ... seems you already know the tricks. :o)
Fabulous updates in those bathrooms they look very inviting.
Maureen,
What a beautiful transformation. A great stager like you knows what makes a home marketable. The framed mirror and granite in the bath really update the home. It really helps when Sellers spend a little money updating and take the necessary time to prepare their home well. And the bedroom looks so much more inviting.
I am sure that the Realtor will sing you praises.
You ROCk,Maureen!
Marianne
Hi again Donna ~ Gee, I forgot about your winter just starting!! Today was our first non-rainy, sunny day in Portland in months! You're so right that no matter the country, home staging brings the same good results to sellers. Seeing as how your "weekend" is over now in Sydney ... I'll say have a great Monday instead. :-)
Hi Liz ~ I'll check out your post right after I finish this comment....thanks for your nice feedback.
Hi Marianne ~ It does take a little time and money to make changes like these, but the full price they sold their home for made it a worthwhile investment. Thanks so much for your kind words!
Maureen, you obviously did a great coaching job as well as being a great stager! I really like the framed mirror in the bathroom. What a difference!
Hi Bev ~ Adding frames on "builder grade" bathroom mirrors makes them look so much better -- glad you agree :-)
What a transformation...I'm sure the owners had a hard time leaving after seeing their beautiful new home! Nice work Maureen!
Maureen,
I really like what you did with the bedroom. That bedroom does look so peaceful!!!
I also like the transformation of the bathroom. Amazing!!!! 1,000,000 times improved.
Lori Cofer
Hi Mike ~ Thanks, they liked the transformation and we kind of sorry they hadn't done it before ..
Hi Lori ~ Updated bathrooms show buyers that they're "move in ready." These turned out really well because the sellers were motivated and did what was necessary.
Great success story Maureen! Your recommendations and staging look outstanding in the photographs. Most importantly they resulted in a sale! Congrats!!
Thanks for sharing the success story! Great one!! Congrats!
hi Michele ~ that's right, the sellers hard work and my staging advice resulted in a sale for full price. Can't get much better than that if your home is on the market.
Hi Cathy ~ as we share staging success stories, more people have the opportunity to learn about how staging consultations can help promote faster sales ... thanks for your comment.
Great posts Maureen and really great work on your part!
Congratulations on great work and thank you for sharing this success with us.
All I can say is WOW...that first bathroom is amazing now. Just bringing the color palette into neutral territory and also framing the mirror makes it look like it's in a brand new model home.
Hi Sharon ~ the sellers did all the hard work, I just helped steer them towards the end result. :-)
Hi Cari ~ Framing those builder-type mirrors always looks great! Those bathrooms do look entirely different and I'm sure they helped sell this home. Thanks for your feedback!