Motivated Sellers use Their Furniture + Our Staging Accessories = Great Before & Afters
As professional home stagers, most of us have a statement like this one that we share with our clients: "How we live in a home is very different than how we prepare it for selling ..." Recently on A/R another clever stager had this version, which I love: "How you Dwell is not how you Sell .."
The point is, none of us really "lives" in a showcase -- but when your home is on the market, you want your home to be as appealing as possible so that your target buyer who sees it either online or in person says, "I could live here!"
We recently worked with sellers in Lake Oswego OR who were moving out of ther home, but were willing to leave some furniture behind in order to help it sell. We advised them on updating paint colors, light fixtures, cabinet hardware, and a few small cosmetic repairs. They completed everything on their "To Do" list and we then returned to add our accessories to their remaining furniture where needed. The result was a home where buyers could move right in to ... no work needed!
Here are a few Before & After photos that will appeal to the target buyers of this home showcasing the space & function of each room.
In the great room, we suggested a soft brown paint color to replace the stark white; an updated light fixture in the dining area; removing the dated valance; & removing the hutch since it overwhelmed the space:
In the family room, we suggested the same soft brown paint, adding a wood mantle to the fireplace, and packing up the toys; then we used furniture from other rooms in the house and accessorized:
In the kitchen, we suggested replacing the worn white appliances & sink, painting, adding satin nickel cabinet hardware, removing the valance, and updating the counters to stay competitive with other homes nearby:
In the office, painting & removing the valance & excess clutter made this room "move in ready" for potential buyers, using what the homeowner already had:
If you're planning to sell your home in today's super-competitive market, a consultation with your local professional home stager will help you by making sure you only do what's necessary to make your home appealing to your target buyer. Remember, HOW YOU DWELL IS NOT HOW YOU SELL :-)
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Room Solutions Staging offers help to Portland Oregon metro area homeowners, Realtors, 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, please contact us @ 503-246-1800.
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Maureen- the kitchen alone was worth it! What a difference and congrats to you for getting your clients to implement these changes. With the nice clean windows the rooms look bright and open!
Maureen.....I also think the kitchen looks like a million bucks now....but so does the rest of the house. SMART sellers for having you take care of the staging!!
Hi Maureen, wonderful job and great before and after pics! Staging a home..especially when it's not occupied is a great tool to give the house the edge over the others if the Sellers can do it. Highly recommended!
Maureen, that is a classic example of difference between "the way we live" and "the way we sell".
Hi Kathy S. ~ Having the windows professionally cleaned inside & out is something we always recommend to sellers. The house and windows can't be too clean -- thanks for commenting.
Hi Kathy B. ~ That kitchen went from dated and bland to fabulous with these changes. Slab granite made the house on-par with others in the area.
Hi Cindy ~ thanks for your feedback ... glad to hear you're a believer in home staging. We recommend it for homes that are both occupied and vacant when on the market and find it really makes a difference.
Hi Anna ~ It really is, there are so many good examples of how a home looks when we're living our lives there. When it's time to sell, we have to get with the program and make it appealing to potential buyers. Thanks for stopping by.
Huge transformation Maureen - love the wall color in the kitchen - really makes the cabinets look so much better. The living room is fabulous - looks like a different room. And I love the phrase: HOW YOU DWELL IS NOT HOW YOU SELL - I'll have to use that in the future!
Maureen,
You really demonstrate the power of staging. Congratulations, I hope people are inspired by this worthwhile post, I am pressing suggest. A
Maureen ~ your powers of persuasion certainly payed off. They did a wonderful job with your to do list, and you really did bring that house up to a whole new level! Fantastic!
Hi Kristine ~ We suggest the most cost-effective improvements to our seller clients and the motivated ones are always pleased with the outcome. Thanks for stopping by!
Hi Alexandra ~ Staging is a powerful marketing tool for sellers and their agents ... thanks for your feedback.
Hi Laura ~ These sellers were wonderful to work with, even did some improvements on their own!
Maureen -
There is nothing quite like a kitchen redo to move a home up the scale or speed up the sale.
What a superb example of just how important it is to bring in a home staging professional. I love the fact that the china cabinet is gone, love the warmer brown color on the walls. Well... I just love all the changes.
Congratulations. Your home staging is being featured in the group Staging Before and After Pictures.
Kathy
Nice post. These really are some nice before and afters. We need to get more of those sort of shots for our work.
Maureen, a superior result from your staging, as always!
~ Lin
Maureen, great demonstration of the power of staging and as always excellent photos. Happy Halloween!
Maureen - What an incredible difference between the "before" and "after" shots. Adding that mantle onto the fireplace took the fireplace from dull to divine. Such an inexpensive fix, and yet such a huge return in style. It's also great that you used the owner's existing furniture, and yet made it look so much more contemporary by adding your accessories. Another fabulous job.
Hi Maureen: Smart sellers to follow your advice! I think it makes a lot of sense to provide accessories to existing furniture. It's amazing how the right selections can update traditional furniture or warm up very contemporary styles. That's why I like to rent them out to clients. Julie
Hi Jim ~ I guess that's why you Realtors say, "kitchens sell homes." Hey, congrats on reaching 300K!!
Hi Kathy ~ that large china cabinet was practical for the sellers while living there, but was so big we had them remove it. Thanks very much for the feature!
Hi Debbie ~ Yes, be sure to add Before & After shots of your work so that you potential clients can "see" the difference in actual homes you've worked on. It's a great marketing tool -- good luck!
Hi Lin ~ Thanks, glad you think so.
Hi Barbara ~ Staging makes such a difference for most homes ... enjoy Halloween and don't let any goblins scare you!
Hi Sally ~ I know a fantastic carpenter who can make any home look instantly better ... in this case he made that mantle and also did some nice trims in the kitchen. Thanks for your kind words.
hi Julie ~ Renting out accessories can be a big help to sellers who don't have the time to shop and select their own. Plus, it's a good use of our inventory!
Wonderful job
They are smart sellers having you do a consultation and staging.
Bet it won't be on the market very long
Hi Virginia ~ Sellers today who hire a professional home stager are using all the tools available to them, and as we know, homes that look the best and are priced right sell more quickly! Let's keep spreading the word!
Great transformation, Maureen! I love these projects when you are able to use most of the sellers' furniture. We sell the space,not the stuff, eh?
Hi Monica ~ nice to see you here again! I agree it's wonderful when we can use the sellers' furniture and just add a few accessories as needed. No kidding -- we sell the space (not their stuff)!
Great home staging suggestions and staging! I am glad the Seller's listened to your recommendations! I love how much bigger all the rooms look! Removing the window treatments and adding the stainless steel kitchen appliances really updated the space! Bravo!
It's so great when you get sellers who really get the importance of preparation and presentation and are willing to do what it takes to make the house shine. Congrats to both you and the sellers on a job well done!
Hi Janice ~ There are so many easy fixes that sellers can do -- many cost little or nothing and a few others require a small investment that will PAY off with a faster sale. Thanks for joining into the discussion!
Hi Sharon ~ Smart sellers (and agents) understand the importance of being properly prepared before going on the market. My local statistics as well as national staging statistics support this, as we know. Thanks for your feedback!
BRavo!! What a winning project Maureen!!
Hi Cathy ~ Thank you! I appreciate your comment ... hope you had a fun Halloween.
Maureen, love the kitchen and the rest of the changes. I love the living room transformed from messy playroom to adult warm and inviting. Great job!
Hi Cindy ~ The kitchen upgrades made a big difference, didn't they? The sellers wanted to install slab granite and it made a dramatic difference, along with the 4 new S/S appliances (which they found very reasonably in a package at Lowe's).
Maureen -- you created a masterpiece. I LOVE the art and LOVE, LOVE that yummy rug. You're the best of the best, my friend!
Hi Karen ~ The sellers worked very hard to make sure everything was taken care of ... I merely made the suggestions and then came in to add the final touches -- thanks for your kind words!
What a transformation Maureen. Your advice and guidance has added so much value and beauty to this home. An excellent example of what working with a professional home stager can do for you when selling.
Maureen - Every room is an amazing transformation but the kitchen is my favourite. It was a good thing that the Sellers were willing to spend some money. I bet they more than doubled the return on what they put in. Good job.
Hi Michele ~ I'll wager a guess that if more sellers were aware of the benefits of home staging ... we'd all be booked solid for months! Thanks for stopping by.
Hi Valerie ~ I agree that money spent on those upgrades is an investment that will pay off!
Great transformation as always, and much better for buyers to visualize vs. before!
Wow, what a difference, Maureen! The color changes make the rooms feel so much warmer and then adding your staging touches make this house enjoyable.
Hi Cindy ~ You're right that it's hard for buyers to "imagine" how a house might look ... much better to show them!
Hi Birgit ~ When a home has all white walls, it just feels cold. Adding soft neutral colors makes for a better impression and "feeling" in the home....thanks for your feedback.
Maureen,
Fantastic transformation in each room...less is so much more! I love the paint color and all the updates to the kitchen. The granite counter tops really made a spectacular statement... the new appliances, cabinet hardware and sink faucet also helped to make the kitchen makeover a great success!
Hi Linda ~ Less is more, that is my mantra! Updating a kitchen today, to make your home similar or better than competing homes nearby, is a good investment. The sellers made the decision to change to granite counters and they really do look beautiful and much more high-end than the previous dated tiles. Thanks very much for your feedback.
Great job making these spaces seem so much more livable and inviting. It's always amazing how these changes can transform a space!
Hi Maureen -- Your talents are...simply...AMAZING!!! These photos speak for themselves.
Hi David ~ simple changes can make such a powerful transformation -- so true. As stagers we love seeing the changes, don't we?
Hi Chris ~ Thank you for your very kind comment! Helping our clients is what we love to do!
Really love how this place turned out, Maureen...fabulous! (Did a double take on the kitche...noticed they changed the appliances as well...smart idea in this case). ;-)
Hi David ~ Yes, the sellers wanted to install new S/S appliances and found them very reasonably at Lowe's. Their new kitchen was hard for them to leave, as a matter of fact!