Tag Archives: choosing a home stager

It’s Not as Hard as you Think

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For all you D-I-Y’ers, here’s a list of what to do to get your home ready for listing with a Realtor! Staging is #3, along with Clean & De-clutter #1, and Lighten & Brighten #2. These really important three things is what Home Staging is all about.

If you’re thinking of calling a home stager to help you with a consultation, you could speed up the time the consultation takes by doing these things listed above. Then give us a call!  Our Consultations are $100 an hour. We let you know what YOU need to do giving you and showing you tips for your redesign, then you Do It Yourself. When we come back to see how you did, we’ll probably show you a few more things..it depends on how you did or if you want  more suggestions.

DC Redesign Home Staging and Conceptual Design Home Stages in Orange County, Huntington Beach, Westminster, Long Beach, Orange, Costa Mesa, Irvine, Fountain Valley, Lakewood, Cerritos, Los Alamitos, Newport Beach, Corona Del Mar. Contact diane@dcredesign.com (714) 815-3506.

Do You Include These Principles in your Home Design?

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Most Interior Designers know the Principles of Design, I’m not one, but I have an Interior Designer in my company and we talk about these principles now and then. We also use these principles in Home Staging design – or try to – and can make or break the design. These photos from other designers are right on in their Principles of Design!

Balance – a sense of visual weight of the elements. I like symmetrical – centered fireplace with two identical chairs facing each other, or this bedroom by Justin Lawson. Notice the side tables; it’s like a mirrored image. I just love this room.

Rhythm – a repetition of elements in a design scheme. Note the design by Kim Coleman where she repeats the squares in the bedpost onto the wall with the square mirror. Repetition can be done with color and visual interest, but the design must include a sense of unity.

 

 

 

 

Emphasis – elements in a design that are more significant than other features in a room. This is one of my favorites. In our home staging, we’ll take a favorite piece of art, furniture piece or wall covering and make it stand out from the other subordinate pieces. A room looks lifeless without emphasis from Interior Design Basics. The area rug pulls all of the other pieces together; could you imagine this room without the rug?

 

 

 

 

 

Scale – using an area rug, art or furniture selections that are too small. Very important in home staging too when there is no scale used in the overall room design. Your design will look weak. This look is complete.

 

 

 

 

Harmony – this is created by the design, itself. Unity and variety need to exist in a room to get harmony by using colors, textures, patterns and variety. All of these photos are excellent in a complete design feel.  Isn’t it a “feeling” when you find that perfect house on the market?

DC Redesign Home Staging and Conceptual Design helps home owners, realtors, investors, property management companies and builders with their designer needs. Contact Diane for pricing or to set up an appointment for a home staging quote or conceptual design questions.  diane@dcredesign.com, (714) 815-3506

Frustrated When Searching for a Home Stager?

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Everyone has their opinions about something – this includes home staging.  I can understand how homeowners and Realtors alike may be a little confused why each home stager is different in price and expertise from the next. Can a home stager REALLY help sell my home?  This list will help you decide.

Keep your home clean and neat

 

1.  Realtors know their market – the area, what their clients are looking for and their price range.  First step, get the selling price from your agent. If you don’t agree, ask questions. I had a buyer’s agent tell me my house was worth “so much” and said I wanted more for it. We got exactly what I wanted plus a 60 day escrow.

2. Make sure your home is clean, neat and up to date on any repairs. Most buyers do not want a fixer-upper these days, and if so, you’ll get a lowball offer.

3. Update your home with paint; it’s the best upgrade for the least amount of money.

4. If you want a consultation from a home stager, prices range from $50 to $350 depending on if it’s just an oral report or an extensive layout of furniture, suggestions and ideas all in a written portfolio for you to keep. Some home stagers offer free consultations for Realtors or deduct the consultation fee from their home staging if you choose them.

5. Some home stagers have their own full inventory including furniture and accessories, and other home stagers rent the selected furniture from a furniture rental company plus offer their inventory of accessories only in the staging fee. There are pros and cons to both.  Renting furniture gives you more options – fitting your house’s style and architecture. When a home stager has their own inventory this may limit the style and may not have the means to update their furniture as often as possible. When using a home stager who rents furniture, new pieces and styles are constantly being added to inventory.

6. Find a Realtor who has paired up with a home stager which could mean a complete marketing package. Some Realtors may even split the cost with you or offer a free consultation from their exclusive home stager.  You and the Realtor will benefit with a better offer for your home.

7. Using rental furniture allows your payments to be split up monthly at the time of the rental contract and you can use a credit card. This includes delivery, pickup, and insurance.  One, two or three month plans are available with the stager’s fee usually being separate from the rental furniture costs and a one time fee, not monthly.

8. Look for a home stager who will offer services to tidy up the staging from month to month or before an open house or broker’s preview.

9. Keep up on your technical skills – use text, twitter, and the Internet to compare what sells. The way your home is shown through photos on the Internet tells the buyer your home has been well taken care of.

10. Please keep in mind when calling for estimates that the more clear you are about how many rooms you want staged and your budget bottom line,  the more exact the price will be to home stage. It also helps to send photos by email of the rooms you want staged.

Contact DC Redesign, servicing Orange County, CA, and some surrounding areas for your staging needs or to get an estimate.  We’re located in the Huntington Beach/Westminster area offering home staging or conceptual design – (714) 815-3506

 

 

What is Home Staging?

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“HOME STAGING is the act of preparing a private residence prior to going up for sale in the real estate marketplace.  The goal of staging is to sell the home quickly and for the most money possible by attracting the highest amount of potential buyers.  Staging focuses on improving a property to make it appeal to the largest number of buyers by transforming it into a welcoming, appealing, and attractive product for sale.  Staging often raises the value of a property by way of reducing the home’s flaws, depersonalizing, de-cluttering, cleaning, improving condition items, and landscaping.  For vacant homes, rental furniture is used to create a living space the buyer can “see” themselves living in.  Properly executed staging leads the eye to attractive features while minimizing flaws. “  Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

You may know already that Home Staging is a necessary step in selling your home in today’s market.  The importance is equal to the Realtor, Home Inspector, Title and Loan Company.

A buyer knows if they are interested in your home in the first 8 seconds of seeing it, and this is just from the outside, called curb appeal: a term used by all home stagers.  The appearance of the landscape, the walkway and the front door all play an important part in wanting to see your home. Realtors are using the Internet to show their listings, and 95% of all buyers use the Internet to find a home.

Home Staging not only increases the value of your property but also reduces the time your home stays on the market.  Make your home stand out from the competition using Home Staging and market-ready photos.  Contact a Home Stager in your area or contact Diane Concialdi, DC Redesign.  I’ll answer any questions, or refer you to a Home Stager in another area!