Staged by Design Blog

Even though Home Staging is in the news almost daily, and HGTV is inundated with Real Estate shows about Staging, I find that I’m still asked some of the same questions again and again. I thought I would post the most frequently asked questions, along with my responses to help shed some light on the philosophy behind Staging, and help you to better understand how I work.

1. Why do I need to remove or replace some of my existing décor? I LIKE my things, and I like the way my house looks!

The way you live in a home, and the way you market and sell your home are two completely different things. Most of us decorate our homes with our personal, specific taste in mind, and our home becomes an extension of our personality. When Staging your home to sell, the primary goal is to provide a warm, inviting environment that appeals to the broadest range of potential buyers, so that anyone walking into your house can envision themselves living there, regardless of their personal taste or style. Remember, as soon as that “For Sale” sign goes up, your home is now a house; it is a product to sell as a whole, not a showcase for your belongings, and Staging is the best strategy for marketing it.

2. Why should I remove all my personal photos?

One very important element of Home Staging is the process of de-personalizing your home. Removing personal photos keeps potential home buyers from feeling as if they are invading someone else’s home. It is also a safety measure for you, the homeowner.

3. Why should I paint some or all of my home? I’ve put enough money in it already.

Painting your home is the biggest impact you can make for the smallest amount of money, particularly if the current colors are strong or overly bright, and even more so if they are stark white. Often for as little as $40 or less, you are changing the look and feel of each room. Creating a neutral palette is another step in making your home appealing.

4. Do I really need to replace items or make updates? Can’t I just put an allowance in so the new owners can do that themselves?

With so many homes currently on the market, your best option for a full price offer and quick sale is to set yourself apart from the competition.

The homes that are the most updated, and in the best condition, do stand out. Not updating your home can make the difference between your house selling in 30 days or 6 months. The decision is up to you. We can help you prioritize what might need to be changed, and provide cost effective options to meet your budget as part of the Consultation and Staging process.

5. Why would I want to rent furniture for my vacant home? It’s clean and in good condition.

Buyers only know what they see, not the way it’s going to be. A vacant home is an empty shell. Without something to focus on, it is natural for the eye to focus on the flaws of each room, such as lack of decorative molding, not enough windows, cracks, etc. Staging uses furniture, accessories, and lighting to create a warm, inviting feel, and welcome potential buyers into each room. It also helps to highlight desirable features of the home, and downplay challenging areas, such as small room dimensions, or an odd shaped room.

So now what do you do?

You may find that one or more of the above items apply to your home. If so, It is understandable to be concerned about the prospect of making more improvements or changes than you had planned.

Something to help you keep things in perspective:

· Staging is an investment in the sale of your home.

· 95.1% of all Staged Homes sell in 33 days or less. The average Days on Market for Northern Virginia is 83, as of August, 2008.

· The cost for Staging is dramatically less than your first price reduction, which is typically $10,000-$20,000 or more.

-    If your home is sold as a gain, the Staging costs may be tax deductible. (consult your tax preparer)

· Staging costs on average, less than .05% of the selling price of your home. (based on a $500,000 home)

Leigh Newport is Owner and Principal Designer for Staged by Design, an interior redesign company based in Northern Virginia. Visit us online at: www.staged-by-design.com

Do you find yourself secretly longing for the sleek, clean lines of modern furniture, while surrounded by flea market vintage and Shabby Chic? How do you deal with combining your antiques with your future husband’s love of leather sectionals? Now that the children have moved out, you can finally purchase furniture without having to attest to its stain fighting abilities, but where do you begin, and what are the rules when combining widely disparate looks?

A change in style need not be cause for a crisis, whether it’s brought on by the evolution of our own personal taste, or a change in lifestyle.

Here are a few guidelines that allow for an easy transition when coordinating the look of your home:

Scale of furniture-Consider scale as well as the shape. Be wary of paring an overstuffed chair with a petite end table, but that doesn’t mean you can’t create a sitting area in a corner that combines a smaller scale table and chair in the same room. Breaking up the grouping allows for diversity in scale.

Color- If it’s your eclectic accessories, not furniture that need to be integrated, create groupings by color to help create a harmonious look. On tabletops, use groupings of three to add visual interest.

Unifying element-These can be colors, patterns or textures. Repeating these in pillows, window treatments and fabrics will help to pull a space together, even if the pieces of furniture are very different.

Remember, this is your home after all. Modern, Eclectic, Traditional-the only style it needs to fit is your own.

Leigh Newport is owner of Staged by Design Home Staging and Interior Redesign. www.staged-by-design.com.

Originally published in the Loudoun Independent, October 29, written by Leigh Newport

I love Fall. However, cool weather and afternoon light are just the beginning of what quickly turns into the chaos of back to back holidays. If you can’t believe I’m even mentioning the holiday season in October, just take a whirl in any of your local retail stores. You’ll find skeleton costumes right next to the turkey decorations that are a mere aisle away from the Christmas lights.

If you find that you need to list or sell a home during the holidays…..

-How do you Stage your home, live in it while keeping it on the market, yet observe holiday rituals?

-Should homes that are vacant be Staged using Holiday decor?

First let me state that I’m the last one to talk about moderation when it comes to personal Holiday Decor. I have 16 boxes of assorted holiday decorations alone in my basement. (Seriously, 16. Just ask my husband.) However, since I’m not selling my home, I can deck my halls any way I like without it affecting the value of my home.

When Staging a home, your goal is to appeal to the broadest group of individuals. This goal does not change with the calendar. The following are suggestions for observing the season without alienating potential buyers.

Halloween: Seasonal décor vs. Holiday specific is always preferred. Tablescapes could include mini-pumpkins or mums instead of draping your front porch with faux spider webs and a graveyard along your front drive. (Just a tip: that cute little pumpkin tastefully placed on your buffet will continue to look fresh for well over a month until you pick it to reveal its rotten bottom. I learned that one the hard way.)

Thanksgiving: Put away the crepe paper turkeys prior to a showing. Consider incorporating warm colors into table settings or accents instead.

Christmas: A simple fresh evergreen wreath on the front door is always welcoming. A partially deflated Santa on your lawn? Not so much. Does this mean that I wouldn’t put up a Christmas tree if my occupied home were on the market in December? No, that’s not practical for me. But I would only use 1 box of décor of my personal stash, as moderation is key.

Vacant Homes: Beware of using any fresh seasonal options in vacant homes. That lovely bouquet will be rotted and unappealing in a few days. A tasteful, seasonally appropriate wreath on the door may be all you need to observe the holidays while still maximizing your home’s appeal to the masses.

Leigh Newport

Staged by Design

www.staged-by-design.com

I recently had the privilege of working with the Washington DC chapter of the International Association of Home Staging Professionals on our World Wide Staging Services Day project. Each year, all active Accredited Staging Professionals (ASPs) dedicate a day during the week of September 12-17 to community service. We were so pleased to work with Homestretch Inc., a local organization whose “mission is to empower homeless families with children under age 18 in northern Virginia to return to stable housing and self-sufficiency by giving them the skills, knowledge and hope they need to become productive participants in the community”

This was the first year I’d had the chance to be part of this great event. Our team of 15 ASPs and ASP Realtors converged at the small apartment early on the morning of the 17th, ready to transform the home through Staging. The tiny, three bedroom was home to a single mother, a teenage boy, and two teenage girls, the youngest of whom shared a room with her mother. There was no kitchen table, as it had been broken some time ago, with the remains of the top propped up so that one end could be used. The family had no place to have a meal together! We were about to change all that! Armed with artwork, new kitchen accessories, and bedding, our team got to work.

Furniture was graciously donated by Brook and AFR furniture rentals. Finally, the family could eat together. The team put their creativity to work, moving furniture, accessorizing and changing the entire look of their home!

The family was so thrilled and overwhelmed with the results. We were really able to impact a family in a way that allows them to feel more comfortable in their surroundings. For those of you who have experience being displaced, or having to live in a place that you weren’t at all comfortable, you have then the smallest idea of what it might have been like for this family.

I am so very proud as an ASP to be part of the Staged Homes family, and fortunate to have such outstanding and generous members of our local IAHSP chapter. I have learned so much from my fellow stagers, and continue to be thankful for the opportunity to be part of that community. Owning your own staging business can be a solitary endeavor if you are going it alone. It’s not like owning a franchise, or starting a partnership. It’s YOU and just YOU. Having these relationships to share our successes and learn from our mistakes is invaluable, and I just thought I’d take a moment to express it.

Leigh Newport

Staged by Design

www.staged-by-design.com

If your home were to write a personal ad, would it look something like this?

“Charming, but lived-in SFH (Single Family Home) craving adventure. Prefers urban lofts, but open to new experiences. No Victorian, Country or Shabby Chic, please”.

Is your home crying out for a new look, but you find yourself struggling with where to begin? Don’t waste your time hoping your perfect décor match will magically appear. You’ve got to get yourself out there, jump in feet first and make it happen! Start with home magazines, model homes, and design centers to help you identify your desired style.

-Use fabric or artwork as inspiration for your color palette, choosing no more than three shades. You can then select furniture to coordinate and contrast the look.

-Does your current furniture reflect the style you crave? If the pattern or color is the biggest factor, consider re-upholstering or a slipcover for an easy update. Pre-made slipcovers are also an option for an interim fix, until your budget can accommodate furniture replacement or the hiring of a professional.

-Is the wallpaper or wall color contributing to the outdated look? Paint is the least expensive method of transforming a room with the highest impact. Select the color for your furnishings first, though. It’s much easier to find a paint color to blend with your sofa than it is to find a sofa in the right style AND color to blend with your walls. Your local paint store can also create custom blends if you are having a difficult time finding just the right shade.

-Accessories are often the easiest way to inexpensively bring a room together. Look for items that complement your color palette. When it comes to artwork, you may even be able to use your existing frames with your new art.

When all else fails, consult an Interior Redesigner. They are the matchmakers of home décor, carefully screening your options and taking your own furnishings into consideration to find your true design match.

Leigh Newport is owner of Staged by Design Home Staging and Interior Redesign. www.Staged-by-Design.com, serving Northern Virginia.

*Originally published in the Loudoun Independent, October 2008, written by Leigh Newport