The Insiders Guide to Questions You Should Ask When Hiring a Home Stager

Are a home owner or a realtor seeking to find a partnership with a home stager to better market your home? There's a lot of home stagers out there and the industry can be very confusing. Currently there are no regulations as to who can become a home stager. So, what makes a good home stager and what should I ask when hiring one? Take a look at my video for a brief overview of what you should look for when hiring a home stager.

https://youtu.be/tEbuNA1NjRY

To recap - here's five questions you should review with every home stager when seeking a partnership to better market your home:

1. Is home staging their full time job?

Many do home staging on the side or as a hobby. If they are full time you know their business is serious.

2. What training have they received? Ask about their education.

Many home stagers do not have a degree in interior design. That's because home staging is more about target marketing while interior design is more about the design for a homeowner. With that aside, there are professional certifications to become a home stager. If your home stager has that certification then they have been trained in design to market a home to sell.

3. What are their average days on market? Ask to see previous staged properties.

Reputable home stagers take photos of all their staged properties. By asking to see these photos you are ensuring their style will meet your needs. Also by asking how many days their homes have been on market gives you a clear view of the quality of their work.

4. Are they insured?

This is a very important question for anyone who comes into your home and does work on your home. Home stagers are no exception.

5. Do they partner with movers or have an in-house team?

Home stagers depending on size will either hire an outside mover to help load furniture in/out of the home or have an in-house logistics team that does the heavy lifting. Just nice to know if you will have another company reputation to review before hiring home stager.

If you are in the market for a home stager who will work with you to market your home for top dollar, then give us a call at 703-552-4545 or make an appointment online.

We would love to SHINE A SPOTLIGHT ON YOUR HOME!

Three Different Looks for one Space

Staging homes with the same floor plan can provide an opportunity to design and create different looks within one space. For the past few years, we have had the privilege of working with Sekas Homes staging three of their model homes with almost the same floor plan and creating three totally different looks. Sekas Homes brings understated elegance and craftsmanship to each of the homes they build. The attention to detail is evident and it's what makes a great partnership between our two companies.

Most recently, Sekas Homes developed Sunrise Square, a townhome community in Reston, VA. We were asked to stage the Model Home. Once that Model sold, we were asked to do the next. We have staged a total of 3 Model Homes so far - each with their own look and own personality. The floor plan remains basically the same - the design makes each one different. Scroll down to view how each room style evolved over time.

Living Room:

Kitchen area

Kitchen/Dining Area:

Master Bedroom:

Loft (two of the condos has a third level loft - here's our two takes for the space):

Isn't it interesting how style evolves over time? Each of these Reston town home models were staged from six months to a year. It demonstrates how you can create a totally different look with the same space just by using different furnishings and purposes for the space.

Which one is YOUR favorite? Give us a call at 703-552-4545 or schedule an appointment online for your next staging or redesign project. We would love to help!

Best of 2019

As we wrap up another year, we here at Staged By Design wanted to pay tribute to 2019 and spotlight some of our best stagings and memories throughout this year. It's been a privilege to work with our clients and help them sell their homes faster and for top dollar.

Statistics prove that staging sells. Of all our stagings this year, 80% of our homes sold within the year. The average day on the market for our homes was 21 days! We had MANY of our homes sell within one week of being on the market. The numbers don't lie - home staging is definitely an investment that gives a return!

We loved working with all of these amazing homes, but there were a few designs that stood out to us. Our team collectively picked our top 5 favorite stagings of the year. Here they are in no particular order:

• Dean Drive, McLean, VA

• Roland Clarke Place, Reston, VA

• Aldie Road, Aldie, VA

• Golden Arrow Street, Great Falls, VA

• Great Falls Street, McLean, VA

We had some great stagings but we can't forget about some VERY memorable animal antics of the year!

First up comes Champ, the pig who randomly walked by the office on a leash. We learned that day our warehouse neighbor is Bionic Pets, who creates custom pet prosthetics. An interesting day at the office for sure. Second isn't quite as cute and friendly. When on a destage, we discovered a little squirrel who had crawled under a bed pillow and died! Wendy about died too that day! LOL! And finally, hats off to all the cats who look totally annoyed by our visits and wonder why their cat condos can't stay in the room.

Despite all the animal craziness, we have received a lot of recognition this year. Our team has worked hard to improve our processes, style and inventory. We are excited to bring more of these improvements into the new decade.

We would love a chance to SHINE for you in 2020! Give us a call or go online to set up a consultation. It's worth the investment. Here's to a new decade!

Selling During the Holidays

Selling your Northern Virginia home during the holidays is not ideal but sometimes can't be avoided.  The decision to decorate for the holidays when selling a house is always difficult.  Should you put a tree up?  Should you put outside lights on the house?  Should you just skip Christmas, Kwanzaa, or Hanukkah all together?  It can be more stress on top of what is already a stressful time of the year for most. 

The good thing about selling your home during the holidays is that most buyers are serious. Those that are house shopping NEED to purchase, which is good. Historically, there are fewer homes on the market as well, which also works in your favor. However, the need for proper presentation is still key, no matter what time of year you are listing.

Just as personal belongings tend to distract buyers, your seasonal decorating can serve to be a distraction, however you don't have to ditch ALL your holiday decorating traditions.  Here are 10 tips on how to navigate staging your home to sell during the holidays.

#1: Clean and declutter.

This is your first step to selling your home any time of the year.  Decluttering your home before bringing out any holiday decorations is a must, or you risk your seasonal decor simply adding to the clutter that already exists.

#2: WAIT to decorate until AFTER your professional photos have been taken.

Your photos are the first thing a buyer sees and you don’t want them to see a Christmas tree in your photos in February if your house didn’t sell quickly.

#3: KISS – Keep it simple silly! 

Whatever you use to decorate – keep everything simple.  Display a few classic pieces instead of every heirloom family favorite. Your tree should be simple and able to fit the space.  Larger trees for large rooms and slim trees for smaller spaces.  If you use a real tree – make sure to daily pick up fallen needles.

#4: Use seasonal greenery.

Deck the halls with fresh garland and use a fresh evergreen wreath to adorn your front door.  Greenery is traditional and simple and adds a great smell to the home.

#5: Don’t display your Christmas cards

We all love those cards we receive from family and friends.  However, this can be like personal photos and create a distraction as well as provide visual disruption, no matter how you decide to display.

#6: Wrap up a few empty boxes under the tree.

This creates a finished look without causing stressing about someone stealing your actual gifts.  Place your gifts under the tree when your family celebrates.

#7: Put away religious symbols.

No nativity scenes, menorahs, nutcrackers, etc.  The goal is to allow anyone to envision themselves living in YOUR home, regardless of their personal beliefs. Best to keep those packed away for next year in your new house.

#8: Use white lights.

White lights are simple and elegant and do not distract or make a room crazy.  If you have to string extension cords all over the house to use lights, then just avoid them altogether.  You don’t want to allude to the fact there is not sufficient outlets in the home.

#9: Use simple ornaments.

Back to the "keep it simple" in tip #3.  Instead of trimming your tree with your family's homemade ornaments, use simple, streamlined ornaments in the same color.  This will make your tree less of a distraction and more of a part of the home for the holidays.

#10: Curb appeal

Use lights on the exterior of the home only to highlight a feature such as a great tree in the front yard or the architecture of the house.  If everyone in the neighborhood lights up their house, don’t be the neighborhood grinch and shy away from the flair of the neighborhood.  But in the same sense, don’t be the Griswolds of the neighborhood – remember to keep it simple and stay away from excessive lights and inflatable yard décor.  AND one last thing -  always make sure to clear away any snow or ice from the driveway and or sidewalks to make your house presentable and accessible.

You don’t have to skip the holidays just because your house is on the market.  Following our home staging tips can help you enjoy the holidays while minimizing the stress.  And who knows, you may just wake up Christmas morning with an offer!

Need additional help deciding how to prepare your Northern Virginia home for sale? We offer both interior redesign consultations for those staying in their home, and staging consultations to help get your home show ready.

Book an appointment today online!

High Point Fall 2019 Design Trends

Visiting any one of the annual Furniture Markets held across the country is the best way to stay on top of emerging design trends. We love High Point, not only for its proximity, but for the sheer volume and range of décor, accessories and furniture as one of the largest markets that are open to the Trade Only.

This year we saw the following new trends, as well as some oldies still holding strong: 

Velvet

Velvet was present in all tones, both in furniture and pillows, although we loved the deep, saturated look of the emerald and moss greens. Velvet lends richness to any room with its subtle sheen and evokes a feeling of luxury. We like to use it in pillows and benches and may add a few velvet headboards in the coming months.  

Rattan and Woven Furniture and Accessories

The look of “Boho Chic” in the last few years brought back macramé and wall hangings reminiscent of the 1970’s. The trend continues by incorporating woven texture with unique materials outside of standard rattan. We loved the benches, chairs and ottomans woven with leather, in irregular patterns, and believe it or not, papasan-type chairs.

We will be adding a few of these fun chairs to our inventory soon:

Channel Detail

The tufted look of everything from headboards, to chairs, sofas, ottomans and benches has given way to the channel detail, which is a bit less traditional, and more streamlined. It is still a transitional look overall but can be easily incorporated into a more contemporary space and in some applications, has a nod to Art Deco Influence.  We used this lovely bench in a staging recently and it’s a perfect example of this new trend.

 Boucle

Boucle is a nubbly textured fabric, most typically seen in fashion. It has merged as a cozy, yet sophisticated finish for chairs. Its Sherpa-like feel is another example of the strong presence of texture in today’s design trends. 

Shagreen

Whether it is real or faux, Shagreen is one of our favorite finishes. This year, we saw it in everything from coffee tables to consoles. The color is typically gray to green/gray, with very little sheen. It is a subtle, but oh-so rich tactile material that pairs well with today’s neutrals and brushed metals. We have  a pair of gray and silver Shagreen table lamps that we LOVE and use often. The look gives a nod to an animal print that has timeless application.  

Texture and Detail

Texture was EVERYWHERE and on EVERYTHING! From rugs that combined shag elements with jute or sisal backgrounds, to small channeling on a dining table buffet to multi-dimensional mixed media art to the tactile finishes listed above. Texture is also one of the easiest ways to add interest to your home or listings. We particularly love to incorporate a mix of textures with black and white palettes, whether sophisticated, or farmhouse. 

Home staging aldie

Click here to view the entire project

Home staging Leesburg

Click here to view the entire project

Did you know that we offer classes and workshops on Design Trends? Contact us if you'd like us to speak to your local Northern Virginia or real estate group! We'd love to share which of these trends we feel has staying power and how to incorporate this look into your home without spending a fortune.

For more fun pictures from High Point Market, follow us on Instagram and Facebook. Let us help you stay on top of trends with your home or listing. Contact us today to schedule a staging consultation or interior redesign appointment.  We look forward to working with you! 

The Making of a Model Home

When you walk into a model home, do you ever wonder how it gets decorated so beautifully?  We recently had the pleasure to work with Classic Homes in McLean, VA. We decided it might be fun to document the event to show the makings of a model home. Take a look at our video recap of this project:

https://youtu.be/ADh69CYhIyY

Here’s a few interesting stats involved with this design:

It takes time and thought to design a model home. We strive to make sure the details are perfect. Are you a builder or know one in the NoVA area?  Let us stage your next model home!  Give us a call at 703-552-4545 or visit us on Facebook or Instagram!

Can’t Beat the Real Thing – Virtual Staging vs. Professional Home Staging

Technology is in every area of our lives.  Real estate is no exception.  Buyers can “shop” for homes anywhere they have WiFi.  And based off what they see online, they develop a list of potential homes they want to visit.  Home staging has benefited sellers by creating beautiful spaces for beautiful online photographs.  Buyers are not only looking for a new house but they are visualizing a home when they shop.  According to the National Realtor Association, 44% of agents feel staging increases the dollar value offered for a home and 53% say staging decreases the amount of time a home is on the market.  So if staging is so beneficial – which is better – virtual or professional home staging?

First let’s address - what is virtual staging?  Virtual staging is the process of using software to enhance photos of an empty home.

BUT in reality – the house is still an empty box. 

Professional home staging makes a connection between the home and the buyer. From start to finish, professional staging caters to the demographics of the buyer and furnishes the home with that in mind. Professional home stagers also use design principles to space plan accordingly to the design of the house. When buyers walk into a home they need to visualize the space for their needs.  Seeing a home is also an emotional experience for a buyer.  The feeling a buyer gets when walking into a home is a clear directive as to whether they love the home or not.

Professional home staging may be a little more expensive upfront but it’s proven track record of selling homes faster can’t be beat.  Virtual staging is a risk.  We have encountered countless clients who have started with virtual staging, then a price reduction and finally end up coming to us for professional home staging. Once our work is done, the house sells quickly but it cost the seller more time and money in the long run. All of this could have been avoided if a little more money up front were given to professional staging and the home could have sold for top dollar. You can’t beat the real thing.  Professional home staging works.

If you are wanting to sell your home fast, give us a call for a home staging consultation.  Or simply click here for our online scheduling form.  We want to give you the real deal for real results!

70's Blast From the Past - The Brady's and Design

How many of you have been watching the HGTV seriesA Very Brady Renovation?  With over 8.1 million viewers of the first episode, I would assume a lot of you!  We all love a good reunion show and this one is a blast from the past and lures the attention of stagers and designers alike.  For those of you who haven’t heard of this new offering from HGTV, the original cast of from The Brady Bunch reunited in honor of the 50th anniversary of their 70’s sitcom.  The Brady kids, along with HGTV personalities, are renovating the interior of the house used for the iconic exterior shots of TV house.  For those of you who may not know, the interior of the home was a studio set. The show focuses on the renovations that turn a ranch-style home into the identical two story interior of the set-no small feat, even for HGTV. 

The excitement of this show got us thinking about the evolution of design.  How much of the 70's is coming back to design today?  We see a lot of design trends from  the 70's design (now called mid-century) in 2019 in a much more modern, sophisticated way.  Here are a few examples:

Color:

Shades of avocado green, orange, tans and browns along with some mustard yellow are popping into home decor.  These are all warm palettes from 70's décor but they are showing up in a more sophisticated manner.  And since we all painted our walls white recently due to the 2018 trend, these warm colors will coordinate nicely with our neutral backdrop.

Furniture:

Rattan and wicker are making a comeback in chairs and barstools thanks to the recent surge in the boho aesthetic that's gained popularity recently.  You'll even see it on the walls. All of these create a natural look to any space.

Plants/Greenery:

Plants add a natural organic feel to a space.  Even if you don’t have a green thumb, manufacturers have gotten so good at making fake plants look so real.  Popular finds today  from the 70's include Ferns with their featherlike stems, Sansevieria or Snake Plants (aka Mother-in-laws tongue) and palm fronds of all kinds.

Patterns and Textures:

Geometric patterns are showing up in a variety of ways fromlight fixtures, tile, artwork and wallpaper. 

Accent walls have made a comeback but in a moresophisticated manner than just paint. Instead you will see use of bold patterned wallpaper or textures like moldingsor wood. 

Texture is also showing up in velvet furnishings such ascouches, chairs and benches.  The textureof a shaggy or wool pouf is also a great addition that nods toward 70s vibes. 

Macramé has made a comeback adding texture into a room through plant hangers and wall art. It’s even being added to throw pillows and blankets. Crafting is cool again.

What are your thoughts on the 70's blast from the past with design today?  We have to agree with Jan Brady when she once said “Isn’t it just absolutely lovely?”.  The 70's vibe certainly has brought on some lovely design trends for 2019. 

If you are looking to incorporate a 70's vibe to your own home, but don't know how to start, give us a call or fill out our online scheduling form We would be happy to help you add modern spin of 70's design through our redesign consultation

What's in Your Toolkit?

How to make an easy art hanging tool for little to no money

What's in your wallet toolkit? Jennifer Garner may have her CapitalOne card but we've got an awesome addition for your staging or DIY toolkit. This homemade tool doesn't cost you a thing except time and a trip to a home improvement store paint department. Our Lead Stager, Tracy, demonstrates how to use this time saving invention.

What are you waiting for? RUN to your nearest hardware store and sweet talk that paint attendant for some paint sticks!

It's time saving tricks like these that allow us to stage an entire home in less than 4 hours. View our Gallery of Before and After photos here for inspiration in YOUR home or DIY project.
https://staged-by-design.com/staging-portfolio-2/

2019 Loudoun's Best Interior Designer

Leigh Newport was named 2019 Loudoun's Best Interior Designer by the readers of Loudoun Now, a Virginia based news media outlet.

Thank you to all our clients, friends and fans that voted! We are humbled and excited to receive this award.

Our team would love to help you with home staging or design needs. Give us a call at 703-552-4545.

Meet the Fab Five

When you love what you do, a "job" doesn't feel like work. We like to work hard, and play hard. If you happen to catch us behind the scenes, you might see us sweaty, and working at a feverish pace, while doubled over in laughter at a silly comment or observation.  

At Staged by Design®, our success is a true team effort. Here's an inside look into the people who make up our team. 

From L to R: Kim, Tracy, Leigh, Wendy, Lauren

Meet Kim:

Fav 90s jam: Faith Hill, Dixie Chicks (yes I grew up in the South!), Bon Jovi

Favorite podcast?: The Big Boo Cast - funny ladies just talking about random stuff.

What crayon color best defines you?: Cerulean – bright personality that mixes/works well with its neighboring colors.

Strangest Talent you have: I have an uncanny memory. I can recall birth dates from people I knew years ago even in elementary school.

Favorite Family traditions: Christmas Day we all stay in our PJs all day long

What trend do you hope makes a comeback? Snail Mail - who doesn't like a handwritten letter?!?

Favorite decor item: pillows - they are an easy, cheap update to freshen up a room

What's the coolest thing about your job?: Seeing the transformation of an empty blah room to a beautiful room I want to live in.

Meet Tracy:

Fav 90s jam: I love some Celine Dion

Fav podcast: Fearless Soul on YouTube

What crayon color best defines you? : PINK - it's my color!

Strangest talent you have?: Outstanding rhythm and finger dexterity. I was actually tested for this.

Favorite Family traditions: Summer Beach vacations

What trend do you hope makes a comeback?: Go-go boots

Favorite decor item: Flowers

Other fun facts: I was a professional theatre dancer and met Michael Jackson

What's the coolest thing about your job?: Seeing fun houses, learning about other people's lives, wearing leggings and listening to 80s music!

Meet Leigh (our fearless leader) :

Fav 90s jam: Poison by Bel Biv Devoe

Fav podcast: The Moth and Snap Judgement

What crayon color best defines you? : Sea Green-a little blue, a little green, and mixes well with many other colors.

Strangest talent you have?: Finding four-leaf clovers. I just look down, and they are there.

Favorite Family traditions: One year, my husband place a Croc shoe at the top of the Christmas Tree instead of the Star to see if I would notice. Now, no holiday is complete without a San Diego Chargers blue plastic Croc at the top of our tree. We also create scavenger hunts for the kids to find their birthday presents. Still.

What trend do you hope makes a comeback?: Scandinavian style, light wood floors

Favorite decor item: It's a toss up between flowers and books

Other fun facts: I rode horses and showed for many years

What's the coolest thing about your job?: I LOVE the transformation at the end of the project, where it all comes together and the comraderie we continue to build by working collaboratively.

Meet Wendy:

Fav 90s jam: Guilty Pleasure jam: Genie in a Bottle, Christina Aguilera  Serious Jam:  Wallflowers One Headlight

Fav podcast: Dan Carlin Hardcore History

What crayon color best defines you? Eggplant. It can be neutral but still have personality

Strangest talent you have: Memorizing song lyrics

Favorite family tradition: Whenever we are driving on a road trip, everyone sticks one foot out the window, including the driver.

What trend do you hope makes a comeback?: Gunne Sax Dresses by Jessica McClintock

Favorite Decor item: Furniture

What's the coolest thing about your job?: My co-workers

Meet Lauren:

Fav 90s jam: Oasis "Wonderwall" or Dave Matthews

Favorite podcast?: Serial

What crayon color best defines you?: Turquoise

Strangest talent? Decorating like speedy gonzales (and GOOD at it)

Favorite Family traditions: I have two. First we make a point to see the Rockefeller Christmas tree every year. Second one is eating dinner as a family every night we can.

What trend do you hope makes a comeback? Black and White Furniture

Favorite decor item: Rugs or a good mirror

What's the coolest thing about your job?: The opportunity to be creative

To read a little more serious stuff about our wonderful staff, please visit our web page HERE. Then, contact us for your next staging or redesign needs!

IAHSP Best of Home Staging Awards 2019

The International Association of Home Staging Professionals®, is the largest and longest running Home Staging Industry Trade Association with thousands of members worldwide. Each year, they award deserving home stagers with a multitude of accolades. We are proud to announce that Staged by Design was awarded 2019 Best in Staging Excellence AND Client Care Excellence.

Leigh received her ASP staging certification from Staged Homes, which was the first certification program of its kind. Leigh has served on her local chapter of IAHSP in different capacities over the year. It is incredibly gratifying to receive these awards from an association that we have been part of for so many years. A tremendous amount of credit goes to the entire team at Staged by Design who work hard to meet all our clients needs while creating beautiful spaces.

Tomorrow is Just a Day Away - When is the Best Time to Call in a Home Stager?

The decision to list a home for sale can often occur quickly. It ranges from a result of life or work circumstances, to simply finding the perfect home and needing to sell the current home first.

Listing a home can become quite a production for your clients. If you compare it to a Broadway musical, it comes together with the work of many people.  With a musical you have the design of the product (the play), the promotion of the product (marketing) and the appearance of the product (the set and the characters).  All of these components come together to hopefully create a box office hit. 

Just like producing a musical on stage, putting a house on the market must be a well-choreographed process.  This process includes promotion, price and product.  As a realtor, you advise the seller to come to the most achievable price point in which to sell.   It is your fiduciary responsibility to provide your client with all the tools at your disposals in promoting the listing. The product, one of the most crucial component to the process, is one of the easiest portions to enhance, yet requires the coordination of many moving parts, of which staging has the overall highest ROI. But when should this part of the process take place? 

We have created a great guideline for deciding when a staging consultation should happen.  We believe a good parameter should be 1 week for every year you have lived in your house. For instance, if the seller has lived in the house for 2 years, schedule a consultation two weeks prior to listing.  If the seller has lived in the house for 10 years, plan on 2 ½ months prior to listing.  The need for upgrades and deferred maintenance are substantially higher the longer someone has lived in the house. In addition, the amount of personal possessions tends to grow with each year. Our consultation will outline what maintenance needs to be completed before list date and what should stay or go. The goal of our consultation is to focus on the tasks that provide you with the highest return on investment (ROI).  Our guideline gives sellers plenty of time to schedule contractors for the work to be completed as well as sufficient time to edit their possessions. 

If furniture and accessory staging is needed, post consultation, our lead time is typically one and a half weeks in advance.  Our detailed design is customized to the needs of the home, with any suggested upgrades, updates and scheduled work all geared to support the list price of the home.

Our staging, along with proper price and aggressive marketing, will complete that perfectly choreographed process for selling a home FAST and making it a "box office hit" on the market.

Give us a call at 703-552-4545 or simply click HERE to book your consultation online to start your perfect listing.

Summer Movie Giveaway!

Summer is known for blockbuster movie hits.  With the heat settling in, there’s no better way to spend an afternoon as a family than sitting in an air-conditioned movie theater.  SO, we decided to do a fun summer movie giveaway. 

In addition to the amazing homes we have the privelege of staging throughout Northern Virginia, we started thinking about all the great houses we have seen in movies.  Have you ever dreamed of living in something you have seen on the silver screen?  If so, what house got your attention?  Here’s a few of our favorites:

LEIGH – Practical Magic

Leigh fell in love with the conservatory in this lovely house featured in the 1998 movie starring Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman.  Being an avid gardener, Leigh would kill to have a room like that in her house.

KIM – Father of the Bride

Kim really liked the traditional, nostalgic home of the Banks family in this 1991 movie.  The exterior of the home exuded charm and resonated family time. She loved the time spent between father and daughter with that courtyard and basketball hoop!

WENDY - Twilight

Wendy adored the sleek contemporary house of the Cullen clan in the 2008 Twilight movie. The architecture on this house is AH-MAZING!

TRACY - Something's Gotta Give

Tracy was drawn to Diane Keaton's Hampton beach house in this 2003 movie with Jack Nicholson. Just look at that wall of french doors with a view of the beach (swoon!)

LAUREN - It's Complicated

Our California gal, Lauren, liked Jane's Spanish style hacienda in this 2009 romantic comedy. With the classic terra cotta tile roof, interior arches and cozy kitchen it's no wonder Lauren fell in love with it.

What’s your favorite house from a movie?  Tell us and be entered for a chance to win a $25 Fandango giftcard for you and your family to enjoy! Also, be sure to follow and share on Facebook and Instagram. Winner will be chosen on July 17th!

https://www.facebook.com/StagedByDesign/

Why Stage in a Hot Market?

You may wonder why it would be beneficial to stage your home or listing in a HOT market. Statistics show us that the average Days on Market for Loudoun County was 22 as of May 2019. Reduced inventory has continued to increase demand over the past year, and sales prices along with it.

Many sellers may feel that their house will sell even if they are in need of cosmetic repairs and/or updates. While your home may still sell in a strong market, proper preparation and presentation increases demand by providing compelling online photos and can often create a bidding war.

Staging is truly targeted marketing. We utilize photo styling tacticts to create compelling online photos. Over 90% of buyers shop online before stepping foot inside the door of the house. With polished professional photos, a well-designed, de-cluttered home creates that online interest needed to urge buyers to see the home in person.

Staging also allows a buyer to visualize themselves and their family in the home. Most people have a hard time arranging and designing their homes. By having it staged, they can instantly see how spaces are used, gain ideas, and acquire a sense of home when they walk in the door. Appealing to the emotion of the buyer is one of the most important benefits of staging your home for sale.

Realtors have a fiduciary responsibility to help their clients sell their homes for the most amount of money. The National Association of Realtors cites that staged homes can increase sales prices by 5-10%. In any kind of market, consider sharing one tool they can use to get more money for their home - STAGING!

Staged by Design offers consultations for occupied homes, as well as full staging for vacant homes. Feel free to contact us for your staging needs!

Best of Houzz 2017

Many of you already know and love the popular home design website, Houzz.com. We at Staged by Design share your enthusiasm and addiction to the site that enables us to search, dream and design our homes using literally millions of photos for inspiration. Houzz has been a platform of communication between clients, source for referrals and testimonials and best of all, a wonderful supplement to our website to be able to showcase the large body of work our company has created throughout the years.We are so pleased to be chosen as one of the “Best of Houzz” for 2017, an honor we have held each year consecutively since 2013.If you haven’t had the opportunity to check it out, we suggest you do so immediately. That is, if you have several hours to kill.

Home Staging - Levis Hill House in Middleburg, VA

We recently had the pleasure of donating a full home's-worth of furniture and decor to a very deserving resident of Levis Hill House in Middleburg, VA. Watch her reaction here. Thanks to the Windy Hill Foundation and My Guys Moving for their much appreciated help and coordination to change someone's life!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-anAGraKCo&feature=youtu.be

professional home stager arlington, professional home stager falls church

Staged by Design is Northern Virginia’s premier home staging company. 

Contact us

 today to schedule a home staging consultation and see what a difference staging your property can make. With our extensive experience in home staging and interior decorating, we help homeowners sell their homes for more money in less time!

How to Fix Awkward Spaces

home staging experts for awkward spaces

Creating both a dining or entry area where neither are clearly defined is essential when showcasing awkward spaces for sale. The entry table in the living room becomes the "foyer", with the back of the loveseat defining the space and creating a cozy seating area. Integrating a dining table in a kitchen to create an eat in space is best done by using a glass topped table and small scaled chairs to provide purpose, but not overwhelm the space.Buyers only know what they see, not the way it will be. Staged by Design provides purpose to unique rooms and takes awkward to amazing.

professional home stager arlington, professional home stager falls church

Staged by Design is Northern Virginia’s premier home staging company. 

Contact us

 today to schedule a home staging consultation and see what a difference staging your property can make. With our extensive experience in home staging and interior decorating, we help homeowners sell their homes for more money in less time!

Professional Home Stager for Oakridge Communities

Oakridge Communities is a locally owned and operated home-building company in Northern Virginia. We have had the pleasure of working with Mike Gorman of Oakridge Communities over the last year. Catering to the millennial generations, Oakridge has recently built new homes in up-and-coming neighborhoods of Hamilton and Haymarket, Virginia. We have also had the opportunity to stage these homes and have enjoyed implementing the projects immensely. Thanks Oakridge Communities!

professional home stager arlington, professional home stager falls church

professional home stager arlington, professional home stager falls church

Staged by Design is Northern Virginia’s premier home staging company. 

Contact us

 today to schedule a home staging consultation and see what a difference staging your property can make. With our extensive experience in home staging and interior decorating, we help homeowners sell their homes for more money in less time!

The Elements of Home Staging - Lansdowne Woods Article

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Staged by Design is Northern Virginia’s premier home staging company. Contact us today to schedule a home staging consultation and see what a difference staging your property can make. With our extensive experience in home staging and interior decorating, we help homeowners sell their homes for more money in less time!