Creative Staging Company/Blog

Just in time for Christmas Stocking Stuf

creativestagingco — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 17:20:33 +0000

Just in time for Christmas Stocking Stuffers Under $5 via ivillage http://www.ivillage.com/cheap-stocking-stuffers-and-ideas/7-b-295335?nlcid=in|12-16-2010|

Home Staging Works!

creativestagingco — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 19:31:46 +0000

There is no doubt that Home Staging works! Home Staging helps homeowners sale their homes faster and for more money. Don’t believe me take a look at this information provided by Keller Williams.

Happy Selling, Happy Staging

Prepare it Before You List It (Part One)

creativestagingco — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 18:09:22 +0000

Prepare it Before You List It (Part One)

As the owner of a Home Staging company I am often faced with the task of educating my client’s on the things that need to be done to prepare their home for the market. Even with the countless television shows on networks such as HGTV, I still find myself meeting clients who don’t really know how to prepare their home for sale. I can look through countless MLS photos and find many things that would send a potential buyer running for the hills. Gone are the days where you could just put a sign in the yard and that meant your home was for sell. Today’s buyers are savvier than yesteryear’s and require more out of a listing then just a sign in the yard. The fact is there is a lot of inventory on the market buyers have to choose from. What this means for a seller is that you have to do certain things to be able to fairly compete with your competition. You will either upstage or be upstaged. You have to give buyers a reason to pick your property over the other 20,000 (or more) homes that they have to choose from. The goal of this series is to provide home sellers with valuable information to help them prepare their home for the market BEFORE they list it. In part one of this series let’s focus on some questions sellers should ask themselves before they decide to sell their home.

What is your motivation?

The first thing you may want to consider is your motivation for selling your home. Are you selling because you have to relocate? Are you selling to move into your dream home? Are you selling because you are now an empty nester and need to down size? What is your real motivation for selling your home? It is important to think about this because your level of motivation will determine how committed you are to doing what is necessary to sell your home.

What are you selling?

Seems obvious, you are selling a home right? Actually you are selling more than just a home, you are selling a lifestyle. When you decide to place your home on the market it goes from being the place you live in, eat in and sleep in to becoming a product for sale. A product that must be presented in a manner that will captivate buyer’s interest. This is where Staging comes in. Home Staging sets the scene throughout the home by creating a lifestyle that buyers can envision themselves living in. Today’s buyers don’t just fall in love with a home; they also fall in love with how that home will fit their lifestyle.

Is your home on clearance?

Are you selling your home for top dollar or is it on clearance? Are there a number of items in your home that need repaired? Are the walls painted the wrong colors? Is there wallpaper everywhere? Is your home dirty? Is your home full of clutter? Is the curb appeal less than appealing? If the answer is yes to any of these questions then you can’t expect top dollar for your property, it should be clearance priced. This goes back to your home being a product for sale, if you want a buyer to dig deep down in their pockets to give you a top dollar offer, then your home should be in pristine condition. People will only pay top dollar for quality.

Your level of commitment and motivation will help determine if your home sells or lingers on the market. Sellers you have control over two things when selling your home. The first being price, an experienced Real Estate Professional can help you price your property right. The second, being the condition of your home. You the seller have complete control over how you present your property when it is on the market. When selling a home presentation is EVERYTHING! In part two of this series I will discuss the steps to take to prepare your home for a quick sale. Stay tuned!

10 Tips for Selling a Home in the Fall

creativestagingco — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 17:57:34 +0000

Fall is one of the most beautiful times of the year. I particularly love the rich warm colors of fall. If you are selling a home this fall take a look at these 10 tips provided by Front Door brought to you by HGTV see article click here . In addition to the tips provided by HGTV I also add some of my tips. Enjoy!

1: Focus on curb appeal. Selling a home during the fall certainly comes with one advantage: The season’s beautiful foliage can automatically make your home more attractive for showings. However, you still need to do your part to keep your home looking its best. Start by sprucing up your lawn: Keep falling leaves at bay with frequent raking and patch up any brown spots in the grass. As the trees shed their leaves, your home becomes more and more exposed, making its exterior appearance especially important. Chipped paint or dirty siding will be extra noticeable, so pressure-wash your home and repaint before showings if needed. Be sure to take care of fall-specific maintenance projects — like cleaning your gutters and downspouts — to show buyers that you’re serious about your home’s upkeep. As a finishing touch, a few subtle fall decorations — like pumpkins, tri-colored corn or a wreath on the door — can give your home an inviting look.

Creative Staging Tip: Place some fall rich colored potted Mums on your porch, patio or deck to add a punch of color.

2: Appeal to the senses. As the weather cools down, make your home a warm, welcoming space where buyers will want to stick around. If you encourage them to stay awhile during showings, you give them more time to admire your home’s best features. Nothing says fall like the pleasing aromas of apples and cinnamon. Before showing your home, burn a cinnamon-scented candle or simmer a pot of apple cider on the stove with a stick of cinnamon thrown in. If you opt for cider, leave it in a thermos with cups for buyers to enjoy. Brighten up your home by opening all the blinds to let in as much natural light as possible. Finally, emphasize comfort in your home with luxurious fabrics, like soft blankets, plush towels or a silky table-cloth.

Creative Staging Tip: Don’t neglect repairs that need to be made to the inside of your home. Be sure that all necessary repairs have been made on the front end and that will save you on the back-end.

3: Flaunt your fireplace. A warm, inviting fireplace is a great selling point as the weather gets cooler. Highlight this fall-friendly feature by arranging your furniture to make your fireplace a focal point. Place a mirror, artwork, vases or other tasteful decor on top of the mantel to make it even more prominent.

Creative Staging Tip: Have a wood burning fireplace but don’t want to burn wood during showings? Place multiple sized candles inside your fireplace. Light during open houses to give an amber glow! BE SURE TO REMIND YOUR REALTOR BLOW OUT CANDLES IF HE OR SHE PLANS TO LEAVE BEFORE YOU RETURN!

4: Update your listing photos. If your home has been listed since spring or summer, update your online photos with brand new fall shots. Pictures from the previous season make your listing seem dated.

Creative Staging Tip: Pictures should be taken on a sunny not gloomy day to allow for maximum light. Turn on all lights and all pictures with the flash on.

5: Think like a buyer. Buyers have the mindset that fall sellers missed the boat and are desperate to unload their homes. After all, why didn’t you sell in the spring when buyers were out in full force? Fall house hunters are looking for bargains, so be prepared for lowball offers and non-serious buyers. Manage your expectations and negotiate accordingly, depending on your motivation. If you need to sell fast, be prepared to make counter offers until you and the buyer find a price you can both live with.

6: Hire a reliable real estate professional. As if selling your home isn’t stressful enough, you’re probably preparing for the holidays during the fall also, and possibly helping the kids ease into a new school year. During this hectic season, you definitely want a great real estate agent to take some of the pressure of selling your home off your shoulders. Ask your friends and family if they can recommend a listing agent who will go above and beyond to get your home sold.

7: Price it right. While spring is the busiest season for real estate sales, fall usually sees a small surge of buyers trying to find a bargain before the holidays. If you want to grab the attention of these deal-seeking house hunters, you need to price your home competitively — possibly lower than comparable homes in your neighborhood. Setting your listing price just right could lead to a bidding war, resulting in a higher sales price for you. Work with your listing agent to price your home correctly.

8: Watch your timing. Put your home on the market well in advance of looking for a new home. And don’t place an offer on your next home until you have solid offers on the one you have to sell now. The last thing you want to do is juggle two mortgage payments.

9: Beware of TMI (too much information). Buyers think fall sellers are in dire straits, so don’t do anything to add to that perceived advantage and lower your potential selling price. For instance, if you are moving due to a job transfer, it’s best not to offer up that information — at the very least, downplay the urgency. If asked about your motivation to sell, simply saying you’re ready to trade up would suffice. While you are obligated to disclose everything about the property’s condition, you aren’t obligated to disclose your personal situation.

10: Be flexible. While fall isn’t the hardest time to sell a home, it’s not the easiest either, so be willing to work with buyers to help your chances of making a quick sale. Offer to pay for closing costs or repairs, and be adaptable when it comes to showing your home and holding open houses. While preparing for the holidays can make fall a busy season, if you really need to sell, you need to accommodate buyers’ busy schedules as well. This might mean opening your home to strangers on week nights and weekends.

During this time of the year (frankly any time of the year) it is important for your home to presented at its best as well as be priced right. Your Realtor can help you with pricing your home and your Home Staging Professional can help you present your home so that it makes a great first impression! Remember you only get one chance to make a first impression, make that impression a lasting one!

Happy Staging!

Filed under: Blog Post, Home Staging

Trends in Home Staging and Real Estate via StagedHomes.com Blog

creativestagingco — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 15:14:03 +0000

Recently Barb Schwarz the creator of Home Staging and CEO of Stagedhomes.com was interviewed about what she felt the trends in Home Staging and Real estate were. Here is what Barb had to say……

Trends in Home Staging and Real Estate

Just the other day I was interviewed by a real estate publication and I thought I would share the answers I gave to the reporter’s questions here at the Stagedhomes.com blog.

1. What’s new in the world of home staging? How has it changed in the last 2 years?

The pendulum is swinging; the public is now becoming the driving force to make sure their home gets ASP® Staged for sale. The agents are still crucial in driving the world of ASP Home Staging but many agents hang back where the seller now asks more, “Aren’t you going to tell me to get my house Staged?” The ASP® Home Staging market continues to lead more that ever the industry of Home Staging. I will explain more why below.

2. How has the down economy changed/enhanced/lessened the need for home staging when it comes to real estate?

The down economy has driven the need for ASP® Home Staging more than ever before. With short sales, bank owned properties, and the traditional sellers all of these entities are in fierce competition to get the house sold. We are now seeing short sales beginning to ASP® Stage their homes, bank owned properties now ASP® Home Stage their properties and for any traditional seller to compete they must have their home ASP® Home Staged to have any chance to sell in today’s market.

3. Describe why the real estate mantra is no longer location, location, location. It is now Staging, Staging, Staging!

Now more than ever location is included in the price that said, regardless of square footage, location or the number of bedrooms and baths, if the house is not ASP® Staged it simply cannot compete. You can have a small house or a mansion it can be in a prime location or out in the hinter land, but today’s buyers are comparing how the house, which is now a product, looks compared to all the houses. So no matter how many bedrooms or baths if the property is dirty, cluttered or has the wrong colors, it doesn’t have a chance in today’s market.

4. Do you still believe that staging is the answer now and will be even more effective in the future? Why or why not?

Selling your house is like selling a car. There are a lot of cars for sale and a lot of houses for sale too. Today’s car buyer is going to buy the car that meets their needs that looks the best; the same is true for a house. Staging is today’s answer and will be even more effective in the future. It is all about presentation. “Buyers only know what they see, not the way it’s going to be.” So, “detail your house like you detail your car” if you want to get it sold.

5. Let’s discuss your “Predictions for the Future of Home Staging” and how your views may or may not have changed in the last couple years. “Home Stagers, and ASP® Home Stagers in particular, will play critical roles in setting the market.” Explain and how has this changed?

The predictions I have made in the past, I feel even stronger about today. The predictions I’ve made in the past are coming true.

A. If you don’t Stage it, it won’t sell.

B. ASP® Home Stagers are controlling the market.

C. We are seeing more ASP® Home Stagers as part of real estate teams. They are the marketing arm. Because featuring messy houses in ads doesn’t work. The greatest marketing tool of all is ASP® Home Staging.

D. Sellers are demanding with the high commissions that agent’s charge that the agent pays for the ASP® Home Stager.

E. Therefore ASP® Home Stagers play a crucial role in setting today’s market as they work with the agent to get the property Staged.

6. Why is it still important for staging and real estate professionals to team up to sell houses, especially in this economy?

ASP® Home Stagers and real estate agents are teaming up more and more to give turnkey service to the seller. The agent’s job is to get the property priced and to do the marketing to get it sold. The ASP® Home Stager merchandizes the property so that the marketing pays off. They are working hand in hand more and more. Today’s economy the ASP® Home Stager is making money for the agent because without the house Staged it sits and in the end the agents either get little commission or none. Therefore, working together, the seller wins the agent wins and the ASP® Stager wins.

7. “The way commissions and fees are structured will change.” Have they? How so? Is staging considered part of the real estate agent’s marketing plan?

Current commission structure continues to remain the same but as I’ve said before; the sellers are now demanding more and more that the agent pays a part or all of the ASP® Stager fee in the beginning or at the close of sale. The agents that make ASP® Staging a part of their marketing plan lead the market and obtain more listings because of it. There are still at least 50% of agents who hang back and have not made ASP® Staging a part of their marketing plan. These are the agents that fall behind, earn far less money and never lead their market.

8. “The Home Staging industry will grow larger every year.” Explain. Offer some statistics, if possible, in change within the home staging industry over the past few years as well as reasons for those changes.

Yes, the Home Staging industry continues to grow larger every year. This is because of the public seeing more about it on TV, reading more about it in newspapers, magazines and articles as they comprehend the huge difference that it makes in the sale of property all over North America. Five years ago the approximate statistics that we had at StagedHomes.com were that 10% of the public was preparing their home for sale; this figure has now topped over 20%. All of the information I shared above are the reasons why.

9. “ASP® training leads the way.” [You say “Every day ASP® Stagers are called in to de-Stage and re-Stage properties that supposedly have been staged by people that are neither trained nor qualified – pictures for a sidebar of this would be great!] Why is ASP® training still leading the way today?

As the Home Staging industry grows and more of the public reads about it, it is inevitable that some women and men wake up in the morning and decide to become a self designated Home Stager. Some of the public has had to learn the hard way that you get what you pay for. ASP® Home Stagers are designated, certified, accredited, insured, work with leading vendors in the Home Staging industry to bring the very best to those that hire them. When you have a show such as The Today Show on NBC, and other similar popular TV shows sending the public to the ASP® Stager directory on StagedHomes.com and to the professional members of “The International Home Staging Professionals”, www.IAHSP.com, they offer a public service to help guide the public to find ASP® Home Stagers who are indeed thoroughly trained to serve the public and the real estate industry. No other training has the experience, the history over 35 years, reputation nor qualification to serve the public the way ASP® Home Stagers do, which is why ASP® training leads the market more than ever today. In every market the leading professionals and the top money makers of the Home Staging industry are ASP® Home Stagers.

10. “The real estate industry is here to stay—but it will include stagers and home staging.” How is Staging only as successful as the real estate community in which it operates? How can staging be more successful?

ASP® Home Staging in every community is successful regardless of the real estate community in which it operates. Once again this is because the pendulum has been swinging more and more where the public is the driving force behind ASP® Home Staging. Word of mouth is a powerful thing. Once a seller has his home Staged, he tells every friend, relative and neighbor they should do it too. As I stated above, many agents are behind in requiring in requiring their sellers to ASP® Stage their home so in many communities where you have a more weak real estate community the seller may be the one who is making sure their home is ASP® Staged. As time goes on and on we will see Home Staging become the dominant force of the entire real estate industry. ASP® Hone Staging has changed the entire real estate industry like nothing ever has before. Therefore regardless of whether the economy is hot or not, to get your home sold in the quickest amount of time for the most amount of money, it has to be ASP® Staged for sale.

The real estate agents that understand this will lead the industry all over the country when they make ASP® Stagers apart of their team. Whether they do this or not the public will remain the dominant force to make sure their home is ASP® Staged so it sells for top dollar.

For a link to this Stagedhomes.com blog article click Click Here

Happy Selling, Happy Staging!

Filed under: Blog Post, Home Staging

Presenting 2068 Suda Drive Indianapolis, IN 46280

creativestagingco — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 21:33:02 +0000

Make your own free picture slideshow

Project Type: Vacant Staging

Beds/Bath: 4/2.5

SqFt: 1911

MLS # 21016341

Presented by:

William Griffin

CPR Real Estate LLC

7850 Scarborough Blvd. S. Dr.
Indianapolis , IN 46256
Phone: 317-585-8500
griffin@mibor.net

Filed under: Blog Post, Home Staging, Our Projects

Presenting 1420 Lexington Ave, Indianapolis, IN 46203

creativestagingco — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 21:19:46 +0000

Personalize your own free picture slideshow

Project Type: Vacant Staging

Beds/Bath: 3/2.5

SqFt: 2100

MLS #: 21022186

Presented By:

Beth Lyons
Keller Williams Indpls Metro N
14300 Clay Terrace Blvd. #204
Carmel , IN 46032
Phone: 317-440-4187
BethALyons@aol.com

Filed under: Blog Post, Home Staging, Our Projects

Why I Love This Business!

creativestagingco — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 23:32:15 +0000

Not too long ago I was contacted by a client who was in desperate need of help organizing some spaces in her home. She explained to me that the clutter and stuff had gotten so bad that she hated coming home. That she didn’t feel comfortable inviting her family and friends over for dinner. It had come to the point where she was completely overwhelmed. Clutter brings chaos to our lives. It has a way of piling up and piling up until we feel it closing in on us. The tough part is once it gets so bad most people don’t know how to begin the process of purging. I set off to help my client organize her family room, dining room and her daughter’s bedroom.

When I arrived at my client’s home, I had no clue how bad it really was. As I started to look around her home it came to me that there was an underlying issue here. Beside the fact that the clutter had just got out of hand, there was something else going on. As she and I begin the process of organizing and purging we also began to talk. I asked her questions and I listened as she answered them. Her home was full of stuff for a couple of reasons. One was that she had trouble letting things go as most people with hoarding issues do. The second reason was that she couldn’t resist shopping for her two daughters. If she saw something on sale she bought it no questions asked. Because of this there were clothes and toys everywhere. She and I joked about how many clothes really can a child wear in one season? We begin to talk more and I wanted to get down to why she felt the need to hold on to so many things and buy so much stuff. This was not your typical case of “confessions of a shopaholic.” She explained to me that when she was younger that her mother never bought her toys or nice things. She said she wasn’t sure if her mother didn’t know how to raise a little girl since she had sons also, but she never bought her toys or nice things. Could you imagine growing up with no toys? I know I couldn’t. Well her way of making up for this was to buy her daughter’s toys and clothes whenever she had the chance. She wanted to go out of her way to give them what she didn’t have. Don’t most of us do that as parents? The toys and clothes made up most of the clutter in her home. Now of course she had the normal clutter of papers, books and all the things that most of us accumulate over time.

I asked my client for her permission to allow me to help her in any way that I could. She said she was willing but that it was going to be hard. I told her that we would take it one step at a time and that I was not there to judge but to help her. As we begin to sort and purge we were able to discuss items that had a sentimental value to her. A wise woman (Barb Schwarz) taught me that it is our job as professionals to ALWAYS honor our client’s belongings. Step by step we begin to purge more and more of my client’s things and I made sure to honor her things and her memories as she shared them with me. When this project was completed I was so proud of the progress my client made. It was not easy for her and there were times when she was almost overcome with tears. In the end she did such a great job even donating so much of the items she purged to charity. We purged, cleaned and organized and now she has a place that she is proud of.

I am sure that you can understand how touched I am when you read the thank you letter that she sent to me. This is the reason why I love this business. Having the opportunity to help people is such a blessing from God. It is a blessing that I don’t take lightly and I will always honor my clients and their things. This experience helped remind me that you should never judge someone because you never know what they have been through. Please see the beautiful thank you that my client sent to me!

Tia,

I just wanted to sit down and write you a thank you note!
I know it was pretty small for you but I just wanted to know that my life has changed more than words can explain. I knew that I needed help but didn’t know how to go about doing it, you know the action part was killing me. I know God places people in your life for a reason and I’m so thankful for it.  My heart is so overwhelmed everyday with Joy because of a simple change. My life & days were so scattered and unorganized; I was loosing my mind and a sense of being.
From the bottom of my heart, I really do THANK YOU! I appreciate your time and words of encouragement. I hear your voice every time I’m in the stores overbuying things, “do I need this or is this a want?”  And I don’t want to go back to the place where I was out! I have a sense of relief everyday especially when I’m in the dining room.  I believe the girls room is the icing on the cake which I love the whole organization of things; I always wanted a pretty girls room.
Okay, I’m tearing up so I’m cutting it short!

Again thank you sooooooooooo much!  You are GREAT at what you do and I’m looking forward to seeing you on HGTV or somewhere!

R. Gates

P.S. I know I’m not where I want to be….BUT thank GOD I’m not where I use to be!
Thanks Tia

Dinging Room Before and After

Filed under: Blog Post, Home Organization, Home Staging

Helpful Tips For Staging A Bathroom

creativestagingco — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 19:45:09 +0000

Helpful Tips For Staging A Bathroom

When you decide to put your home on the market you have to change the way that you view your home. You see your home is no longer a home at all; it is now a product for sell. Knowing that you are now selling a product you must put your home on display in sort of the same way that a department store displays their items for sell. Your focus should be on making sure that your home is clutter free, painted the right colors that all necessary repairs have been made and that the home is q-tip clean. Buyers have many choices and options in today’s market that means that you have to make sure that you set yourself apart for all of the other homes for sale in your area. You also want to have a fair chance against your Staged competition. When buyers tour homes they look everywhere and I do mean everywhere and why shouldn’t they? Buying a home is a big step and an even bigger investment. One room in a home that buyers pay special attention to is bathrooms, kitchens and bathrooms tend to sale homes. Below are some tips for staging the bathrooms in your home. Following these simple tips can help you CAPTIVATE buyers rather than sending them off running scared. Remember you only get one chance to make a fabulous first impression!

When showing your bathrooms be sure that all toilet lids are down.
If necessary replace the caulking around your tub, shower and sink.
Make any and all necessary repairs.
Clean your bathroom thoroughly. Tip: Clorox wipes work great for quick clean ups in between showings.
Keep counters free and clear of clutter and toiletries. Tip: store toiletries in a basket nice and neatly. The basket can be stored in a drawer, under the sink or in a linen closet. If your budget is tight search garage sales, the Goodwill or Dollar Stores for inexpensive storage options.
Be sure plunger and toilet bowl brush are stored under sink or in the garage during showings and open houses.
Store bathroom trash can out of sight during showings such as in the garage or under sink.
Do not use your bathroom as a place to hide the family pet during showings.
Be sure that you have a fresh roll of toilet tissue on the holder.
Remove all rugs by toilet and toilet seat covers it is not stylish or sanitary.
If necessary purchase a fresh shower curtain.
Make sure you have the right paint color on the wall. Try choosing serene soft colors such as a soft blue. This is very important for the master bathroom as today’s buyers are looking for a place to take a long relaxing bubble bath after a long day at the office.
Purchase new hand towels to hang from towel bar. You may want to consider tying them with a ribbon or raffia to discourage buyers from drying their hands on them. A more sanitary option would be to have some paper hand napkins displayed on the sink or somewhere close to the sink.
Keep linen closet clean and clutter free. Make sure all bath, face towels and sheets are folded neatly. Tip: Store all linen closet necessities neatly in decorative baskets.
Keep all drawers and under cabinets neat and organized.
If you have out dated faucets, hardware and lighting fixtures consider replacing them.

Filed under: Blog Post, Home Staging

Chocolate Blues and Business Festival

creativestagingco — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 00:12:46 +0000

This past week Creative Staging Company was one of many vendors to participate in the Chocolate Blues and Business Festival. The Chocolate Blues and Business Festival is an event where those in business can have the opportunity to network with other business professionals. I had an amazing time at this event. I had the opportunity to speak with many local business professionals. It was awesome to network with so many diverse business owners. There were people there who were beauty consultants, business coaches, carpenters, health insurers, real estate agents, computer technicians, accounts, payroll companies and many more. We as business owners never know when we or someone we know may need the services of another business. That is why I loved this event. It gave us the opportunity to chat with one another and learn about what our respective businesses were. I look forward to meeting with some of the great savvy business professionals I met. Hopefully I can learn even more about them and we can all serve as business referral partners. At the end of the day word of mouth can be one of the best forms of advertisement.

Notice the Diet Coke behind the presentation board? The caffeine really keep me going during this 8-hour event. I can say enough how great of a time I had. Next up will be the Hendricks County Habitat for Humanity 5k run walk!

Happy Selling, Happy Staging!

Filed under: Blog Post, Events/News