The beginning of each new year always feels like an appropriate time to reflect on the previous 12 months while looking forward to what the next 12 may bring. This year we at Synergy Staging decided to assemble our list of Top 10 Home Staging Success Stories for 2009. While we had a variety of projects, both home staging and design, we'll limit this list to those that sold quickly or had particular challenges to overcome. In re-visiting these projects we hope to share some valuable staging tips that will help others as well.
NUMBER 5
Single Family Home, Portland, OR
Homes that are newly constructed sometimes have an edge over other properties on the market. In this case, the home had been vacant on the market for six months without a sale. New listing agents were brought in and they knew that staging the property would give it the edge it needed. This house was on a street with numerous other new homes.
This was one of the first properties we'd seen where both the moldings and walls were painted the exact same color. This left the rooms with no interest and made them seem boring. Once professionally staged, the rooms come to life and gives potential buyers a much better sense of how they could envision living in the home.
Here we found another dining room where the builders didn't consider the placement of a dining table and traffic flow. We used a tall tree in the corner drawing the eye away from the chandelier. If you'll notice, the light is not close to being centered above the table. Had we centered the table under the chandelier the dining chairs would run into the barstools. Not the wisest design!
The oversized master bedroom again fell victim to the big beige box syndrome. While buyers are drawn to large master bedrooms and living areas, when they see them vacant they seem overwhelming and don't know how to configure them. By warming up the room with some elegant furnishings and filling out the space, the bedroom became a retreat that buyers fell in love with.
Staging a bathroom that is already beautifully finished is a treat.
Using just the right touches adds life and a feeling of calm that buyers will long remember.
After sitting on the market vacant for over six months, the new lisiting agents called Synergy Staging to help them achieve a quick sale. A full price offer was accepted less than one month after going on the market.
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Join the Realtors, Investors, and Homeowners who call Synergy Staging to make their properties irresistible and sell quickly! For more tips or to see our latest home staging projects, visit us on Facebook and read our Portland Home Staging Blog. Please call us at (503) 557-2244 for a free no obligation quote so we can help your home sell faster in 2010.
David....Great job on taking the eye away from the fact that the light is NOT centered in the Dining Room...I missed that and caught it in your write up. And your sooo right...so many builders do NOT consider the practical aspects of living and furniture placement! Another great staging!
Great work David! I'm working with a staging to dwell client now who waited until they found the right table for the eat in kitchen area, put it where they felt it would best work in the odd shaped space and THEN hung the light!
Kathy ~ It still surprises us when we got to a house and see things like off centered lighting or outlets in bizarre places that just don't make any sense for how people will leave in these homes. Thanks!
Karen ~ That is the ideal situation - installing the light after finding the table. Hope your project is going well.
The other thing I don't understand is why builders put fireplaces in the corner. It's often tough to place furniture. The seating area in the bedroom looks very inviting, and I love the addition of the little stool with the towels on top in the bathroom. That was a nice touch. Another great staging job.
Sally ~ Sometimes corner fireplaces can be a bit tricky for furniture placement, but in narrow rooms when they are centered it really limits the options. If furniture placement was easy we'd be out of a job! =)
David I'm enjoying your series. You gotta love those design quirks that builder 'build' into the homes. A friend of mine just bought her first 'new' home. I made sure I told her to watch for some of these short cuts builders take.
good work
You turned this house into a home! Great job, David.
Congratulations. Your home staging is being featured in the group Staging Before & After Pictures.
Kathy
Janice ~ Glad you're enjoying the series. Good advice to your friend. Sometimes it seems builders forget that someone is actually going to live in the house!
Laddi ~ Thanks.
Kathy ~ Appreciate your comments and thank you very much for the feature. Hope all is well in ATL.
Hey David!! I LOVE CHALLENGING FLOOR PLANS!! There is nothing that isn't fixable or able to be overcome!! You guys did a phenominal job on these. Definte success stories!! Thanks for sharing...I look forward to the next episode!! :)
Ryan ~ Thanks for your comments! And those challenging floor plans are very rewarding when they come together, aren't they?
What a great example of how much impact furnishings can make on the appearance of vacant rooms. Great job compensating for the dining light.
Sharon ~ There is just no comparison between a vacant space and one that's professionally staged. And helping people see how they can live in a space with the limitations (like the dining light) are big plusses. Hopefully more and more Realtors and sellers will agree and jump on board!