Synergy Staging - Portland Home Staging Blog

Using 2011 To Attract More Clients in 2012

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 12:27:19 -0500

I find that January is always a great time to reflect on the previous year and make plans for what lies ahead. It's a time to look back on our business model and see what was successful and what could be improved.

We must all constantly find new ways to showcase our company, its look, style, approach, results, and list goes on and on. One way we have found to attract new clients and retain existing ones is through photos highlighting our recent work. As they say, you are only as good as your last staging!

Most of us find that our staging design evolves over time, and looking back to our first few stagings can result in panic! This is why it is important to continually update our photos and keep our portfolios looking fresh and current.

Synergy Staging was fortunate to work on many great projects with wonderful clients in 2011. Below is video featuring photos that highlight some of the vacant properties throughout Portland that our team staged this past year. Using a compilation such as this is a short and effective way to showcase your work to potential clients and remind existing clients why they should continue using your services.

Here's to a successful and prosperous 2012!

These homes were professionaly staged by Synergy Staging. We present a lifestyle your buyer desires so you can sell your home fast and for top dollar. Join the Realtors, Investors, Banks, and Homeowners who call Synergy Staging to make their properties irresistible and sell quickly! Read what our clients have said about their experience with our company.

Please call us at (503) 557-2244 for a free no obligation quote so we can help your home sell faster.

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Synergy Staging Top 9 Success Stories of 2011

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 11:50:47 -0500

Synergy Staging is pleased to present our Top 9 Success Stories of 2011. This video of before and after photos showcases the vacant homes we staged that sold the fastest this past year. Some had been on the market well over 100 days prior to staging and sold very quickly.

Although it was a challenging year for the Real Estate market, there were plenty of positive signs to show that the market is moving well when a home is priced appropriately for the neighborhood, prepared well, and professionally staged. Taking those three steps is the most important thing a seller can do to increase their chances of a quick sale at a high price.

Let's hope everything turns around in 2012!

Please call us at (503) 557-2244 for a free no obligation quote so we can help your home sell faster.

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Staging A House So It All Connects

Tue, 13 Dec 2011 00:18:51 -0500

Our Portland Home Staging Company recently staged a beautiful home in Happy Valley, Oregon for one of our investor clients. The home had some design issues which needed to be addressed, and our client understood that staging was the answer to help buyers see the potential of the home.

Although this property is 4,000 square feet, some of the living spaces were small. There are also very large custom drapes in the living room that felt out of place without some connection to the rest of the home. By showing this house vacant, potential buyers would have had many reasons to say 'no' and move on to the next one.

Here are some before and after photos of how we addressed the design issues:

We used two elegant wing back chairs that tied in the gold of the window treatments and the height of the room.

This kitchen has a huge island with two eating areas. It was important to define them with different types of stools to help buyers see these as separate spaces.

The master bedroom in this home is large, but the only wall without windows is too small to accommodate a Queen bed and two bedside tables. We used window treatments to create a wall to anchor the bed and two bedside tables. This made the room feel more elegant and dramatic and also connected it with the spacious living room and huge custom drapes.

Another View

For more information about this property please contact
Eugene Pahomsky at Rio Realty LLC at 503-267-9772

This home was professionaly staged by Synergy Staging. We present a lifestyle your buyer desires so you can sell your home fast and for top dollar. Join the Realtors, Investors, Banks, and Homeowners who call Synergy Staging to make their properties irresistible and sell quickly! Read what our clients have said about their experience with our company.

Please call us at (503) 557-2244 for a free no obligation quote so we can help your home sell faster.

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Can Home Staging Bring Out The X Factor?

Tue, 25 Oct 2011 23:36:45 -0400

What is the The X Factor? Well aside from being another talent show transplanted from the UK, it is that extra special characteristic that sets an individual apart from others and makes them stand out.

The same appeal can sometimes be found in homes that are on the market. While every home has a unique personality and look, bringing out it’s best attributes so potential buyers fall in love is where home staging comes in. Nothing can be taken for granted when marketing what is typically a person’s largest investment. Hiring a professional home stager to ensure your home is presented as well as possible can be one of the most important steps in a successful sale.

Synergy Staging helped showcase this investment property so it would stand out from the many similar properties in the neighborhood with a consultation and staging.

The wall color was changed from white to a few complimentary earth tones throughout which immediately changed the feel of the house. The home was also staged to create an environment that showed potential buyers how they could live in the home and helped them connect to the space.

The combination of these steps truly brought out the X Factor in this property.

Here are few of the before and afters:

Please call us at (503) 557-2244 for a free no obligation quote so we can help your home sell faster.

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Risky Business - A Buyer's Imagination

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 20:00:40 -0400

When showing a home that is vacant, there are inevitably a few different reactions.

The first thing many buyers do is stare blankly, and then try to imagine the furniture they own in the space. Next they will inevitably notice all the eyesores such as cosmetic issues, dings in the wall, paint to be touched up, and any other reason they can think of to say "No" or to negotiate for a lower price. Why would you ever want to give someone a chance to think these terrible thoughts about your home?

Vacant Living Room with awkward layout due to angled carpeted design

The risk of these thoughts going through the mind a potential buyer can very easily be avoided. Call in a local Home Stager to give you an objective point of view from the buyer's perspective. Our Portland home staging company will help you make sure your home shows it's absolute best. We view, stage, and help sell numerous properties each month, and know what buyer's are looking for.

Living Room staged highlighting the amount of space.
This home sold in one month after being on the market for 139 days prior to staging.

When a Home Stager walks into a vacant home to prepare a quote, one of the first things that we consider is how to best show off the space. For example, where will the furnishings go, what design style does the home call for, which colors will work just right. Our objective perspective from the buyer's viewpoint allows us to offer advice and recommendations about what steps you can take to make sure your home shows it's absolute best.

Leaving a sale to your buyer's imagination is not how you want to approach selling your home. To sell it quickly and for top dollar, hire a home stager to put the first impression in your hand.

Please call us at (503) 557-2244 for a free no obligation quote so we can help your home sell faster.

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Neutralizing Wall Colors with Home Staging

Sun, 18 Sep 2011 11:45:08 -0400

As home stagers we often get to work with owners to prepare their homes for sale. Many times this includes a color consultation to ensure that the paint color is pleasing to potential buyers and works with the architecture and feel of the home. However, sometimes we don’t get the benefit of a consultation and must work with the house as it is, especially when budgets are tight.

Here is a wonderful house in Oregon City overlooking Beaver Lake that we recently staged with just such a color issue. The walls were overwhelming with a gray/green that didn’t feel warm and inviting. Unfortunately this color was seemingly everywhere! We had no choice but to make it work.

Working in a room with darker colors, especially in Oregon where the sky is often overcast, the importance of light furnishings and decor is essential. In this house the ceilings soared almost 20 feet so it was vital to neutralize the color with the staging.

Here’s some pictures of the results.

For more information about this property please contact
Ivan Primachenko at Enetra Real Estate at 503-793-5752

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Please call us at (503) 557-2244 for a free no obligation quote so we can help your home sell faster.

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Home Staging Bank Owned Properties is a Win-Win

Fri, 26 Aug 2011 13:25:46 -0400

Do you ever wonder what separates a house that sells quickly from one that lingers on the market?

There many factors to take into consideration such as location, price, condition, presentation, home staging, and on and on. However, even with the multitude of answers to this question, there are important steps a seller can take to ensure the best possible chance at selling their home quickly and for top dollar. One of the key factors in selling quickly in the current marketplace is home staging.

Synergy Staging has provided home staging for newly constructed bank owned homes in a wonderful development just outside Portland in West Linn. Every new home that has been staged, without fail, has sold within 2 weeks of staging!

An interesting point is that all homes are listed when construction begins. Before we started staging, the homes would be shown vacant without the same success. Several homes we later staged had been shown empty for up to one month with no interest. Once the homes were staged, interest immediately picked up.

New homes are beautiful, but that alone is not always enough to ensure a sale. There is no doubt that adding home staging to the equation was a primary factor in generating interest and selling the properties.

Here is one property from the development that recently sold at the very first Open House:

Please call us at (503) 557-2244 for a free no obligation quote so we can help your home sell faster.

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Home Staging Helps A Portland Bungalow Sell in Two Days

Thu, 14 Jul 2011 22:43:00 -0400

Our Portland Home Staging company stages many different types of homes throughout Portland. Our clients range from homeowners, to banks, to investors, to Realtors. One thing that is similar are the results. Staged then Sold! Again and again and again! It’s been hard to keep up. We hope that other markets are seeing the same increase in quick sales.

It doesn't seem to matter if the properties are newly built, recently remodeled, or owner occupied. The secret to a quick sale is consistently the same formula. Price your listing appropriately for your market, and make sure it is prepared and presented as best as possible.

When it comes to presentation, Home Staging makes all the difference between a property that is sold and one that lingers on the market! When trying to sell your home, which is typically your largest asset, you must ensure that you pull out all the stops to make it show at it’s absolute best. With all the competition you can’t take the process of selling your home for granted.

Many sellers believe that their home is worth more than it is, or that it will ‘sell itself’, since they have such a strong personal attachment to it. This couldn’t be farther from the truth, and a primary reason to bring in an outside perspective from a home stager to honestly evaluate the property. This is the one way you can be certain you’ve done everything to make your home stand apart from your competition, get the top dollar, and sell as quickly as possible.

One of our recent clients was a Realtor who was selling his own home. This was an adorable 1920's bunglaw in Portland. He understood what it takes to sell a home in this market and the advantage a home stager would bring. After preparing his property with fresh paint, refinishing the floors, replacing carpet, and touching up the landscape, the only thing left was to stage the house.

The combination of these factors saw spectacular results. This home sold in only two days vs. the Portland average of 137 days on market. We have many stories similar to this one and are encouraged that staging is making a true difference for sellers throughout our market.

Here are a few before and after shots:

Please call us at (503) 557-2244 for a free no obligation quote so we can help your home sell faster.

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Website Redesign for Synergy Staging

Sun, 12 Jun 2011 12:48:08 -0400

We love redesign projects, but redesigning our website is a project we put off for a long time because it seemed a bit overwhelming.

We wanted to let all of you on Active Rain know that Synergy Staging has launched our new and improved website. It was way overdo to give our site a fresh look and we hope you like what you see.

I especially want to thank Kathy Nielsen and Michelle Minch at Easy Designer Websites for helping us with the website. Although I'm pretty computer savvy, there was no way I could have tackled this huge project on my own. They did a fantastic job of getting the site setup to our sepcifications, and were generous with their time in coaching me so I could maintain the site and keep it updated. If you are looking to give your website a facelift, I'd recommend you get in touch with them.

Now that this big project is over, I plan to be posting more blogs here and spending time on Active Rain. Hope you are all have a successful summer staging season.

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Lots and Lots of Bedrooms - Before and After Photos

Tue, 10 May 2011 14:32:45 -0400

Although our Portland home staging company typically stages the impact rooms in a vacant home (living room, dining room, kitchen, master bedroom, and bathrooms), sometimes a house needs more help. There are few things less inviting than MLS photos of empty bedrooms where all you can see are a few bare walls and the floor. There is just no way for potential buyers to connect to the space and want to see it in person. And without a showing, there is no possible way an offer will be made.

Synergy Staging recently staged a contemporary home in the hills of Portland that had a unique layout with 3 smaller bedrooms, a guest suite, and a master suite with sitting room. The challenge for buyers was trying to envision how to use all the spaces and live in this 3 story home with great views of the hills and city.

Here is how we staged the bedrooms:

This guest suite has an attached bath and fireplace. When vacant, it was hard to imagine where the bed would be located, and that this could be an inviting room. Once staged, buyers want to invite guests to stay in this room.

This very small bedroom would have buyers believe that it would not fit their bed. In fact a full size bed and dresser easily fit and there were no more questions. One of the key factors that staging provides is to eliminate the reasons NOT to buy a property.

When staging this many bedrooms in a house, you must be careful not to make every room look the same. Helping buyers see the potential in each room gives the house more value. Here we staged a large chaise (facing a built in entertainment center) and also a work space. The pop of green makes the space interesting, yet doesn't overwhelm the purpose of the room.

This room was staged as an office which is how many in the target demographic will want to use this space.

Outside the master bedroom was this room in a vibrant shade of red. Since the room wasn't going to be painted, we had to make this space work. With so much room in the rest of the house, making this feel like a lounge where you could hang out before going to bed was important. There is a wet bar next to where the photo was taken from. In order to brighten the room, a white rug and light accents were used.

The master bedroom has an incredible view and feels like a retreat. A stark room with tile isn't the most inviting, so it was important to bring in a rug to soften the floor, and use light tones to create a serene feel that buyers would instantly connect with.

In a future blog we'll share the living spaces in the rest of the house.

Please call us at (503) 557-2244 for a free no obligation quote so we can help your home sell faster.

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Investment Property Sells at First Open House

Mon, 18 Apr 2011 17:54:01 -0400

Synergy Staging has partnered with several investors who understand the power of home staging. Our recommendations and staging, combined with their smart pricing and marketing, have resulted in homes that are consistently selling in several days.

A recent project located in Happy Valley, Oregon presented a unique challenge since this area has been particularly hard hit by the economy. There are numerous homes on the market in this area and on the same street and it was important that it stood out over the rest. The attraction to this area is lower priced homes with million dollar views. However, with so many options in the neighborhood, ensuring it was move in ready with an incredible first impression was vital.

Upon the initial viewing it was clear that it needed to be painted, among other cosmetic fixes. We love the work that this investor does, and the pride they put into each of their houses.

Here's a few pictures of the process:

The living room was freshly painted and new carpet was installed throughout the house. While many investors would clean the existing carpet, installing new carpet is a definite plus for potential buyers.

The kitchen was painted a very dark brown with an orange ceiling and had old laminate flooring. Painting the ceiling and updating the wall color to tie in the counters and new tile made the space feel larger and more inviting. The view out the kitchen window of Mt. Hood is actually one of the best we've ever seen in the area.

Another view of the kitchen upgrade. We used splashes of orange in the decor to tie in the existing light fixtures.

The dark curtains detracted from the beautiful window and view. A fresh coat of paint and replacing the window treatments with a sheer white fabric instantly made the room more open, elegant, and appealing.

By adding hardware to the cabinets, and an updated wall color, the master bathroom felt more luxurious.

The master bedroom just needed a fresh coat of paint to warm up the space and become the retreat buyers are attracted to.

There is no substitute for prefessionally preparing a home for sale if you want a quick sale for the most amount of money. This home sold at the first open house after it was staged.

Please call us at (503) 557-2244 for a free no obligation quote so we can help your home sell faster.

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Don't Leave Large Spaces to Buyer's Imagination

Wed, 06 Apr 2011 00:40:33 -0400

When our Portland Home Staging company prepares a staging plan for a potential property, we typically focus on the impact spaces - the living room, dining room, kitchen, master bedroom, and bathrooms. We sometimes add options for additional spaces such as offices, extra bedrooms, and bonus rooms. It is not generally necessary to stage every room in a vacant house in order to convey the look and feel that will draw in the potential buyer. However, every property is unique...

We recently staged a large home in Newberg, OR that had a massive family room on the upper level. The seller was concerned that the room was so large buyers may be overwhelmed and not know what to do with it, so they opted to have it staged. The challenge was creating enough spaces that showed the diversity of the room while at the same time, appealing to a family where they could all hang out.

Here is what the room looked like empty:

Picture taken from corner opposite entry to the Family Room

Not only was there one huge space, but there were also two large nooks that many buyers would not know what to do with. Our goal is to help buyers connect to a space so they can envision how to live there. We don't want them asking questions, but visualizing how they could live in the space.

We anchored the room with a sectional and tv. We also wanted to draw the eye to the corner away from the house just outside the window.

On the other side of the room we installed a game table so buyers see how the space could be used. We love to use mirrors to brighten a space and this mirror has a moon which keeps the room young and not so formal.

We don't typically do vignette staging, but we also don't carry treadmills in our inventory! By using a yoga mat, exercise ball, towels, and weights it was easy to envision a workout space. We positioned the workout space in this nook so the tv would be easily visible.

Since this is a family neighborhood, we also wanted to include an area in the room where parents could see their children playing.

Here's another view of the entire room from the entry door. We'll post the pictures of the rest of this beautiful house in our next blog.

Synergy Staging presents a lifestyle your buyer desires so you can sell your home fast and for top dollar. Join the Realtors, Investors, Banks, and Homeowners who call Synergy Staging to make their properties irresistible and sell quickly! Read what our clients have said about their experience with our company.

Please call us at (503) 557-2244 for a free no obligation quote so we can help your home sell faster.

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Does Staging Really Add Value?

Sun, 27 Mar 2011 00:11:24 -0400

In the Portland, Oregon real estate market, we constantly find ourselves educating Realtors, property owners, investors, etc., about the impact and value of staging. Part of our job is to help potential clients understand why they should invest additional money just before they put their house on the market, and this is after they've typically spent thousands of dollars on such things as improvements, cosmetic fixes, and/or storage. If it looks good to them they believe it will surely look good to a buyer and it will sell quickly. Not always so!

The fact is, there are many similar analogies that may help potential clients unfamiliar with the impact of staging understand the enormous value that it brings to their properties.

You may have spent tens of thousands of dollars to earn a college degree, but you still must impress potential employers after graduation. Simply having the knowledge and degree is one thing, and yes, it cost a lot of money, but if you don't invest in yourself after graduation, wear the right outfit and sell yourself to your potential employers, you simply will not land the job. Similarly, just because you've put substantial money into preparing a property and you think it is worth the asking price, you must take the critical step of showing it as best as possible, or you are not maximizing your sale potential. And statistics prove that staged properties sell quicker and for more money. But that is a whole blog in and of itself.

This home sold two days after home staging

Could you imagine going on a first date with someone in your most comfortable outfit that you wear while lounging around the house? Although you are still the same person inside regardless of your outer appearance, you want to show others your best side so they can get to know you and don't get the wrong first impression. Likewise, first impressions are everything in real estate! If your property is not inviting or looking it's absolute best, many buyers will not see past the imperfections and will miss the potential in a property if it's not shown to them. Stagers show buyers the potential in a property.

As professional home stagers we increase the value of properties in ways that can be seen. It is our goal to make a $300k house look like a $500k house. Why? Buyers want to envision that they can have a lifestyle they dream of at a price point they can afford. If a buyer is looking at a house, chances are it is in their price range. They are also most likely looking at numerous other properties in the same price range, in the same area.

Sold for $220,000 (higher than asking) just 12 days after going on market.
Staging added value to this beautiful yet modest home.

Having a stager showcase your property is one of the smartest investments you can make. The most valuable asset most sellers own is their home, and it should be treated as such. And if you are selling your home, chances are you are buying another one. Ask yourself what you are looking for in a home and what is attracting you to certain properties. Your potential buyers are asking themselves the same questions about your property!

Please call us at (503) 557-2244 for a free no obligation quote so we can help your home sell faster.

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Consultation and Staging Showcases Downtown Portland Condo

Sat, 05 Mar 2011 22:57:24 -0500

Staging consultations are one of the services that our Portland Home Staging company provides. A consulation is a cost effective way to ensure that your property will show at its absolute best when it goes to the market. The results we have seen from our consultations have been consistently positive with quick sales in an otherwise depressed market.

What is included in a staging consultation? Every aspect of your home will be addressed, both inside and out, to ensure that it is presented in the best way possible for potential buyers. This includes details such as furniture placement, minimizing personal items, wall color, cosmetic fixes, suggestions for finishes, cleaning tips, and many other small details that all add up to accentuate the positive features of your home so it is as appealing as it can be to the person who will buy your home.

Although some clients can only complete a portion of our recommendations (due to budget or other factors), others have the resources to be able to accomplish everything on the list.

We recently did a consultation for a condo in downtown Portland and we were thrilled with the results. Not only did we provide a consultation, but then returned to stage the unit after our list of recommendations had been completed.

Here are the results:

A cluttered entry is never a good way to welcome a potential buyer. The stark white walls were painted throughout with a light, warm tone.

Everything was removed except the coffee table. We wanted to showcase a large amount of seating in a relatively small space which was accomplished with 3 armchairs and a sofa. The sofa was moved back allowing for more space in the main living area. The rug anchored the space and connected the furniture and the colors worked together to highlight the architecture.

A reverse view which shows how the colors relate and of course, the kitty condo was removed. The art pieces on the wall are originals painted by Nik which showcased the height of the ceilings and kept the color palette consistent.

One of my favorite transformations. The dining room had a piano and a small table cramped to the side. Once the piano was removed and all the floors were refinished, an appropriately scaled dining table could be installed. There were previously three small sconces over the piano which didn't have the scale necessary, so we simply installed a dramatic shade on one of the fixtures to give a more elegant and formal feel.

One of our pet peeves is seeing the wrong type of stool at a counter/bar. It's important to place bar stools at a bar and counter stools at a counter to achieve the correct look. The new stools now give a feeilng of more space and a modern style which is more in keeping with the feel of the unit and its location downtown.

New carpet replaced old and the walls were painted. Using the existing bed and nightstands, we brought in a headboard, decor, and linens to finish the look.

By reconfiguring the bed and armoir in this room, it felt like the bedroom a buyer would want to invite guests to sleep in. There is a desk on the opposite wall since many live and work in their homes in this part of Portland.

When preparing your home to be listed, make the investment in a staging consultation from a professional home stager in your area. The small amount of money invested will reap huge returns.

We provided a staging consultaiton and professional staging for this vacant condo unit. Synergy Staging presents a lifestyle your buyer desires to sell your home fast and for top dollar. Join the Realtors, Investors, Banks, and Homeowners who call Synergy Staging to make their properties irresistible and sell quickly! Read what our clients have said about their experience with our company.

Please call us at (503) 557-2244 for a free no obligation quote so we can help your home sell faster.

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Don't Stage Your Listing and Then Use the Old Pictures

Tue, 22 Feb 2011 18:26:36 -0500

It's a fact that almost all potential buyers shop online before seeing a property in person. If they don't like what they see in the pictures, chances are likely that they will not view a property in person, no matter how great it may be. That means no offer.

This is one reason we insist that our clients update their photos in flyers and online, especially if they've staged their property after it has already been on the market.

Nothing can frustrate a stager, or a homeowner more, if their home is staged, and the property is still being marketed with old pictures of vacant or cluttered rooms. If an investment is made in staging, update your marketing as soon as possible to attract the most attention as possible.

We recently staged a property that had been vacant on the market for several months. Once we staged it, the marketing was updated, an Open House was scheduled, and the house went pending. Here are a few of the before and after photos:

This vacant home was professionally staged by Synergy Staging. We present a lifestyle your buyer desires to sell your home fast and for top dollar. Join the Realtors, Investors, Banks, and Homeowners who call Synergy Staging to make their properties irresistible and sell quickly! Read what our clients have said about their experience with our company.

Please call us at (503) 557-2244 for a free no obligation quote so we can help your home sell faster.

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