The Uninvited Stager Series

Happy Easter and Passover to everyone!

Taming Odd Architectural Details in Your Home
It'll be a quiet weekend in the real estate market.  But, for those of you with homes for sale, perhaps you can take some tips and suggestions from this post to improve your listing.  This week I found some photos of homes for sale that could use some help...and not even much help to improve their online appearance.  I'd like to focus on how to tackle corner fireplaces and other odd details in your home that may put off a potential buyer.

Corner Fireplaces: When you have an odd architectural detail, like a corner fireplace, you should try to have some furniture in the room.  It's best if the room is staged professionally, but you need to show the buyer where to place furniture.  Most people looking at this room will be baffled as to how to use the room and furnish it. This room would look great with a TV over the fireplace, some tall vases on the ledge above it...plus a sectional in front of the fireplace and perhaps a game table and two chairs and some artwork on the wall on the left and maybe a tall bookcase on the right side of the room - with a chair and small side table in front of it.

Corner Fireplace and Odd Window in the Corner: This room below would look so much better furnished.  It's a dual purpose room - living and dining area.  At first glance you may not notice that. Some carpeting and an angled sofa with a sofa table in front of it - plus a TV or a colorful piece of art over the fireplace - would start to warm up the space and show how it functions.  For the odd window - I would add sheer window treatments to all the windows - then to the left of the odd corner window, I would place an off white bookcase - with a height that is similar to the window - it would give the room balance.  Then I would add a round table and chairs in the dining area and some bar stools for seating at the counter. You need to give a prospective buyer a picture of how to live in a house.  Most people do not have the vision to do this.

A Corner Fireplace and a Glass Sliding Door: Below you'll find a very difficult room situation.  Having both of these elements in a room make it difficult to design a functional room.  But when you are selling your home (or marketing it for someone), you need to turn an obstacle into an opportunity.  I would place the TV over the fireplace and I would have the sofa angled directly across from the fireplace and I might switch the chair to the other side (where the TV is - but angled so that you could see the TV).  Perhaps I would add a small chair and table where the large chair is - just for a little reading spot. I would place a sofa table behind the sofa. I'd angle the carpet the other way...and place it in front of the sofa (it makes no sense the way these owners have it) and then add a coffe table. On the right wall (where the fish is - and I'd take the fish off the wall!), I might place a small desk. I would also remove the tacky palm tree.

So - before you market your home, make sure that you show a buyer how to live in your home.  This is especially true if you have odd architectural features.  Remember, most buyers do not have the vision to see what a room can become and that's especially true when it's vacant and when there are some problematic features like corner fireplaces and oddly placed windows.

If you need some help arranging your funriture in a room or if you'd like to learn more about renting furniture from my company, please give me a call at 631 793-1315.

For Spring and Summer, Remember to Stage Your Outdoor Spaces

When I was selling my first house in Kirkland WA, I made it a point to beautify my yard.  In my backyard, I always had a hard time keeping a fairly large part of my lawn looking green and beautiful.  That would not look good for selling - so I decided to create a small patio.  Yes, it took time and effort.  But within a week I had a gorgeous looking "outdoor room" that I know helped sell my home in 1 day.  It didn't cost very much - I bought pavers on sale, some sand and pea gravel and some extra plants (also on sale!). I loved this space...and, of course, so did the buyer.  I am so glad I took the time to do this.  Maybe my family wasn't so happy with me because they were the unwilling helpers - but when I had a quick and successful sale, they all admitted it was worth it!

Create a Unique Space Where a Buyer Can Envision Entertaining Friends and Family



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Add height and lushness by placing plants in urns and tall planters.  When we worked on Designer Showhouses, the landscape companies that we worked with were able to create beautiful, mature-looking gardens very quickly by doing this.  It also creates more of an estate look and a private space in your garden - both are selling points.

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Create a Unique Space:  Using a hammock between two trees can give your yard a memorable moment. Buyers will have this in their mind long after they leave the Open House. Don't have two trees?  How about adding a swing?

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Beautiful Porches Can Sell a Home:  Do you have a covered porch in the front or back of your home?  More times than not, these porches are catch-alls for stuff sellers don't know what to do with!  Don't fall into this trap - make your porch is a beautiful spot to entertain in ... and to rest, relax and read a book in.

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We can help you make your outdoor spaces beautiful and memorable.  Now that the warmer weather is here, make sure that these spaces look welcoming and warm.  Don't have the furnishings and accessories?  No problem - we do and they are available at reasonable rates.  Don't have a green thumb?  No problem - we do.  Call us at 631 793-1315.

Bringing in Emotion to Your Online Listing

Most of the time I tell you what not to do when selling your home or listing.  Today I want to show you some ideas that demonstrate what "to do."  The best way to get someone interested in taking a look at your home is to grab them from the first moment they see your home online.  How do you do that?  You bring "emotion" in to your pictures and you show every benefit you can to highlight your home.

Home for sale in Charleston, SC by Debbie Fisher of Handsome Properties: In this home that I am showing you today, every shot showed something special.  In the all-white bathroom, above, they added fresh flowers for a jolt of color - these parrot tulips help to bring this room to life.  The shot would have been boring otherwise.

Show details:  Are you leaving some beautiful light fixtures to the buyer?  Show them.  Do you have any special architectural details, like these gilded moldings?  Show them!

Other Special, Unique Features:  Do you have a beautiful staircase?  Show it off.  Get a professional photographer to take aerial shots of special features as well.

Showcase extra spaces in your home:  Do you have a spot in your home where you could enjoy a little cup of tea by a window?  A place to cuddle up and read a book?  If you don't, you can always make a space for this - I always find a place in the homes I stage for a quiet, little moment.  Buyers will remember your home if you bring out its uniqueness.

Show elegance:  This fireplace mantle and screen are really lovely.  They help a buyer to remember your home.  Add details like this if you don't have them already (or ask me to help you to create them!)

Detail how much space you have:  If you'll notice in this picture, the dining table is not extended to the fullest and there's still a lot of negative space showing.  It shows the buyer you can fit a lot of people in your dining room - but you don't have to show every chair and every leaf of your dining table.  You want to show space - that's what buyers want!

Show every benefit:  Show richness (beautiful granite, wood floors), extra functionality (prep areas), extra storage and seating space.

Show views:  While this isn't waterfront, still there's a nice view and it shows the terrace that comes with the home.

Showcase every unique feature...take every opportunity to show the uniqueness of your home.  You will attract more buyers!

Good luck!  If you need any help bring out the uniqueness of your home or listing...call me at 631 793-1315.

The Uninvited Stager Series

Today I found a home online that could have looked so much better - if only some care had been taken before the shots were taken.  I guess because I am a designer and artist as well, I look for the emotionality of a shot and in this house...there were none.  If you want to attract a buyer, you have to hit them in the heart.  You only have a few seconds to really get to them - so don't waste a single online photo.

Let's talk about this living room. It is so unappealing to me. The furnishings are so boring - and what's the deal with all the throws thrown so neatly over each chair and sofa?  I may be politically incorrect about this - but, to me, a man decorated this shot.  Whenever I stage a home for a male realtor, they always rearrange the way I place a throw on a sofa.  I do it in an artistic, casual way and they always change to look like the above picture.  Awful!  Anyway, this room would have looked better without as much furniture. Also, the draperies do not do anything for this room. They actually make the room appear less tall.  The orange wall color (being a warm tone) actually shortens this room as warm hues "advance" a room.  I would change that color.

There's too much information in this shot.  A potential buyer doesn't need to know the relationship of the rooms to one another. Also, the crosses should have been removed for this picture.  No one has to know the religious affiliation of the seller.

I don't know the purpose of this photo.  If the realtor wants to show the closet as an "extra" benefit of this home...at least make the closet appealing to the viewer.

The kitchen is the most important room to feature in an online lsiting.  No care was really taken for this shot.  Things were not put away and we don't need to see the bulletin board and the clock (a nice picture in this spot would have helped). Also, the paint color on the dining area wall shortens the space.  It would have looked more spacious and longer if a cooler and lighter paint color had been used.

You can see that this is a nice, open kitchen...but some of the clutter on the refrigerator and above the cabinet and the microwave on the countertop (and, again, the bulletin board and the clock) make it less appealing.

There's too much clutter in the dining area - the chest and the stereo equipment should not be there.  The china cabinet is too cluttered (inside and on top) and it should be be placed in the middle of the room - not at the end.

Way too much clutter!  Very unappealing shot.  Enough said.

The unappealing nature of this home continues in this office/kids's area/catchall room.  Each room should have a specific function, so that the buyer knows what kind of room it is.

Always open the shower curtain.  It will make the room seem larger.  There's too much clutter on the counter - personal effects and toiletries should be put away. A different shower curtain, some artwork and a nicer rug would have improved this bath tremendously.

Finally...to add insult to injury, the deck and the backyard make me want to call one of those HGTV shows where they make over someone's backyard.  This place needs an intervention!

So, this home really shows a buyer that they should offer a lower price because there's a lot to do to make this home nice. I wish them good luck - because that is what they need! 

Don't leave your home's online marketing to luck and chance. If you want to avoid these homeseller mistakes before you put your home on the market, call me at 631 793-1315.

A Beautiful Waterfront Home in Oakdale NY for Sale and Staged by Us

If you ever wanted to own a waterfront home in beautiful Oakdale NY - you will want to take a look at this property that we just staged.  If I had the money (listing price is $3 Million), I would buy this home without even thinking about it.  The views are spectacular...there's new bulkheading (ready for your boat and two others) and there's room to create more slips.

My husband and I have seen this house many, many times as we sailed past it in our sail boat.  We always referred to it as the "Miami Vice House."  It looks as if Don Johnson would be relaxing on the deck here in his time off.

It's a wonderful home for a family - but one that entertains often.  There's a fabulous great room on the second floor that's a great spot for throwing a memorable party or two.  The views go on forever - in every room.  The kitchen is new - and very-well done. There's also an extra guest house on the property.

The great room with a wet bar

The Master and the deck off the room

If you are interested in seeing this home, please contact the listing agent, Rose Mary Bruno of Realty Connect at 631 252-1646.

If you need to get your home or listing buyer-ready...call me at 631 793-1315. 

Inspiration for Bath Organization

Bathrooms are very key rooms in the sales success of your home or listing.  After the kitchen, the room that buyers want to see organized neatly and pleasant to be in...is the bathroom.  If yours looks like it's seen better days, your buyers will either pass on your house or offer you a lower price.  Don't let that happen - seize the opportunity to capitivate the buyer.

Painting the bathroom is the easiest fix.  Giving your room a new, light and neutral coat of paint will help the room feel newer and fresher.  Adding some new towels, soap and soap holder, a new shower curtain and bath rug will add some hotel niceties that will impress a buyer.

Here are some inspiring photos that will also help give you some ideas for organizing and decorating your bathrooms.

From West Elm...

From Pottery Barn

From Crate and Barrel

Towels from Marimekko

Hotel robe from Pottery Barn

Look for plush towels, robes, bath mats that give that rich, hotel feel.  You don't have to spend a lot of money.  HomeGoods and Target have wonderful accessories that won't break the bank.  Put your personal items away (toothbrushes etc) and corral other useful items in glass cannisters.  Make coming in to your bathroom a pleasureable, spa-like experience.  It doesn't cost a lot of money to do this...just some time, some organizing and de-cluttering.

If you need some guidance getting your home ready for sale, just give me a call at 631 793-1315.

The Uninvited Stager Series...Continues

Hi everyone.  Sorry that I've missed a post or two.  I was busy with a long staging project and also babysitting for my 2 year old grandson.  But - today I found a house that's for sale that I feel could use a lot of help, if the owners would like to sell it.  Use my suggestions if you feel that maybe your house might have some of the same non-attributes.  And, if you are a realtor, you can use these ideas to steer your clients toward a better outcome, if they have similar problems with their houses.

First Impressions:  A buyer's first impression of your home is so important, so make sure that your entry (outside and inside) looks warm and welcoming.

Why is the garden hose still out?

Home Depot sells nice garden benches and Pier 1 has beautiful outdoor pillows that would have looked better than these cheap and cold plastic jobs!

A little too cold, don't you think?  Too much stone! Maybe a warmer color on the walls, a more welcoming print (rather than this abstract deal) and a warm sisal rug would warm this entry up.

Here's a better look at the entry. Why are there 4 pendants?  This looks tacky and it gives the impression that there's not enough light in this entry

Kitchens sell a home: If you are going to spend any money improving your home - spend it in the kitchen.  You don't have to gut a kitchen to make it warm and beautiful.  A lot can be done cosmetically that can really make your kitchen a magnet for buyers.

How confusing (and 70s-esque) are all the lines in this kitchen - the angular wallpaper (on the ceiling too?) The angular slats on the cabinet faces also make the kitchen too busy and dated. Removing the wallpaper and painting the cabinets an off white or a pale, light gray would really help this kitchen a lot. 

So - just a few suggestions from me this week.  Let me know what you think.  If you need some help making your home buyer-ready, please call me at 631 793-1315