This roller-coaster housing market creates opportunities and we're here to help you make the most of them. Stage a listing well, and it sells for more. Period.Here is how to use this year's color of the year and a professional staging best practice t…Continue reading→
A well-staged home in this tight housing market can add tens of thousands of dollars to the sales price—resulting in very happy sellers, indeed! Here is how best to use an ongoing trend plus a tried-and-true staging best practice to elevat…Continue reading→
The housing market is changing quickly. Limited inventory and fast deals may continue for the next two years, some experts say. Don't let that stop your sellers from getting absolute top dollar. We've adapted our staging services to fit today's fast,…Continue reading→
As we all know, it's a seller's market, right now. There are normal numbers of buyers out there, but they're competing for less than half of the usual number of listings.That means that any decent property that comes on the market will sell. As a res…Continue reading→
A potential listing that's been lived in for years often needs an extra phase of preparation: an assessment of the bones of the house and recommendations of any significant changes that need to be made. We call it the consult before the consult, or t…Continue reading→
To increase a listing's appeal, we carefully work in some of the latest design trends, as best fits the home. This year, you'll see an evolution of key staging and designs trends from 2021 spiked with new colors, prints, and designs. …Continue reading→
It's hard to believe that 2021 is coming to a close. It has been a long year - and somehow it has flown by, too.Thank you. I'm grateful to be able to work with you to help showcase the potential of your listings through the ups and downs of this year…Continue reading→
A successful staging consultation is critical to getting the best sales price for your listing. Whether this is followed by professional staging or having the homeowners do it themselves, the right time for this is about one to three weeks from your …Continue reading→
The way to get top dollar for your listing: add a careful touch of drama to highlight the home's unique features to make your listing stand out in what may sometimes seem like a sea of gray.An experienced stager will know exactly how to set your list…Continue reading→
Curb appeal is important - even critical. But, what does it take to make a stellar impression on your potential buyers from the moment they walk through the front door?The secret to getting more competing offers and a higher sales price is nailing th…Continue reading→
A professionally staged home will look like one of our "after" photographs - plenty of light and space, good flow, a clear focal point - in order to appeal to a broad range of potential buyers. Right now, though, we're seeing some sellers make the mi…Continue reading→
We love our pets. During the pandemic, nearly one in three people adopted a pet. This is both a challenge and an opportunity when staging a listing. Our goal is to help you get top dollar for your listing, whether you sell to a pet lover or not. …Continue reading→
Your buyers look at properties differently in the summer. Here is part of the comprehensive checklist we follow to make sure all bases are covered so that you get your sellers top dollar for their homes. First, start outside: 1. Recheck t…Continue reading→
White is used throughout a professionally staged home. While there are always exceptions, here are seven places we recommend using white in your listing - and a few places you really shouldn't. 1. Kitchen cabinets. The number one reques…Continue reading→
Sometimes, you don't have everything you need - or the budget to get it - for optimal home staging. But, you still want to maximize the sales price of your listing for the benefit of everyone involved. Professional home stagers do love a challenge.…Continue reading→
Your listing doesn't get a second chance to make a first impression. The front entrance, viewed from the curb, sets the tone for your buyers. This is when they decide whether or not they'll love the home and just how much they're willing to pay. …Continue reading→
Due to the pandemic, home workspaces are no longer a luxury, but a necessity. Today's buyers expect to see a place to work or study from home. In most cases, we stage to show how a particular room can be used as a home office or workspace. If y…Continue reading→
Bring on 2021! A great way to increase the appeal of a listing is to work in the latest living and design trends - thoughtfully, as best fits each unique home. There have been so many changes over the past year. Here is what I'm keeping in mind …Continue reading→
It's December of 2020 - one tough year. That said, this year has reminded me of what I'm truly grateful for. I'm grateful for you, my clients, and the ability to work with you to transform properties. I've loved the fast sales, the multiple competing…Continue reading→
One of my favorite moments is when I walk back into a recently staged listing and experience the new wow factor from the outside in. On-trend décor contributes to a powerful first impression - and a higher sales price for your listing. The lat…Continue reading→
It's much, much harder to successfully stage a listing that is being lived in. Or, where you're working with sellers who just aren't that flexible, or have serious constraints on time or budget. Sometimes, it's a home from an estate that's going on t…Continue reading→
Often overlooked by the current owner, the odor of a home can make or break a sale. Buyers who are allergic may turn and walk right out if they catch so much as a whiff of something off. Buyers instinctively place a higher value on a clean, fresh-sme…Continue reading→
These days, outdoor spaces are increasingly important. Delight potential buyers by highlighting the unique outdoor features of your listing. 1. Draw attention to the view. To extend the home's living space, start from the inside out. Make sur…Continue reading→
Potential buyers will carefully scrutinize your listing's kitchen - particularly now, with more families dining in. Below is how to get a covetable kitchen without paying for a pricey renovation. The goal is a kitchen that is at or slightly above the…Continue reading→
The photos of your listing will determine whether the home sells quickly for top dollar - or languishes on the market. In these times, buyers are scrutinizing every picture of every room to decide whether or not to request a showing. Here are th…Continue reading→
Buyers' needs are changing as the quarantine continues on. While the core tenets of staging have not changed, we are adapting how we stage to better meet your buyers' needs. Below are six ways we've adjusted our approach to staging: 1. De…Continue reading→
Times are certainly changing! Be smart and safe out there. That said, there is still a lot of activity in the real estate market, with more properties being listed, plenty of buyers drawn by low interest rates, and ongoing closings and settlements.&n…Continue reading→
The key to a well-staged living room is to make it appear warm and inviting as well as upscale and aspirational. This can be a difficult balance to strike, but a good stager will do this every time by elevating the look and feel of the room. You migh…Continue reading→
One of the things I like most about home staging is that we're all working toward common goals: the best price for the listing, more good offers received quickly, and happy sellers who refer more clients.There are a few actions that experienced realt…Continue reading→
First, thank you for voting for me in the Best of Bethesda Readers' Poll for home staging! I was surprised, pleased, and grateful to get the call about the award.Now, on to this year's trends: a good stager knows that the careful use of on-trend elem…Continue reading→
Prospective home buyers have many wants and needs. One of these is a master bedroom that looks and feels like a sanctuary: somewhere they can snuggle in, shut the door, and leave the world behind. Here is how to stage the perfect bedroom retreat:&nbs…Continue reading→
Curb appeal is a frequently repeated mantra, for good reason. Potential buyers may be excited about a home based on the photos online, but if their first look results in the impression of a poorly maintained property, many will drive right on by. Her…Continue reading→
Almost every listing has its challenges. A professional stager's job is to show potential buyers the possibilities of the home, without saying a word. How staging works: a $1.1 million example Recently, I was shown a listing that had not been…Continue reading→
I am often asked which situation I prefer: staging an occupied home or a vacant listing. A good professional stager loves a challenge - and each situation poses a unique set of challenges. 1. Some things don't change. The initial staging cons…Continue reading→
The careful use of color is essential to a well-staged listing. A professional home stager will choose background and accent colors that fit the home, have broad appeal, and foster an emotional connection between potential buyers and your listing. &…Continue reading→
Watch and listen as Vivian Gilbert shares insights about home staging: Staging A Home For Sale, with Brad Rozansky of The Rozansky Group: The importance of posting great photos of your listing, and how to apply the four core principles of …Continue reading→
Realtors frequently ask how I evaluate a new listing. Much like a prospective buyer, a professional stager begins from the outside and works her way in. I start with these five questions: 1. What is the view from the curb? The outside of the …Continue reading→
Those of us in the industry know that staging works: smart staging puts more money in the seller's pocket and helps homes sell more quickly. There are clients, however, who are apprehensive about staging, and it's rarely about the investment required…Continue reading→
Realtors and stagers know that staging is an investment to help increase a listing's sales price and reduce days on market. However, some sellers - particularly those who need it the most - still struggle with the concept of staging. Here is how I ex…Continue reading→
Every house is unique. Even homes in the same development with the same footprint have their own character, as each homeowner makes different choices.As a result, every home has unique architectural features. These features - which are different from…Continue reading→
Most buyers are quite rational about which homes they choose to see. They'll search online for homes in the right location and in their price range that have the appropriate numbers of bedrooms.The buying decision, though, is based on emotion. A well…Continue reading→
Improving the flow of a home gives the appearance of a larger, more spacious home. Better flow unifies the space, inviting a buyer to walk from room to room and explore. Below are five tips on how to use flow to make your seller's home appear larger.…Continue reading→
To get the best price for your seller's home, I recommend staging that showcases the home's unique features while incorporating current design trends that fit both the house and the layout. Below are a few key trends that we'll see more of this year.…Continue reading→
A good realtor is always the best guide of the right time to list a home. For those who recommend listing in December to get a jump on the early spring market, here are five tips on staging during the holidays. 1. Pack up the decorations. My …Continue reading→
90% of home buyers are not good at gauging size or space. They can't walk into a room they haven't seen before and figure out how much furniture will fit, nor can they instantly imagine how to attractively arrange their furniture in the space.One of …Continue reading→
When our houses become items for sale, we have to be able to look at them objectively. We have to forget that the doll collection on display in the living room was passed down three generations and realize that it and the big obtrusive statue in the …Continue reading→
When selling a home, the colors used both inside and outside can make a big impact. Putting a fresh coat of paint on the walls is the most cost effective way to appeal to more buyers. Below are several color tips to get your home sold. Choos…Continue reading→
