Our Portland OR home staging company was selected for a recent staging project that was multi-layered.  This spectacular property is located in an exclusive Portland suburb, and the sellers asked for our help in several areas:

• Select new paint colors for several rooms where updated warm neutral colors would make a difference to the target buyer

• Convert one of the bedrooms that had been used as a home gym into a guest bedroom, so that buyers would find value in seeing another bedroom in this large home (we had the gym moved to a bonus room where it fit perfectly)

• Provide assistance in packing up small collectibles that could distract buyers from looking at all of this home’s wonderful architectural features; send any excess furniture to storage so that each room looked as spacious as possible

~ Here are some Before & After photos showing how staging is different than decorating ~

Before, the Master bedroom had a dated color

Painting a warm neutral & fully opening the drapes made the room brighter & highlighted the amazing view

Before, the Family room had very dark walls

Using a warm neutral highlighted the stunning woodwork, carpet, and cultured stonework

Before, the Study had a dark ceiling

Changing the ceiling color brightened up this room and coordinated well with the beautiful custom cabinetry

Before, this Bedroom was set up as a Gym

Now it’s a Guest Bedroom, which adds value to the target buyer (the gym was moved to a bonus room)

The best formula for selling your home quickly is to select a great listing agent and listen to their advice about the right price; then to make sure that your home appeals to your target buyer, consult with a professional home stager.  We offer cost-effective ideas that result in the best return on your investment when selling.  If you’re located in the Portland Oregon Metro area, call Room Solutions at 503-246-1800 — awarded 2012 Professional Stager of the Year for the Western U.S.   Free estimates are gladly provided.

As professional home stagers, we’ve heard for years that when you’re selling your home, your wall colors should be current colors, and preferably neutral ones.  Nothing says “dated” more than walking into a home whose walls sport colors from ten or twenty years ago.  But painting your home to prepare it for selling is one of the best returns on your investment! The cost of paint is reasonable (look for sales) and labor is cheap if you do it yourself, but usually very worthwhile having it done by a professional.

What we’ve found is that buyers will walk into a home that needs painting and imagine that the cost of painting is much higher than it actually is.  This results in thinking that the house “needs work” and if they decide to make an offer, they’re going to deduct a much higher amount for this “work” than it may actually cost.  They may also just decide to keep looking … going on to the next house that looks more “move-in ready.”

We often work with Oregon homeowners to help them select paint colors for selling.  Here are some Before & After photos from 3 lovely homes we worked on recently that illustrate how neutral paint colors show buyers that “this home is ready for you!”

The living & dining rooms had a very bold color that buyers couldn’t relate to

Painting the walls a color that complements the oak floors & wood trim, and exposing the windows makes this home more appealing to the 40-something Target Buyer

This living room had a wall color that looked great with their rug, but the rug didn’t stay with the house

A neutral wall color enhanced the woodwork in this lovely home (staging helped too)

This master bathroom is GORGEOUS, but the dark color really dated it

Using a color that complemented the tiles, marble and woodwork made the room much brighter!

If you’re planning to sell your home, or it’s on the market but buyer feedback is that it “needs work” i.e. painting,  consult with your local professional home stager for advice on paint colors that help sell homes!

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Don’t take chances with your investment ~ contact the 2012 Professional Stager of the Year for the Western U.S., Room Solutions Staging.  We’re a Portland Oregon home staging company helping homeowners, Realtors, investors, builders and banks reduce market time for their properties.  In 2011 our average Days On Market was just 29 days, compared to the Portland-area average of 140+ days!  For a free estimate call us @ 503-246-1800.

The real estate “season” is in full swing in Portland, Oregon and other markets across the country.  Many areas are seeing increased activity and less inventory, a welcome change from the past few years.  One of the marketing tools available to agents and homeowners is home staging, and savvy consumers are discovering how staging can help homes sell faster.

Home staging is one part of the winning formula, which also includes:

• A listing agent with great marketing expertise

• Sellers who listen to their agent’s advice on the best listing price

• A home that is in good condition and presented well (that’s where home staging comes in)

The Oregonian newspaper interviewed several Realtors and also contacted me for information on how staging can help sellers in today’s market get a faster sale.  As it happened, during my interview they asked if I had a recent success story and they included it in this article:  a Portland OR home I’d staged recently sold in 2 days — and both the sellers and the listing agent credited the staging as an important factor in the sale.

Here’s a link to the Oregonian story about home staging in Portland Oregon

If you’re selling your home, contact a local professional home stager for advice on how to best present it for potential buyers.  It’s a lot more than “decluttering” and savvy stagers can steer you to easy cosmetic fixes for the best Return On your Investment, as well as staging tips to make sure your home appeals to your target buyer.

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Don’t take chances with your investment ~ contact the 2012 Professional Stager of the Year for the Western U.S., Room Solutions Staging.  We’re a Portland Oregon home staging company helping homeowners, Realtors, investors, builders and banks reduce market time for their properties.  In 2011 our average Days On Market was just 29 days, compared to the Portland-area average of 140+ days!  For a free estimate call us @ 503-246-1800.

On Thursday April 26 (10:30am Pacific/1:30pm Eastern) another episode featuring our home decorating and design work will air on HGTV. This particular episode, one of five that we did, highlights the home search of a newly-married young couple.  They find a home in Sherwood, Oregon (a suburb south of Portland) that fits them perfectly … but they need master bedroom furniture:

“Stephanie and Brett have been living with her parents since the wedding, but now they must find their first place before her mom and dad begin remodeling their home, leaving these first-time home buyers with no place to sleep. It looks like a short sale will be the answer to all their problems — until the deadline looms before the short sale deal is done.”

Here’s how the master bedroom looked “Before” when they first saw this house before making an offer …. and  photos of the “sneak preview After” shots. Be sure to watch for the “surprise” at the end!!

Brett has a big “surprise” named Pepper at the end of the show for Stephanie!!

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Room Solutions Staging offers expert home staging services to Portland Oregon homeowners, real estate agents, builders, banks,  and investors to prepare your home or property for the market.  Our home staging clients love our customer service and our home staging results!  Our home staging services in the Portland OR metro area include Verbal Consultations, Home Staging for both vacant and lived-in homes, and interior re-styling service.  For a free home staging proposal, please contact us @ 503-246-1800.

The sellers followed our advice and staged the home themselves, then had a Pending Sale within 3 Days! How did they do it?  The “Winning Formula” includes:

• Selecting a great Realtor who guides you to the right listing price and provides excellent online marketing

• Doing everything you can to make the house look appealing to your target buyer – including hiring a professional home stager to provide a Verbal Consultation

• Make sure your online photos are the best quality

These Before & After photos tell the story …..

Kitchen before was dated and tired looking

Painting the cabinets*, replacing the dishwasher, adding an easy tile backsplash & new hardware updated the kitchen on a budget; no need to change the counter-tops or flooring

* The cabinets were updated with Rustoleum’s “Cabinet Transformations,” and the color is Bayleaf (no glaze was used).

The living room before was too crowded

Replacing the oversize chair and excess clutter, and painting the brass fireplace screen black opened up this room and made a huge improvement in its appeal

We are seeing the same amazing results over and over again … sellers who use the “Winning Formula” are selling their homes quickly in the Portland Oregon area.  You can, too!  To get started, contact us for a home staging Verbal Consultation.  At just $175, it’s a smart investment that provides a great return on your investment!

~ After photos courtesy of Terry Iverson Photography ~

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Don’t take chances with your investment ~ contact the 2012 Professional Stager of the Year for the Western U.S., Room Solutions Staging.  We’re a Portland-based professional home staging company helping homeowners, Realtors, investors, builders and banks reduce market time for their properties.  In 2011 our average Days On Market was just 29 days, compared to the Portland-area average of 140+ days!  For a free home staging estimate call us @ 503-246-1800.

As professional home stagers in Portland OR, we love helping our clients reach their goals of a quick home sale so that they can move on to the next phase of their lives.   Recently we staged a Portland home that was listed on Friday, and had a pending sale on Sunday! Our staging services include helpful tips for easy cosmetic updates that help sell homes faster.

Here are some Before & After photos of this home staging project

The dining room accent wall color needed neutralizing

We suggested a paint color that would work with the gorgeous hardwood floor, a main selling feature

The living room just needed to show more space

Our furniture placement optimized the space, highlighted the hardwood floors and the fireplace

The bedroom accent wall needed painting

We suggested a paint color to work with the existing yellow walls, and opened up the blinds for more light

If your home is going on the market ~ remember that today’s buyers want “move in ready” homes.  Home staging is an effective marketing tool that will make sure your home appeals to your target buyer and provide an excellent return on your investment.

~ Home staging and photos by Room Solutions Staging LLC ~

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Don’t take chances with your investment ~ contact the 2012 Professional Stager of the Year for the Western U.S., Room Solutions Staging.  We’re a Portland-based professional home staging company helping homeowners, Realtors, investors, builders and banks reduce market time for their properties.  In 2011 our average Days On Market was just 29 days, compared to the Portland-area average of 140+ days!  For a free estimate call us @ 503-246-1800.

There’s something to be said for walking through a home where one family has lived and raised their children for 50 years … I was wondering how they might feel if they knew a “stranger” was about to present THEIR home to others in a way that was likely very different than how it looked in the past.  When I work in a home like this, I find myself almost “talking” to the departed owners and asking their permission to do whatever is necessary.  That may sound odd, but I found it usually works very well!  One thing that amazed me was that the 1962 kitchen had the exact same Armstrong flooring and the same GE oven that my parents’ home had when I was a child.  Whenever I stage a home that’s belonged to one family for many years I feel an obligation to make sure that my work reflects honor for the departed family as well as hope for the new family who will make it their home.

Here’s a few Before & After photos of this 1962 vintage Portland OR home

The living room has a huge picture window

Staging added energy to this living room by using ‘tangerine’-colored accents that echo the brick fireplace

The adjoining dining room has French doors to a deck

We selected a drum light fixture and carried over the colors from the living room to tie it all together

The kitchen is (mostly) vintage 1962!

Staging added warmth & lifestyle cues for buyers … they’ll be able to “imagine” how they’ll remodel it

The large family room is original and very spacious

After staging, buyers can see themselves enjoying this family room

After the seller saw the home, he sent me the nicest note:

“I just had a chance to see the house. You are a very talented home stager. The change was dramatic and the appeal of the house was enhanced much more than I expected. We appreciate your tasteful and expert choices. I know it will help the sale of the home. Thanks again!”

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Room Solutions Staging offers expert home staging services to Portland Oregon homeowners, real estate agents, builders, banks,  and investors to prepare your home or property for the market.  Our home staging clients love our customer service and our home staging results!  Our home staging services in the Portland OR metro area include Verbal Consultations, Home Staging for both vacant and lived-in homes, and interior re-styling service.  For a free home staging proposal, please contact us @ 503-246-1800.

The first episode I did the design work for airs on April 2nd at 8am Pacific time /11am eastern (check your local listings for times on the HGTV channel); it’s titled “Quick Bid on a Bungalow.” Here is the storyline:

“Portland Oregon newlyweds Troy and Linea hope their first place will be a Craftsman Bungalow. They find a new build in a Portland Oregon Craftsman style that Linea is ready to bid on, but cautious Troy wants to do a little more research.  When they discover that another bidder wants the house, they are pressured to bid immediately, so they actually make an offer that’s more than the asking price to be competitive.  While that tactic lands them the contract, an inspector turns up trouble in the backyard.  Tune in to see how it all comes together!”

This photo is a “sneak preview” of the design we came up with as a Housewarming gift from HGTV for this fun young couple; we had the sofa, chair & ottoman custom-made for them at a local furniture manufacturer, based on the colors and style they liked. Check out their cute little dog “Peanut” at the end of the show, as he dances around the new area rug and his new leopard-print dog bed!  The new homeowners loved their first place and their new living room furnishings

This “final” design is the one we did for these first-time home buyers

Here’s a link to this HGTV episode ‘Quick Bid on a Bungalow’ in Portland OR

The next episode of our design work airs on HGTV April 24th, “Deadline to Find a New Home”

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Room Solutions Staging offers expert home staging services to Portland Oregon homeowners, real estate agents, builders, banks,  and investors to prepare your home or property for the market.  Our home staging clients love our customer service and our home staging results!  Our home staging services in the Portland OR metro area include Verbal Consultations, Home Staging for both vacant and lived-in homes, and interior re-styling service.  For a free home staging proposal, please contact us @ 503-246-1800.

We recently staged a 1963-era home in Beaverton OR that had the clean, contemporary lines that today’s buyers love.  With staging techniques, we can make any home look current, too. It’s amazing how art and accessories can update the feel of a home!

Here are some photos of this home that show how staging helped it become more appealing to potential buyers …

The living & dining area shows big windows & wood floors

But once staged, a buyer can “see” the potential in this contemporary-styled home

This bedroom is small by today’s standards

But staging gave it a fresh, updated feeling

Buyers would ask, will a kitchen table fit here?

Staging clearly shows them, No Problem!

The seller left this brick above the fireplace just as it was … and it gave the house a fun vibe!

The kitchen needed a full facelift

And got a nice updated look, all from IKEA (cabinets, appliances, counters, hardware, sinks)

Remember that today’s buyers want a “move in ready” home … so make sure that yours looks like all the hard work has already been done.  For help with making decisions on what items to update for your best return on investment,  contact your local professional home stager for a Consultation … you’ll save a lot of time & money … and likely you’ll sell your home faster, too!

~ Staging and Photos by Room Solutions Staging ~

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Room Solutions Staging offers expert home staging services to Portland Oregon homeowners, real estate agents, builders, banks,  and investors to prepare your home or property for the market.  Our home staging clients love our customer service and our home staging results!  Our home staging services in the Portland OR metro area include consultations, staging for both vacant and lived-in homes, and interior restyling service.  For a free home staging proposal, please contact us @ 503-246-1800.

Don’t misunderstand … I come from a family of dog lovers and have had the good fortune to have had wonderful dogs most of my life. But if my house was on the market, there would be no online photos of my dog, and little evidence of them living in the house, once potential buyers came in person.

Why?  Because potential buyers may be allergic to pets, or they may be afraid of dogs.  If a buyer sees dogs in the online photos, right away they imagine that the house may not be as clean as they’d like … or that the house smells like a dog … or that the yard might be dug up or messy. Any of these reasons may prevent a buyer from putting your home on their “must see” list.

A Portland home staging client of mine was shocked to find out that their agent put these photos of 3 of their dogs online (which have since been removed) — it’s likely that photos like this could discourage showings.

If you have a dog & your house is on the market, here’s some tips for better showings:

• Vacuum & Dust all surfaces often

• Hide the dog beds, blankets & toys

• Put the food & water dishes out of sight

• Shampoo & brush your dog weekly 

• Air out the house before showings, if possible

• Take the dog out of the house during showings

• Keep the yard clean of dog debris

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Room Solutions Staging offers home staging services to Portland Oregon homeowners, real estate agents, builders, banks,  and investors to prepare homes for the market.  Our home staging clients love our customer service and our home staging statistics!  Our home staging services in the Portland OR metro area include consultations, staging for both vacant and lived-in homes, and interior restyling service.  For a free home staging proposal, please contact us @ 503-246-1800.