Home Staging in Portland Oregon » Occupied Staging

Home Staging Tip: Simple “Tweaks” Can Make a Big Difference in how Buyers Feel About Your Home

admin — Sat, 09 Jul 2011 09:00:39 +0000

From previewing the online photos to an in-person viewing, buyers are making judgments about your home ~ everything from whether they can see themselves living in it — to whether it’s well-cared for, clean, and big enough for their needs. We recently staged an occupied home in Beaverton Oregon that had been on the market for several months but had no offers. The sellers selected a new listing agent, and also agreed to stage the home to make it more appealing to their target buyer.

This home was already decorated very nicely, had great paint colors and was immaculate … however, some of the rooms just needed a few “tweaks” to make them better. See if you agree that the changes we made helped this home “show” better … Here are some Before & After photos.

The great room had a large sofa blocking the entry to the room. By moving it over to the large window, we opened up the main floor space in this room, and also caused buyers to notice the great views this home has.

The dining room was OK, but it needed just a few tweaks to make it memorable to buyers.

The kitchen has great features, but looked a little too plain in the ‘Before’ photo so we added a few accents.

The master bedroom was well decorated, but a wider angle & a few added items helped it shine.

~ “After” photos courtesy of Shoot It LLC ~

If your home is going on the market, be sure to contact your local professional home stager for tips on how to make your home irresistible to buyers! A verbal home staging consultation is a very cost-effective way to help your home make its very best impression in the online photos as well as in-person viewings. Room Solutions Staging helps Portland-area homeowners, Realtors, builders, banks, and investors prepare properties for a faster sale. Give us a call at 503-246-1800 for a free home staging proposal. Room Solutions ~ Staging that Sells Portland Homes.

8333 SW 195TH PL, Beaverton, OR 97007 ~ SOLD

admin — Sat, 09 Jul 2011 06:58:48 +0000

Gorgeous home nestled on Beaverton’s Cooper Mountain. Immaculate condition with spacious rooms and incredible views. Great room floor plan with tons of light! 4 bedrooms, 3 1/2 baths. Maple floors in entry, kitchen & dining room. WI pantry & granite in kitchen. Spacious living room with gas fireplace. Oversize master with vaults, fireplace, spa tub and walk in closet. Huge downstairs family room opens to patio and fenced level backyard. Open 7/10 1 – 4pm

For more information contact Deborah Jackson ~ Re/Max Equity Group Beaverton @ 503-880-2000

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Selling your home and not sure how to make it “picture perfect” for your target buyer? Room Solutions Staging offers cost-effective home staging consultations for Portland-area homeowners and listing agents. For just $175, our home staging advice includes tips on how to place your furniture to highlight your home’s best features, paint colors that buyers love, easy cosmetic updates, and creating that important emotional connection that buyers are looking for. Our home staging clients (and their Realtors) love how fast their homes sell! Make the best impression on potential buyers ~ contact us for a free home staging proposal @ 503-246-1800.

Skeptical about Home Staging? This Home Sold 12 Hours after Staging & Listing!

admin — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 07:52:28 +0000

As a professional home stager in Portland OR I’ve had many clients who know that staging is an effective marketing tool to help their home sell faster. Once in a while though, we come across “staging skeptics” who aren’t convinced that staging can really make a difference. Sometimes ’seeing is believing’ so for any staging skeptics out there, here’s a true staging success story for your consideration.

We were contacted by homeowners in Beaverton OR who asked for a home staging consultation to help determine what cost-effective improvements would make their home more appealing to the target buyer in their neighborhood. I met with this lovely, enthusiastic couple and gave them a list of Things To Do before putting their home on the market. Since they planned to relocate out of state, they also requested a proposal for staging their home after they moved out. Here are some Before & After photos of this home:

We gave the homeowners our suggestions for neutral paint colors that buyers love; tips on new kitchen cabinet hardware and paint for the dated oak cabinets; updated light fixtures in brushed nickel finish; & other easy, cost-effective advice.

Since the sellers were relocating due to a job, they wanted the house to sell quickly so that they could buy a home in their new state. They were motivated and eager to do whatever it took to get the best return on their staging investment.

Buyers love a master bedroom that feels like an inviting retreat ~ here it’s transformed from blah to wow

This home had a pending sale only 12 hours after it was staged and listed! The listing agent, Deborah Jackson of Re/Max Equity Group in Beaverton OR had this to say: “One of my recent clients did everything on Maureen’s list of staging suggestions. After the home was vacant, Maureen then staged the important rooms of the home, and it was gorgeous! Needless to say, we got an offer on the home within the first 12 hours that it went on the market! That was a record, especially in this real estate market of 2011.”

The homeowners, who had moved out of state, emailed me after seeing my photos of the staging: “WOW! Is that our house? It looks amazing! Thank you so much! It was great working with you and if you need a reference just send them our way!”

So don’t be a staging skeptic! Instead, contact your local professional home stager. Ask to see Before & After photos of their work, and ask about their Days on Market statistics. (Year to Date for 2011, Room Solutions Staging’s DOM is just 24!)

~ Staging and Photos by Room Solutions Staging ~

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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 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 redesign projects. For a free home staging proposal, please contact us @ 503-246-1800.

This 1969 House Undergoes a Cosmetic Update in Portland

admin — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 02:40:26 +0000

A few months ago, the sweetest elderly woman in Portland OR contacted me for a staging consultation. Her 1969 home (that she and her late husband had built) had been on the market for 6 months without a sale. She thought it might need staging (her previous listing agent hadn’t suggested it, but this savvy seller did her own research and decided that staging could help). I met her at the house to give her my advice for easy cosmetic updates, and she moved out and got right to work! She then hired a new agent and had me return to stage the house. The seller and her new listing agent felt that the target buyer would likely be a younger family, since this home is in a highly-rated school district.

If you saw this “before” photo in the online listing would you rush out to see this house? Here’s the Entry…

After the wallpaper & the sconces were removed, and the walls were painted, it has a different vibe …

In the kitchen nook, the wallpaper and the lace valance made the house feel like another era …

With fresh paint & a new floor, suddenly it’s updated for a younger family …

In this bedroom, you might think the wallpaper is quaint but dated …

After removing the wallpaper & replacing the dated light fixture, it’s ready for a new owner …

The living room was full of lovely but dated furnishings, not likely to appeal to the younger target buyer ….

Removing window coverings & the brass screen, and adding new paint, it now shows as move-in ready …

The previous listing photo shows the dining area / family room combo with dated wood paneling …

The paneling was removed, revealing sheet rock underneath that just needed taping and some fresh paint …

Just a few changes can make your dated home ready for its close up shots! Contact your local professional home stager for advice on easy updates that will ensure your home appeals to the target buyer. Save time and money by spending a little upfront!

“After” photos by Room Solutions Staging

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Is your home or listing lingering on the market?

Room Solutions Staging offers home staging services to Portland Oregon metro area homeowners, real estate agents, builders, banks, and investors to prepare homes for the market. Our home staging clients love our 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 redesign projects. For a free home staging proposal, please contact us @ 503-246-1800.

Enchanted Portland Home is Staged ~ and has a full price offer in 2 Days (Before & Afters)

admin — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 00:49:53 +0000

This very cute & charming English-style home was recently staged by our Portland home staging company with great results! With an active family that included kids & pets, the sellers recognized that staging would make this home more appealing to today’s demanding buyers. First, we provided the sellers with a list of cosmetic fixes that needed to be completed to make it “move in ready.” We recommended painting, refinishing the hardwood floors, changing out a few light fixtures, and other easy fixes. The sellers moved to their new home and the work began. Once it was staged they had 12 showings and a full-price offer in just 2 days!

Staging is not just painting and easy fixes, and it’s not just bringing furniture in. The best home staging includes both cosmetic improvements AND furnishings that will complement the house. Since the demographic for this neighborhood and size home is another active family, we staged this Portland home with that target buyer in mind.

Here are some photos of the home in the 3-step process: Before any work was done; after the work was completed but before staging; and finally, staged.

The living room needed wall paint, refinished hardwood floors, removal of window coverings, painting of the fireplace screen, and a more open, spacious furniture layout …

The dining room has wonderful features, but it was hard to see all of them before …

The bedroom got fresh paint, new carpeting, and less furniture to let its unique features shine through …

Before it’s time to list your home, remember to contact your local professional home staging expert. You’ll gain valuable advice to help prepare your home to compete in today’s challenging real estate market. Investing a small amount before listing will pay off as it did for this seller, who sold for full price in just 2 days!

Interior photos by Room Solutions Staging

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A Few Simple Changes can Help Sell Your Home Faster!

admin — Sun, 20 Feb 2011 08:22:21 +0000

As professional home stagers in the Portland Oregon area, we’re often asked to help our clients prepare their home or listing for sale. As part of our Portland home staging service, we include tips for preparing your home for the market - even before staging begins.

We recently consulted with a family whose elderly mother had moved into a senior community. The house was immaculate but still had all brass light fixtures along with brass hardware and doorknobs. We suggested replacing those brass items with brushed nickel, and the family also removed some of the dated furniture pieces that had served the family very well over the years, but wouldn’t appeal to the target buyers of this home — and we brought in modern furniture, art and accessories as needed to inject new energy into this house.

The result was two offers in the first 48 hours! The sale will close this week and the seller’s family is happy their mother can now fully enjoy life in her new community. Here are some Before & After photos that illustrate some of the changes that our consultation and home staging made, assisted by the family’s hard work taking care of easy cosmetic improvements …

The dining and living rooms got updated light fixtures and valances removed along with an infusion of color (we used the seller’s existing furniture as much as possible to reduce costs) …

The kitchen nook needed a dinette set so that buyers could imagine eating in this space, and an updated brushed nickel light fixture replaced the brass one …

The master bedroom is always one that we recommend be staged ~ buyers often think their furniture won’t fit, when the home is empty. Staging it shows them there’s more room than they thought!

Buyers often use a spare bedroom as an office space …. so we staged this one to appeal to them …

And a small bedroom now has a fresh, updated new look that will appeal to the target buyer …

Even this little niche near the entry got an update!

When your home is on the market, remember that the most important factors in a successful sale are:

Having a great listing agent
Pricing the property right
Making sure your home is presented at its very best

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

Why Stage the Master Bedroom?

admin — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 18:09:49 +0000

We’ve heard that home staging is an effective marketing tool especially when it’s part of the total package including a great listing agent, realistic pricing, a home in good condition, and sellers who understand that property presentation is critically important. The rooms we recommend staging include the main living areas (living room, family room, kitchen, dining, etc.) As professional stagers, we also advise staging the Master Bedroom. Why?

Buyers make emotional connections with homes they’re viewing … and an empty room with 4 blank walls only allows them to see flaws and imperfections in the paint, flooring, windows, etc. Buyers (and women in particular) like to view the master bedroom as a peaceful oasis away from the day’s hustle and bustle. It’s often said that a beautiful master bedroom helps buyers make that important emotional connection to the home.

Here’s a master bedroom in a home we recently staged. The home is modestly priced for a first-time buyer or someone needing more space. Here’s how the master appeared on our first visit – fine for living in, but not enough impact for selling …

We knew that this room had the potential to help a buyer fall in love with this home … so we recommended staging it. We also suggested painting the walls a warmer color. Here’s the final outcome …

~ Photos by Room Solutions Staging ~

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Room Solutions Staging offers help to Portland Oregon homeowners, real estate professionals, builders, banks, trustees and investors in preparing homes for the market. Our home staging clients love our 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 redesign projects. For a complimentary home staging proposal, please contact us @ 503-246-1800.

Motivated Sellers use their Furniture + Our Staging Accessories = Great Before & Afters

admin — Sun, 31 Oct 2010 00:31:33 +0000

As professional home stagers, most of us have a statement like this one that we share with our clients: “How we live in a home is very different than how we prepare it for selling …” Recently another clever stager had this version, which I love: “How you Dwell is not how you Sell ..”

The point is, none of us really “lives” in a showcase — but when your home is on the market, you want your home to be as appealing as possible so that your target buyer who sees it either online or in person says, “I could live here!”

We recently worked with sellers in Lake Oswego OR who were moving out of ther home, but were willing to leave some furniture behind in order to help it sell. We advised them on updating paint colors, light fixtures, cabinet hardware, and a few small cosmetic repairs. They completed everything on their “To Do” list and we then returned to add our accessories to their remaining furniture where needed. The result was a home where buyers could move right in to … no work needed!

Here are a few Before & After photos that will appeal to the target buyers of this home showcasing the space & function of each room.

In the great room, we suggested a soft brown paint color to replace the stark white; an updated light fixture in the dining area; removing the dated valance; & removing the hutch since it overwhelmed the space:

In the family room, we suggested the same soft brown paint, adding a wood mantle to the fireplace, and packing up the toys; then we used furniture from other rooms in the house and accessorized:

In the kitchen, we suggested replacing the worn white appliances & sink, painting, adding satin nickel cabinet hardware, removing the valance, and updating the counters to stay competitive with other homes nearby:

In the office, painting & removing the valance & excess clutter made this room “move in ready” for potential buyers, using what the homeowner already had:

If you’re planning to sell your home in today’s super-competitive market, a consultation with your local professional home stager will help you by making sure you only do what’s necessary to make your home appealing to your target buyer. Remember, HOW YOU DWELL IS NOT HOW YOU SELL

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Room Solutions Staging offers help to Portland Oregon metro area homeowners, Realtors, builders, banks and investors in preparing homes for the market. Our home staging clients love our service and our staging statistics! Our home staging services in the Portland OR metro area include consultation reports, staging for both vacant and occupied homes, and interior redesign projects. For a complimentary home staging proposal, please contact us @ 503-246-1800.

1976 Was a Good Year, but this House Needed Updating and Staging!

admin — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 07:05:06 +0000

After 34 years, this 1976 ranch home just outside Portland Oregon needed updating before the sellers could put it on the market. The process began when they contacted my company for a home staging consultation, where we walked through the entire home as well as the outside spaces. The sellers were given an action plan showing which cosmetic improvements would provide the best return when selling — this included painting, new cabinet hardware, replacing light fixtures, replacing old carpeting where needed, updating the kitchen countertops, removing dated window coverings, etc. I encouraged the sellers to keep the price point of the home in mind whenever making decisions on which improvements would yield the best return.

Throughout the process (which lasted over a year) the sellers gave me updates on the various projects, and I helped them select some hardware and light fixtures. They were delightful to work with, and very motivated to have their home appeal to the target buyer! We worked with the seller’s existing furniture, adding some art and accessories from our home staging inventory for an inviting look.

Here are some Before & After photos of this home’s transformation, starting with the living room (which had dated window coverings & older carpeting) ….

The kitchen needed updated lighting, laminate countertops, paint, new faucet & cabinet hardware … and the low cabinet separating it from the nook area needed to be removed. Once that was done, it was so much more open & modern!

The dining room got a style update with paint, a new light fixture, and removal of the window coverings …

This Bedroom just needed a few accessories and new carpeting for a fresher more modern look ...

This Bathroom received updated light fixtures, painted cabinets, and a new shower enclosure to match the new faucet …

If you plan to put your home on the market, contact your local professional home staging company to make sure that your improvements will be cost-effective when it’s time to sell. We can suggest easy cosmetic fixes for DIY homeowners!

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Room Solutions Staging offers help to homeowners, real estate professionals, builders, banks and investors in preparing homes for the market. Our home staging clients love our service and our staging statistics! Our home staging services in the Portland OR metro area include consultation reports, staging for both vacant and occupied homes, and interior redesign projects. For a complimentary home staging proposal, contact us @ 503-246-1800. (Photos by Room Solutions Staging)

Fabulous Multnomah Village Townhouse in Portland ~ RMLS # 10058304

admin — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 23:10:42 +0000

Beautiful, rare Multnomah Village end unit townhouse. Guest Suite is 670 sq ft with separate entrance, kitchen, bedroom, Great room & full bath. The main townhouse features a 2-story Great room with 25′ ceilings, corner windows, master suite dual vanity slab counters & jacuzzi tub and a sunny deck. Side-by-side 2 car versized garage + add’l reserved parking space. Footsteps from Multnomah Village’s trendy restaurants & charming shops. $445,000

MLS 10058304; 3 Bedrooms, 3 full Bathrooms; 2,380 sq ft. Other features include refinished hardwood floors, wool carpeting, designer colors, A/C, built-in vacuum, 2 decks + a landscaped paver patio in a small complex in the heart of Multnomah Village.

For more details on this unique home, contact John Duncan of Oregon First @ 503-803-9184.

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This occupied home was professionally staged by Room Solutions Staging in Portland OR; we assist homeowners and their agents in preparing homes for the market so that they appeal to the target buyer ~ and sell quickly! If you have a home or listing lingering on the market, contact us for a complimentary home staging proposal. Join our happy clients who have seen the powerful benefits of professional home staging in Portland Oregon!