b&b Home Staging

Master Bedrooms - Simple!

2011-01-29T06:46:00.000-08:00

Both these Master Bedrooms were empty when we first saw them. Without a doubt, we knew these rooms needed furniture to show off the large amount of square footage. Often times buyers can't visualize how big a room is when it has nothing in it to show the proportions. Even though a king-sized bed fits very easily in both these rooms, we used queen beds to give that feeling of even more space!

Claw-Foot Bathtubs

2011-01-15T06:26:00.000-08:00

The homeowner decided to totally gut their old Master Bath and remodel to this updated version. They knew a brand new bathroom was a great way to wow potential buyers. New tile, new glass shower, new sinks, cabinets and fixtures. It looked fresh and new, which is appealing to any buyer. However, the tub seemed to be very taste specific and received many more negative comments than anticipated. Interesting note, however, the eventual buyer of this home removed the claw-foot tub and replaced it with a garden tub!

2 Sofas - Down to 1

2011-01-10T10:54:00.000-08:00

It's so tempting to want to try to use all your furniture when you stage your home. But look how spacious this living room becomes when the 2nd sofa is removed! This home sold in just a matter of days!

Mirrors

2011-01-07T05:44:00.000-08:00

A Wall of Mirrors

Mirrors are a great way to expand and add light to a room. However, this huge room had a very large wall completely covered in mirrors, which was a little overwhelming. The homeowner called a glass company and within 30 minutes all the mirrors were off the wall! That's a great tip...don't take down large mirrors by yourself, call a professional.

Empty just doesn't sell

2011-01-05T17:41:00.000-08:00

Unless you have the unique ability to "look beyond" the emptiness of a vacant home, it is very difficult to determine the actual size of a room. Furniture can actually make a room seem larger and definitely draws you into the room. With furniture and accessories, your eyes have a place to focus on, rather than just an expansive space.

No Confusion

2011-01-04T06:14:00.000-08:00

When you stage your home, be sure there are absolutely no questions when it comes to the purpose of each room. Even though you may use your dining room as an office, all future buyers will want to see your dining room set up as a dining room. Causing confusion to potential buyers is the last thing you want to do as they step into your home.

To Color or Not to Color?

2011-01-03T06:39:00.001-08:00

I love color. In fact, I think my favorite color is probably red. I find myself wanting to use it in every room! The hard part about color is that it is so taste specific. The color you love, may or may not be the color a potential buyer loves.

The hardest part about putting your home on the market is making those difficult decisions to neutralize your home. For those who love color, they feel it makes their home feel blah. But when a potential buyer walks into a home that has a neutral color, the current owner's taste is not imposing. This is a much easier way of helping buyers see themselves in a home. Rule #1 in preparing your home for sale; take yourself personally out of your home and begin to see it as property for sale.

One year later- Almost!

2011-01-02T08:15:00.000-08:00

I can't believe it's been almost a whole year since I've posted! How fast time flies!

b&b HomeStaging has a fantastic 2010, and Lord willing, 2011 will be even better!

Staging is so worth it...this house sold very quickly once it got staged!

We're on page 14 of Woman's Day Magazine!

2009-01-22T14:38:00.000-08:00

Last August we received a phone call from one of the writers for Woman's Day Magazine. She said she was doing an article on helping women get their homes ready when company decides to stop by unexpectedly. She told us to gather our thoughts and she would call us back in about a week to do a telephone interview. A week later we spent about 20 minutes or so on the phone giving as much information as possible, knowing they would have to edit. We were initially told that the article would be published in December 2008, but later got a call from the editor and was told it would be February 2009. What an exciting day it was when we got the call from a friend who said she saw the article in the February issue! Judy and I both ran to the grocery store and bought several copies!

We are so thankful for the opportunity Woman's Day gave us. A once in a life-time chance to be written up in a National magazine. Thank you Woman's Day!

What a difference!

2008-11-20T17:37:00.000-08:00

This home was beautiful, and the furniture and accessories of the owner made the home feel "Big and Grand". But the owners had already purchased another home in another state, so they were forced to pack up their things and move out. After they left, we removed wallpaper and staged the home. Removing the wallpaper in the hall bath and the kitchen really made a difference!

Before the owner moved out

After, using furniture they left with our props and accessories.

Beautiful Antiques!

2008-07-20T14:22:00.000-07:00

This home was filled with the most beautiful antiques. There was no question in our minds but to keep the antiques and stage them in a way that was simple, but yet gives buyers an opportunity to see the square footage and amenities. It was a challenge, but yet so much fun to work with such beautiful furniture.

A Beautiful Home!

2008-07-11T11:55:00.000-07:00

This was such a wonderful project! We were first in the home about the middle of April. The homeowners had such beautiful things, we knew it would look awesome once it was staged. We made some pretty big recommendations to the living room by asking them to remove the red wallpaper and re-paint a neutral color. In the master bedroom we asked them to remove a huge armoire and replace with a small chair and ottoman we saw in another room. They had their desk in the kitchen, and we asked them to move it upstairs and make an office out of a spare room. We even asked them to paint their shutters on the outside of their home. They were so motivated! They did almost everything we suggested, and the home looks fantastic. I am sure it will be the one to show for realtors!

Before Photos of a Home Yet To Be Staged

2008-07-05T11:57:00.000-07:00

On A Mission

2008-06-16T13:03:00.000-07:00

Although staging homes for the real estate market is a passion of ours, we recently were given the unique opportunity to prepare a home for a missionary family. This home needed a lot of TLC, and we received a lot of wonderful help! The entire home was painted and cleaned, and we received many donations of furniture and items to stock the home for a family of 6! The home turned out beautiful and we enjoyed every minute of planning, purchasing and decorating! It was a great experience to use the talents and gifts we've been given, to give back!

Downtown Living

2008-06-02T14:48:00.000-07:00

Downtown KC is growing and has a lot of great places to live. The owner already had beautiful furniture and just needed a few touches to make it "Wow" for potential buyers.

Family Rooms

2008-05-23T07:23:00.000-07:00

Family Rooms in most homes are the most fun and have all the games and equipment to do so.

However, when preparing for sale, the home needs to look relaxing and fun, but with clean lines and a sense of order.

Before

After

Lamps-Lamps-Lamps!

2008-05-23T07:17:00.000-07:00

Making a home warm and inviting is a key element in staging. Lamps are a great way to give ambiance to a room.

Before

After

Living vs Selling

2008-05-23T06:44:00.000-07:00

The way you live in your bedroom is much different that the way you stage your bedroom. TVs and media equipment don't show well. Instead, make your room a haven, a relaxing intimate place that buyers want to spend time in.

Before

After

Staged to Sell!

2008-05-23T06:36:00.000-07:00

Painting a room is realtively inexpensive and the transformation is dramatic! This is a beautiful home with outstanding amenities. The new paint color and professional staging, take this home to a new level.

Before

After

No Vacancy!

2008-05-20T06:03:00.001-07:00

We were presented with a fantastic opportunity to stage an empty loft. Vacant properties stretch your creativeness, because you can do anything you want with a blank room! The floors and ceilings are cement, but the walls were a pretty soft muted yellow, which provided a lot of warmth to the room. There were an abundence of windows in some rooms, and zero windows in others! We used a lot of up-lights and trees to give live to the rooms. It was a great experience!

Spring Homes Tour!

2008-05-05T19:37:00.000-07:00

Spring is when everything is new!

What a fantastic opportunity to view the newest homes on the market! We always take advantage of the fall and spring home tours. We like to look at the paint colors, furniture arrangements and the way homes are accessorized. It's one of the best ways we've found to keep our ideas fresh and our recommendations to Clients to be the most current and up to date. It's a great learning experience, regardless of the price of the home. We are always amazed at the decorators! As Professional Home Stagers, we love the challenge of transforming an average home into that exceptionally staged property that sells quickly!

Nicknames!

2008-04-28T09:57:00.000-07:00

When buyers start looking at homes, eventually they all run together; unless something stands out. We've found that whether good or bad, that's the one thing they remember and interestingly, that's why they start nicknaming homes they've viewed.

For example: "the purple house", "the dirty house", "the house with no landscaping", "the dog house".

Be the house that gets the best nickname "the move-in ready house", "the clean house", the great smelling house", "the house with all the square footage".

Using a professional stager will give you the edge over your competition and place your property way above others in how it is presented to prospective buyers!

Staging a Home Office

2008-04-18T15:09:00.000-07:00

There are so many people now that have the luxury of working from home. Potential buyers like to see a room set aside for just that purpose. This room was too small to fit a bed and dresser, so we decided to professionally stage it into an office. We think you may come in this room even if you don't have to work!

Spa-Te-Da!

2008-04-11T08:16:00.000-07:00

This Master Bathroom is beautiful! When buyers walk into your bathroom, they don't want to know that it has been used, so make it look brand new with some white towels and a small touch of something interseting to look at. Clear all the normal "bathroom" items you use everyday, and clean, clean, clean. Remember, Master Bathrooms are the #2 items people consider when buying a home!

Relax And Enjoy This Space!

2008-04-07T17:03:00.000-07:00

The owner of this home is an avid "crafter". She had a desk, along with a lot of crafting storage boxes in this room. But when they decided to have us stage their home, we transformed this space into a luxurious sitting room - how delightful!

A "Lofty" Experience!

2008-04-07T15:53:00.000-07:00

The Master Bedroom was beautiful, but just lacked some personality. Now it looks really inviting! The Master Bath looks like a spa!

We had a truly exciting time staging this loft! The space was wide open and the possibilities were limitless! The sellers had taken a space and turned it into a nursery, we transformed that area back into a Dinning Room - what a difference that made!

Great Pictures On-line Bring In Buyers!

2008-03-31T08:27:00.000-07:00

Before you or your Real Estate Agent lists your home and takes pictures, be sure to have it Staged! Why? Recent statistics show that over 80% of people will view a home on the web first, before they decide to go see it.

If a buyer finds the pictures unappealing, your home won't get shown!

Make sure your pictures highlight the spaciousness of your home, along with any architectural features that make it stand out from the rest.

Are You Helping the Competition Sell Their House?

2008-03-27T11:33:00.000-07:00

If there are 5 homes for sale in your neighborhood, and yours is one of them, what are you doing to stand out from the rest? If the price of the homes are basically the same, which house gets the 2nd look?

The answer is simple; it's the home that appeals to the most buyers. It's the home that draws you in. It's the home that looks like it is expecting company! It's the home that appeared to have more square feet than the others. It's the one that kept them lingering in for a whole hour! Don't help your neighbors sell their home by assuming your house is fine "as is".

Stage your home and make it be the one buyers and realtors make comparisions to! Give yourself the sellers edge and Stage Your Home! It is well worth it!

Since Today is all about Math....

2008-03-14T10:22:00.000-07:00

Today is PI day, and for those of you who are into the math thing, PI is 3.14, which happens to be today! So, let's celebrate by quoting some fascinating Home Staging statistics!

Homes listed without staging took 163.7 days to sell. Homes listed and then staged took 13.7 days to sell, and home that were staged first, then listed, took 8.9 days.

More than 80 percent of the population cannot visualize a home's potential when viewing a home full of clutter and disorganization. Buyers want to feel they are receiving a good value for their money. A Staged Home will maximize space and amenities.

The average home buyer will make a decision to buy within the first 5 minutes. First impressions matter, which is why staging begins with curb appeal!

Stage your home first, and retain a higher sale price! A National Association of Realtors survey found that the longer a home stays on the market, the further below list price it drops. Homes that sold in the first 4 weeks averaged 1 percent more than the list price; 4 to 12 weeks averaged 5 percent less; 13 to 24 weeks averaged 6.4 percent less than list price; and 24 weeks averaged more than 10 percent less than list price.

Stage your home first, then take pictures and place on a web-site. According to the National Association of Realtors, 77% of people use the Internet to look at a property before viewing it in person.

Simple Living = Easy Cleaning!

2008-03-10T13:02:00.000-07:00

One of the most common remarks we receive after we've staged a home is that cleaning is so much easier! All those little knick-knacks, stacks of papers and counter clutter can really slow you down when it comes time to clean each week. If you have set aside some time in the next few weeks to do some "spring cleaning", take a little time and store away some of those items displayed or stacked in your home that may not be necessary or are just taking up space. You'll be so excited by the speed in which your dusting and cleaning chores will be completed!

Dramatic Changes!

2008-03-07T08:47:00.000-08:00

Judy and I love what we do! Below is an example of how dramatic the changes can be when a home is professionally staged! This home had beautiful decor, but may not appeal to all prospective buyers. Once the home was staged, the home has a clean "model home" appeal.

Check out this Before and After

2008-03-06T12:35:00.001-08:00

Judy and I had the pleasure of staging this home recently. There was a huge difference in the master bedroom. Check out the Before and After pictures. We heard they've received an offer on their home, and they'll be moving soon!

Home Staging - A Home That Stands Out

2008-03-05T11:00:00.000-08:00

Recently we provided a Home Staging consultation to a client who was getting ready to list her home. We provided her with a lot of suggestions and knew it was going to be an overwhelming task for her to accomplish. She called me this weekend and was so excited to tell me that she had done “everything on the list” and wanted us to stop by and take “after” pictures. It was one of the most extreme differences we had experienced. Her home resembled a model home - down to the smallest detail. I know her house will sell, it looked so inviting and staged perfectly! Home staging really makes a difference!