Are You Going to Hire a Home Stager? Here Are Some Points to Consider

Something most Home Owners and Realtors may not be aware of, is that there is not an independent or national oversight organization such as NAR for Realtors, that certifies or licenses Home Stagers. There ARE member based organizations which enforce a strict Code of Ethics for its members and communities such as the Real Estate Staging Association. That being said, here are few questions that will help you to choose the RIGHT Home Stager for you.

1. Find a Stager with the most experience in actually Staging homes: There are many training, “certifying” and “accrediting” companies which, within just a few days, or a couple weeks, can turn anyone who takes their course into a “certified” or “accredited” home stager. Since there is not currently any government or oversight, ANYONE can “become a stager” almost overnight. Don’t hire just any home stager; Experience and professionalism trumps “certification”.

2. Do they have a valid business license and are they insured? If the Home Stager you are considering to hire is NOT insured you are putting yourself, your investment, your home (and/or your Client Home Owner) at SERIOUS RISK. Just think; what happens if:

* …your home stager or someone they hire throws out their back while moving a couch and they are not insured; YOU COULD BE LIABLE for their injuries
* …your home stager scratches your newly refinished wood floors while moving a chair and are not insured; YOU’RE OUT OF LUCK
* …if a potential Buyer trips over the edge of a curled up area rug and twists their ankle and your home stager is NOT insured; YOU COULD BE HELD LIABLE

We take the protection of you and your Clients VERY seriously because we are RESA-Pro professionals who have been Staging Homes for over 9 years. Platinum Home Staging, Inc. is FULLY Insured with General Liability, Workers Compensation as well as Owned and Hired Auto Insurance.

3. Does the Stager have a printed portfolio or website with before and after photography? If they don’t have a current staging portfolio, they may have never done a staging job, or very few. If they have a website, you need to get past the first page. In other words; make sure that their portfolio contains photos that are of their own work. Not of stock photography purchased over the Internet, supplied by the “certifying” training course or shared before and after photos in a centralized web-site. Does their website have current information on recently staged properties or successes in today’s market and economy?


4. Do they offer a range of Staging options and styles, or is it “one-style-fits-all”. An experienced and professional Home Stager should have the resources to transition their staging to the style of the HOME and the market demographics in your area to target the Buyers in your area.

5. Ask for references, and then check those references. When did they work with the Stager? Were they pleased with the results? How soon did the property sell? Would they hire that stager again? And ask for more than just one professional reference: Home Owner, Realtor, Developer, etc


Once you have done your due diligence, you’ll be able to make the confident decision that you have chosen the right Home Stager. Platinum Home Staging, Inc. has been successfully Staging Homes in the Ventura and Los Angeles County areas for over 9 years and is the ONLY Interior Design Company in Southern CA that is endorsed by Pottery Barn. Call us today for your FREE Home Staging estimate. (805) 553~9952

Staged Last Week, Sold This Week: Home Staging Los Angeles

That’s right. We barely had time to breath and even review our pictures of this home that my Company just staged last week, when we got the call, “We had several offers on the house and the one we opened escrow with looks like they want to close next week. Will that be a problem to de-Stage that quickly?” Needless to say we were thrilled, and of course our answer was , “No problem at all!”

This is the 4th house we have Staged for this Client and these smart Developers know that Home Staging WORKS to help them sell their properties faster.



Often times we may only be given a 2-3 day “notice” that a home is ready to be Staged, and since Platinum Home staging, Inc. turns over houses so quickly we are always happy to be able to give our Customers immediate service; efficiently and professionally.





So if you are located in the Ventura or Los Angeles County areas and would like to speak to a Professional Home Stager who has been successfully Staging Homes for over 9 years: call the ONLY Interior Design Company in Southern CA that is endorsed by Pottery Barn – Platinum Home Staging, Inc. 805.553.9952

5 Reasons You Should Stage Your Ventura County Home Under $500,000

Something we often hear from Sellers, Realtors, Developers and "Flippers" is that it's not worth the small investment to Stage Homes under $500,000 in the Southern CA area. Here are five reasons why it IS a smart investment and ultimately why ALL homes can benefit from Professional Home Staging, especially in the Ventura County area:

1) First-Time Buyers: The majority of the people looking to buy homes under $500,000 are First-Time Buyers. They are excited, they are scared, they want to make sure they get the MOST for their money because after all, it's a BIG investment and they want to make sure that they are making the right decision when buying their first house. Since the majority of the demographic coming to tour your home is going to be the First-Time Buyer your home needs to be marketed towards THEM. Staging your home to its fullest potential and highlighting selling points such as built ins, wood floors or a great garden view will help them remember YOUR home when they are visiting EVERY house in that market.

2) Size and Scale: Are there bedrooms in your house that contain two HUGE armoires, a dresser, two night stands and a Queen size bed? Typically homes that are listed under $500,000 have smaller bedrooms and rooms filled to the brim with large-scale furniture will actually make even a large room feel claustrophobic. Professional Home Stagers can help alleviate the congestion and bring the room back to its original size and scale. In Vacant properties, Professional Home Staging can actually make a very small room feel large and roomy. The ENTIRE square footage of the Santa Monica bungalow shown above is LESS than 700 square feet ~ You would never know it or feel it looking at this picture or entering this living area. (This Bungalow sold in 13 DAYS while 2 others just steps away have been on the market for months! - March 2010)

3) Awkward Floor Plans: Often times Developers of smaller homes or condos are trying to maximize every square foot possible for marketing, while flippers may often times remove existing walls to create a more "open" feel; both resulting in awkward floor plans. Small rooms, "bump outs", lofts or oddly placed windows may leave Buyers guessing and confused. Staging can help define the area in question, while high-lighting other great features of the space ultimately making it feel cohesive, not awkward.


4) First Impressions are EVERYTHING: The NAR (National Association of Realtors) announced in 2009 that over 87% of all Buyers shop for homes on the Internet and will literally "write-off" your home with a simple click of a mouse if it does not catch their eye in how the home is presented in those few on-line pictures. Make sure that first impression is a memorable one and that they will WANT to come see your home personally.

5) "The right price will bring your home interest; Staging it will bring offers." - Gary Keller, Keller Williams. All things be equal: price, location, square footage, number of rooms and bedrooms, etc the price will bring interest to your home; but Staging is what will bring in offers. When touring houses, Buyers make a snap decision within the first ten seconds upon entering your home. "Is it clean?", "Is it inviting?", "Is it maintained?" but most importantly, "Can I see myself living here?" That FIRST impression is what will make your house stand out among the homes that Buyers are touring. You may very well be helping to sell the house down the street by NOT Staging your home. (Home Staging featured in the above before and after pictures helped get this Agoura home SOLD in 11 DAYS! - April 2010)

If you are located in the Ventura County area and ready to sell your home or listing, contact Platinum Home Staging, Inc. for your free Home Staging estimate. (805) 553-9952

"Mirror, Mirror on the Wall; You Weren't That Pretty After All..."

This photo could have been cropped down but I wanted to show the true SIZE and SCALEof this massive inset mirror. Yep, that's me with the flash standing all the way back at the front door. The previous owners installed this and the current owners have never liked it; yet never knew what to do with it. I know it's good Feng Shui to have a mirror facing the entrance or the front door, but this is over-kill.

Now these Home Owners are ready to SELL (they recently closed escrow on their next home) and called in Platinum Home Staging, Inc. to assist them in addressing all the "things" THEY as owners never liked in the home. They wanted to remove ALL negative vibes from this Simi Valley Woodranch home from ANY prospective buyers: so here is what we did.

Home Staging Presentation for Realtors

Check out this SlideShare Presentation:

Home Staging Presentation for Realtors

View more presentations from Connie Tebyani.

REALTORS: Tips on How to Overcome Stage(r) Fright

• 
  
  Recently I had a very frank phone call with a local Realtor Friend whom does a large volume in our area and we often "bounce" ideas off each other in regards to business, marketing, blogging, etc. Even though we speak frequently, I asked him point blank during the conversation, "Since you know all the benefits of my Industry (Home Staging) why is it that you've never used one?" His reply was simply, "...because some Home Owners get offended when you tell them their house looks like cr*p."
  
  We both shared a good laugh but this was an "ah-HA!" moment for me. Here was a Realtor who BELIEVES that presenting a home properly is imperative, who KNOWS the benefits of Home Staging, who even WANTS to get all his listings staged, even if only to declutter - he just needed some help in the delivery.
  
  To help him, and the rest of the Realtors who might be suffering from Stage-r Fright; here are some problem solving sollutions to ensure you are in the spotlight and on cue.
  
  
  
  
  
  The Casting Call: Make them want you as their Leading "Actor" (Realtor) from the very first casting call (Interview). You've come with your marketing plan, your script if you will, and you're ready to knock their socks off with all the things that you will do to make their home a block-buster.
  
  Called to Read: By letting them know up-front in the first meeting that Home Staging IS a service that you provide, they will ALREADY BE OPEN to the idea of a Stager coming into their home, and will actually expect it! By adding the services of a Professional Home Stager to your repartee you will stand out immediately as being up-to-date in marketing. You are immediately setting the Stage that your Home Stager will come in, spend time with them and walk them through their house with an unbiased view about how their home, in it's current state, will be perceived and viewed by potential Buyers.
  
  The Call Back: They want YOU as their Leading Actor/Actress; you've landed the listing - er Lead Role - you're ready to hit your mark, but before you've memorized your lines, THIS is when you call your Home Stager and ask them to be your support when going into rehearsals.
  
  
  Curtain Call: TELL your Stager about the project, TELL your Home Stager about the Audience (Home Owners) make them your PARTNER (or "bad guy") in the story line of what YOU need to have addressed. (e.g. too much clutter, pet odors, wall paper, lighting/upgrades, etc.) Let the Stager take the role of Supporting Actor on YOUR stage.
  
  The Professional Home Stager will dance through the home with your Home Owners, singing a happy tune about what/where/how the home will be able to be presented in it's best possible "spot" light. Well, maybe not dance, but you get the idea. Going from room-to-room, Act 1, 2, 3 (and maybe 4 or 5) the Home Stager will allow you to still be the Staring role but support your every move. From a simple walk through to de-clutter and packing to completely furnishing an empty stage (home) the Experienced Stager will be able to talk with your Home Owner about:
  
  
  •WHY their floral wall paper and country quilt should probably be adjusted and new bedding purchased.
  •About WHY their zebra striped rug and cheetah sofa probably would not show well in the Internet marketing photography.
  •About WHY it would be better that their collection of dolls from around the world would only be a major distraction for any young child who might be present with their parents while touring this lovely family home (and might get damaged/stolen in the process)
  
  
  ENCORE! ENCORE!: OK, your Sellers might not literally shower you in rose petals - but what they will believe is that you are a STAR and your performance was Oscar Worthy. They will REFER YOU to all their family and friends, co-workers and neighbors.
  
  The gist of this post is that by partnering with a Professional and Experienced Home Stager in your area you will be adding a vital key component to your Team and allows for the Stager to be able to correctly approach delicate subjects that maybe you are not comfortable in addressing directly yourself; without up-staging you.
  
  If you are an Agent, Realtor or Broker in the Los Angeles or Ventura County areas, call Platinum Home Staging, Inc. ~ We'll make sure your Seller's HOME is ready for it's "close up". If outside of Southern CA, check the Real Estate Staging Association (RESA) website for qualified referrals in your area.

"Sellers Who Stage are Just Smarter", she said.

Recently my Company was called by a Home Owner who is thinking of placing her Santa Monica Townhome on the market for sale in the next few months and was inquiring as to the services we could provide for her. These Home Owners actually live out of State and the unit is currently a income rental property, so they needed to find a Home Staging Company that could handle everything for them since they were at such a distance.

I explained the process of how we can handle all repairs and upgrades such as painting, refinishing floors, lighting selections and installation as well as how Platinum Home Staging, Inc. is fully Insured and that we only work with reputable, also fully Insured, Contractors.

Further, we talked about the process of actually Staging the Home to sell and I very happily quipped, "94% our Staged Homes routinely are under contract within the first 6 weeks and many are within the first 2 weeks, if not days." and then she hit me.....

"Well, that sounds wonderful but I'd like to also think that the Sellers have something to do with those statistics... Sellers who Stage their homes are just SMARTER." She went on to say, "People who Stage their homes are READY TO SELL their homes and will price it right and present it properly."

Needless to say, a smile crossed my face from ear-to-ear: she was right.



If you're in the Los Angeles or Ventura County areas and ready to to speak with a Professional Home Stager that is the ONLY Design Company in Southern CA endorsed by Pottery Barn; call us, we'll be happy to help you prepare your home and package it to appeal to the buyers in YOUR target market.

Platinum Home Staging, Inc. (805) 553-9952