Atlanta Home Staging Company: May 2007

This Atlanta Home Staging Company, Georgia Interior Solutions, has the expertise and experience to help showcase your home and/or listing so that it stands out from the others on the market. With years of experience and a massive inventory designed to compliment any style home, we implement solutions that draw the buyer in and allow them to emotionally connect with the home.

Selling Staging to the Homeowner

In my blog titled  "Is it Worth Staging a $129K Home?"  there were a couple of comments that inspired me to create this new post, Selling Staging to the Homeowner

For many, it was an eye-opener in that: 1) it confirmed that a home, regardless of the price point is worth staging and 2) it proved that staging isn't as costly as one may think (the staging fee for this home, $600.00.  The results, home sold in 3 weeks)

Here's another set of before and after pictures of the same home, different room:

Home Staging Atlanta Before Picture

After:

Home Staging Atlanta After Picture

What is Staging?  The difference between interior decorating and home staging:

  • Interior decorating is decorating with an understanding of the likes and dislikes of the homeownerBased on a series of questions asked, the decor will center around their personal preferences. 
  • Home Staging, often referred to as Real Estate Staging or "staging"  focuses on the broad base of prospective buyers that will be visiting the home.  The objective with staging is to showcase the features of the home as well as the space. 

For example - Take a look at the above picture.  Did you notice that the fireplace is hidden with the placement of the couch?  Now look at the after picture.  The fireplace is a feature of the home and is now highlighted. 

What are the benefits of staging? 

  • A staged home feels better and looks better
  • In a market flooded with homes, a home that has been staged will help it to stand apart from the others on the market.
  • With great "after" pictures, you attract more buyers to visit the home

Is it worth staging?   As Caleb Mardini pointed out in his response to my first blog on this subject; "even small changes can make a big impact."  Many homeowners may be of the belief that they need expensive furniture and accessories to showcase their home.  The truth of the matter is that minor changes can have big rewards. 

Overcoming Objections

Expense- It's not as expensive as you may think.  Contact a home stager in your area to ascertain fees. 

The "I can stage it on my own" - Unless you have experience on the placement of furniture and accessories so that it further showcases the home, this is best left to a professional who understands completely how to do it.

When to Stage? The best time to have a home staged is before it is listed.  Why?  Because we take advantage of the momentum generated with a newly listed home.  Is it too late to stage if the home is already listed?  The answer is no.  A home can reap big reward with staging regardless of how long its' been on the market.

I hope you find the above valuable. 

Kathy

 

  

 

Home Staging Atlanta - Kathy Nielsen - 678 522 8392

RESA Professional Stager of the Year - Southern Region 2011

Whether your home is vacant or occupied, this Atlanta Georgia Home Stager, Kathy Nielsen, understands what it takes to sell a home quickly. Her homes have graced the pages of several publications, appeared in TV commercials as well as on HGTV's hit program Sleep On it.

With years of experience and a massive inventory - Kathy makes the perfect choice.

 

Atlanta Home Stager Logo

 

 

 

Home Staging Website:  Home Staging Atlanta

Before and After Pictures: Atlanta Home Staging Portfolio:

Email:  Kathy@HomeStagingAtlanta.com  

Blog: Atlanta Home Staging

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Setting the Stage Part II - The Today Show

The 2nd segment just aired and it too was informative!

In this segment the home being staged was a studio apartment in New York, on the market for 2 months without an offer. 

Barbara angled the bed, changed up the bedding, took down the dark blinds and replaced with curtains.  Added pillows, lights and purchased a new table set (darker in color) added throw pillows to the bed all for less than $500.00.  Two people attended the house and it appears there's going to be an offer made.

Matt made the comment that the seller is likely to recoup the expense (the $500.00 spent in merchandise) and Barb commented that "likely" return is $2.00 for every $1.00 spent.  However, in this case, the return will likely fall in the $10.00 category.

All in all, another great segment on the impact staging can have.  Tomorrow's episode will focus on spending $5,000.  Anxious to see it!!!

For those looking for home staging services in the Atlanta area, Georgia Interior Solutions has a variety of staging options to accomodate all budgets.

Kathy 

 

Home Staging Atlanta - Kathy Nielsen - 678 522 8392

RESA Professional Stager of the Year - Southern Region 2011

Whether your home is vacant or occupied, this Atlanta Georgia Home Stager, Kathy Nielsen, understands what it takes to sell a home quickly. Her homes have graced the pages of several publications, appeared in TV commercials as well as on HGTV's hit program Sleep On it.

With years of experience and a massive inventory - Kathy makes the perfect choice.

 

Atlanta Home Stager Logo

 

 

 

Home Staging Website:  Home Staging Atlanta

Before and After Pictures: Atlanta Home Staging Portfolio:

Email:  Kathy@HomeStagingAtlanta.com  

Blog: Atlanta Home Staging

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Setting the Stage - The Today Show

Did anyone catch the segment on Setting the Stage on the Today show  this morning?  Matt interviewed Barbara Corcoran on Staging your home for sale.

While I don't know Barbara Corcoran, I can tell you that she did a fantastic job of describing the importance of staging and more specifically the impact staging can have in getting the home to sell more quickly and for top dollar.

This particular segment focused on the importance of removing clutter, re-arranging furniture and painting.  Barbara is correct, these three items are critically important.  I will add though that not all homeowners understand where to place their furniture, nor are they clear as to what items need to be pre-packed.  There may even be some confusion as to how much clutter to remove.  As a professional stager, I've seen many occupied homes where too many items were removed.  As a result, the home lacked warmth. 

So, the purpose of this message is two-fold:  1) To applaud the Today Show for sharing the importance staging and 2) to educate all homeowners, real estate agents, Realtors, etc... who saw the program that there are professional stagers who understand exactly what should be removed, what should be moved (from one room to another or positioned differently within the same room).

Bottom line - a professional stager can assist you with all your staging needs.

Kathy Nielsen

Staging Company in Atlanta - Georgia Interior Solutions - Occupied or Vacant Staging Solutions

 

Home Staging Atlanta - Kathy Nielsen - 678 522 8392

RESA Professional Stager of the Year - Southern Region 2011

Whether your home is vacant or occupied, this Atlanta Georgia Home Stager, Kathy Nielsen, understands what it takes to sell a home quickly. Her homes have graced the pages of several publications, appeared in TV commercials as well as on HGTV's hit program Sleep On it.

With years of experience and a massive inventory - Kathy makes the perfect choice.

 

Atlanta Home Stager Logo

 

 

 

Home Staging Website:  Home Staging Atlanta

Before and After Pictures: Atlanta Home Staging Portfolio:

Email:  Kathy@HomeStagingAtlanta.com  

Blog: Atlanta Home Staging

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Inland Empire, Southern California

Looking for a shining star?  Fellow Rainer, Lynette Lawson, owner and founder of Starlight Design can help get your listings and homes sold more quickly with her home staging services.

As an HSR Certified Home Staging Professional - Lynette provides the top 10 reasons why you should stage your home and also provide statistics to back up her point.

Here's one example of her work (check out the beautiful flower arrangement).   To see more examples, visit her portfolio at http://www.david-lawson.com/starlightstaging/Portfolio.htm.

Inland Empire, California, Home Stager, Lynette LawsonInland Empire, California, Home Stager, Lynette Lawson

From home staging to shopping services, Lynette offers a variety of services from which to select. 

Contact Lynette for your home staging needs in the Inland Empire, Southern California area by calling 909-648-0512.

Kathy

 

Home Staging Atlanta - Kathy Nielsen - 678 522 8392

RESA Professional Stager of the Year - Southern Region 2011

Whether your home is vacant or occupied, this Atlanta Georgia Home Stager, Kathy Nielsen, understands what it takes to sell a home quickly. Her homes have graced the pages of several publications, appeared in TV commercials as well as on HGTV's hit program Sleep On it.

With years of experience and a massive inventory - Kathy makes the perfect choice.

 

Atlanta Home Stager Logo

 

 

 

Home Staging Website:  Home Staging Atlanta

Before and After Pictures: Atlanta Home Staging Portfolio:

Email:  Kathy@HomeStagingAtlanta.com  

Blog: Atlanta Home Staging

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Prescott, Arizona and Surrounding Areas

It gives me great pleasure to blog about a special person here on Active Rain, Yvonne Root.  If you need a laugh, or are feeling down, just read one of her blogs or her responses.  You too will find that your mood will change. 

Did you also know that she's one of the most talented home stagers in Prescott, Arizona?  Just check out her gallery of "before" and "after" photos and you'll see first hand how talented a stager she is.  Here's one exampleof her work:

 Prescott, Arizona, Home Stager, Yvonne Root

In addition to providing home staging services for the Prescott area, Yvonne also offers re-arranging services and design consulting services.  To schedule your appointment, contact her by calling: Phone (928) 600-9038 or via Email yvonne@roomsbyroot.com.

Her targeted marketing "Dressed for Display" is a unique and very appropriate way to ehance your listings or your home. 

Realtors - To assist in selling staging to your clients within the Prescott area, Yvonne has a wonderful page on her web site dedicated to Q&A's to assist you.

Yvonne - Thanks for the many laughs.  You have a wealth of information and are always so willing to share.  Thank you!

Kathy

Home Staging Atlanta - Kathy Nielsen - 678 522 8392

RESA Professional Stager of the Year - Southern Region 2011

Whether your home is vacant or occupied, this Atlanta Georgia Home Stager, Kathy Nielsen, understands what it takes to sell a home quickly. Her homes have graced the pages of several publications, appeared in TV commercials as well as on HGTV's hit program Sleep On it.

With years of experience and a massive inventory - Kathy makes the perfect choice.

 

Atlanta Home Stager Logo

 

 

 

Home Staging Website:  Home Staging Atlanta

Before and After Pictures: Atlanta Home Staging Portfolio:

Email:  Kathy@HomeStagingAtlanta.com  

Blog: Atlanta Home Staging

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Asheville, NC and Surrounding Counties

This post is about a fellow Active Rainer and fellow home stager, Leslie Godbold, Asheville's Premier Home Staging Provider.

Leslie is a professional real estate merchandiser and owns her own staging company called Asheville Stagers.  As the head stager, she's proven that her staging skills will in fact separate your home from the others on the market. 

Here's just one example of her work:

Asheville, NC Home Stager Asheville StagerAsheville, NC, Home Stager, Asheville Stagers 

For more examples of her work, check out her "before" and "after portfolio.  

While Leslie's primary focus is in home staging her company also provides design services as well as office design and redesign.

In addition, Leslie provides those looking for home staging solutions in the Asheville, NC area with a tip & tricks page that you can even print out.

Leslie - Your real estate staging is superb and it is my honor to highlight your services for those looking for staging services in the Asheville area.

Kathy

 

 

Home Staging Atlanta - Kathy Nielsen - 678 522 8392

RESA Professional Stager of the Year - Southern Region 2011

Whether your home is vacant or occupied, this Atlanta Georgia Home Stager, Kathy Nielsen, understands what it takes to sell a home quickly. Her homes have graced the pages of several publications, appeared in TV commercials as well as on HGTV's hit program Sleep On it.

With years of experience and a massive inventory - Kathy makes the perfect choice.

 

Atlanta Home Stager Logo

 

 

 

Home Staging Website:  Home Staging Atlanta

Before and After Pictures: Atlanta Home Staging Portfolio:

Email:  Kathy@HomeStagingAtlanta.com  

Blog: Atlanta Home Staging

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Home Staging Atlanta - The Latest Transformation

What do I love most about staging a vacant home

Watching it come to life and hearing the squeals from the Realtor and homeowner when they see the completed project.  In fact, it's now habit to greet them at the door and "invite" them into the home so that they too can experience the ever-so-important first impression.

Here are some "before" and "after" pictures from the project I did yesterday:

Home Staging Atlanta - Before Picture

 

Home Staging Atlanta - After Picture

When vacant - the room appeared cold and left nothing for the prospective buyers to connect to.

Here's the transformation in the kitchen area. 

Atlanta Home Stager - Before Picture

 

Atlanta Home Stager - After Picture

Home Staging Company in Atlanta, Georgia Interior Solutions

Kathy

 

 

Home Staging Atlanta - Kathy Nielsen - 678 522 8392

RESA Professional Stager of the Year - Southern Region 2011

Whether your home is vacant or occupied, this Atlanta Georgia Home Stager, Kathy Nielsen, understands what it takes to sell a home quickly. Her homes have graced the pages of several publications, appeared in TV commercials as well as on HGTV's hit program Sleep On it.

With years of experience and a massive inventory - Kathy makes the perfect choice.

 

Atlanta Home Stager Logo

 

 

 

Home Staging Website:  Home Staging Atlanta

Before and After Pictures: Atlanta Home Staging Portfolio:

Email:  Kathy@HomeStagingAtlanta.com  

Blog: Atlanta Home Staging

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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A Marketing Idea for Stagers

Looking for unique and interesting way to market your staging services?

Okay, raise of hands, please for those who have created a portfolio of before and after pictures of the homes they've staged.  It's likely that you've taken this to real estate offices and to homeowners when you visit to explain your services.  I know I do.  And, when I'm touring the home to take my before pictures, I'll leave the album with them to view on their own. 

For those with storage units, here's a twist - Create a second album and leave this with the front office.  Why?  Because most homeowners understand the importance of reducing the amount of clutter or non-essential items in their home as they prepare their home for the market.  And it's likely that they'll get a storage unit to house their belongings until the home sells.  In fact, there's a family two doors down from my unit  who rented for that very reason. 

After a lengthy conversation, it dawned on me that others renters are likely there for the same reason.  So.... off I went to buy a 2nd album, printed out the pictures and now have the album at the front office.  The women who works there called me the other day and said, you wouldn't believe how often I show this album.  It's only been a week so.... I'll keep you posted.

Kathy

 

 

Home Staging Atlanta - Kathy Nielsen - 678 522 8392

RESA Professional Stager of the Year - Southern Region 2011

Whether your home is vacant or occupied, this Atlanta Georgia Home Stager, Kathy Nielsen, understands what it takes to sell a home quickly. Her homes have graced the pages of several publications, appeared in TV commercials as well as on HGTV's hit program Sleep On it.

With years of experience and a massive inventory - Kathy makes the perfect choice.

 

Atlanta Home Stager Logo

 

 

 

Home Staging Website:  Home Staging Atlanta

Before and After Pictures: Atlanta Home Staging Portfolio:

Email:  Kathy@HomeStagingAtlanta.com  

Blog: Atlanta Home Staging

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Is It Worth Staging a $129K Home?

I read a very interesting blog this morning authored by Phyllis Pafumi, Owner of Restyled to Sell in NJ.  Phyllis points out that Home Staging is for real people, real houses and real budgets.  I couldn't agree more. 

I too get asked by Realtors and home sellers whether staging is worth the investment for the lower priced homes.  I use the following example to help make my point.

Scenario:  Occupied home, not yet listed.  This couple had two young children and were preparing to move to a new town-home that they just put an offer on.  As you can see below, the dining room became their pseudo office as well as a catch-all for everyday items.  Also notice the curio cabinet?  It's filled with collectibles.  It's called living.  Now notice the buffet table - it houses their favorite pictures.  As a prospective buyer, I'm not getting that "feel good" feeling that Judy Kincaid so eloquently points out in her recent blog Sellers' lament - I'm selling my house.... not my things.  So, as a prospective buyer, instead of "feeling good", my eyes are drawn to the collectibles, as well as to the amount of things that sit on the dining room table.

The seller wanted to put the house on the market at a list price of $129K and one of the first questions; Is it worth staging a $129K home?  The answer is YES.  I made two simple request:  1) could I use the new table she had sitting in a box in the living room and 2) could you paint the kitchen to a more neutral color.  Now mind you, she had just painted the kitchen green the previous month.  After a lengthy conversation regarding paint colors, she agreed to paint.

 

Atlanta Home Stager

 Here's the "after" picture of the same room:

 

Atlanta Home Stager

The total cost of staging this occupied home: $600.00 which covered the accessories as well as the staging fee.  Results:  Home sold in 3 weeks for full asking price!!  By the way, this was one of three homes, in a row, on the market.  Status of the other 2?  Three (3) months later they were still on the market.

So again, if asked whether staging is worth the investment for the lower priced homes, the answer is always YES!

Home Staging in Atlanta

Kathy

 

 

Home Staging Atlanta - Kathy Nielsen - 678 522 8392

RESA Professional Stager of the Year - Southern Region 2011

Whether your home is vacant or occupied, this Atlanta Georgia Home Stager, Kathy Nielsen, understands what it takes to sell a home quickly. Her homes have graced the pages of several publications, appeared in TV commercials as well as on HGTV's hit program Sleep On it.

With years of experience and a massive inventory - Kathy makes the perfect choice.

 

Atlanta Home Stager Logo

 

 

 

Home Staging Website:  Home Staging Atlanta

Before and After Pictures: Atlanta Home Staging Portfolio:

Email:  Kathy@HomeStagingAtlanta.com  

Blog: Atlanta Home Staging

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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It's Raining Talent!

GIS

 

Staging Talent that is....

From San Francisco to Melbourne, Florida and Canada too -  the Active Rain community is filled with some of the very best talent within the industry.

To see for yourself - check out the new group called  Staging "Before" & "After" PicturesWithin this group, you'll find many examples of transformations (sometimes called miracles) of exteriors and interiors - all in support of helping the home sell more quickly and for top dollar.

Here are a few examples:

From our own Leslie Olson in Austin Texas:  Mirror Mirror on the Wall

And from Lisa Kauffman Tharp in Boston:  Add a Home Office WITHOUT Adding On

 

Kathy

 

Home Staging Atlanta - Kathy Nielsen - 678 522 8392

RESA Professional Stager of the Year - Southern Region 2011

Whether your home is vacant or occupied, this Atlanta Georgia Home Stager, Kathy Nielsen, understands what it takes to sell a home quickly. Her homes have graced the pages of several publications, appeared in TV commercials as well as on HGTV's hit program Sleep On it.

With years of experience and a massive inventory - Kathy makes the perfect choice.

 

Atlanta Home Stager Logo

 

 

 

Home Staging Website:  Home Staging Atlanta

Before and After Pictures: Atlanta Home Staging Portfolio:

Email:  Kathy@HomeStagingAtlanta.com  

Blog: Atlanta Home Staging

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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