Atlanta Home Staging Company

The Three Most Common Errors Homeowners Make When Preparing Their Home for The Market

Kathy Nielsen Atlanta Georgia Home Stager (Georgia Interior Solutions, LLC) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 09:55:53 -0500

What are the three most common errors homeowners make when preparing their home for the market?

Error #1: Too much stuff. In some homes, it could mean too much furniture. In others, it could mean something as simple as too many photos. The key when selling is to show off as much "real estate" the home has to offer. To solve this challenge, start by removing some of the larger items first. Next, remove all non-essential items. For example, let's say you have a stack of magazines that you've saved for a rainy day. Now's a great time to let 'em go.

Error #2: Hiding the features the home has to offer. I'll use this before and after picture to illustrate. One of the features of this home is the hardwood floors. However, as you'll see in this before picture, it's hardly visible. Solution - remove the rug. Yes. It can be that easy.

Here's the same room after being professionally home staged in Marietta, Georgia by Kathy Nielsen.

Error #3: Showcasing the room. After years of having helped homeowners sell their homes more quickly, I've come to realize that this is perhaps one of the greatest challenges of all. It's difficult for homeowners to understand exactly what changes to make that will have a significant impact. Solution - purchase a few accessories that help draw your eye to some of the features. Re-arrange your furniture to make it more appealing. It's exactly what we did in this home staging.

If in doubt, search for an experienced home stager. Many offer occupied home staging services and can assist in helping you stand out amongst the other homes on the market.

Originally posted in AtlantaHomeStaging.net

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.

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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Atlanta Home Stager - Staging Flipped Properties

Kathy Nielsen Atlanta Georgia Home Stager (Georgia Interior Solutions, LLC) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 08:01:20 -0500

Atlanta Home Stager - Staging Flipped Properties

Staging these homes is such an incredible experience. The combination of efforts to take a home and make it one of the most desireable, is thrilling. The transformations are always huge.

As with any vacant home, the furniture and accessories is what helps engage the buyer on an emotional level. It adds the warmth and makes the home inviting, starting on the Internet and carried through when the prospective buyer visits the home first-hand.

And a shout-out to the Atlanta investors who use our services - Thank you for making me part of your team. Thanks, too, for having the confidence in me to help set your home apart from the others on the market.

Here's a short video clip of some of the Atlanta investment properties we've staged:

Home Staging Atlanta - Kathy Nielsen - 678 522 8392

RESA Professional Stager of the Year - Southern Region 2011

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

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 Starts with the MLS Listing

Kathy Nielsen Atlanta Georgia Home Stager (Georgia Interior Solutions, LLC) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 08:33:32 -0500

Home Staging Starts with the MLS Listing

Years ago, I made an executive decision to elevate my home staging services by offering after pictures, at no additional charge, to the homeowner and/or agent for their use in the marketing of the home. Here's why:

I understood that buyers were (and still are) using the Internet to search for a home
That it was one thing to have the buyer emotionally connect with the home when they're physically in the house but, it was critically important to have it stand out on the MLS.
It would help separate me from my competitors.

So, with all of those reasons listed above, I did some research to a) find the best camera and b) really learn how to use it. Yes, it took time. But, it was one of the best investments I've ever made.

As I tell all of my clients - I am not a professional photographer. What I can, and do, say is that I'm a professional home stager in Atlanta who takes after pictures for your use in the marketing of the home.

Here are some after pictures of a home we recently staged for an Atlanta investor. If you'd like to see more examples of some of our Atlanta Home Staging projects, click on the link.

FYI - these photos were taken with a Nikon D90.

Home Staging Atlanta - Kathy Nielsen - 678 522 8392

RESA Professional Stager of the Year - Southern Region 2011

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

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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Who Says Houses Don't Sell In The Winter?

Kathy Nielsen Atlanta Georgia Home Stager (Georgia Interior Solutions, LLC) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 16:40:53 -0500

Who Says Houses Don't Sell In The Winter?

I've heard it, and I'm sure you've heard it as well.

Well, it's time to kick that old adage to the curb.

All of these homes pictured below have received contracts in December and January. Yup, that's right. And.. they all had:

Great real estate agents - who were aggressive with their marketing
Were priced correctly - always important, regardless of what month your home goes on the market
Were staged by Atlanta Home Staging - to further showcase the features of the home and to add warmth!

And here's a close-up of one of the kitchens:

See, houses do sell in the winter!

Home Staging Atlanta - Kathy Nielsen - 678 522 8392

RESA Professional Stager of the Year - Southern Region 2011

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

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 Your Vacant Home Confusing the Buyer?

Kathy Nielsen Atlanta Georgia Home Stager (Georgia Interior Solutions, LLC) — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 08:26:41 -0500

Is Your Vacant Home Confusing the Buyer?

While no seller would intentionally confuse the buyer, most are so familiar with their own home and how they used a sepcific area within their home, that they don't consider that a buyer might not be on the same page.

Case in point:

Here's an area within the home that I recently staged in Atlanta. I walked by this area no less than three times and did NOT know what the intended area was suppose to be. It wasn't until the end of the appointment, when discussing the home with the agent, that it became clear.

Can you guess?

That was tough, wasn't it? Here's the "intended purpose" of this area.

Here's another angle:

And here's a photo of the living room:

One of the greatest benefits of having your home professionally staged is that buyers are not left to guess. Instead, it's clear as day when furniture and accessories are added.

Kathy

Home Staging Atlanta - Kathy Nielsen - 678 522 8392

RESA Professional Stager of the Year - Southern Region 2011

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

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 an Atlanta Home - Before and After Pictures Included

Kathy Nielsen Atlanta Georgia Home Stager (Georgia Interior Solutions, LLC) — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 07:32:15 -0500

Home Staging an Atlanta Home - Before and After Pictures Included

I love what I do and this past week, I did it three times. I staged a condo in Atlanta, a house in Decatur, and an Atlanta investor property in Atlanta, all in three days. Yes, it was a lot of work but at the same time, exhilarating.

Here's one of the homes we staged.

This is the living room before picture

Living room after picture:

Master bedroom before:

Master bedroom after:

And while Iran Watson (a real estate photographer here in Atlanta) will be taking after pictures of this home, here are two close-ups that I had taken:

Home Staging Atlanta - Kathy Nielsen - 678 522 8392

RESA Professional Stager of the Year - Southern Region 2011

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

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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No. I Don't Stage My Photos

Kathy Nielsen Atlanta Georgia Home Stager (Georgia Interior Solutions, LLC) — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 08:10:04 -0500

Yes. I'm a Home Stager who stages homes all throughout metro Atlanta. But, no - I don't stage my photos.

There was a post recently by an agent who had asked if we, as stagers, ever stage our photos. More specifically, the question was whether or not we change up an area within the home specific for the MLS listing photos. My response was no. I'm more of a what-you-see-is-what-you-get kinda girl. In other words, the photos I capture are always how the room appears if you were to see the home in person.

Why? Personally, I feel it's important for a potential buyer, who has viewed the home on-line, sees exactly what they saw from the Internet. I never want to disappoint the buyer which is why I'm not a fan of virtual staging.

Now having said all that, I do take close-ups (which I call "detail shots"), like the one below. And while I always provide the agents and homeowners with all of my after pictures as part of my service, I have no expectation that they will use these in the listings.

Here's a detail shot of a home we staged and recently de-staged. If you were to visit this home when it was on the market, it's exactly what you would have seen on the dining room table.

Home Staging Atlanta - Kathy Nielsen - 678 522 8392

RESA Professional Stager of the Year - Southern Region 2011

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

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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Should You Set Your Table When Selling Your Home?

Kathy Nielsen Atlanta Georgia Home Stager (Georgia Interior Solutions, LLC) — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 19:57:19 -0400

Should You Set Your Table When Selling Your Home?

Here are my recommendations:

Set one table but not both - In other words, if there's a dining room table AND a kitchen table, set only one of them.
If there's only one table, take into consideration "how busy a table setting" will have from a visual standpoint. If it appears "clutter-like", then opt for a simple arrangement.

I also let the home speak to me in terms of what it needs. For example, in this home (with one table), I wanted the chandelier to take center stage. As a result, I used small, contemporary dishes, no napkins, or glasses and a centerpiece.

I added a twig to the centerpiece to help pick-up the browns from the window treatment and table:

Close-ups:

Home Staging Atlanta - Kathy Nielsen - 678 522 8392

RESA Professional Stager of the Year - Southern Region 2011

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

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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I'm Stuck on a Title So... I'm Using This One

Kathy Nielsen Atlanta Georgia Home Stager (Georgia Interior Solutions, LLC) — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 09:38:29 -0400

I've just spent 45 minutes coming up with 18 different titles for this post. NOT KIDDING. And... I can't think of a single one that would work. This isn't the first time it's happened. I've been known to create a post, put it in draft and come back to it because I couldn't think of a title. Poor me, I know.

I've been around long enough to know the value of creating an SEO-friendly title. So, sure, I could have the title read "Atlanta Home Gets Home Staged." Or, "How This Atlanta Home Stager Helps Draw the Buyers In." I have similar titles on previous blogs so... I didn't want to go there.

So, here's the blog post with that absolutely silly title:

Kitchen before home staging: It's a photo that "may" draw the buyers off the Internet and into the home. But... why settle on "may." You're trying to sell the home, right?

Here's the home after being professional home staged by Atlanta's best home stager (done for SEO purposes, (smile).

And because I love giving homeowners photos that are outside of the norm, I shot this one:

Home Staging Atlanta - Kathy Nielsen - 678 522 8392

RESA Professional Stager of the Year - Southern Region 2011

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

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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Beat Out The Competition - An Atlanta Condo Gets Staged

Kathy Nielsen Atlanta Georgia Home Stager (Georgia Interior Solutions, LLC) — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 08:42:00 -0400

Condos can sometimes be difficult to sell. And when vacant, it sure makes it a little bit more of a challenge. Add to that that there are likely several units for sale and you've got some stiff competition.

One of the reasons why home staging is so effective is that it allows the buyer to further envision themselves living in the home. You're not leaving the buyer to use their imagination as to where they'll eat, where they will sit, etc.

Home Staging also provides solutions as to how they could layout their own furniture.

The following are before and after pictures of a recent condo we staged in Atlanta.

Home Staging Atlanta - Kathy Nielsen - 678 522 8392

RESA Professional Stager of the Year - Southern Region 2011

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

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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Atlanta Investment Property Gets a Makeover (Before and After Pictures Included)

Kathy Nielsen Atlanta Georgia Home Stager (Georgia Interior Solutions, LLC) — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 07:47:11 -0400

Atlanta Investment Property Gets a Facelift

What an amazing project to have been involved in. Our Atlanta Home Staging company, Georgia Interior Solutions, was asked to create the decorator schedule for their recently purchased investment property in Smyrna, Georgia.

A decorator schedule is a schedule of all the selections for the home. For example, light fixtures, wall color, flooring, granite, backsplash and the list goes on. It's a lot of decisions but... extremely rewarding. We were also asked to home stage the home.

Here's the kitchen before the renovations.

Here's how the kitchen looks after the renovations and after home staging.

Here are just a few of the decisions made for the kitchen:

Granite selection
Backsplash
Sink size
Faucet
Handles - I decided to have them cleaned versus being replaced
Flooring
Light fixtures

Here's an after picture of the living room:

Home Staging Atlanta - Kathy Nielsen - 678 522 8392

RESA Professional Stager of the Year - Southern Region 2011

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

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 in Marietta Georgia - My backyard

Kathy Nielsen Atlanta Georgia Home Stager (Georgia Interior Solutions, LLC) — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 07:41:32 -0400

Home Staging in Marietta Georgia - My backyard

We home stage all over metro Atlanta but in the case of this home, it was a mere 3.4 miles from my own home. What a treat!

Another treat (and yes, this day was full of them) is that I had Iran Watson, Atlanta's best real estate photographer scheduled to shoot this home. Turns out that Iran knows the Atlanta investor and didn't know that I staged all of his Atlanta investment properties. In fact, Iran, impressed with my work, tried to convince this Atlanta investor to switch stagers. The investor turned to Iran and said: "I love my home stager and I'm not switching." Finally, it was revealed that the home stager was me. Too funny.

The icing on the case is that I had the assistance of my twin sister, Kerry, with the staging. Her home is a mere 1.5 miles away and she happened to have had a vacation day.

This vacant home went through an incredible transformation. Here's how the living room/kitchen eat-in appeared.

Home Staging Atlanta Before Picture:

Home Staging Atlanta After Picture:

The following were also taken by Iran Watson, a Real Estate Agent in Marietta and an Atlanta Real Estate Photographer. I just had to include these two detail photos as they look to me like they belong in a magazine. Nice job, Iran.

Home Staging in Marietta was an absolute treat!

Home Staging Atlanta - Kathy Nielsen - 678 522 8392

RESA Professional Stager of the Year - Southern Region 2011

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

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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Are You The BEST Home Stager?

Kathy Nielsen Atlanta Georgia Home Stager (Georgia Interior Solutions, LLC) — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 08:49:51 -0400

Are You The BEST Home Stager?

Yesterday, after returning from a home staging a home in Smyrna, Georgia, my phone rings. I answer promptly and listen to the seller as he tells me that he has an occupied home and knows that he needs advice and perhaps accessories to showcase it better.

After answering a series of questions, he asks: "Are you the best home stager?"

Me, tired, and not prepared for this question, reply with: "Absolutely!"

He then asks: "Why?"

Did I mention I was tired?

Me: "Because I am." Truly, is this not the worst answer ever?

Seller: "Why?"

Me: "Because I was voted RESA Professional Stager of the Year 2011, Southern Region."

Seller: "Oh."

Me: "And because I know what I'm doing. I've been successfully helping sellers sell their homes for the past 6 years." (Note to self: Think of a sentence with a few less "s" when tired).

Seller: "Oh"

Me: "Have you seen my home staging before and after pictures gallery? If not, go to: Atlanta Home Staging Gallery."

The call ended with the seller intending to check with his real estate agent and then asked me to call him tomorrow afternoon.

The moral of the story? Be prepared to answer the question: "Are you the best home stager?"

All funnies aside, I am a firm believer that you need to strive to be the best. It's why I spend countless hours perfecting my trade, improving my photos, studying the latest trend in colors, etc.

And because I can't possibly write a blog and not include a picture, here's our latest collage of Atlanta Home Staging After Pictures:

Home Staging Atlanta - Kathy Nielsen - 678 522 8392

RESA Professional Stager of the Year - Southern Region 2011

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

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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Tips from Atlanta Home Stager, Kathy Nielsen

Kathy Nielsen Atlanta Georgia Home Stager (Georgia Interior Solutions, LLC) — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 07:38:49 -0400

Tips from Atlanta Home Stager, Kathy Nielsen

Last night, as I was going through some of my home staging before and after pictures, I came upon this set and remembered fondly the homeowners reactions when they saw the transformation. They were thrilled and didn't want to leave. Funny, that's exactly my goal, but... not with the sellers. My objective when staging is to keep the potential buyer engaged.

The changes made to this living room were simple, by design. And, these changes are ones that any seller can make. See below for a further explanation on each of these tips.

Keep décor simple, but engaging - Choosing the right accessories is always an important element in setting the stage for a quick sale. Over accessorizing adds clutter.

Expose the real estate the home offers - Notice the glass coffee table? This see-through element helps to visually expand the space.

Highlight the features of your home - The bank of windows is a beautiful feature within this home. The tall centerpiece on the coffee table helps draw the buyers eye upwards. In your home, find your features and draw the buyer in.

When showing, turn on all lights - Sounds simple and it is. In this case, we had a ceiling fan with a light. We also turned on the lamp which helps to add warmth.

Style to the demographics of the buyer - Knowing the demographics of your buyer is an important step in the process. For example, If they're likely to be young, go less traditional.

These tips were brought to you by Atlanta Home Stager, Kathy Nielsen.

Home Staging Atlanta - Kathy Nielsen - 678 522 8392

RESA Professional Stager of the Year - Southern Region 2011

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

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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How to Choose the Correct Size Rug For My Living Room

Kathy Nielsen Atlanta Georgia Home Stager (Georgia Interior Solutions, LLC) — Sun, 14 Aug 2011 08:39:51 -0400

How to Choose the Correct Size Rug For My Living Room

While there are many factors to consider, i.e., size of the room, number of pieces of furniture, etc., the following is a guideline to help determine the size rug. I just used this diagram, provided by World of Rugs, to show a couple here in Atlanta whose home I had staged and sold and am now helping to decorate their newly purchased home. Using this diagram helped tremendously. I want to personally thank Paul Roorda, from World of Rugs, for giving me permission to use his diagram for this blog post.

Here are some other items to consider when choosing your rug size:

If you're selling your home and have beautiful hardwood flooring, it's best to expose them. That said, go with the smaller size (6 x 9 or even a 5 x 8).
The larger the room, the larger the rug. Large rooms can accommodate a large area rug (9 x 12 or 10 x 14). For small rooms, go with a smaller size (6 x 9 or 8 x 10).
Dark rugs can help ground a room while a lighter color won't. Keep that in mind when determining the size rug.

Choosing the correct size rug is important. I hope this diagram has helped you as much as it did me.

For your home staging needs in and around Atlanta Georgia, contact Kathy Nielsen at 678 522 8392.

To find the perfect rug, World of Rugs & Furniture is open to the public 7 days a week and 24/7 online.

Home Staging Atlanta - Kathy Nielsen - 678 522 8392

RESA Professional Stager of the Year - Southern Region 2011

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

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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