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Katrina Cantrell

Home Staging: Malarkey or Pot of Gold?

If you think home staging is a bunch of malarkey, you could risk selling your home for less money and it could sit on the market for a long time. The proof is in the pudding because in 2009, 80% of our sold homes received at least one written contract within 15 days and 40% of our sold homes received more than one written contract. You might say it is luck of the Irish (I am one quarter Irish) but our statistics reflect a sophisticated, calculated marketing strategy that sets your home apart from the competition. While home owners can't change the home's location or their competition, they do have control over two things: the list price of the home and how the home presents to buyers. The right price will get you in the game and the staging "wow factor" will make your MLS photos pop and impress buyers. Wishing you the best of luck this St. Patrick's Day! Katrina Cantrell President Capitol Staging LLC www.capitolstaging.com 571.230.4025

Home Staging and the Super Bowl

Despite the blizzard outside, Super Bowl Sunday is the unofficial kickoff for the spring real estate market. Selling a home can have a tremendous impact on a seller's financial portfolio. Despite this fact, there are home sellers who will spend more time and money on their Super Bowl party than on preparing their home for this competitive market.

As a professional home stager and daughter of a college football coach, I put together a winning game plan for real estate agents and home sellers.

The 2010 Winning Game Plan

Hire a Staging Coach with Winning Statistics
In 2009, the average number of days on the market for Capitol Staging LLC staged and sold homes was 21 days!

80% of our sold homes received a written contract within 30 days

37% of our sold homes received more than one written contract

Play to Win
Come out fighting the day your house goes on the market! The first buyers to visit a home are the most promising prospects and are not likely to return after you have cleaned, repaired and staged it. Don't wait until the second quarter to score points with home buyers.

Don't Let the Clock Run Out
Buyers will look at the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) Days on the Market (DOM). A high number of days on the market can lead to price reductions and low offers. Hoping for a Hail Mary in the 4th could potentially result in a price reduction of $20,000 or $30,000 and months of unwanted mortgage payments.

Quarterback Sneak
By staging your home, you are running a play that will both outsmart the competition in the neighborhood and be pleasant surprise to home buyers.

We are the Champions!
Staged homes are the champions in the real estate market because staging helps to sell homes for top dollar and in less time.

Happy Super Bowl,

Katrina Cantrell

President Capitol Staging LLC

571.230.4025

Our TOTAL PACKAGE helped to SELL another home!

Our TOTAL PACKAGE of furniture and accessories just helped to sell another home, and it is ready to move to your vacant listing this Wednesday, November 18! The TOTAL PACKAGE includes our our professional staging services as well as two months of furniture and accessory rental. Call us today at 571.230.4025 for your free quote! Why invest in The Total Package for a vacant property? • The Average Days on the Market (DOM) in 2009 for the Total Package is 16 Days • Staged Internet photos will help generate more buyer traffic by setting your house apart from the competition. • Home buyers can better envision themselves living in a home that is staged. Click here to view pictures of the package. Availability is limited, so call today. I wish you much success with your business! Katrina Cantrell President Capitol Staging LLC

Home Staging and Halloween in Washington, DC

My children spent the last couple of Halloweens Trick or Treating on Capitol Hill with family and friends. Washingtonians near the Eastern Market area go all out for Halloween, and my kids love the impressive home decorations and elaborate costumes. While the row houses allow for a high rate of candy collection, there are some houses that that are so scary that my youngest son will happily forgo the candy and move on to the next house. Home buyers can be the same way, and will move on to the next house if something scares them away. Here are a few staging tips that can help prevent scaring off home buyers: Clearly Define Each Room Is your dining room being used as an office and is your formal living room now a playroom? If so, switch the room back to its intended purpose otherwise home buyers may conclude the home is not spacious enough. Darkness Have you ever heard anyone say they like a house (other than a haunted house) because it is so dark? Be sure to turn on all of your lights for showing, open the blinds, and take down curtain panels that block too much light. Dark MLS photos will encourage Internet shoppers to move on to the next house. Mismatched Appliances Mismatched appliances disappoint buyers. The price of new, matching stainless steel appliances is much less than a price reduction of $20,000 or $30,000. Wall Paper Leaving dated wall paper on your walls is a trick not a treat to buyers. Though your wall paper may have been expensive, it poses a concern to buyers, and they may inflate the effort and cost of removal. Clutter Lots of clutter can turn your home into a haunted house! Your collections and paraphernalia can scare buyers into thinking there is no storage space in the home. Please give us a ring at 571.230.4025 if we can help your home become less "scary". Happy Halloween! Katrina Cantrell President, Capitol Staging LLC

Impressive Open Houses

Sunday, October 4 1 to 4 p.m. 7000 MEMORIAL HEIGHTS DR
ALEXANDRIA, VA 22306
$549,900

1

Click here to view the listing, FX7165560.

Sunday, October 4 1 to 4 p.m. 5912 1ST ST N
ARLINGTON, VA 22203

$569,000

1

Click here to view the listing: AR7159006.

Sunday, October 4 1 to 4 p.m. 13915 GUNNERS PL
CENTREVILLE, VA 20121 $289,900 1

Click here to view the listing, FX7167052.