Belinda O'Brien - Elegant Stager, New Lenox, IL

Not the first choice of topics for most, but it's a problem I run into frequently. So let's jump in together and hold our nose.

Let's face it, every home has an odor. Some are pleasant, like homemade chocolate chip cookies fresh from the oven. Some are not so pleasant, like last nights Mexican dinner. Ah.. the smell of fried meat with all those great spices, re-fried beans, Spanish rice, and if you went way out, Margaritas! What tasted and smelled great last night, not so great of a smell the next day. Even worse, the odor we never want to talk about, that little accident that Fido had on the carpet last week that lingers forever if not cleaned properly.

I've been asked many times, how do you tell a client that their house has an odor without offending them? I handle this situation in two ways. First I give all of my clients a to do list that includes odor elimination. For example: Wash all window treatments, have all carpets and furniture professionally cleaned, and no smoking in the house. I even go as far as telling them to wash all dirty clothes before a showing or an open house. This is especially important for clients that have children. Have you ever smelled the sweaty clothes and gear of a child that just returned from a sporting event? Not a pretty smell.

If there is still an odor in the house the day I stage, I will gently break the news to my client and help them locate and eliminate the odor. Do not try to cover it up with an air freshener, eliminate it. That is another problem I find often. Some people think they need to put an air freshener in every room when they are trying to sell or light tons of candles. I discourage my clients from this because not everyone likes a strong perfume smell, or for some it may even trigger an allergic reaction. This would not be a great first impression.

YOUR HOME MUST BE ODOR FREE!

I can walk into a home and smell corned beef and cabbage and have that "at home feel". I love corned beef and cabbage and the smell of it brings back great childhood memories for me. My daughter on the other hand, bless her little Irish heart, would gag and run. She finds the smell of it nauseating.

The moral of the story is: What smell is inviting to one may not be inviting to others.

Sincerely,

Belinda

Elegant Stager - Free Class Offer

Preparing your Home For Sale in Today's Market In today's "buyers market" it becomes even more critical for homes to stand out and compete for the few buyers available. Home Staging gives home sellers that competitive edge by bringing out the best features in the home so you can sell faster and for top dollar. Belinda O'Brien, owner of Elegant Stager located in New Lenox, IL will share some helpful tips on preparing your home for sale in today's market at the New Lenox Public Library on March 3, 2009 at 6:00pm. Limited seating available. Please register at the New Lenox Public Library (815) 485-2605 or email belinda@elegantstager.com Home Staging is so much more than decluttering and depersonalizing a home. For more information about the benefits of home staging visit our website at: www.elegantstager.com Hope to see you at our free class at the New Lenox Public Library on March 3, 2009 at 6:00pm.

Hi everyone~

During our slow time I worked very hard on my marketing myself. I sent out press releases to all of my local newspapers in my area announcing my new business. To my surprise I received a call from an editor to do a story on staging. He needed to interview me that day, his deadline was the next day. Needless to say I was very nervous and not prepared at all. I tried very hard to get him to wait because I was staging a condo and wanted to have my before and after pictures in the story. He would not budge, but did promise to do a follow up story on the condo. Even though he made a few mistakes on how many homes I have staged (getting that fixed by the way) I think it turned out very well. The day the story was printed I received a call from a women to stage her home. I am staging her home tomorrow.

Thank goodness he did not print all of my "ums, ya knows, and like" in the story. I was so nervous!!!!

Here is the link to the story: http://www.newlenoxpatriot.com/Articles-c-2009-01-13-190218.112113_A_star_on_the_home_stage.html

What can a Professional Home Stager offer to a home seller?

In today's "buyers market" it becomes even more critical for homes to stand out and compete for the few buyers available. Clearly home sellers need a competitive edge when selling a home.

Home Staging cannot perform miracles. It can however help a home stand out from the competitors, sell faster, and for top dollar.

How do we do it? Here are just a few examples of what we do.

1. Create great first impressions.

2. Create emotional connections in each room.

3. Create open spaces and a natural flow.

4. Provide color suggestions.

5. Help the seller decide what updates or repairs will help them get top dollar.

6. Give purpose to unused or multipurpose rooms.

7. Bring out the best features of a home.

FAQ's

Why can't I stage my own home?

A professional Home Stager is trained to prepare a home for sale that appeals to most buyers. We create focal points, enhance the homes best selling points and create spaces that buyers can make an emotional connection to. A home seller can try to stage their home on their own by reading books, watching TV shows and buying how to guides. This usually causes more stress on the seller and takes a lot of time and trial and error. A professional home stager is trained to objectively view your home and has the experience to prepare your home for showings that appeals to most buyers.

Won't staging cost me a lot of money?

Staging will cost far less than your first price reduction. Research shows that a staged home sells 50% faster and for more money than a home that is not staged. We work with items you already have and add a few accessories within your budget.

Do I need to stage my vacant home?

YES! An empty home is cold and uninviting to buyers. Some rooms may even be confusing to buyers as to the function of the room. By staging a vacant home we create a warm and inviting space and give purpose to each room. Buyers are more likely to have an emotional connection to a staged home than an empty house.

For more information on how Home Staging can help sell your home, please contact Elegant Stager at 708-209-0087 or go to our website at www.elegantstager.com

It's that time of year again. It is time to think about your New Years Resolution!

I have a few this year. My resolution this year is to:

Spend more quality time with my family (never enough time)

Start eating healthy (lord help me and keep the chocolate away)

Find more time for myself(LOL)

I think I'm in the same boat as others with the last one. Most of us work so hard at our careers and family that we don't stop and think of ourselves. Pampering or rewarding yourself is vital to our happiness, but yet we deny ourselves of this all of the time. Isn't true that when your happy, everyone around you is happier?

So I'm here to say TAKE CARE OF YOU THIS YEAR! IT'S OK! Make a promise that you will take time out each week to reward you. Here are just a few suggestions:

Get a pedicure or a manicure (Men can do this too)

Read a book for pleasure (Find a place where you won't be disturbed)

Join a gym (Double the reward. It is healthy for you and you get some alone time to gather your thoughts or clear them)

Meet with friends for dinner or coffee once a week. (No networking. Just good friends getting together to chat)

Splurge on yourself at least once a month (You don't have to spend a fortune, but you do deserve to reward yourself)

Start a date night with your significant other. (These days we spend so much time with work and family that we sometimes neglect the most important foundation in our life, our relationship)

I'm sure I have overlooked a few ideas to pamper ourselves. Please feel free to add yours.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!