The Real Estate Staging Association (RESA), the Trade Association for Professional Home Stagers, has announced that November is Home Staging Awareness Month.
Please join us on Monday, Nov. 3rd, between 11am and 2 pm, at the Cort Furniture Rental on Johnston Street in Lafayette,for an unprecedented gathering of Stagers. The meetings will focus on the Staging Industry, creating standards, ethics and addressing the wants and needs of the Professional Stager. ALL STAGERS, regardless of affiliation, can have a voice in creating standards and choosing the direction you want your industry to take.
This event nationwide event is sponsored by RESA, IRIS, and ASHSR.
RESA along with IRIS and ASHSR is proud to announce that we are National Co-Sponsors of Home Staging.
Lunch will be served, courtesy of PODS - Portable, On-Demand Storage.
Please register for the meeting HERE.
Thank you for your interest and participation. We look forward to hearing from you!
Michelle Molinari
President, Acadiana Real Estate Staging Association
Yesterday, fellow Lafayette Stager Amie Chaney and her husband, Paul Chaney, stopped by our farm to drop off a very kind gift for my family, who sustain massive damage from Hurricane Ike to three of our homes.
Amie and Paul brought us a "care package" including many, many essentials to aid in our clean-up efforts. Having been a flood victim herself at one time, she knew exactly what we would need.
Thank you, Paul and Amie, on behalf of myself, my mom, grandmother, father, & sisters. What you did for us will never be forgotton, and we appreciate your kindness and concern more than we can express. The items you gifted will go a long way toward our rebuilding and clean-up of our homes, and have already gone a long way to help heal our distressed souls. Just knowing such good-hearted people would reach out to us in such way, is very moving to us all.
Saying thank you is not enough, but it is all we can do.
Blessings always to you and yours,
~Michelle, Carol, Sue, and Family
A picture is worth a thousand clicks. At least, when putting it on the market, it ought to be. Buyers today have every advantage, and one of those is the convenience of cruising the internet when deciding on which houses they would like to entertain as possible future residences.
When potential buyers do a virtual drive by on your house via the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), how many seconds do you think they spend looking at each individual house? For most, the answer is one. One second per house. They scan the page, and if it doesn't strike their fancy, click, and they are off to the next page of listings. This is how over 90% of property buyers shop today.
So, how does your house vie for attention in a one-second world? Maybe you have a house that is interesting, and it gets a two or three second lifespan on the computer screen. So, how do you get that slippery little sucker...the elusive "Click" on your house?
Here's the part where most people will list the crucial aspects of curb appeal, such as a tidy, power-wash fresh walkway or a vibrant lawn with flowers punctuating the doorway. I am going to skip past all that and explain the psychology of staging for curb appeal.
In one second, people are going to determine whether your house is in good repair, if your yard is a pain to care for, if there is room for the kids to play, and if it is a place they would like to invite their friends and family over to visit. It is either going to trip these triggers, or it's not.
The color is going to fall into three categories: Gorgeous, OK, or Horrible.
The landscaping is going to register as Immaculate, OK, , or Unkempt.
The welcome-ability factor ( I also call it the red carpet effect) is going to be Inviting, Reserved, or Withdrawn.
That's about all people will take in during your property's one-second of fame.
You ought to try it out! Go to any real estate website. Or, simply try one of my favorites for ease of use, www.century21.com. Enter your zip code. Sellers have a one-inch square to make an impression that will last, as you can see. One inch, one second. It is pretty apparent by the time you get to the second page that your window of opportunity to snag a buyer's attention is not ample. How many houses on page one grab you? Page two? Did you feel compelled to view ANY in detail? Did any of them strike you as Gorgeous, Immaculate, and Inviting? Were the details impactful on such a tiny scale?
Looking at the big picture means truly keeping this little picture in mind firmly when making decisions about how to spend you curb appeal cash. On a budget? Don't buy small flowers... go for the bold marigolds, even if you don't like them. Whip out a quart of fresh bold paint for the door. Jerk out those bushy shrubs that hide the windows. Push your house out there! Pop out that trim work if it's substantial. Hit those buttons!
Your house has to psychologically cue the buyer that this house deserves a click, and from the click, it absolutely makes it to the must-see list to give their Real Estate Agent. It's importance cannot be underestimated or skipped over, or your house will be, too.
Michelle Molinari
Certified Staging Professional
"Feature This... "Real Estate Staging
Looking for a Stager in the Lafayette/Acadiana area? The Acadiana Real Estate Staging Association can help! We promote the ethical practice of home staging techniques, and help people learn more about the Staging Industry in general. We offer tips on how to choose a qualified home stager to showcase your home or listing.
If you are a Realtor or Homeowner, or Stager, and you would like to know more about, or affiliate with, our local chapter of the Real Estate Staging Association, please go to www.acadianaresa.com and learn more!
Michelle Molinari President, Acadiana Real Estate Staging Association
If you know what color "Haint Blue" is, then you may be shocked to find that not everyone everywhere knows what shade this color is, or what it can to do for homeowners today.
Haint Blue is most commonly used on houses in the southern region of the United States; however, many cultures around the world describe similar protective properties of this color.
The word "haint" is European in origin, and generally refers to bodiless spirits with a less-than-nice agenda. The color Haint Blue supposedly has the unique property of repelling spooks, confusing them by blocking their ability to gain entry into a home. There are references to "haints" being unable to cross over water, so perhaps the blue color just ticks them off by reminding them of their shortcomings as paranormal entities.
First batches of haint blue paint in the U.S. in the 1850's and were made by hand at the construction site, using raw materials such as blue-colored minerals and ochers, milk, and lime. It was noticed that bugs wouldn't land on the dried paint, quite likely an affirmation for proponents regarding its ghost-busting abilities. However, most likely, it wasn't the power of the color that the bugs were avoiding, but more likely, the lime the paint was made of.
Many cultures claim to be authorities on the exact shade and mystical properties of Haint Blue, which is also called Gullah Blue, Dutch Boy Blue, Dirt-Dauber Blue, and what they call it here in Louisiana... "That Blue Color Mosquitoes Hate." The color is quite sought after, and can be found on homes, both historic and on new construction. The color is extremely popular for the porch ceiling and under the eaves.
Regardless of the myths surrounding Haint Blue, painting a historic house with a color with such colorful past gives us a sense of continuity, a sincere gratitude for the ingenuity and perserverance of our forefathers, and an appreciation of their deeply-held beliefs.
It also gives us something to think about as we sip lemonade on a hot day, and stare up at the wasp's nest anchored to our porch ceiling coated with our largely impotent modern-day latex Haint Blue paint.
Please be advised: The actual shade of "Haint Blue" varies, as the formulas were mixed by hand with local pigments. Haint Blue can range from a pastel violet-blue, such as a periwinkle, to a rich shade of warm turquoise, and everything in between. If you believe your house is plagued with poltergeist activity, call your local paranormal investigative society to find out what shade of Haint Blue is most effective in the haints in your county.
~Michelle Molinari
For more unbelievable curb appeal tips, join our Active Rain Group: Curb Appeal 101.
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Full Service Interior Decorating and Certified Professional Staging Team, We specialize in Virtual Staging, Curb Appeal, and helping DIY-ers attain a faster, more lucrative sale.
We are a family-owned and operated Design, Decorating, and Staging Team. With over 40 years combined experience, we create savvy solutions for residential spaces.
As Certified Professional Stagers we offer to transform your "well-loved home" into an highly desirable and marketable commodity. The result of employing the effective tools and concepts of Real Estate Staging puts more of your equity in your pocket faster. A lukewarm buyer doesn't feel any urgency to make an offer, and often bids lower than you expected or needed. When the buyer is completely smitten with your property, they place a bid quickly and are more likely to offer the asking price. 
Our team consists of Carol Hebert-Harper, Michelle Molinari, Sue Eldredge, and Paul Broussard.
Carol has been an interior decorator for nearly 35 years. She has designed for clientele in Los Angeles, Palm Springs, Houston, and has returned to her hometown of Abbeville, Louisiana. Carol
presently prefers the fabrication and design aspect of her craft, solving design and lighting issues.
Two of her daughters have followed in her footsteps to work for Feature This...
Michelle works in the interior design field, and is a color consultant for a major industry leader in the field of decorating. She brings her knowledge of computerized imaging and cutting-edge trends to the staging arena. Michelle is also a graduate of Certified Staging Professionals and a member of RESA. When you call Feature This..., Michelle will be there every step of the way of the staging process, from the initial consult to your first Open House.
Sue is an artist, faux finisher, and professional organizer. Sue coordinates our project team and generates enthusiasm and ideas for streamlining the overall appearance of your property using careful accessory selection and installation. Sue is also a Certified Staging Professional and Member of RESA, the Real Estate Stagers Association.
Paul Broussard is a master carpenter with a lifetime of experience. Paul works with us on-site to make your spaces live up to their potential. Utilizing his skills, he dramatically directs the buyer's attention to the details that excite them to make offers.
Our clients are sellers who truly desire to realize their maximum equity from their property in the shortest period of time. Some sellers can wait on their equity, and those are not the clients we target.
We stage to SELL! We don't stroke egos, either yours or ours. We are not some hoity-toity design team that is seeking prestige. We are a fully-capable, hands on, money-saving and money-making force to be reckoned with. Staging requires the ability to use limited funds in the most creative and impressive ways. That means getting dirty, brainstorming the best solutions for the most value, and bringing the seller on board our creative voyage. It's not all guest towels and flower arrangements. It's paint brushes, power saws, sore knee-caps and sweat trickling in our eyes. AND WE LOVE IT!
The only thing we love more than staging is CELEBRATING A SUPER-FAST SELL!
Dear Michelle, Just a note to thank you for your help in improving our home's appearance. Michelle, you are most professional, knowledgeable, patient, understanding, and you really care!! Your support throughout the project was reassuring and comforting as well. It's easy to see that you love what you do. In today's world you are most definitely, a breath of fresh air!! We really appreciate all your efforts and want to thank you so very much!! Sincerely, Sandy & Phyllis M.
Dearest Ladies,
I cannot begin to thank you enough for the wonderful job you did at my home. It was with wonder and satisfaction that in a morning's time I watch how good taste and imagination can make such an amazing difference.
Needless to say, my property, which had been on the market for six months, sold to the first customer who viewed it after being staged by your company!
I would recommend your services to anyone who needs to sell their home; as you are efficient, professional, and artistic.
Thanking you again,
~Renee R.,
Lafayette, La
Dear Miss Carol,
I just wanted to tell you and your girls thanks. My mom told me I'd have a nice little apartment when I came home from Iraq, but I wasn't expecting anything like this! It looks really good, and I feel right at home. It was more than a pleasant surprise. It is AWESOME!
~ Matt F., Abbeville, LA
Dear Ladies,
However can I express how much it means to us to have our beach house so beautiful! It has been a long journey since the hurricane, and I cannot tell you how it soothes our souls to come here now. Our "Old Hollywood Style" bathroom is just spectacular. Thank you!
-Mr. and Mrs. Bradley O.,
Galveston, Tx.
Dear Michelle,
We are VERY happy with our bedroom. I never thought that I'd be living in something this appealing, unique, and special-it's just right for us. Like your mom said......it's casual elegance. The original artwork you did is so personal and it means so much to us. And that fireplace Carol, Paul, and Sue built is unbelievable! We truly have a master suite now, and we love it!
Thank you so much for everything you, Sue, Paul, and Carol did for us.
~Melissa and Patrick H., Abbeville, LA
Dear Carol, Sue, and Michelle,
We are so very pleased with the kitchen rennovation and the color scheme for the rest of the house. It looks absolutely gorgeous. I love my granite, but I love the island Carol made even more! What a wonderful surprise and what a great use of my extra tile. You gals really have a way of bringing it all together. We didn't understand how raising the counter height would make such a big difference, but now, that part of the kitchen is a natural gathering place for our family. To think that before, it was just a space I stacked the mail!
Whenever anyone asks how we coordinated everything so beautifully, I tell them we just picked up the phone and called "Feature This". Thank you, for everything, and for all the details we never would have thought to consider.
~ Eddie and Cathy F.
Forked Island, LA
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