Ginger Foust-Home Stager Oakhurst CA Dream Interior Redesign & Staging Calif

Remember this manufactured home that I frantically staged with the agent and his entire family before I had to leave town for a month:

Well, I'm doing a Staging Happy Dance today. After a 30 day absence I contacted the agent today and this property went under contract with a cash offer yesterday and will close on June 6. Previously it had been on the market for over a year with zero offers.

New carpet, paint, cleaning and STAGING equals RESULTS!

Dream Interior Redesign & Staging by Ginger Foust is a full service professional staging and redesign company serving the California foothill and mountain communities of Oakhurst, North Fork, Coarsegold, Ahwahnee, Bass Lake, Wawona and Mariposa. Click here to see a short slideshow with examples of our staging work. Also, visit our website at www.dreamredesigns.com or www.oakhurststaging.com for more information or call 559-877-2442.

If you haven't watched HGTV's many programs regarding real estate home staging you should. These programs include: Get It Sold, The Unsellables, The Stagers, Designed to Sell and many more. Visit the HGTV website for additional information. All of these programs will help you prepare your home for the real estate marketplace. All of the professions on these programs have tips to share with you about preparing your home.

There are however some myths that have been perpetuated with these television programs. We have to remember that the producers of these shows sometimes feel the need to exaggerate certain aspects of their shows and they often ignore critical costs of Home Staging.

Here are some HGTV myths regarding Real Estate Home Staging:

1) You can purchase a house full of new furnishings for relatively little money.

2) A finish carpenter can come into your home to build an entire entertainment unit for only the cost of the materials. The carpenter's time has no value and they will do it at no cost.

3) Renting furniture is inexpensive.

4) Renovating a kitchen or bathroom is inexpensive because the contractor and laborers are free. You only have to pay for the materials.

5) Real Estate Home Staging Professionals will work for free.

6) Professional Home Stagers are mean and they will denigrate you and your home in the initial walk- through.

7) Professional Home Stagers want you to buy all new items before they will stage your home because they cannot work with what you own.

8) Professional Home Staging always costs at least $2000.

Here are some of the realities involved with Real Estate Home Staging:

1) Professional Home Stagers ARE bargain hunters. They can tell you where to show to find the bargains and many will shop for you...but not for free.

2) Professional Home Stagers can refer you to carpenters and other trades people that can help you accomplish any phase of the home staging process. The trade's people establish their own price to accomplish a job.

3) Furniture rental company's fees can be expensive. A few companies that specialize in Home Staging have established fees that are more reasonable. Be aware that there may be a 3 month minimum rental contract. Many Home Stagers carry their own inventory of artwork and accessories and sometimes even furniture to help offset these costs.

4) Updated kitchens and baths are very important to the home selling process however the costs for renovating these rooms can be substantial. Do-it-yourself sellers have an advantage but they must be careful to spend their dollars wisely. Professional home stagers can help sellers understand where best to spend their renovation dollars before the process begins.

5) Professional Home Stagers do not work for free. They do not have television sponsors and producers to pick up the cost for their services. As business owners there's substantial overhead and costs to cover. Professional Home Stagers have a business license, insurance, association memberships, storage rentals and much more. Professional Home Staging fees vary according to location. When hiring a professional home stager ask them to show you their portfolio of locally staged homes and also ask for local references.

6) A Professional Home Stager should be truthful and honest about what needs to be done to a house to prepare it for the resale or new sale market. Professionals know that selling a home can be a difficult and emotional experience and they know how to be gentle with their recommendations. The goal is to help the owners SELL, not to demean them about their home or living conditions.

7) Most Professional Home Stagers work with occupied homes. They understand that they must work with the furnishings, artwork and accessories that are already in the home. Often they will ask the seller's permission to move furnishings, put some in storage and hunt through the home for items to help with the staging process. If the budget allows they will suggest ways to get the most bang-for-your-buck when making purchases of artwork, accessories furnishings and updating projects.

8) The cost for Home Staging varies greatly depending upon the home location, the size of the home and the needs of the project. DO NOT assume what it might cost. Call a Real Estate Home Staging Professional.

Dream Interior Redesign and Staging offers full-services professional staging to the Oakhurst, CA foothill and mountain communities out of Fresno and Madera, California. We also service Kailua Kona, Hawaii for occupied homes. Call TODAY to discover how Professional Home Staging can help you sell your house. 559-877-2442

If you are selling your home or just looking for a fresh update, you must consider painting.

Those white walls that you've been living with have no personality and no warmth.

Look at the difference in these before and after photos.

Nothing was changed in the home EXCEPT for the paint color.

This homeowner wanted a simple, quick change and paint was the answer.

She called Dream Interior Redesign and Staging for a color consultation and we selected a warm neutral.

Now the white trim, shutters, fireplace, furnishings and artwork feel more showcased.

We painted the entire open concept dining area, living room and adjoining foyer and hallway.

The homeowner is thrilled and wants other rooms changed very soon.

This simple change resulted in a much warmer feeling from the moment guests enter this home.

Painting does NOT have to be disruptive, expensive or a hassle.

Whether preparing your home for selling or updating your home for dwelling, painting can give you a big bang for your buck.

Dream Interior Redesign and Staging is the premier home staging, decorating and redesign company in the Oakhurst and Mariposa mountain communities. Call 559-877-2442 for help in solving your design related issues.

If you read my blog post from this a.m. Shot Myself in the Foot but that's OK, here is an update. Within a few minutes of posting that blog I got a call from the agent. Stage it NOW was his plea because he'd decided to have an Open House this week. Prior to the painting and new carpet he just wanted to DUMP this place.

He and his wife had decided that they would pay for my staging, with a very tight budget of course. He already knew that I was leaving town for a month, tomorrow, so I had to scramble. I told him that I needed his help to get this done and his entire family turned up. They moved my items from storage, helped me unload and do a bit of setting up at the house. The key here was that everything had to get there in ONE trip because there just wasn't time for more. (I still have to pack my bags for being gone for a month.)

Here are a couple before and afters:

I literally threw things into our vehicles because I had no time for planning. Would I change some things? You betcha, but there was no time for more. I've never before done such a RUSH job but we're all pleased with the results and I think that he might just sell this home this week. Some of the issues with this house are still there but all-in-all it's SO-O much better!

Oh and BTW, the other part of my deal with this Realtor is that if it does sell quickly, he has to destaged......I think it's a WIN-WIN for both of us.

YES, even the low-end listings SHOULD be staged!

This is a 1986 manufactured home in a 55+ park in Bass Lake, California. The listing agents are John and Cathy Bortz with C-21 Ditton, Oakhurst CA. The house is listed for $109,000. Please call John or Cathy for more information. 559-676-3913 AND tell them Ginger sent you.

Dream Interior Redesign & Staging by Ginger Foust is a full service professional staging and redesign company serving the California foothill and mountain communities of Oakhurst, North Fork, Coarsegold, Ahwahnee, Bass Lake, Wawona and Mariposa. Click here to see a short slideshow with examples of our staging work. Also, visit our website at www.dreamredesigns.com or www.oakhurststaging.com for more information or call 559-877-2442.

AGENTS/REALTORS let your professional home stager help you make the deal happen.

Some of you will remember my blog post asking for a primer to use on wallpaper panels in a mobile home.

This was an estate situation and the mobile is located in a 55+ park. One of my realtor partner's asked me to just take a look at the place and perhaps help with some accessories, artwork and linens...no major furnishings. This home had already been on the market for OVER a year (with a different agent) and the space rental was eating away at any profits that MIGHT be there for the heirs. The trustor (a friend of the deceased) was continually telling the realtors that there was simply no money for anything except the space rent. AND since the heirs were long distance there was no one to do the work without some $$ expenditures.

I don't usually do LOOK-SEES for no cost but this agent uses me a lot so I make some concessions that don't eat too much into my time. After a brief look-see I decided that this 1986 model really needed some serious updating before staging would do it ANY good. The wallpaper, sculptured blue (dirty) carpet throughout and much more screamed "OLD."

In order to help the agent understand why I did not recommend staging I put it in writing. Nothing time consuming or detailed. He totally understood BUT then he also sent my brief explanation to the attorney for the estate and let him know that this home needed a SERIOUS price reduction.

The attorney responded that he thought that it was time to paint and recarpet rather than reducing the price so drastically. How about staging my agent friend asked? "Don't think so," replied the attorney.

The agent called me with the GOOD NEWS that painting would be happening and new carpet too. I was thrilled and yes I would help him with paint color and carpet selection. THEN he let the shoe drop...no new light fixtures and NO staging. Ouch!

Here's a before and after of the wallpapered kitchen NOW painted.

Sorry no after photos of the newly carpeted areas and painted rooms YET. BTW it is NOT painted white as it shows in the photo. It is a mocha cream.

Yes, I shot myself in the foot and will not be staging this home but that's OK. Hopefully the agent will now be able to move this property and I know that I will remain his staging partner. I WILL GET BACK.

Sometimes providing the real estate agent with a consultation (even a brief one) can work wonders.

IMPORTANT UPDATE CLICK HERE.

Dream Interior Redesign & Staging by Ginger Foust is a full service professional staging and redesign company serving the California foothill and mountain communities of Oakhurst, North Fork, Coarsegold, Ahwahnee, Bass Lake, Wawona and Mariposa. Click here to see a short slideshow with examples of our staging work. Also, visit our website at www.dreamredesigns.com or www.oakhurststaging.com for more information or call 559-877-2442.