Marianne Sweet, Home Sweet Home Staging, LLC Rochester Hills, MI

HomeGain announced the results of their 2009 home improvement survey. These are the top 12 DIY projects that give the biggest ROI for home sellers. Here's the link to the article:

http://www.prweb.com/releases/homegain-real-estate/home-improvement/prweb3164374.htm

HERE ARE THE TOP 5:

1. Cleaning and de-cluttering ($200 cost / $1,700 price increase / 872% ROI)
2. Home staging ($300 cost / $1,780 price increase / 586% ROI)
3. Lightening and brightening ($230 cost / $1,300 price increase / 572% ROI)
4. Landscaping ($320 cost / $1,500 price increase / 473% ROI)
5. Repairing plumbing ($385 cost / $1,250 price increase / 327% ROI)

Home staging rates #2! How awesome is that?

But wait ... Isn't cleaning and decluttering included in the advice a home stager would give?? OF COURSE IT IS!! We stagers also recommend updated lighting and landscaping also!

So, I'm gonna take stock in the fact that Home Staging, with all of it's parts and parcels, really rates as the #1 ROI FOR HOME SELLERS!

Take a bow, stagers!!

Reblogged from my page on www.mioaklandcounty.com and http://mioaklandcounty.realestatetomato.com/

When potential buyers view a house for sale, they need to see rooms presented as they were intended. The master bedroom shouldn’t be an exercise room, the bathroom shouldn’t be a pet station, the garage shouldn’t be a storage unit, and unless you have more than 3 bedrooms, resist the urge to make one an office.

This is especially important when it comes to dining areas. People want to see where they will gather for meals and entertain their loved ones.

I recently staged a 900 sq. ft. house for a client who was using her dining room as office space. As you can see (amongst the considerable clutter), a desk definitely does not belong there. Aside from being the wrong use of the space, it was also the first thing visitors saw when they came in the front door … NOT a good first impression.

After completely clearing out the area , I moved the table and chairs that were overwhelming the small kitchen and created a proper dining room.

Visitors can now see that there is room for a full size table and 4 chairs at the very least. Showing a dedicated dining room, the intended purpose for this space, adds value to this petite house and answers an important question for the buyer.

Reblogged from my page on http://mioaklandcounty.com/blog/category/home-staging/

We know that the three most important factors for a successful real estate sale are location, price and condition. While the seller can make changes to the price and condition of a property to hasten a sale, no one can amend the location.

What happens when the location of the house itself is desirable, but the neighbors are not?

Everyone has a story. The neighbors who don’t mow their weed-infested yard. The RV parked in the driveway year-round. The garbage cans left out for days after pick-up. The home improvement project that was never finished. The incessant barking dogs. The company van. The boat. The used cars for sale. The dumpster. The broken garage door. The loud parties.

The smart buyer will scope out the neighborhood before making an offer. If a house isn’t selling, it may be “The Neighbor Factor” at work. Here’s where a home stager can help.

In this photo, furniture placement (specifically, a strategically-placed tree) help to block the view of the neighbor’s backyard, so it’s not the first thing a potential buyer will see when they enter the space.

It’s only upon closer inspection, or in this case zooming in, that you become somewhat aware of the Tiki Bar in the neighbor’s yard and the novelty signs that are plastered all over his garage. Home staging assured that the focus was on the great sunroom itself, and didn’t allow the neighbor’s yard to be a distraction.

I was fully prepared to have a little chat with the neighbor and charm him into toning it down by removing the signs from his garage. We home stagers go to extraordinary lengths to make sure our clients’ properties show in the best possible light, and that includes talking to unruly neighbors. Unfortunately in this case, I never found the neighbor home to speak to him. It turns out, however, that I didn’t have to. This house sold 7 days after being listed on the MLS.

While there isn’t a silk tree large enough to camouflage an RV in an adjoining driveway, a home stager can do wonders to increase your property’s marketability. We have a large arsenal of tricks at our disposal, including the power of persuasion and the desire to use it!

Reblogged from my page on http://mioaklandcounty.com :

While the holidays will be just a memory and an extra bag of garbage for pick-up in a couple of weeks, these weeks could be crucial for those who are actively listing and showing their houses. Buyers who are braving the elements and interrupting their holiday commitments to view houses are serious about finding their next home. Be sure your house is show-ready and tastefully decorated.

Maureen Francis gave some great advice in her earlier post Selling Your Oakland County Home During The Holidays. This home stager would like to expand on her words of wisdom and offer some guidelines to those who have their properties on the market during this festive time of year.

• Think "monotone". Think "minimalistic". Think "display tree at Macy's".
  

  tasteful Christmas decor

Warm, inviting and carefully-planned will appeal to more buyers than, say, Clark Griswold's idea of tasteful decor. We all love Clark's enthusiasm for the holidays and his family's unique style, but save the popcorn garland and children's framed photo ornaments for next year!

• While we're talking about Clark, I think we can all agree that his outdoor lighting display is legendary. It is also a lesson in what NOT to do while your house is on the market. Sorry Clark! A few strands of single-color lights framing the entrance and a wreath on the front door will suffice.
• A small assortment of wrapped gifts under the tree is a lovely touch. Shredded wrapping paper, colorful plastic toys and empty boxes ... not so much. Clean up after the celebration!
• The scent of freshly-baked cookies and a plate of treats offered to visitors is always a good thing. Fruitcake, on the other hand, never gives a good impression. Sorry Grandma!
• If your Pointsettia is past it's prime, pitch it.
• The standard staging rule of "no religious items" applies to the holidays as well. Whatever symbolizes your particular holiday (The Nativity, The Star of David, menorahs, kineras, etc.) should be kept to a minimum or even stored out-of-sight for showings. While Santa and his reindeer are more widely accepted, you should reign those in as well (pun intended!)
• And please ... if your MLS photos were taken while your decorations were on display, have them retaken as soon as the holidays are over.

Wishing you a season filled with fun, family, friends, peace and time to watch your favorite holiday movie! See you next year!

Thanks to Amber, whose post http://activerain.com/blogsview/806795/I-am-thankful-forGORILLA-GLUE inspired me.

Reblogged from my page on http://mioaklandcounty.com/blog/category/home-staging/

Today is Thanksgiving, a perfect time to pause, reflect and give thanks for all of the blessings we have in our lives.

As I reach 4 1/2 years of owning a home staging business, I realize I have much to be grateful for. I have met some incredible people along the way, many that I am proud to call "friend". I've made a few mistakes, but have learned so much. The real estate market has changed since 2004, but I see glimmers of hope daily. Maureen Francis has given me an opportunity to contribute to her blog and hopefully impact the industry in some small way. I have never had a client stiff me, although one came close. Most importantly, I have been able to help eager, and sometimes skeptical homeowners achieve quick sales. Few things satisfy me as much.

The important people in my life have remained important and stable. My husband's business is stronger than ever. Collision shops can make a car smashed by a newly-licensed teenager look almost perfect. My parents and in-laws are still alive and constants in our lives. Neither the war nor cancer has touched our family. My teenaged daughters are healthy, superbly funny and haven't given us a moment's trouble (well, aside from the car thing). I have a reasonable and honorable contractor on retainer. Life is good.

From a stager's viewpoint, the following are crucial and will be toasted this Thanksgiving:

• Enlightened real estate agents
• HGTV, for introducing staging to the public and showing what can be done to improve a property's appeal
• Fellow stagers, for being friends, problem-solvers, sounding boards, assistants and........
• Competition, which makes us accountable, honest and better at what we do
• Trust. Believe it or not, I have never met the majority of my clients. With a giant leap of faith, they give me access to their houses and trust that I will fulfill my promises and treat their property with respect. I do not take this responsibilty lightly.
• Duct tape. As Tim "The Toolman" Taylor once said, "When in doubt, duct it." You men know what I'm talking about!
• Gorilla Glue, which has saved the day more than once
• Cordless drills
• Lower gas prices, which make it much easier to retain the gas-guzzler that I am forced to own. Ever try to put a whole house-worth of accessories in a convertible?
• Pins, rubber bands, ribbon, silk flowers, Sharpies, two-sided tape and band-aids, which all reside in my Magic Bag of Stager's Tricks
• Moving Men furniture glides, which help save the back
• My chiropractor, for when the Moving Men didn't work
• Modern medicine, also for when the Moving Men didn't work, or for when a child gets sick on Staging Day

Wishing you and yours a warm, wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving!