Todd McAllister

Went on an appointment for a mid-century house with a favorite agent. The homewoner was an older gentleman that had lost his wife and was wandering around in this too-big-for-him house. I met with the "approval" committee and figured out what needed to be done with the house ON A TIGHT BUDGET!!! After an hour of touring and listening to everyone, it was decided that a few major changes needed to take place. Since the potential buyers were going to be in theri early 30' s we needed to create a "HIP PAD". The three things that were decided on were to replace the kitchen nook light, dining room light and a new kitchen faucet.... Great you say: but all for $200.00.... I thought and thought about where to go and since IKEA was 10 minutes away, that is where I started and pretty much ended. Everything I needed was there and was hopefully within my budget. When all was said and done, I was able to purchase: a nook light, dining room light, faucet, soap despenser, bathroom vanity liight (where there was not one) all lightbulbs... Total $208.38. watch for this transformation in upcoming weeks.. For more budget minded tips, follow our blog at www.onstage-online.com

"WOW..." is what our agent told us on the phone when she told us of the great news. We staged this property in the dead of winter (Dec 18). This was a FABULOUS property, that needed a little love. There were a few obstacles that the agent saw in her eyes such as mis-matched wood tones and a little bit of an akward layout. We addressed these "obstacles" and made them positives. This is another On Stage success story. Here are the photos:

I am real estate addicted.. I grew up in a family that has owned many things over the years and continues to own properties to this day. I learned a lot from my parents: mistakes and things that work and have taken these ideas and use them in my staging today. I do a lot of consulting on home remodeling, pre-staging listings as well as interior decorating for quite a few clients in the Portland area. Over the years, the one thing that has been a constant in every job is a lack of lighting. Lighting is your friend. Any type of lighting is a GREAT THING. You do need to know a few basics about lighting: I suggest going to a local lighting source and see if they have a lighting lab. In the Portland, Oregon area, the folks at Globe Lighting host these FREE Seminars. They are about an hour long and I go at least once or twice a year. It is so amazing to me how much this industry changes as with so many things in the design world. What I have found out is that if you surround yourself with professionals that specialize in these areas, they can make your life much easier. Deveope long-lasting relationships with your vendors.... They can be invaluable to you... If you need something in a hurry, they can sometimes get it for you. BIG BOX stores are nice if you need something generic that millions of other people can get, but I am a big believer in supporting the "little guy" in the community.

Getting back to lighting for staging purposes... You should have a huge inventory of lighting. Lamps can make a small space appear larger. Going into the winter, lamps are very important to make the dark corners come to life so potential buyers can see the entire square footage of a room. Lamps should be to scale for a room or table. Nothing looks worse than having a small lamp on a huge side table or a lamp that is larger than the table it is on. Also, consider the size of the room you are placing the lamp/chandelier in. If it looks off to you, chances are that it will look off to others as well. Remember: DO NOT GIVE YOUR BUYERS ANY REASON NOT TO BUY A PROPERTY. Since permanent fixtures stay with a property, pay attention to the style and proportions of the fixtures you are recommending to your clients..

This listing was showing it's age and when vacant, IT REALLY SHOWED ITS AGE. The owners had moved out and downsized and were ready to set there home of many yeras free to new owners. Their agent was referred to ON STAGE to showcase this higher end listing. Although dated, this property has a lot to offer and wby utilizing more contemporary furnishings, the feel of the property was more updated. This agent had not used a staging service before, and was a little hesitant in the begining. But he let us do our job and came back to be quite pleased with the end results. Before, the fireplace in the living room was a very "in your face" feature that was not particularly beautiful.The furnishings and fireplace are now harmonious in tone and color.

This is another ON STAGE SUCCESS STORY. This condo was a small studio in a desireable building. The majority of the condos in this neighborhood are not staged and are just setting on the market. Time and time again, properties staged by ON STAGE get eh results agents and homeowners are looking for. In an area full of listings staged and has sold in a condo neighborhood with a lot of competition. This savvy agent knows the power of staging and never has a listing without it.