Glenda Hodge

1. Increases buyer interest

2. Staged homes show better in pictures and on the internet

3. Everyone wins – seller, buyer and real estate agent

4. Competitive advantage

5. Receive higher offers

6. Sell faster

7. Less time on the market

8. Competitive advantage

9. Home staging costs may be tax deductible

10. Cost effective

11. Takes the guesswork out of doing it yourself

12. Less stress

13. Appraise for top dollar

I recently staged a home in Charlotte, NC, which sold on Friday, July 3rd. This home was on the market for a year. The house was pulled off the market on April 30th and it was staged on May 13th. It was put back on the market on May 16th and in escrow on May 22nd. Oh, I forgot to mention that the listing was initially listed and relisted with the same Realtor.

Dining Room Before

Dining Room After

Living Room Before

Living Room After

Decorate with color because it sets the mood, draws attention and makes a statement. You can create energy or cool down a room by adding color. The right color scheme will create ambiance, warmth or tranquility. Color could be the most powerful design element if used effectively.

According to the color experts at the Color Marketing Group the top color choices for 2009 are influenced by our hope and optimism for the future.

The three categories of color are: warm, cool and neutral. Warm colors (red, red-orange, yellow-orange and yellow) tend to enclose a space. They can make a room feel cozy. Cool colors (blue, blue-green, violet and blue-violet) are relaxing, restful, soothing and invokes trust. They can make a room appear larger. Neutral colors (gray, white and black) are considered tranquil, livable and supportive. If not used resourcefully neutral colors can evoke the feelings of boredom and weariness.

A little color goes a long way. Whatever you are trying to achieve, do it by adding color.

What colors are in store for us in 2009? According to Color Marketing Group, the top choices have been influenced by both our concern for the economy and our optimism about the future.

Color Marketing Group, the leading international non-profit association of, color design professionals, has been accurately predicting color trends for more than 45 years. CMG predicts more evolution than revolution in color trends for the coming new season.

"We're finding comfort in colors that are familiar, and yet, at the same time, we're embracing colors that make us happy -- especially as accents," said executive director, Jaime Stephens. "Everyone’s concerned about the economy, yet the spirit of the country coming together after the election is powerfully reflected in these choices. Also, the demand for colors and products that reflect an environmentally 'greener' world goes way beyond a trend. It's now 'a given.' "

According to CMG, look for these color trends in 2009:

Purple, Purple, Purple! - Emerging as a hot fashion color last fall, purple is not just a fad -- it's an entrenched trend, strongly influenced by the election. (After all, red plus blue equals purple.) Look for a greyed-out violet that works equally well as an accent or a neutral, as well as redder, plummier purples and bluer-influenced fuchsias in a huge range of products. Purple is 2009’s “must have” color.

Blue is the New Green - Various greens have symbolized "green living” over the last few years, but in 2009 the "green" environmental message is delivered by the color blue. There are watery blues, sky blues and a whole range of blues that now represent our commitment to living on a greener planet.

Cooled-down, Greyed-out Browns and Greys - Complex neutrals satisfy our urge toward classic colors in an economically challenged time. They also bridge the area between black, which seems harsh, and brown, which doesn't seem strong enough.

Yellow for Energy – The neutrals may have greyed, but look for lots and lots of bright vivid yellow to give us energy as we re-build the economy. It's the stand-out accent color for 2009.

Bright Accents from India, China, and Turkey – The exotic has become the familiar. Oranges, turquoises and teals, reds, and yellows will abound in hues from far-away countries that now seem very near. They are the optimistic touches we crave.

White is now a Business Color – Technology has produced amazing new (and very practical) finishes, which helps explain why white is showing up everywhere, even in corporate board rooms. The contrasts are all in the finishes: matte versus gloss; shine and shimmer on reflective surfaces; textured whites versus smooth -- all washable and cleanable. White also represents purity of thought, motive and result – exactly what we want from businesses now.

The Return of the "M" Word - It's mauve. Remember mauve? An old color that looks new again, in dusty violet shades, mauve works as an accent but also serves now as a neutral, punched up by those bright Asian accents (orange, turquoise, teal, red, and yellow.)

About Color Marketing Group

Color Marketing Group forecasts color trends up to three years into the future for its members, many of whom must plan ahead for product, space and materials introductions. For more information: www.colormarketing.org.

www.perfectplacesbyglenda.com/blog