Wanda Richards Shows Great Home Staging

This post is a follow up to several blog posts I wrote a week ago about a staging project we were working on that we had to make a few color changes before we could stage with furniture. The home was vacant and although the colors probably worked well with the previous owner's furniture and accessories, now that the home was vacant, the colors were just too dark and strong for most buyers.

Living Room Before was a dark tan with a golden tone and even the ceiling was painted the same color. The stairwell was a deep burgandy and even the ceiling was painted that color making it feel like a cave as you walked up the stairs.





Living Room After - I selected a softer beige in an eggshell finish and painted the ceiling and trim white. I decided to paint the stairwell and upstairs hallway white to lighten the effects of the darker rooms upstairs that we were not going to paint. We added furniture and accessories and now the space looks "move-in" ready for potential home buyers.





The dining room was painted lipstick red.



We carried the same beige with white ceilings and trim into the dining room.



I decided to keep the kitchen color and just add some accessories to pull it all together.



As they say on TV..."the owners are expecting an offer any day now".

This home was a pleasure to stage. The beautiful hardwood floors, designer colors, and the open floor plan were a home stager's dream. Plus it was CLEAN, CLEAN, CLEAN!

7905 Sequoia Drive in Roanoke's North County Area
MLS # 747874 - Offered At $294,950

Best one floor living in Roanoke County! Immaculate 4 Bedroom, 3 Bath Brick Ranch in terrific neighborhood! Open floor plan, sensational master suite, gourmet kitchen w/ new solid surface countertops, gleaming hardwoods, extra large dining area, gas log fireplace in living room. 2-car attached garage, plush landscaping w/ deck & brick patio w/ arbor, k-guard gutter system. Downstairs has been professionally finished with a huge great room with gas log fireplace, bedroom, bath, and workroom. Must see! No rear neighbors.

To view more photos and information please go to:
http://www.singlepropertysites.com/display/?number=43509

Free 5 Day / 4 Night Carnival Cruise For 2 To Selling Agent With Acceptable Contract On Or Before August 15, 2009!

For More Details Please Contact:
KATHY CHANDLER, ABR
MKB, REALTORS-MAIN
3801 ELECTRIC RD. S.W.
ROANOKE, VA 24018
Home - (540) 819-4640
cell - (540) 819-4640
kchandler@mkbrealtors.com
http://GetMeThatHouse.com

It has been a busy and productive week at Shows Great Home Staging and Web Solutions. We started the week changing out some interior paint colors and preparing two vacant homes for furniture delivery.



Next we de-staged a recently sold listing. (It has previously been on the market over a year and went under contract only 45 days after staging) yippee!!! We moved that furniture to our new staging project and the rest into the warehouse for the staging projects coming up on Monday.

All in all it was a very productive week. We completed new two staging projects. Completed 4 staging consults. Signed two new contracts for upcoming staging projects and in between all of that, updated numerous web sites, photographed virtual tours, and blasted out eflyers for local real estate agents. Oh and I did mention, I took most of Friday off to prepare for my daughter's baby shower today.

Next week is going to start with a bang. On Monday we will de-stage a large home and we are staging two vacants. Monday is going to be a long day. I am praying for low humidity, NO rain, a full crew, and lots of energy to make it all work. Tuesday I will be speaking at Long and Foster's North Office about the new FLEX MLS IDX and other technology tools then I head to Lynchburg for a staging consult and photo shoots.

It looks like August is going to be another busy month. We already have staging projects and appointments scheduled through the middle of August plus several speaking engagements.

Thanks for following us to work this week.

I hit the floor running this morning because I overslept a little. I did not get up until 5:45 and that is late for me. I started my day by emailing a couple of staging proposals that I had completed over the weekend and sending an email to a potential client, declining to do the work on his flip. We just did not see eye to eye on what needed to be done to get the property ready for the market. I am feeling much better now that is done.

Next I am off to Lowes. Once again buying paint and hardwood floor polish for another project. At 9:00 we are at the first project and we are ready to start painting but we are one person short because one of my team is sick. Thinks he may have shingles. I hope that is not the case because we really need him this week.

I head to the second project to work on the hardwood floors while the team members are painting. I need to try to get these floors shining before we deliver the furniture on Wednesday.



By 11:15 I am back with a paint brush in hand and we are adding the color and trim to the dining room and living room. We paint until 4:30.

The project is really starting to come together. Two of my team members are all smiles now that their day is coming to a close :). It's 5:30 and I am heading to the second project to put another coat of sealer on the floors.

On the way home I am listening to the 21 voice mail messages from today and trying to get back to everyone. There are even more emails to deal with once I get back home.

Well...it is 7:30 and it is time for a long, hot bath...a bite to eat and then back to the computer to finish reading emails, updating a few web sites, and working on my notes and Power Point presentation for the Social Media Marketing Workshop I am doing for the Vinton Chamber of Commerce in a few weeks.

So if you think staging sounds like a glamorous job...think again. It is hard, sweaty work. Most of the time I am covered in paint and my joints are aching from all the lifting and moving we do. With that being said...I do love my job.

Stay tuned ...tomorrow it is more painting, a photo shoot in Rocky Mount, and the final preparations to both homes before the furniture is delivered on Wednesday.

Typically our work weeks begin on Monday but this week we got an early start by working on Saturday because we have a full week ahead of us with 2 homes to unstage and 2 (possibly 3) vacant homes to stage.

The day started at Lowes at 7:30 picking out paint colors to tone down the bright colors in our current staging project. I decided on a soft beige for the Living Room and Dining Room, trimmed out in white. We will use a lighter color up the stairway to lighten the dark stairwell.

Dining Room Before:



Hallway and Stairwell:

Bedroom:



8 hours, 4 painters, and 2 coats of primmer later what a difference it makes to lighten things up a little:







We managed to get a lot accomplished. All walls have been primmed. The dining room and living room are just about finished with their color coat. Tomorrow we will paint the ceilings and trim and hopefully get a coat of color on the stairwell and upstairs bedroom.

I personally love bright colors but if you are considering selling your home, it's best to tone down those colors for the broadest market appeal.