Want to make sure 2009 is a GREAT year for your Los Angeles Real Estate business? Join me in attending the first ever "Dream Big" event, hosted by my business coach Lorenda Phillips, MCC of The Essential Entrepreneur.
It will be a wonderful evening specifically designed for entrepreneurs, filled with networking, food and drink and a seminar on Dreaming Big for an extraordinary business year in 2009.
Having worked with Lorenda for over a year, I can guarantee you will leave the event with the tools you need to jump start your business in the new year. You won't be disappointed!
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Annie Pinsker-Brown | Stage to Sell
Owner & Principal Designer
310-384-1084
www.stagetosell.biz
"We get you to SOLD so you can get on with your life!"
************************************************
Stage to Sell is the premier West Los Angeles Home Staging Company.
Owner & Principal Designer Annie Pinsker-Brown is an ASP Home Stager, a member of IAHSP (International Association of Home Staging Professionals), an affiliate member of the Beverly Hills/Greater Los Angeles Association of Realtors and a member of the Culver City and West LA Chambers of Commerce.
Annie has Staged LA homes for Bravo's hit show "Million Dollar Listing" and TLC's "Property Ladder." She has also been featured in recent articles on Home Staging in Los Angeles Magazine, The New York Times, Costco Connection and Frontiers Magazine.
If you would like to see more of our Home Staging work, visit our website. There is an extensive gallery of before & after photos, as well as a list of our Staged properties currently on the market.
Built-in cabinetry can be a huge selling feature, but if you have an occupied listing with lots of open cabinets or bookshelves you may find that clutter has taken over and it's making a bad impression on buyers.
Built-ins provide a wonderful storage solution, but if they are bursting at the seams a buyer will get the impression that the home does not have enough storage.
We want to give buyers the idea that "there is SO much storage space, they can't even fill it all!" Now of course we know that the longer we live in a home the more cluttered our bookshelves, closets and cabinets become. It's just the law of accumulation -- I think I just made that one up, but it's true! So when a home is on the market it is crucial to highlight the built-ins by Staging them like a pro:
1) Keep some shelves EMPTY!
Remember the idea here is to show an abundance of storage space. So if you have a built-in or bookcase with lots of little shelves, it's a good idea to leave a couple empty to show your buyers they have room to grow.
2) Create balance.
Try to balance each side of the built-in or each shelf on the bookcase. Don't put all your books to the left of the fireplace and all your vases or statues to the right. Spread them out to achieve balance. When you stand back to look at your work, the overall weight should feel about equal on both sides.
For bookshelves, my rule is that no shelf should be more than 1/2 full. I alternate which half I will fill on each shelf. For instance, on the top shelf I might put a plant on the right side. Below I would set out a stack of 3-4 books on the left. Don't forget to use the middle of the shelves to create variety. A low bowl or a tray with candles in the center of a shelf can be the perfect decorative item.
3) Remove personal items.
I see many homes where the built-ins are chock full of family photos and the kids' trophies. Remind your sellers that buyers want to picture themselves and their family living in the home. If they are bombarded with photos of the homeowner's family, they get too involved with your personal life ("Oh, look, they vacationed in Hawaii! Oh, their son plays Little League!") and forget all about the home. We want buyers to start "mentally moving in" as soon as they walk through the door, but it's hard for them to do that when the personal photos and belongings of the current homeowners are so prominent.
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Annie Pinsker-Brown | Stage to Sell
Owner & Principal Designer
310-384-1084
www.stagetosell.biz
"We get you to SOLD so you can get on with your life!"
************************************************
Stage to Sell is the premier West Los Angeles Home Staging Company.
Owner & Principal Designer Annie Pinsker-Brown is an ASP Home Stager, a member of IAHSP (International Association of Home Staging Professionals), an affiliate member of the Beverly Hills/Greater Los Angeles Association of Realtors and a member of the Culver City and West LA Chambers of Commerce.
Annie has Staged LA homes for Bravo's hit show "Million Dollar Listing" and TLC's "Property Ladder." She has also been featured in recent articles on Home Staging in Los Angeles Magazine, The New York Times, Costco Connection and Frontiers Magazine.
If you would like to see more of our Home Staging work, visit our website. There is an extensive gallery of before & after photos, as well as a list of our Staged properties currently on the market.
This is actually Part 5 (the last!) in a series on Model Home Staging, so please be sure to read my previous posts before jumping into this one:
• More Tips for Staging Model Homes
• Follow up on "More Tips for Staging Model Homes (Purchasing vs Renting Furniture)
and finally...
• Tips for Staging Multiple Model Homes - Part 1
Are you still there? Wow, that was a lot to digest! :) Ok, now for the stress-reduction techniques...
Consider using multiple rental companies (or purchasing the furniture)
If you are Staging more than 2 model units, AND you decide to rent your furniture versus purchase, you should definitely consider using more than one rental company.
I once Staged all 4 units in a condo conversion project, and at the time I had only one rental furniture supplier. Though I followed all my own advice about color palettes, style and room usage we were still very limited in terms of furniture choices (especially dining furniture) for a very small space. The rental company had only one extra-small dining table and one pub table that offered solutions for a small dining area. Thus we ended up repeating the pub table in 2 of the units, which I hated to do. If you find yourself struggling to make each unit different, look into a second rental company. For a job this big (more than 2 units) you can afford the second delivery fee and you should still make the minimums with each company. It will be worth it.
Another option is to purchase the furniture instead of renting it. This will solve the repeat furniture problem, but it may also mean a hassle in terms of storage and moving of the furniture.
Either way, give yourself some options.
Be ORGANIZED!
I am all about efficiency. I never take more than 1 day to Stage a home. And I once Staged 3 units in one day for a modern loft building in Santa Monica (with a lot of help!). But I will admit that the time we had 4 units in one building, it took us 2 days. We Staged 2 per day and it worked out wonderfully (there were only 2 of us). But the only way I am able to be so efficient in my Staging is through organization and planning!
As I said in the last post, choosing a different color palette can help with organization. That's because as you "shop your inventory" you can put all the accessories for the red & black unit in one set of boxes, and the items for the green unit in another set.
1) Label each box with the unit number of the home it's for. Even if you would use the same types of accessories for kitchens and baths in all the units, make separate boxes for each unit and label them. This way, as you and your team load in, you will be able to tell without even opening them which boxes go to which unit.
2) Post your design board on the door of each unit. Now many of you may not create digital "design boards" for your Stagings, but I do one for every vacant job. On one 8.5"x11" page, I compile digital photos of my furniture and art selection for each main room in the home. They not only give my clients a clear picture of what they'll be getting, but they help me in my shopping/prep and Staging as well. Here's an example.
By taping this design board to the front door of the unit, the furniture delivery people can easily see which pieces go into which space. And it's a great visual cue for anyone working on the project to get a quick overview of the Staging plan.
3) Schedule deliveries so they don't all arrive at once.
If you've followed my advice about using multiple rental companies OR if you've purchased the furniture for your model rather than renting it, you may have several deliveries coming to the job site. Stagger the scheduling so that there's no competition for elevator space or parking and so you can focus on one delivery at a time, making sure things go where they need to go. You running around like a crazy person from room to room trying to remember which sofa goes in which unit is not going to help anyone (trust me, I've tried it!).
4) Hire help!
A good rule is to hire one person for each unit you're Staging. Brief them on the furniture layout and Staging plan as soon as they arrive,and put them in charge of making sure every box that's been pre-labeled for their unit gets into the space. They can also be responsible for staying in the unit while awaiting any deliveries. Let them unpack all the accessories and work on the kitchen and bathroom while they wait.
Trust me, you will be running around like a chicken with your head cut off regardless. It's great to have someone whose sole focus is fulfilling your vision for each space.
Be PREPARED!
If you read my earlier post on things to watch out for when Staging a model home, you already know the many things that can go wrong on Staging day. Make sure AHEAD OF TIME that you have water and power in each of the units, that all towel bars and mirrors have been properly installed and that each unit is clean before you arrive. Put it in your contract and check back a couple of days prior to the Staging date to verify that everything is ready to go. Don't take their word for it! Get yourself or an assistant in the unit to confirm. You will have enough to worry about without these added stressors.
Ahhhhh, alas the end of the series. I hope you'll find the information helpful!
Happy Staging!
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Annie Pinsker-Brown | Stage to Sell
Owner & Principal Designer
310-384-1084
www.stagetosell.biz
"We get you to SOLD so you can get on with your life!"
************************************************
Stage to Sell is the premier West Los Angeles Home Staging Company.
Owner & Principal Designer Annie Pinsker-Brown is an ASP Home Stager, a member of IAHSP (International Association of Home Staging Professionals), an affiliate member of the Beverly Hills/Greater Los Angeles Association of Realtors and a member of the Culver City and West LA Chambers of Commerce.
Annie has Staged LA homes for Bravo's hit show "Million Dollar Listing" and TLC's "Property Ladder." She has also been featured in recent articles on Home Staging in Los Angeles Magazine, The New York Times, Costco Connection and Frontiers Magazine.
If you would like to see more of our Home Staging work, visit our website. There is an extensive gallery of before & after photos, as well as a list of our Staged properties currently on the market.
I have had the pleasure (and the stress) of Staging multiple units in a single complex on a couple of occasions in my Home Staging career, and since it can be overwhelming I thought I would share some helpful tips!
If you have not yet read my recent post on Staging Model Homes please read that first, as I covered the important first steps of Staging Models:
• Figuring out who the targeted buyers are for the development, and
• Determining what those potential buyers are looking for in a home
You've read it? Great, let's move on...
When a developer or builder wants to Stage multiple model units in a development, the purpose is generally either to highlight more than one floor plan or to attract different types of buyers. So in working with the developer on selecting which units are to be Staged, you will need to discuss the types of buyers s/he is trying to attract with each model (a family, retirees, a young professional or a couple, etc). Again, see my original post for more on this topic.
Once you've determined which model is geared toward which type of buyer, you can move on to the next step...
Make sure each unit has a distinct look and feel.
Whether it be style (contemporary vs traditional), age appeal (retiree versus young professional) or color palette (warm earth tones versus ocean hues), there should be at least one design factor that helps to distinguish each of the models you plan to Stage from the others. You wouldn't want them all to look the same - where's the fun in that?! Not to mention that if the builder is investing in Staging more than one model s/he will expects that each of them will be different enough to warrant the extra expense.
Here are some of the ways to give multiple models a different look:
1) Room Usage
In your multi-unit projects, you may Stage one that has the 2nd bedroom set up as a child's room, and the other where it's Staged as a combo guest room/home office. If your models have more than 2 bedrooms, there are even more ways to get creative! Sometimes in a family neighborhood we Stage one of the extra bedrooms as a teenager's room. In this type of room we might use a full bed instead of a twin and we often add a small writing desk as well. We place a laptop and textbooks out on the desk and use fun trendy colors (usually oranges or greens) as an accent with a shaggy throw, pillows or art. This type of room is Staged in a more sophisticated fashion than a young child's room, so it's also versatile enough to appeal to anyone looking for a guest room or home office.
But bedrooms aren't the only rooms you have to think about. Consider the other main living spaces. In one model you may place a writing desk behind a sofa in the family room rather than using an entire bedroom for an office. This shows buyers extra value that they may not have seen without your help. Or if both units you're Staging have a breakfast nook in addition to a dining room, consider converting one of them into an office space. When you know your buyers will be touring all of the models, be creative! It's great for them to see alternate ways of using the space.
2) Color Palette
This may seem like a no-brainer, but choosing a different color palette for each model will not only help give the units a distinct look, it will also help a lot in organizing and prepping for the job (I will touch on this more later). You may decide to go a little more bold on a model geared more toward a young, trendy professional than you would if the unit was going to be marketed to a retiree couple or a young family. You might choose rich jewel tones for one unit and cool ocean hues for another. Using different color palettes will also help your buyers remember which model was which after they've gone home...as in "I liked the layout of the one with the red & black living room."
3) Style
Consider selecting a different style for each unit. A model geared toward a young professional might be more sleek and contemporary with a platform bed and a white leather sofa, whereas a family home might be more traditional with comfortable and child-safe furnishings (e.g. no glass coffee tables or sharp edges). Again, this is about thinking like your buyer thinks!
I had no idea this post would be so long, so I am breaking it up into 2 parts (for those of you who need a bathroom break)!
Back soon with...
Tips for Staging Multiple Model Homes - Part 2 (Organization and Preparation)
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Annie Pinsker-Brown | Stage to Sell
Owner & Principal Designer
310-384-1084
www.stagetosell.biz
"We get you to SOLD so you can get on with your life!"
************************************************
Stage to Sell is the premier West Los Angeles Home Staging Company.
Owner & Principal Designer Annie Pinsker-Brown is an ASP (Accredited Staging Professional), a member of IAHSP (International Association of Home Staging Professionals), an affiliate member of the Beverly Hills/Greater Los Angeles Association of Realtors and a member of the Culver City and West LA Chambers of Commerce.
Annie has Staged LA homes for Bravo's hit show "Million Dollar Listing" and TLC's "Property Ladder." She has also been featured in recent articles on Home Staging in Los Angeles Magazine, The New York Times, Costco Connection and Frontiers Magazine.
If you would like to see more of our Home Staging work, visit our website. There is an extensive gallery of before & after photos, as well as a list of our Staged properties currently on the market.
I know I promised that my next post would be the eagerly anticipated "Tips for Staging Multiple Models in One Complex" but after fielding an offline question from the amazing Michelle Minch I felt I had to post a quick follow up to my recent post "More Tips for Staging Model Units."
As I covered in the original post, models will generally be on the market longer than a regular home (6-12 mos or more depending on how many units are in the development). I mentioned that it is a good idea to ask your furniture rental company about discounts for longer term rentals. However I forgot to mention another very important option:
Consider purchasing the furniture instead of renting.
Of course if you own your own furniture inventory you are probably saying, "DUH!" about now. But many of us have chosen (for various reasons that constitute a WHOLE other post) to rent our furniture from outside sources, rather than purchase it.
If you are one of those who rents your furniture it is likely you will at some point find yourself in competition with Stagers who own their own inventory. Though you may meet or beat their upfront 3 month pricing, you cannot compete with their renewal costs. Many Stagers who own their own furniture drop their monthly renewal rates to a flat $1000/month after the initial lease term is up. (This per-month rate may be different in other parts of the country, but here in Los Angeles this is the number I most often hear.) Despite your competitive bid on the upfront lease, the developer may have no choice but to go with the less expensive renewal option since his model could be on the market for a year or more.
So for those of us who choose to rent versus buy, this may be the time to make an exception. The reasons are simple:
a) The price of purchasing the pieces, when amortized over the length of a typical model lease term (6-12 mos) may actually be equal to or lower than renting the comparable items.
b) Many models are sold furnished, so you may be able to actually make additional cash off the sale of the items you purchased without ever having to deal with removing the furniture from the unit! When you provide your quote for the Staging, consider including a "buyout" price to the developer so that if he's asked by potential buyers about purchasing the model furnished, he will have the price already in hand. He may even decide to mark up his purchase price to include the furnishings. Either way he will have the info he needs. You should also stipulate exactly what the buyout price includes (for example: furniture and rugs, but not art or accessories) so that you don't get stuck giving up your favorite silk tree or vase.
c) If your client does not want to purchase the items once all his units have sold and you have a storage unit or an empty garage at home (HAH! What Stager has an empty garage?) you can de-Stage the property and then sell the furnishings on Craig's List or StagersList to make something extra off the sale of these pieces. OR who knows, these pieces could be the beginnings of your own rental inventory if you so choose!
Coming soon...
Tips for Staging Multiple Models in One Complex (Seriously this time.)
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Annie Pinsker-Brown | Stage to Sell
Owner & Principal Designer
310-384-1084
www.stagetosell.biz
"We get you to SOLD so you can get on with your life!"
************************************************
Stage to Sell is the premier West Los Angeles Home Staging Company.
Owner & Principal Designer Annie Pinsker-Brown is an ASP (Accredited Staging Professional), a member of IAHSP (International Association of Home Staging Professionals), an affiliate member of the Beverly Hills/Greater Los Angeles Association of Realtors and a member of the Culver City and West LA Chambers of Commerce.
Annie has Staged LA homes for Bravo's hit show "Million Dollar Listing" and TLC's "Property Ladder." She has also been featured in recent articles on Home Staging in Los Angeles Magazine, The New York Times, Costco Connection and Frontiers Magazine.
If you would like to see more of our Home Staging work, visit our website. There is an extensive gallery of before & after photos, as well as a list of our Staged properties currently on the market.
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Full Service Los Angeles Home Staging Company. Professionally trained and accredited Home Stagers providing Residential Real Estate Staging services to the Los Angeles Area.
Stage to Sell is the premier West Los Angeles Home Staging Company.
Owner & Principal Designer Annie Pinsker-Brown is an ASP Home Stager, a member of IAHSP (International Association of Home Staging Professionals), an affiliate member of the Beverly Hills/Greater Los Angeles Association of Realtors and a member of the Culver City and West LA Chambers of Commerce.
Annie has Staged LA homes for Bravo's hit show "Million Dollar Listing" and TLC's "Property Ladder." She has also been featured in recent articles on Home Staging in Los Angeles Magazine, The New York Times, Costco Connection and Frontiers Magazine.
If you would like to see more of our Home Staging work, visit our website. There is an extensive gallery of before & after photos, as well as a list of our Staged properties currently on the market.
Want to sell your Los Angeles home fast and for a great price? Stage it with Stage to Sell.
"Stage to Sell is the third staging company that I've used over the years, and the third time is the charm in this case. Annie, the owner, has won me over with several factors: attention to detail, follow-through and the overall quality of her work. Stage to Sell is now the only staging referral I give to selling clients when taking a new listing. Her company's efforts have clearly helped our mutual clients sell faster and get better prices. Plain condos and houses are transformed into warm and inviting homes that people want to buy right away."
- Chris Gordon Clark, Keller Williams Santa Monica
"Although I was reluctant at first to consent to hiring a stager to sell our property, I am so glad that I did. Annie blew me away with her suggestions. The best part was that she worked with what we already have, so there is no need to buy anything. I thought her suggestions might be obvious, but they weren't -- they were subtle changes that make a huge impact. I am so eager to implement her brilliant suggestions. Not only am I glad I hired Annie to stage our house to sell, I want to hire her to advise me when we move to our new home.
-Courtney Alban, Los Feliz
"Annie’s staging of my project was absolutely spot-on. She understood the buyer mentality so well that we had all three staged units in escrow within 2 months, after having had them on the market for over 7!"
- Dana Ehrlich, Keller Williams Santa Monica
"Your staging of 1533 18th Street meets and exceeds my highest expectations based on my experiences with almost all of your competition. Not only is the installation spectacular - the price, timing and level of professionalism raises the bar for your competition. Thanks for being extraordinary!"
- Anthony Hitt, Sotheby's International Realty
"Wow what a difference! My sellers and I are so impressed with how wonderful the house looks. It's a million times better and has surpassed all of our expectations. I will definitely use your services again and again. Thank you for coming on such short notice and doing a top notch job. Fantastic!"
- Vicky Mirisch, Pinnacle Estate Properties
"Annie just staged one of my listings that had been empty for almost two months. We had at least 40 buyers through with NOT ONE offer. She staged on Friday. Within 4 DAYS we had two offers!!!"
- Dana Ehrlich, Keller Williams
"Wow! It looks great...The photographer was ready to buy it! Thank you for putting all my doubts to rest. I was hesitant to spend the money on staging but you’ve proved that it is a must. Thank you very much!"
- Melissa Macfadyen, Keller Williams
"I just want to thank you for being so awesome and responsive to my client and me. That home was a mess and you made it look livable. You are the best and I am glad to be in business with you. You are truly one of the best stagers out there!"
- Thomas Khammar, Keller Williams
"I hired Annie to help me stage a property which had been on the market for 7 months with another agent, and had undergone $300,000 in price reductions over the course of the listing. I re-listed the property with a fresh pricing strategy and staged it before we shot any photos or showed the property. We had an accepted offer within 2 weeks. My clients were absolutely thrilled with Annie's practical and economical advice."
- Dana Ehrlich, Keller Williams
"Annie is wonderful and does a great job! You should consider using her to stage your house regardless of whether you are looking to sell or not. I have received so many compliments on the work she did on my listing!"
- Revi Mendelsohn, Coldwell Banker
"My condo had previously been on the market for one month with little interest and no offers...When I first saw my condo after it had been staged, I was amazed...The previously cramped rooms looked light and bright with the furniture and tasteful, contemporary accessories that Annie selected. The house looked as if it had been professionally decorated...At the open house the response was great. Within a week we had multiple offers and ended up accepting one for $21,000 over asking price. I was thrilled!"
- Cherry Norris, Brentwood
"Well, I think staging works. While we were putting up the for sale sign Tuesday, a couple came through. They loved it and made an offer the next day. After a few counter offers, we sold it today. So we’re claiming it sold in 20 hours. They want a 3 week escrow, but we’re game, and of course we still have to get through all the formalities. Anyway, thanks for all your help!"
- Dennis Newell, Murietta
"I cannot thank you enough for doing the staging for my condo...I had so many compliments from both friends and potential buyers. Your ideas were very creative and really helped to enhance the appeal of each room. My condo looked like a model home. I highly recommend you for anyone considering selling their home. It was well worth the money. I firmly believe the staging helped me maximize the selling value of my condo."
- Kim Itakura, Culver City
"Thank you again for your work. I barely have sufficient verbal skills to express how happy I am with the transformation of the house, and the enormous increase in its market value."
- Holly Browde, Beverly Hills
"I wanted to thank you again for the fantastic job you did in staging the condo in Marina Del Rey. I especially appreciated your professionalism, and going out of your way to make things happen within our time frame."
- Jake Ptasnik, Marina del Rey
"Thanks again for what I'm convinced resulted in the sale of my house!!"
- Marla McGuire, Reseda
"You did such an amazing job, Annie. What a difference you made, not only with the pieces you brought, but the recommendations you made to update/change/prepare for your Staging. Everything looks amazing! Thanks again!"
- Dian Reid, Van Nuys
"The place looks awesome!!! I can’t wait to take pics tomorrow...I’m so happy! Big difference!! You are a great resource!"
- Lorin Ruttenberg, Keller Williams
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