Staged house sells for $45,000 MORE and the Sellers are super excited!!

Staging helps houses sell at the very BEST price even in a hot market. This property was full of things, cleared out, cleaned, Staged and listed for sale. The house was not updated, has some conditional issues, and it still sold at 10% MORE than list - and the list price was at the top of the range to begin with. This shows the power of proper presentation with Staging and professional marketing by the listing agent who did an awesome job getting the most $$ for her clients! The Staging was in line with the price of the house and the budget for Staging. It does not have to be over done to get an offer - as Staging is NOT decorating!

Sensational Home Staging took this property from plain to pizzazz with Staging!

Suburban Residential Property Staging - Highlands Ranch CO - Staged to help Showcase the floor plan and attract Buyers

This property is located in a suburban area of Denver - and needed Staging to help define the size of rooms and counter balance the red drapes and custom paint colors left by the Sellers. Now Buyers can see the potential for each room - and visually the house presents much better to the buying public.

Highlands Ranch Home Staging - Sensational Home Staging

This house was sitting on the market unsold and needed some color and visual appeal to help buyers see the potential for the key rooms. Sensational Home Staging helped set the scene room by room to provide the needed appeal for buyers.

Arvada Remodeled House - Sensationally Staged for sale!

This cute house in Arvada is Staged and ready to sell! Totally remodeled inside the tasteful upgrades and colors used make it the perfect house for a buyer looking to just move in and enjoy!

Denver Duplex - Bef & After Transformation to get property Staged and Show Ready!

312 Inca Street, Denver CO - Staged and for SALE! This house is remodeled and ready for you to move in!

Check out the latest Sensational Home Staging success! This house has been remodeled and features an interior with new amenities while keeping the old-time charm with elements such as the fire place, original wood flooring (refinished) and interior brick walls.

Let Buyers Fall in Love with Your Listings - and make your Sellers a Decent Proposal

We want Buyers to Fall in Love with Your Listings  and Make Your Sellers a Decent Proposal!

Home Staging is the KEY that unlocks the heart

and emotions of the Buyer!

Call me to help you make the pefect Seller- Buyer Match!

Jennie Norris, Sensational Home Staging

303-717-7918

www.SensationalHome.com

Sensationalhomestagingco@gmail.com

888-93-STAGE

Staging and Selling in the WINTER- by Jennie Norris, ASP Master, IAHSP-Premier, Owner Sensational Home Staging

Staging a house can become challenging in the winter when the landscape around the country does not look that great - dead grass, spindly trees with no leaves, two-tone colors with snow and dirt. In fact I believe winter time is the toughest time of the year to sell when dealing with curb appeal. Depending on what part of the country you live in, you may have lots of green and warmth this time of year, or deal with the barren landscape. When there is snow on the ground, it does look pretty, but as the snow melts, you are often left with bald patches of dirt, icy or muddy streets, and little color in the yards with deciduous trees that have no leaves.

So how do you add that curb appeal necessary for Selling when Mother Nature seems to have another plan?

Here is an excerpt from an article entitled "Home Staging Tips for Every Season" where expert and my personal mentor, Barb Schwarz, was interviewed by AOL online (http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2010/07/20/home-staging-for-every-season/

Home Staging Tips for Winter:

• Keep your place warm. You want the house looked at! If you aren't living there or even if you are, spend the money to keep it warm. They will walk out if it's too cold," says Schwarz. "And that means no sale." Trying to save money by keeping your house cold and not heating it properly is a turn-off to buyers.

• Keep lighting in mind during the winter months. Winter means it gets dark earlier, so put lighting on timers inside and outside the house. Every room in the house can be on timers, as it welcomes buyers into a room and you want them to keep walking and checking out the house.

• Just because it's winter doesn't mean you shouldn't have flower boxes and greenery at your front door, in pots. On the contrary, it's really warm and welcoming. Just make sure they are seasonally appropriate.

• Keep snow off the back patio and front porch. You want people to go out and see the back and front of the house and the patio and yard, too. Go back to your back fence and see what does the back of your house looks like, does it look boring? You can keep flower pots by the slider doors, as it softens the look of the house in the gray winter.

• Don't forget to put out the summer photos of your great outdoor deck, so people know what it will be like in warmer months.

Here are some added tips:

Invest in some annuals or perennials that like the cold weather and put them in pots or line the walkway with them. Some of the best annuals for color that like the cold are pansies, primroses, kale (cabbage), and emerald greens (arborvitaes). Think not just about adding green bushes, but add color with annuals that will survive in your climate. If you are not sure, consult with your local landscape supplier and ask what you should put in those pots in the front and back yards.

Remove hazardous ice from walkways, streets, etc. - this could pose a slipping hazard for a potential buyer and you want to avoid potential issues arising from a buyer that falls on your property. Plus, it makes it look like you care about your house when you have taken the time to remove the ice and piles of snow so that the house is easily accessible.

Add outdoor cushions to your chairs that may be outside for color and appeal. You can have a fireplace set up on your patio or deck where when the nights are not too cold, you could convey enjoying a nice cozy fire outside.

Lastly, when the outside is lacking in color, make sure you have plenty of color elements INSIDE your house to balance out the bleak. Use accessories and layers of color to help create that buyer appeal and transition from the outside to inside. If a house is bleak on the outside, and then on the inside has white walls, tan furniture and beige carpet, it is blah and boring. Using artwork, fabrics, throws, pillows and accent decor can help create an inviting look for buyers.

_______________________________________________________________________

For information on getting your house show ready, contact Jennie at 303-717-7918 or 888-93-STAGE. With over 2,700 houses Staged successfully, Jennie has the expertise and ideas to help you achieve your goals of a successful sale. http://www.sensationalhome.com/

Highlands Ranch - Sensational Home Staging success!

Staging helps this house that was stuffed with things - sellers had definitely outgrown the house - to show its best for buyers.  In this situation, the Sellers opted to move out - leaving the house vacant - and then The Sensational Home Staging TEAM stepped in and got the house Staged for sale. 

Ken Caryl Beauty - Sensationally Staged and for sale now!

Check out the latest listing from Kellie Morrissey, Keller Williams Realty Success in Littleton CO - this beautiful 5 bed/5 bath, approx 6400 square ft. custom Tudor home in the Ken Caryl Valley North Ranch is for sale now!  Listed at $750,000.  Call Kellie at 303-877-2813 for information and to schedule a showing. 

New Listing Coming soon! S. Pennvylania Street - Denver

Check out the upcoming listing by Monica Bennett, KW - 303-748-0295. Great house built originally in late 1800's - updated but still has that old charm found in Denver. Close to downtown, parks, and many activities.

Condo Staging - Aurora - Proper placement and touches make the difference

These photos show how important it is to work with a professionally tained Home Stager when selling a house. This condo was for sale and the Realtor brought in some of her accessories which really helped add some pizzazz to the kitchen - but the placement of the furniture was not right for best buyer appeal. Rearraning existing pieces, and then bringing a master bedroom set up, adding artwork to bring the eye up - helps make this condo more marketable.

SOLD in 1 DAY after Staging complete! Prepare to be impressed with this Littleton Beauty!

Prepare to be impressed! This home is truly exquisite. The sellers spared no expense on this top to bottom remodel and large home addition. Listed by Derek Gilbert, Keller Williams Realty.



Only the finest materials and upgrades were used. As you open the front door you are welcomed by a large panoramic great room with vaulted ceilings. The quality is immediately on display with a slate tile entry that leads into the great room with beautiful hickory hardwood floors and a warm custom tiled fireplace. The gourmet kitchen features Cherry Cabinets, granite counters, & top of the line stainless appliances. The cherry wood grains, tiled backsplashes, and cabinet space will impress even the most finicky buyer. The kitchen truly is the center of this home and has views of the entire home with a great open concept. Every room in this home is amazing. The master bathroom will rival any resort spa. There are simply to many features to describe without seeing this home in person.

Incredible Before-After Transformation - Boston MA ASP Class!

This house was transformed in a matter of 3 hours with the combined creative talent and ideas of ASP Stagers and Realtors in Boston. Forget the TV shows that take days - look what ASPs can do for Sellers using their own things and the principles of ASP Home Staging!

5940 S. Cimarron Way - Littleton 80123 - Staged and Ready to Buy!

Listed by Susan Miesen, Remax Professionals, 303-521-2133. Call today to schedule a Showing!

Home Staging – Miss the Mark and Miss the Market - by Jennie Norris, ASP Master, IAHSP, Owner of Sensational Home Staging

Home Staging – Miss the Mark and Miss the Market

by Jennie Norris, ASP Master, IAHSP, Owner of Sensational Home Staging

There is a trend I see emerging in some Staging businesses where the Staging is so extreme, so unique, so well, trendy, that it misses the mark, and more importantly misses the market. In other words, the Staging may “look really cool” but does it actually appeal to the target Buyer?


With Home Staging we have to ask ourselves, “Who is the potential Buyer for this house?” “Who am I creating this look for and is that audience going to like what I have planned for this Staging?”


Dare I say, we need to ask, “Are we more focused on the Staging or the fact that the house is Staged?”

The truth is, lately I see some that call themselves “Stagers” use some truly amazing inventory – stuff that would make any reader of a design magazine drool. But again, is the inventory and Staging of mass audience appeal or is it taking Staging down to a tiny market niche? The photos I see of some work really make me say, “Huh?” because the Staging is not broadly appealing.


Don’t get me wrong - Is it stylish? Yes. Is it fun? Yes. Is it too unique? Yes. Does it appeal to the broad base of buyers – NO. That is the telling question – and the key is that Staging is NOT Decorating or Design. Both industries serve a purpose but only one serves the goal of Selling a house and appealing to mass audience online and in person. STAGING.


What is the goal of Staging? To SELL the house. A “Home Stager” that is focused on the STUFF is not focused on the goal. I am all for creating a really great look in a house, but when the focus is on the stuff, prices charged are often too high, and the look truly does not appeal to the broad audience.


More importantly, in a market like we are in today, we cannot afford to alienate any facet of the audience of potential buyers by using furnishings that are too “out there.” Instead of selling the house, what is being sold is the “design style” of the person that installed all that “really cool stuff” in the house.


Most (and that is 99%) of Buyers cannot relate to a red piano or extremely modern art as things they would like to own. Those items have a place of use for Staging – in a very miniscule number of properties. So unless you are Staging strictly Soho lofts In NY for eclectic artisans, this type of Staging is not doing the job of appealing to the broad buyer base.


Keep our eyes on the GOAL – Sell the house, sell the house, sell the house. Can we afford to Stage for that one Buyer that likes our design aesthetic, or are we Staging for ALL Buyers so they all want to buy the house? I know it only takes one – but do you want a needle in a haystack or the whole haystack? And when time is not on the Seller’s side, it’s up to us as the professionally trained Stagers to make SURE that the house appeals to the broadest demographic.

Charming Rancher in Arvada

Check out this new listing in Arvada - great starter home or home for someone downsizing that wants a nice one-story layout in a charming neighborhood. Hardwood floors, new refrigerator, updated amenitites - ready for you to move in!

Realtors - Don't Tarnish Your Hard Earned Reputation

Realtors - Don’t Tarnish Your Hard Earned Reputation

by Jennie Norris, ASP Master, IAHSP

Owner & Principal Stager, Sensational Home Staging

There are many articles expressing the need to Stage from a financial standpoint and buyer standpoint, but I have not read any that address this service from a REPUTATION standpoint.


Realtors need to know that Staging listings will help THEM gain market share and keep a great reputation as a successful agent.
It positions you as the Agent that gets the job done. You are the “hero in the hood” and all the neighbors that are watching take notice when the sale goes PENDING.


When Staging is not included – there is a lot at RISK.
Think about it. When a house or product is listed for sale and is NOT presented well and Staged – the house languishes on the market.


This means it will have to have a price reduction in order to respond to the market and buyers. This makes the Seller unhappy.


As the listing agent, you promote YOU as the marketer and expert to get the house SOLD.
You have your signage out front and in the house. You are promoting this property online, and hopefully marketing it using various methods to gain exposure.


When the house does not sell – and sits and sits – this makes YOU as the agent look like you can’t get the job done. Your reputation suffers as a result. This makes you unhappy. It makes your broker unhappy.


Maybe you even lose the listing that you have worked hard to win, hard to market and hard to sell. BUT – the house was not Staged and therefore did not appeal to the broadest audience.


When the house does not sell, your reputation is TARNISHED.
Damage is done. People in the neighborhood that are looking to list their house will not consider you because you were not successful.

It is a high price to pay. And NOT Staging costs you.


• TIME
• MONEY
• REPUTATION


Do you really want to be known in the neighborhood as the Realtor who could not get the job done? Do you really want to have people going through a house that presents poorly with your name all over it?


Staging Recommendations and Resistance
Now I know that sometimes you do recommend Staging and tips to Sellers and they resist. I also know that sometimes you don’t want to tell the Seller the truth about their house because you don’t want to hurt their feelings and risk losing the listing. And I know sometimes the Seller has some pretty odd things in their house that you just have no idea how to eliminate.


It takes skill and patience – and that is where working with a professional Stager can really help.


When you Seller says to you, “I don’t want to spend the money on Staging,” AGREE with them. Tell them you don’t want them to spend it either. Tell them you want them to INVEST their money – in STAGING – because Staging their house will help them get the highest return on their sale.


They either INVEST in time and dollars to Stage up front, or they will lose far more on the back-end with price reductions.


Then work with your ASP Stager – who has statistics and information to help you demonstrate to your Seller that they cannot afford NOT to Stage.


YOUR REPUTATION is at stake
Don’t risk tarnishing your reputation because or resistance or fear. Get an advocate to help you – partner with a Stager who is ready to use their skills and knowledge to get your clients on board.


Make it standard protocol that all your listings are Staged.
Many Realtors I work with will not take a listing if the Seller does not agree to Stage it first. WHY? When the house is Staged it makes your job much easier to market a product that looks great for all buyers. It reduces the time on the market and helps the Seller get the best price possible based on the market.


IF a price reduction has to happen, it is not because you have not used every tool possible to attract a Buyer . . . it is just the market. And when the house does sell, it will still sell at a better price and faster than the marketed un-Staged competition. These are FACTS that have been proven time and again and there is data and statistics available to back the statement up.


And the best part is . . . when you do include Staging, everyone WINS!
Your Seller is happy because they get their house sold in the best time frame and at the best price possible based on the market. You are happy because you are successful, and you’ll earn more commission! And the Buyer is happy because they were able to mentally move in to the Staged house.


Don’t risk your valuable REPUTATION . . . use Staging for your clients. Staging is not just for them – it’s also for you.

Sensational Home Staging - Before & Afters of our latest Staged property!

This house needed some warmth and pizzazz to help it show its best in photos and in person. This client had some budget constraints - and yet we were able to come up with a Staging plan that not only fit their budget, it is all that is needed to showcase this house properly. For information on how we can help you with your house or listing to get it Staged to sell, contact me at (303)717-7918 or SensationalHomeStaging@q.com.