Sensational Denver Custom - Staged and ready to Show!

Out latest Staging success - beautiful custom home vacant to Staged and ready to show and sell! Sensational Home Staging Success!

1854 152nd Place - Broomfield - Staged and ready for Sale! Listed by Brent Ryarson - HomeSmiths Team - KW DTC

Before & After Hands-on Staging Transformation

Check out the before/after photos for this Staging project.  Each room looks MUCH better with the personal things removed, furniture rearranged and appealing visuals created.  Next - seller has to PAINT the walls in all the rooms to brighten, neutralize for buyers, and update the look of the house.  Other updating could take place depending on the seller's budget and timeframe for listing the house for sale.

Anything they can do UP FRONT to invest in the Staging process will come back in a better offer and faster 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. 

Top 5 Reasons to Stage in a HOT Market

As the real estate markets heat up and days on market shorten, one school of thought is that Staging is not needed as a tool to attract a buyer because, hey, the house will sell anyway – eventually. That is misdirected thinking because Staging is a key tool in BOTH a hot and soft market!  In a slow market Staging helps the house sell faster.  In a Hot Market - it will sell even faster - and possible for even more than list!


In many markets all over the U.S., sellers are experiencing swift sales as a result of depleted inventory. Prices are not back what they were prior to the market collapse so using Staging as a tool to get the BEST price for your house is necessary.


1. Staged houses engage the Senses. A Staged house looks, smells, and feels better than an un-staged product. No matter the market, that means it will sell faster – which means it gets the best price while the competition sits and is USED to sell the Staged houses. You don’t want to be in the “used” category.

2. Don’t Sell Yourselves Short. Staged houses will sell 2-5 times faster than the un-staged competition. As a market heats up – this may translate into selling the day or week it’s listed – which also means bidding wars. The Staged house will sell for EVEN MORE than list – which is exciting.

 
3. Don’t leave $$$ on the table. When a seller falsely believes they don’t need to Stage – or a Realtor does not advise the seller to invest time and dollars to make sure their house is Show Ready, they are leaving equity and profit on the table. You have to remember, people sell their houses for the MOST money possible – not just some money. If they can get another $5,000 to $50,000 out of the sale – they will want that.


4. Be the Market Leader. As the market improves, more houses will come up for sale which increases the competition. You want to lead the pack in the price and presentation categories, not be a follower – watching as the houses around you sell while you sit.


5. Staging is the KEY Marketing Tool. Don’t forget that Staging is the KEY Marketing tool that helps your photos, virtual tours, and in-person showings stand out from your competition. Without it – the 90% of buyers that preview houses online will not get excited about your property.


Staging is easy, it is a low-investment to get your house sold (versus a price reduction) and is necessary to ensure you benefit from the sale of your house – to get the MOST possible in the shortest time. Work with a Realtor that understands Staging is part of the process – and not an option – so they are using every marketing tool available to attract a buyer audience and get your house SOLD!

___________________________________________________________________________________
If you live in the greater Denver area and are in need of professional Home Staging services for sale or for living, just call Jennie Norris, Sensational Home Staging. With over 10 years of experience and 2,700+ houses Staged - she has yet to meet a house she could not help! 888-93-STAGE or 303-717-7918. Go to http://www.SensationalHome.com to learn more about Sensational Home Staging.

76 S. Washington - FOR SALE NOW!

Check out this totally remodeled Victorian - near Wash Park and Pearl Street in Denver.  Listed by Darcy Bertles, KW Realty Success - 303-518-5775.

Sensationally Home Staging transformation . . . Denver rebuilt 1912 house

Check out the transformation of this 1912 house that was taken down to the foundation and rebuilt using modern amenities and features.  The builder did a great job opening up the floor plan, and the Staging helps set the scene room by room!  Enjoy! 



For help getting your house Staged and for sale contact Jennie Norris, ASP Master, IAHSP - Owner, Sensational Home Staging - Denver Region's Premier Home Staging Resource - 303-717-7918 or 888-93-STAGE.  http://www.sensationalhome.com/

Sensationally Staged for Sale - 1752 S. Ogden Street, Denver

Check out this totally remodeled and rebuilt interior 1912 house that is for sale now in Denver.  Desirable part of town - near Wash Park and easy access to freeway!  Listed for sale by The Murphy Team, Pat & Brett Murphy - ReMax Alliance  303-947-4569 or brettpatmurphy@gmail.com .



For help getting your house or listing Staged for Sale and looking Sensational - contact Jennie Norris, Sensational Home Staging (303)717-7918 or 888-93-STAGE.   www.SensationalHome.com

Smelly Hotels and Home Staging - What do they have in Common?

I had to take one of my numerous business trips recently and as usual had to find a hotel to stay in for 3 nights.  I usually book online and judge a hotel by star rating, photos and comments from other travelers, as well as price.

What I experienced on my most recent trip was really unpleasant.  I chose price over quality and paid the price - in a bad way.  I arrived late at night to a hotel in sore need of a facelift.  It was not in a great part of town and the foundation was cracking.  Since it was dark, I could not really see the condition of the place - and my first clue that I'd made a bad decision should have been the "reception" area of the hotel.  There was no lobby - just a small door that led to a desk - and a nice staff person there to greet me. 

The young man who transported me from the airport and then helped me with my luggage was apologetic about the condition of the place and shared that they were undergoing renovations that would be completed sometime this summer.  That should have been clue #2.  When the Staff of a hotel apologize for how it looks - you know it's a problem.

Since it was about 11:30 PM when I got to the hotel, I figured I'd just stay the night and reevaluate in the daytime.  When I got to my room, I got my 3rd Clue:  I was greeted by what smelled like pee.  It was not as bad as a pet stained carpet smell, but you could definitely tell that the carpets were old - maybe peed on - or maybe it was from the bathroom - I did not investigate.  I did not even want to walk on the carpet barefooted.  The bed was not bad but the linens were not crisp like better hotels, and I was just sort of cringing thinking about any critters that may reside in the room.

I decided to go to sleep only to find that I could hear every sound, step and toilet flush of the people around me and above me.  Clue #4 . . . That is the worst.  It's not enough that you can hear things but to FEEL them also when they tromp across the floor - shaking your room with their heavy footed walk. 

That is when I cracked open my computer.  I searched online for ANY hotel that was better than this one - that had availability.  Unfortunately, since it was mid-week in a highly popular business area, there was nothing.  I lucked on to a hotels.com offer of a room in a better hotel closer to where I was teaching and grabbed the reservation.  It was more per night than what I was paying, but gladly coughed up the difference knowing I had peace of mind.

I took 2 sleeping pills and couldn't wait for morning.  I checked out of the first hotel, wrote a negative review for the manager letting him know they better do something - and fast - to spruce up the hotel.  He actually wrote back apologizing - and said they had recently purchased this hotel and were in process of fixing it up to the standards of business travelers. It's off my list until I see a major improvement!

This whole experience reminded me of Home Staging - and the important of first impressions.  

I was sold on the photos of the hotel I saw online - but realize anyone can take a good photo and the photos could be of an old set-up - we have no way of knowing.  That is why virtual staging does not work.

I was sold on the price - it was a good deal for the region - but I found out that the lower price meant poorer quality and condition.   Sometimes the "better deal" is not worth it with the amount of money you have to put in to the place to get it up to the standards of other properties!

Viewing the hotel in person was like an in person showing of a house - and the smells and poor condition were a huge turnoff.  I could not wait to get out of that hotel and go to a place that looked and felt clean, cared-for.  I was even willing to pay MORE for the 2nd hotel because of how it presented to me - the BUYER.

When I settled into bed the 2nd night, no noises coming from around me, comfy pillows and clean sheets, I was so relieved.  The price was worth it for me to know I was getting peace of mind.

Home Staging does the same thing for a Buyer. No one wants to really own a used, smelly, and worn-out "product" (house).  The houses that are clean, prepared visually for a Buyer and are in good condition can sell for MORE because Buyers feel better about the purchase - and experience.

_________________________________________________________________

For help getting your house Staged and for Sale in the Denver region, call Jennie Norris, Sensational Home Staging - Your Premier Home Staging Resource.  888-93-STAGE.
http://www.sensationalhome.com/

Woman's Day Magazine - May 2012 issue - Features Home Staging as part of 7 TIPS TO SELL YOUR HOUSE

I love this article from Woman's Day Magazine May 2012 issue - it is short and to the point and features some of the best minds in Real Estate - including Barb Schwarz, my personal mentor and friend.  Read and enjoy! 

WOMAN'S DAY MAGAZINE ARTICLE - MAY 2012

WOMAN'S DAY MAGAZINE ARTICLE - MAY 2012

Don't "Test the Market" - Stage it Before Listing!

Don’t “Test the Market” – Stage it Before Listing!
by Jennie Norris, ASP Master, IAHSP - Owner, Sensational Home Staging

 Back when I first got started Staging, the “belief” that Staging would work was just not really there. Realtors knew inherently that a house needed to look good, but understanding the principles of Staging (depersonalizing, declutter, clean, color-pizzazz) was missing. Also, conveying the facts to a Seller about how Staged houses sell at a better price and faster than the marketed competition was a challenge. Sellers were skeptical and did not want to make “unnecessary changes.”


When I finally did get opportunities to Stage and the house sold quickly the “belief” was still not 100% that what I did really made an impact. Some thought, “Well it is the market, the house would have sold anyway.” So I kept plugging away and keeping track of statistics that supported Staging. Eventually my track record of success spoke for itself and doubters could not explain away why a house I Staged sold in 10 days while the other listings sat and sat for months.


Flash forward 10 years and in most places in America we are in a market now that demands Staging. A seller that wants their house to sell NOW versus sitting and waiting needs to use every tool available to attract a buyer. Stage the house BEFORE it is listed. Don’t wait to “try” or “test” the market thinking that “Well we don’t want to ‘spend’ the money on Staging if we can sell without doing that.”


What sellers may not fully understand is with Staging, you either invest up FRONT in the process of preparing a house for sale to maximize the rate of return, or you LOSE it on the back-end with a price reduction, low-price offer, and extended days on the market.


I went to Stage a house recently and the office was dark burgundy and had been that color when the current owners bought the house. They never liked it but just had not yet gotten around to painting it. After showing them pictures of how dark and un-welcoming that room would look in photos and for buyers, they agreed to paint. They invested less than $200 to have a painter paint the room a nice warm tone neutral color (Sherwin Williams: Blond) and said, “We wish we had done this when we first moved in.” Now the room is bright and inviting – and since they are competing with lots of other properties, they have not given the buyer a reason not to choose their house. Best foot forward.


Don’t test the market – Stage it now. Even if you happen to be one of the lucky ones in a market where it’s a Seller’s market, think about how much money you might be leaving on the table if you choose not to Stage? Yes, the house might sell but could it have sold at an even BETTER price if it had been Staged? The answer is – yes. . . Statistics prove this.


And the best part is Staging helps everyone WIN. The Seller wins with a faster sale and a good sales price, The Realtor wins with a faster sale and more commission, and the Buyer wins because they can picture living in the house and make that connection that helps them make an offer.

__________________________________________________________________________

If you live in the Greater Denver area and need to prepare your house for sale, give me a call! Affordable prices, expert recommendations that work and professional standards.

Jennie Norris, ASP Master, IAHSP - Owner, Sensational Home Staging - 303-717-7918
www.SensationalHome.com