I approach each individual job armed with a design and marketing sense. I work for home sellers and people who just want to enjoy a beautiful home. The objective is always the same; I strive to create a good feeling. I didn’t start out understanding the why or the how of the perfect “feeling.” I just know from my own home buying experiences there are many different emotions involved. I also know that I want that feel good sensation every evening when I get home. Don’t you want that feeling in your own home each time you walk in? I work for home sellers and people who just want to enjoy a beautiful home. The objective is always the same; I strive to transform your home with warmth and tranquility.
Staging A Home To Sell
I stage houses to get them ready to be sold. The road I took to get this job I love so much was not direct. I combined my interests in Art and my interest in Marketing in college. My career started out in sales and very quickly became a Visual Merchandising career. Simply put, my job was to visually entice the consumer into buying the merchandise my employer was selling. Once a consumer walked into the store I needed to “keep them there” and subliminally convince them to buy merchandise. There was often a battle in my mind at work. The artist in me wanted to make everything beautiful and the merchant in me just wanted to do what was necessary to sell the merchandise. Many years later the artist won out and my career went in another direction.
My husband and I bought our first home a very long time ago. It was in a suburb of Cincinnati, Ohio. I remember the process so vividly. I fell in love. After looking at what felt like a million other houses I knew the moment I walked in it was the one. I can still tell you what it smelled like, cinnamon and apples. It wasn’t a smack you in the face dominating aroma but just enough to make me remember my mom baking a pie. (Today in home staging it’s more important that the house smell clean and not stale or musty. A contrived scent might suggest you are hiding something.) I can tell you it called me inside; it felt like home. The front door was perfectly painted and so proudly holding up a springtime wreath just asking you to come in. Once inside, the feeling continued.I felt as if the foyer was saying, “Welcome to your new home!” To the left was a living room and, to the right was a study. I couldn’t wait to see what was beyond my view. I just knew it would be perfect. After all, the entry was perfect I imagined everything else would be too. The kitchen was beyond my wildest dreams. It had an island that I could imagine our whole family around. I practically ran up the steps to see the master bedroom. It was only a matter of minutes and I knew this was the one. I was in love. I knew my husband was equally excited. We signed contracts the next day. To be fair, I must tell you, the house I just described was a perfectly appointed and staged model for a new construction community. More importantly I must also tell you I was not a stager at the time and had little or no idea about what I wanted in a home. Well, at least I didn’t know until I saw that house! So about the model … the thing is the magic remained and I loved our new construction copy of that model. Granted it didn’t have all the things they decorated the model with, but most importantly, it had the bones that the decorating so vividly pointed out in my mind that first day. In time it became our “perfect model.” My goal, when staging to sell, is to help your prospective buyers imagine their own perfect space. Imagine yourself living in your own “perfect model.” You can and I can help you!
*The photo below is of a home for sale in Berlin, New Jersey. This home is one of my favorites. It definitely says "come on in" and makes you feel at home. Contact Carol Minghenelli Berkshire Hathaway for information on this home.
Searching for our second home many years later in New Jersey wasn’t easy. After all, isn’t it always hard to get over your first love? I was excited to “shop” for a home and eager to see what was out there. But deep inside of me there was a part holding on to our first home. The realtor knew this and assured me she had a house that was perfect for us. A house we could call home and love. I am not sure how many houses we looked at, but I can tell you for sure none of the homes were staged. I remember one where the owner had not even made the bed that day in the master bedroom. I am not sure what that seller was thinking. While the realtor frantically tried to make the bed, I thought, “NOT BUYING THIS ONE!” Can you imagine having your house for sale in that condition? Some of the houses we looked at I do not remember and some I don’t want to remember. There were even a few I wouldn’t go in. I knew outside the front door it wasn’t what I wanted. I remember one time I turned around to walk back to the car before the realtor had the key out of the lock box. She was shouting down the sidewalk after me, “Where are you going, don’t you even want to see it?” I’m not sure what else she said as my mind was made up and long before she finished. I was firmly planted in the back seat of the car. A few minutes later my husband came back to the car and told me I would not have liked the house. I already knew that. I’m sure I am not the only HOME BUYER that has felt that way before walking into a home. Have you ever felt that way?
The home we eventually purchased was not staged. I do not believe staging was a concept at the time we purchased our homes. I want to emphasize that Home Staging is a smart option in today’s market. A staged home absolutely presents itself the best. A staged home usually sells faster and for more money than if it was not staged. So when you are preparing to sell your home, work with a professional who has a clear vision and insight into your local area. The other thing to remember is that in today’s market most potential buyers see photographs of the home first on the Internet. Photos are usually less forgiving and need to be professionally done. I have been fortunate enough to have some of my recent projects photographed by Mozes Photography to emphasize the work I do and present it in a much warmer and welcoming way. After all, if a prospective buyer doesn’t like the online photos they will dismiss the property without even getting to the front door. When I stage a home the view the camera will capture is part of my design process as well.
* Below are two pictures of a home I recently staged. One I photographed myself; the other by @MozesPhotography. I think the pictures speak for themselves. Carol Minghenelli of Berkshire Hathaway Marlton, N.J. is the listing agent for this home.
Luckily I had imagination and a vision when we were looking for a home. Most home buyers can’t imagine the potential in a home; they need to be shown its potential. That is what home staging does; it maximizes a home’s potential and allows the prospective home buyers to see themselves living there. So let’s get back to feelings and how most people think. I am using my husband as an example because I think he is a fair representation of how most people react. If I come home with a new hairstyle he doesn’t know exactly why or what I changed, but he always knows if I look good to him. Either it’s a “wow you look great” or a “what did you do, I don’t like it.” The same theory applies to food. How many times have you not eaten something because it simply didn’t look appealing? Perhaps a better example is a bakery case. Sometimes it’s simply the prettiest cake sells first. The initial thought process is not any different when buying a home.
* See below a before and after picture. The homeowners asked me to update their home so that can enjoy it now and be ready to list in a competitive market later. As you can see the home was painted, stain was changed to a darker more inviting colorand the railing was changed to update the home's entry.
The prospective buyer forms an opinion about the house before he or she even gets inside. In a matter of seconds your home exterior sends out a vibe. It’s not about a buyer liking brick more than stucco. It’s about the home looking neat and clean on the outside. It should be calling out to the prospective buyer saying, “Look at me, I am loved.” And once inside the foyer of the home it’s about the feeling the prospective buyer gets in the first few moments. The first impression needs to be an overall good feeling. It isn’t about wow that is a great color or wow that’s a fabulous sofa. It’s just about a house that feels good the moment you walk in. Staging creates that good feeling.
Staging A Home To Live
Often after I have staged a home the sellers will say, “If our house looked like this before, we would not have decided to sell.” Hearing this so many times made me realize I could not only help people stage their homes to sell but I could help some to stage their homes to continue living there. Why not live in a space you love? I have helped many people make simple changes to their homes long before they are ready to move. The changes made are things the homeowner can enjoy now but these changes will also help them sell a year or two down the road, whether they plan to sell in the near future or not.
*The photo below is of a condo in Cherry Hill , New Jersey that I recently staged. The condo is for sale listed by Carol Minghenelli of Berkshire Hathaway. The homeowner is living in and enjoying the "staged space." The photograph by @ MozesPhotography is a wonderful example of the picture enhancing a great space!
Whether you are getting ready to sell your home, or you want to enjoy your home for years to come, staging can transform your home with warmth and tranquility. Call me today for a consultation and a personalized plan so you can enjoy your home, whether for a few short months or for years to come.
Marianne Twist
Professional photos Courtesy of Mozes Photography.
Check out more of his beautiful work at realestate.mozesphotography.com