Top 10 Reasons Home Staging Pays Off for Savvy Pittsburgh PA Realtors--#7: Staging Brings You Referral Business

Your “ideal” new listing client—one that is excited to list with you because you have been highly recommended to them by someone whose opinion they value and trust.

What is one great source of these “dream” listing clients? Home Staging can generate this “ideal” referral business for you.

Here are three key ways:

· If you are assisting your current listing clients in getting professional home staging help as they prepare their home for the market, these clients will likely be delighted with both your efforts and their resulting quick sale for a good price. These clients will be happily passing your name onto their friends and family.

· People looking at listings are often ones who will soon be selling their home. If your listings are well-staged, these potential listing clients will be impressed with how well your listings show and be more likely to seek you out when they need a listing agent.

· Stagers who know you value staging and the presentation of your properties will recommend you. As staging has become more common in the preparation process, homeowners are using a home stager before they contact a realtor. And these savvy sellers often ask their home stager to recommend a good realtor who will do an excellent job of marketing their property. The stagers you have a strong working relationship with will refer their clients to you.

So clearly, making a professional home stager part of your strategy for preparing and marketing your properties can ultimately bring you referred business. And many of these referred listings will be your “dream” clients—ones that understand the value of preparing their homes before they hit the MLS.

Top Ten Reasons Home Staging Pays Off for Savvy Pittsburgh, PA Real Estate Agents-Staging Benefit #4: Staging MAKES You Money

In this Top Ten List of why home staging pays off for Realtors®, we've already seen:



Reason #1: Staging Saves Time
Reason #2: Staging Brings Traffic
Reason #3: Staging Saves Money



And now we're ready for the next reason Home Staging pays off for Savvy Realtors® - Reason #4: Staging SAVES You Money or "Show Me the Money! - Part 2".

When your staged homes sell for more, you make more - it's just that simple. And staged homes have been shown over and over to sell at higher prices. According to the National Association of Realtors, staged homes sell for 7 - 11% more than non-staged homes.

And when you combine this with the fact that staged homes sell faster and therefore reduce your marketing costs, you understand that, financially speaking, using home staging is a true double-bonus for you as a realtor.







Ok, now for the big question. You're saving money and you're making money thanks to having staged listings. But who's paying for all this staging?

Many savvy Realtors® now include a professional staging consultation for their listing clients. If you choose to offer this service to your listing clients, this small investment will:

1. serve as a great value-added service that sets you apart from other agents (stay tuned for more on this benefit)



2. be deductible as a cost of doing business or marketing expense (consult with your accountant for details)



3. more than pay for itself through both savings and earnings (as already explained).

Another option is to explain the value of staging to your clients and provide them with contact information and marketing materials for the staging professional you recommend and the seller pays the stager for a consultation.

Any hands-on staging services are usually paid for by the home seller since they are the ones who will realize the greatest direct gains from staging. This investment by the seller also helps ensure their commitment to the transformation process.

As a savvy Realtor® looking to continue growing your business, can you afford not to make home staging part of your success strategy?

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Up next in the Ten Reasons Home Staging Pays Off For Savvy Pittsburgh PA Realtors

Reason #5: Staging Helps You Handle Touchy Topics.

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A savvy home seller or Realtor® in the Pittsburgh area? Looking for expert home staging assistance getting a property ready to show to its best potential so you can sell quickly and maximize your profit? Please visit Feels Like Home Interiors to find out more about how our home staging services can make a difference for your home or listings.

Top Ten Reasons Home Staging Pays Off for Savvy Pittsburgh PA Real Estate Agents-Staging Benefit #3: Professional Home Staging Saves You Money

Now we're ready to talk about Professional Home Staging and your all-important bottom-line.

You know--"Show me the Money!"

Reason #3: Professional Home Staging SAVES You Money

Selling homes for a living can be a lucrative business (and hopefully is for you!). But as you know (and we all wish sellers better understood), there are a lot of expenses involved in listing and marketing homes.

And these days more than ever, we need ways to cut expenses while still providing clients with exceptional service. While some of your listing costs are one-time expenses many others (print ads, direct mail, flyers, open houses and of course, the value of the long hours required for you to do this on-going marketing) get higher and higher the longer you carry a listing.

So how do you minimize your marketing costs for your listings and still provide the highest level of service to your clients? You sell your listings more quickly. And what is a great way to accomplish that? Professional Home Staging!

According to statistics released by the Real Estate Staging Association (RESA) for 2008, vacant homes spent 85% less time on the market and occupied homes spent 89% less time on the market after staging. And a National Association of Realtors survey found that staged homes sell 49% faster.

So Reason #3 is a "key" bottom-line benefit for you as a Realtor® to use home staging:

Stage your listings and they will sell faster. and bottom-line, you will have MORE MONEY left in your wallet.

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Ok, saving money is nice, but making more money is even better. Stay tuned for the next post in this series, Top Ten Reasons Home Staging Pays Off for Savvy Pittsburgh PA Real Estate Agents- Reason #4: Professional Home Staging Makes You Money.

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And just in case you missed the first two key reasons for Professional Home Staging:

Reason #1: Staging Saves You Time

Reason #2: Staging Increases Traffic For Your Listings

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A savvy home seller or Realtor® in the Pittsburgh area? Looking for expert home staging assistance getting a property ready to show to its best potential so you can sell quickly and maximize your profit? Please visit Feels Like Home Interiors to find out more about how our home staging services can make a difference for your home or listings.

Top Ten Reasons Home Staging Pays Off for Savvy Pittsburgh PA Real Estate Agents--Reason #2: Staging Increases Traffic for Your Listings

Welcome to the second installment in my series of Top Ten Reasons Home Staging Pays Off for Savvy Real Estate Agents. The first post covered how professional home staging saves you precious time. Now for Staging Benefit #2.

Staging Benefit #2: Professional Home Staging Increases Traffic To Your Listings

While traffic on the freeway is literally a pain in the rear, traffic through your listings is absolutely crucial to your selling success. So how do you drive traffic to your listings and get prospective buyers walking through the door?

You start by making the best of your online presentation. These days approximately 90% of buyers start their home search online. And you have only a few short seconds to pique their interest or your chance to sell to them will pass with the simple click of their mouse.

• Cluttered house-CLICK!

• Outdated house-CLICK!

• Confusing house-CLICK!

In order to avoid the "click" and make a potential buyer's "must see" list, you need to make sure your listings look terrific in both MLS photos and virtual tours. What is the best way to ensure your listings look as good as possible online so they will drive traffic to your listings?

Professional Home Staging will be crucial to your selling success.

Uncluttered and Staged Kitchen--Schedule a Showing!

Updated and Staged Entry--Schedule a Showing!

Clearly Defined Dining and Sun Rooms--Schedule a Showing!

Effective home staging will address issues like flow, function, space, clutter, cleanliness, style, odor and animal issues, and curb appeal. A professional home stager will make sure the property appeals to the broadest range of buyers and that its best features are clearly highlighted while minimizing any challenges.

Real estate selling is one time when traffic is a very good thing. The more traffic, the more likely the listing will sell, and sell quickly. It's like the line from the movie Field of Dreams, "Build it and they will come." With professional home staging, Stage it and they will come--and they will buy!

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Stay tuned for the next installment in Top Ten Reasons Home Staging Pays Off for Savvy Real Estate Agents-Staging Benefit #3: Professional Home Staging Makes You Money.

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A savvy seller or Realtor® in the Pittsburgh area looking for expert home staging assistance getting a property ready to show to its best potential? Please visit Feels Like Home Interiors to find out more about how our home staging services can make a difference for your home or listings.

Top Ten Reasons Home Staging Pays Off for Savvy Pittsburgh PA Real Estate Agents

As you well know, the demands of being a successful Realtor® have grown dramatically over the past decade or so. Technology has skyrocketed, competition has increased, and the market has gone (just a bit) haywire. As a Realtor® you likely feel pulled in a million different directions and it probably seems that there are never enough hours in the day.

So why complicate your already over-taxed life as a Realtor® by trying to also wear the hat of a Home Stager? Can you really afford the time? Do you know the best ways to convince your clients to make the changes you suggest?

If you are a savvy Pittsburgh Realtor® passionate about building your business while providing your clients with the highest level of service, working with a Professional Home Stager offers you an easy, effective and profitable strategy so you can be even more successful in today’s highly competitive real estate marketplace.

The following is the first installment in a series that outlines the logic behind the smart strategy of using Professional Home Staging to further strengthen your Pittsburgh PA real estate business.

Here’s the first reason of the Top Ten Reasons Home Staging Pays Off for Savvy Pittsburgh PA Real Estate Agents:

Reason #1: Professional Home Staging Saves You Time



As you well know, Professional Realtors® must be multi-talented and incredibly hard working. Here are just a few of things you probably do on an average day:

•Explain
•Market—yourself and your listings
•Advise
•Negotiate
•Problem solve
•Oversee
•Coordinate
•Comfort
•Encourage
•Network
•Research
•Refer
•Analyze
•Chauffeur
•Listen
•Entertain

The adage “Time is Money” may be more true for Realtors® than anybody else. Successful Realtors® in Pittsburgh and around the country understand the value of effectively managing their time and building a strong support team in an effort to provide a superior level of service to their clients.

So while you likely know and understand many of the principles of Effective Home Staging, can you really justify the time required to walk each listing client you have through the details of what they need to do in order to effectively prepare their home to sell as quickly as possible for the best price?

Partnering with a Professional Home Stager ensures that your listing clients receive proven and detailed staging advice they deserve while allowing you to dedicate your time to the demanding business of being a Realtor®.

And the time you save by working with a Professional Home Stager is only the tip of the iceberg of the benefits to your business. Stay tuned for Staging Benefit #2: Professional Home Staging Increases Traffic Through Your Listings.


© 2009 Mary Fasnacht, Feels Like Home Interiors - All Rights Reserved

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A savvy seller or Realtor® in the Pittsburgh area looking for expert home staging assistance getting a property ready to show to its best potential? Please visit Feels Like Home Interiors to find out more about how our home staging services can make a difference for your home or listings.

Kitchen Staging Recipe: Four Steps to Stage Your Kitchen and Cook Up a Sale

Check out Energized Seller.com. It is an excellent place for a savvy seller to turn for useful information on selling their home. You'll find blogs from real estate professionals around the country, great short videos about selling your home, and a place where you can ask the professionals your questions.

Will Your Kitchen Sell? Pittsburgh's Home Staging Expert Shares Four Key Steps to Stage Your Kitchen So Your House Will Sell

You've heard the saying—the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. Well, the way to your buyer’s heart is through your kitchen. There is no doubt about it, kitchens sell homes. But not just any tired, cluttered old kitchen. Buyers like spotless, updated, spacious, warm kitchens.

So does this mean you need to do an expensive,complete remodel of your kitchen to get your house sold? Absolutely not! Just follow these four simple steps and your kitchen will win the heart of your buyer in no time.

Step # 1: Straighten It Up

Step # 2: Clean It Up

Step # 3: Freshen It Up

Step # 4: Warm It Up

Let's get started.

Step # 1: Straighten It Up

The very first step you need to take when staging your kitchen is to declutter and get organized. Go through your entire kitchen and get rid of anything you no longer use—the old toaster oven, mismatched storage containers, outdated spices, etc. Organize and file or throw away all the papers and other items that have accumulated over the years. Look through your pantry and donate or throw away the food items you are never going to use and organize what is left. Take all the magnets and papers off of your fridge. At this point, every area of your kitchen should be neatly organized and your countertops should be completely cleared. (Ok, you can keep out the coffee pot, but have a spot ready under the counter to put it away for photos and showings.)

Step # 2: Clean It Up

Kitchens do sell houses—but only if they are spotlessly clean! Start at the ceiling and work your way down, cleaning every surface in your kitchen. Ceiling, light fixtures, walls, blinds and window treatments, windows and window sills, cabinets and drawers (inside and out), pantry, countertops, sink, faucet, appliances (inside and out), floor boards, floors. A soft electric toothbrush,lots of microfiber towels, and a bit of elbow grease will be your best tools for getting this job done right. Pour some baking soda down the drain and run the garbage disposal to get rid of any odors. Once your house is on the market, avoid cooking foods with strong, lingering odors. After you’ve completed this deep cleaning, quick daily touch ups will keep your kitchen white glove clean and ready to impress your buyers at a moment’s notice.

Step # 3: Freshen It Up

Would your kitchen benefit from a mini-makeover? If it is more than just a few years old, some easy updates will make a big difference.

First look at your walls. Do you have wallpaper or borders? These are just too taste specific. Many buyers have walked away from a house because they did not want to have to remove the wallpaper. Take the wallpaper down and put a fresh coat of neutral paint on the walls.

Next, look at your cabinets. Is the finish looking worn or outdated? Consider painting them. Cream, black, and espresso brown are popular colors that can significantly improve the look of your kitchen. If you plan to do this job yourself, do some research on how to properly prepare and paint the cabinets so you get the best results. And don’t forget the jewelry for your cabinets; updated knobs in silver, bronze, or black can quickly and inexpensively transform the look of your kitchen.

How’s the lighting in your kitchen? Those builder-grade or outdated fixtures need to go. Updating your lighting is a quick and inexpensive way to make your kitchen look more current. Wish you had under cabinet lighting for your counters? Try these easy fixes. Use a small decorative lamp on the counter (be sure to conceal the cord) or add an up-light in the back corner with a decorative plate on a plate stand sitting in front of it.

Step # 4: Warm It Up

At this point you may be noticing that even though your kitchen is spotless and updated, it is looking a little barren and cold. Now it is time to add the finishing touches that will really help your buyers emotionally connect with your kitchen. A vase of fresh flowers on the table, a pretty bowl with green apples or lemons on the island, a couple decorative vinegar or oil bottles, and perhaps a nice plant on the counter are all perfect touches that warm up the space. Pull out your prettiest cookbook and have it open on a stand sitting on the counter near the stove. A few simple touches will help your kitchen communicate to your buyer that this will be the perfect spot for their family to build memories together.

Stage Your Kitchen—Sell Your House

A well-staged kitchen will lead to happy buyers bringing good offers. So get cooking on these simple and affordable steps to staging your kitchen. Straighten It Up, Clean It Up, Freshen It Up, and Warm It Up—and your kitchen will win the hearts of your buyers like a plate of fresh baked cookies on a winter afternoon.

Simply irresistible!

Our Latest Staging Transformation

Feels Like Home Interiors Prep List for the Savvy Seller

You've taken all the right steps before your home is listed. You've decluttered and depersonalized and worked with a professional stager to ensure your house is ready for its big debut. Your photos are stunning and you are excited that listing day is finally here.

You are to be congratulated on all the effort you've made so far. But you're not quite done yet. Remember the goal of selling your home is to get your home sold. I know this sounds incredibly obvious. Yet it's clear from the condition of many homes on the market that not all sellers understand this basic concept.

Keeping your home ready to show is hard work, but the better job you do keeping your house in model home condition while you are on the market, the more you increase your chances of selling quicker and for a better price. Your best strategy is to stay "show ready" so when the call from a realtor comes saying they have a buyer who would like to see your home, you are ready.

This checklist is divided into tasks you need to do every day, every few days, weekly, and anytime before you leave the house. Follow these steps and there will be no need to panic or stress. Just a few last minute touches and your home will be ready to show to its best potential. So be a savvy seller--follow these suggestions, get your home sold, and move on with your life.

Daily Prep:

• Make the beds.


• Get all clothes off the floor and put away or in the laundry.


• Wipe down any showers, tubs, sinks, counters, faucets, toilets and stove tops.


• Rinse dishes, load dishwasher, run dishwasher and empty dishwasher.


• Wash your personal towels daily and put out your "show" towels.


• Sort, file, and discard mail as soon as you receive it.


• Put away all/recycle all reading material including newspapers and magazines.


• Stow all personal items out of sight including, eyeglasses and personal care items such as toothbrush/toothpaste, lotions, bathing products, etc. Remember to keep all bath products in a small plastic bin that you can easily move inside a cabinet after using.


• Empty the trash daily, especially kitchen and bathrooms, and keep all trash containers stored inside cabinets or closets and out of sight.


• Straighten and fluff the pillows on chairs and sofas.


• Clean up any pet areas including emptying the litter box if you have cats, and when appropriate put your animals in the garage, outside, or with a neighbor.

Every Few Days Prep:

• Check on fresh flowers, change the water, and replace if they are starting to look wilted.


• If you have fresh fruit in a bowl in the kitchen make sure it is still fresh.


• Sweep any debris from front porch, walkways, and decks or patios.


• Do the laundry more often than usual so they don't pile up. Get them washed, dried, folded and put away. If you have dirty clothes at the time of a showing place them in the washing machine and close the lid.


• Dust, sweep, and vacuum.


• Wipe down the outside of appliances and polish any stainless steel-a light coat of olive oil on SS appliances will help keep those pesky fingerprints away.


• Water outdoor pots and beds as often as needed.

Weekly Prep:

• Shake out any throw or scatter rugs.


• Do the yard work, including mowing, weeding, and cleaning up any debris.


• Water houseplants.


• Straighten up the garage and any other storage areas.

Before You Leave the House Prep:

• Set the thermostat to a comfortable temperature.


• Turn on the lights to their show ready levels.


• Make sure the house is odor free-avoid cooking foods that leave strong lingering odors while your house is on the market.


• Close all toilet lids.


• Do a quick walk-through to make sure all items are properly stowed and each space looks just the way you want.

(See the post Staying Sane Living Ready to Show for more information about the importance of keeping you house show ready.)

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A savvy seller or Realtor in the Pittsburgh area looking for expert assistance getting a property ready to show to its best potential? Please visit Feels Like Home Interiors to find out more about how their home staging services can make a difference for your home or listings.

Staying Sane Living "Ready-to-Show"!

Living in a show-ready home may seem daunting, but with some planning and a bit of effort you can do it. Remember the better your home shows, the more likely you will sell quicker and therefore need to live this way for a shorter time. You may even come to enjoy living in a serene and clutter-free environment. Once you’ve put in all the work to get your house de-cluttered, effectively staged, and show-ready, it is easier to maintain than you might imagine, and well worth the effort.

Set aside a time everyday to do the necessary tidying tasks. If you are a morning person, get up a bit earlier than normal and take care of your daily to do list. If you are a night owl, work this into your pre-bedtime routine (with the exception of making beds and general picking up after your morning routine).

If you have older children and teens in your household, get them involved in the daily process of staying show ready. Make it easy for them to help by giving them storage baskets and bins to use to gather their belongings and designate a space in their closet or dresser where they can store them. The promise of a family getaway or some other reward when your house sells works well as an incentive. With younger children, make the preparation process a game for them. Children as young as 2 or 3 can help put items in bins and enjoy the fun of using a timer or special clean up songs.

Remember, when a potential buyer sees a spotless and well-organized home, it has a big positive impact on their overall impression of the property. They tend to see the home as well-cared for, more spacious, and easy to maintain—all of which go a long way to getting you from “for sale” to “Sold!”.

Stay on top of the day to day clutter and dirt, have a schedule and a plan, and give yourself and your family "treats" for your extra efforts. You'll be able to keep your sanity and the quick and successful sale of your home will be your well-deserved reward.

Watch for future posts with specific steps to follow daily, every few days, weekly, and anytime you leave the house when your home is on the market.

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A savvy seller or realtor looking for expert assistance getting a property ready to show to its best potential? Please visit the Feels Like Home Interiors website or call Mary at (724) 884-7148 to find out more about how she can make a difference for your home or listings.

MLS Photos--Shoot For Quantity AND Quality

According to a July 2008 study by Point2 Technologies, online home shoppers turn away from listings with no or few photos and spend their time viewing the listings with the most MLS photos.

This study found that listings with no photos had the worst results, getting only a .02 percent of the detailed listing views that the 21 or more photo listings received. The study also indicated that listings with 21 or more pictures received 55 times the number of page views, 27 times the amount of interest and 898 the number of leads as a listing with no pictures.

According to Carey Tufts, Director of Marketing for Point2 Technologies, “Once again the data indicates that online home shoppers want rich content, specifically in the form of more photos, otherwise they tend to move on to the next listing. Especially in today’s market, home sellers and their agents do not have to take this risk. The data sends a powerful message. With more than 80 percent of home buyers continuing to do their research online, agents must attach more photos to their listings for them to stand out and attract more potential buyers.”

While this study makes a strong case for listing agents to increase the number of photos they use with their listings in order to attract interest, it does not address the importance of the quality of all these photos. Clearly, online interest is not enough; sellers need that interest to result in showings and offers. While more photos may bring an increase in views from an online shopper, quality of the staging of the home and the photos themselves will lead to showings and ultimately, offers.

So definitely put more photos with your listings, but make sure the photos do an excellent job of captivating a potential buyer's further interest and helping them make an emotional connection to the home. This means each photo must show an area that is well-staged highlighting the space’s function, flow, and features. And each picture should be taken from the ideal vantage point with the best lighting and then properly finished using a good photo editing program such as www.picnik.com/ .

When it comes to MLS photos helping you get to SOLD, both quantity AND quality will be crucial in generating showings and offers. What's a great way to ensure your photos will have the best impact on prospective home buyers? Enlist the services of a Professional Home Stager to help you get your home show-ready before it hits on the market. The investment in home staging will result in a home that shows well both online and in person.

See the graph below for the detailed results of the Point2 Technologies Study. Click here to read the complete study.

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A savvy seller or realtor looking for expert assistance getting a property ready to show to its best potential? Please visit the Feels Like Home Interiors website or call Mary at (724) 884-7148 to find out more about how she can make a difference for your home or listings.

Bright Idea -- Go Dimmer!

Want an easy, affordable way to improve the lighting in your home? Go dimmer!

Yes, I know you need to have enough lighting from various sources in order to proper illuminate your space. But the sources and quantity of lighting are only part of the answer to creating a warm and inviting atmosphere in your home. Lighting that is too harsh can be a problem just as much as not enough light. Being able to control the light adds greatly to the mood you can set in a space.

A simple dimmer switch costs less than $15 and can be easily installed in just a few minutes using some basic tools. Check out this video from about.com for a short tutorial on how you can install dimmer switches yourself. Make sure you choose the right dimmer for your needs because they vary based on the number of switches you have connected to the light source you want to control.

Take control of the lighting in your home with the simple, affordable addition of dimmer switches throughout your home. Whether you're having a romantic dinner for two, hosting a dinner party, relaxing by the fire, or playing a board game with the kids, you will enjoy being able to adjust the level of light in order to create the mood best suited to your activity. Once you go "dimmer", you'll never go back!

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Mary Fasnacht of Feels Like Home Interiors helps home owners in Washington County, PA and the surrounding Pittsburgh area with their home staging and interior redesign needs. Her Stage to Sell services help sellers prepare their homes to make the best possible impression in today's challenging market. Her Stage to Stay services offer home owners an easy, affordable way to refresh and revitalize their homes. Please visit her website or call her at (724) 884-7148 to find out more about how she can make a difference for your home or listings.

It's Like Going to the Prom All Over Again

Have you noticed it's prom time again? I've seen the guys decked out in tuxes picking up corsages at the store. I've spotted young ladies coming out of the salons with fancy up-do's. And when I drove in my neighborhood last evening couples were posing in front of flowering bushes for parents trying to capture the perfect photo.

Getting ready for the prom these days is serious business. Months of planning goes into the preparation process for this big event. Money is set aside. Appointments and reservations are made. Many dresses are tried on until just the right one is found. The tux that goes best with the dress is ordered. Nails are painted and flowers are ordered. Every detail is covered--hair, makeup, jewelry, purse, shoes, wrap, reservations, transprortation, spending money, etc. It is a lot of work, but worth it when everything comes together in the end to make a memorable night.

Did you know getting your house ready to hit the market with the best success is a lot like preparing for the prom? It takes time, planning, and some serious effort to get it to all come together for the big event--the official listing of your property for sale.

Here are some tips for getting your home "Prom Night" ready and increasing your odds of selling quickly and for the best possible price:

• Start the planning process early ~ I love it when a client comes to me for a consultation as early as a year before they plan to list their property seeking advice on what steps they should get started on now to be ready to list later.
• Determine how to look your best from head to toe ~ Use a Professional Home Stager to help you evaluate your home from a buyer's perspective and formulate a prioritized action plan to most effectively and efficiently prepare your home to be market ready inside and out on listing day. This professional direction will priceless in helping you maximize the equity you have in your home.
• Plan your budget ~ Getting your house market-ready usually requires some investment. Your Professional Home Stager and Realtor® can advise you on the best way to allocate your funds to get the biggest bang for your buck. And many of the items that will help your home show better, like new towels and bedding and updated lamps and accessories, you will get to take with you to your new home.
• Create a checklist to keep you on track ~ Use six months, five months,...three weeks, two weeks,..., etc. And divide each list up by areas inside and outside your home.
• Make needed appointments well ahead of time ~ Decide which tasks you can complete yourself and where you will need help from a professional. Will you need a handyman, a house cleaner, electrician, plumber, window washer, painter, wallpaper remover, landscaper, an off-site storage place, etc.? Call them now and get them scheduled.
• Don't forget the flowers ~ Fresh flowers in a nice vase or fresh fruit (lemons, green apples) in a couple of key areas like the entryway, dining room, or living room add a nice touch.
• Take photos before the dance when you are looking your absolute best ~ If you've followed your checklist, your home will be ready from head to toe, shined, white glove clean and looking its very best. This is the time to have your MLS photo and video tour taken, allowing you to maximize your first impression with more than 85% of your potential buyers who will start their search online. Your house will be sending the clear "this is the one!" message to buyers.
• Keep your touch up tools handy ~ Have a system for keeping your house show ready. Keeping the house as straightened up as possible is the best way to go. Make the beds and straighten up each morning and clean up any messes as they happen. A large basket on each level of your house that can be stowed on a shelf or in a cabinet works well for cleaning up any items that are out when you get the call for a showing. Dirty laundry can be tossed in the washing machine. Clean "show only" towels should be placed in each bathroom. Keep cleaning wipes under the counters in the kitchen and bathrooms for quick touchups. Clean up after your pets on a daily basis and keep their things in an out of the way place like the garage or laundry room. Get everyone in the habit of keeping those toilet seats down. As a general rule of thumb, it's always safest to leave the house "show ready" whenever you go out.

Much like the prom, selling your home is a big deal. Plan ahead, get advice and help from professionals, and plug away at your to do list. When the big day arrives for you to make your market debut, you will be all set to stand our from the crowd and be the belle of the ball. You efforts will be well-rewarded when in no time at all your buyer knocks on your door knowing your house is the one that is the perfect fit for their glass slipper!

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Mary Fasnacht of Feels Like Home Interiors helps home sellers in Washington County, PA and the surrounding Pittsburgh area prepare their homes to make the best possible impression in today's challenging market helping them to be successful sellers. Please visit her website or call her at (724) 884-7148 to find out more about how she can make a difference for your home or listings .

Mom Was Right ~ There I Said It!

Mom was right, there I said it! Remember how hard it used to be to admit your mother was right about anything? Well, with this piece of advice she was not only right, but right on the money--literally!

What was the simple yet profound advice? Avoid looking desperate! This gem held great wisdom back in my dating days and perhaps somewhat surprisingly works as excellent counsel for today's home sellers.

And to be honest, there were moments in my younger, dating days when I felt a bit desperate. But feeling desperate didn't mean I had to appear desperate. Most of us have our insecurities. But the key to success is mustering up our confidence and putting our best foot forward.

Whether you are looking for a potential life partner or a buyer for your house, coming across as desperate lowers your perceived value. So while in today's challenging market you may be feeling fairly desperate as a home seller yourself, you can take crucial steps to avoid appearing desperate and to ultimately set yourself up for the successful sale of your home.

First, you need to understand some things that can make a home seller look desperate:

• being listed on the market for a long time


• having seasonally outdated MLS photos


• offering huge buyer incentives


• making a price reduction

Here's some advice to avoid becoming that "desperate seller" :

• Start the preparation process early ~ it usually takes some time to get your house ready to sell and to gain the knowledge you need to make wise listing decisions


• Find and hire a professional REALTOR® ~ choose a Realtor you feel comfortable working with and who you believe will do the best job marketing and selling your home


• Do your homework before you list ~ understand the market in your area--who is your likely buyer, what are they looking for and what are they paying for houses similar to yours


• Price correctly from the start ~ you can do some research yourself and your Realtor will be an invaluable source of guidance on this decision


• Make any necessary repairs to your home first ~ now is the time to fix that leaky faucet and oil those squeaky hinges


• Stage your home to sell ~ the way we live in our home and the way we need to present our home to sell are quite different--a small investment in professional home staging advice and assistance will payoff huge returns in helping your house sell more quickly for a higher price

Taking these steps will help you avoid looking like a desperate seller and help you keep your negotiating strength when you sell your home. Put in the time and effort needed to put your best foot forward when you hit the market and buyers will be attracted by your home's many wonderful attributes.

So if your mom advised you not to look desperate, remember to thank her. Follow this wise advice to prepare your home for listing and instead of a desperate seller you will be a successful seller!

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Mary Fasnacht of Feels Like Home Interiors helps home sellers in Washington County, PA and the surrounding Pittsburgh area prepare their homes to make the best possible impression in today's challenging market helping them to be successful sellers. Please visit her website or call her at (724) 884-7148 to find out more about how she can make a difference for your home or listings .

"You had me at hello"--Will Your Home Get the 8.2 Second Look?

Did you know that according to a recent study when a man gazes at a woman for 8.2 seconds or more the first time he sees her, he rates that woman as highly attractive--raising the odds of love at first sight? And on the other end of the spectrum, if the man's gaze lasts for 4.5 seconds or less, it means that the man is not interested in that woman and indicates he did not consider her good-looking enough.

Think a similar theory holds true for prospective buyers checking out your house? Absolutely! Whether it's 10 seconds, 13 seconds or 22 seconds, real estate experts agree you have a very short time to captivate potential buyers and entice them to keep looking. Before the rise of the internet as the primary first search avenue for home buyers, you could focus on your curb appeal to get a prospective buyer in the door. But now that more than 85% of prospective buyers start their home search online, curb appeal is only one part of the complete package you need to sell your house for best price and in the shortest time possible.

The "attractiveness" of your home must be clearly evident in the photos and virtual tour that constitute most buyers' first look at your home if you want to make sure it isn't their last. In a matter of less than 30 seconds, a prospective buyer can view each room of your home and decide whether your home makes the cut or not. If the buyer is looking at your listing, it most likely already meets their basic criteria (location, price, number of bedrooms and bathrooms, etc.). But those characteristics alone will not be enough to ensure your property makes their "must see!" list. Your home will need to make an emotional connection with your prospective buyer, allowing them to see how they can live comfortably and happily in your home.

So what's the most effective way to ensure you're making the most of your home's potential appeal? Investing in professional staging will help you significantly increase the "attractiveness" factor of your property. By helping you highlight your home's best features, maximize the flow through the space, depict each area's function clearly, and evoke a good connection emotionally, a professional stager's assistance will turn your home into a showplace that will captivate your potential buyers both online and in person.

So will your home rate the "8.2 second look"? Make the most of your home's brief opportunity to make that first impression--love at first sight. And that will give you the best chance for a lasting relationship--an accepted offer from a buyer thrilled to be making your house their home. Stage your home to its best potential and your buyer will be thrilled to say, "Oh, yes, you had me at hello!"

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Mary Fasnacht of Feels Like Home Interiors helps home sellers in Washington County, PA and the surrounding Pittsburgh area prepare their homes to make the best possible impression in today's challenging market. Please visit her website or call her at (724) 884-7148 to find out more about how she can make a difference for your home or listings .

To read more about this new male/female attractiveness study go to the March 25, 2009 article by Elena Gorgan, Life and Style editor for Softpedia.

Feels Like Home Interiors ~ Our Staging Portfolio

Feels Like Home Interiors is a Pittsburgh-based company offering a variety of customized home staging and redesign services to meet the widely varying needs of our clients. Based on your specific situation, we will tailor a solution that works best with your goals and budget.

Here are a few before and after photos of our staging showing how we use Stage to Sell! Strategies to focus on a home's best features and to help create an emotional connection with the widest range of buyers getting you from "for sale" to "SOLD!"

Master Bedroom Magic

This empty bedroom makes it difficult for a buyer

to picture how the space would function for them.

Appropriate furnishings, luxury bedding, simple decor, and

good lighting turn this bedroom into a master suite a buyer will love.

Dream Deck

An average backyard deck.

A dream deck effectively staged so buyers will easily picture themselves relaxing on summer afternoons or inviting friends over for a cookout.

Delectable Dining Room

This dining room feels a bit crowded and outdated.

Updating the lighting and simplifying the decor make this room feel more spacious and current.

Lovely Living Room

Too many collectibles and outdated window treatments distract the potential buyer.

Updated window treatments and decor show off this living room.

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Here's what some of our clients are saying:

Stage to Sell!

"Thanks to Feels Like Home Interiors' staging assistance we sold our home quickly and easily. Mary saw our house with fresh eyes-something I was simply unable to do living there-and saw so many things I would never have noticed or thought of. She did a fantastic job of looking at our home from the buyer's perspective and making clear, specific recommendations that highlighted our home's selling features. Working with what we already owned, she helped us depersonalize our décor, improve the flow and feeling of spaciousness in the rooms, and appear move-in ready to our prospective buyers.

"If you are looking for help in staging your home to sell, I highly recommend Mary Fasnacht and Feels Like Home Interiors."

~~ Rachel Dalbo

"Mary Fasnacht is the reason my house sold within two (2) weeks! I lived in an older home that was OK but she made it look fantastic. Using mainly items I already owned, Mary turned my house into a warm and inviting HOME. I couldn’t believe the difference! Neither could my realtor – she came out & re-photographed the transformed rooms.

"Mary has a unique gift. She is able to balance home décor with lifestyle. My home looked terrific but was still user friendly for us and our young children. The rooms which were redecorated reflected our personal taste but didn’t appear too stuffy or “over-done”. Her refreshing style made our older items look current but not trendy.

"I highly recommend Mary Fasnacht. Her attention to detail is outstanding. All of her customers are sure to be pleased. My only regret is not using Mary’s skills earlier!"

~Crystal Aucoin

Stage to Stay!

"Mary’s assistance in creating our living room was fabulous! She was able to come into the space and see elements and opportunities that we had not considered. Her patient, kind and diplomatic communication style was a pleasure to work with. She was able to guide and assist in the decision making process without ever “stepping on our toes”. She brought creative and unique ideas to the space, while always being aware of our budget. Mary was marvelous at finding items from other areas of our house to complete the space. She has a wonderful talent for bringing “fresh eyes” into a home and graciously and diplomatically communicating improvements. I look forward to the time when I can have Mary’s help again!!"

~Erin Springman

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To find out more about how Feels Like Home Interiors can help you easily transform your home into one that will appeal to the most buyers and get you from "for sale" to "SOLD!" please visit us at http://www.feelslikehomeinteriors.com/ .