Teresa Mills-Schremm's Home Staging Cleveland, OH Blog

I'm sure many of you have heard this before. "Staging a home is inconvenient and disruptive so it's not worth the hassle." (or at least something close to this statement).  Well, yes, it can be inconvenient and disruptive for the homeowner.  Just think about the daunting task of clearing all your extra appliances and "stuff" off of the kitchen countertops before a showing.  Then dashing into all of the bathrooms to stash the toothbrush and personal items and scrubbing the shower from top to bottom.  Oh, and don't forget about the dirty laundry piled sky-high in the laundry room.  Oh, darn, the kitty potty is full of...well, you get the picture!

The reality is that when selling you will have to tweak the way you live in the home.  It must be kept impeccably clean and organized.  It must appear spacious, warm and inviting.  And, yes, it will require sacrificing your "personal" style of living and you WILL have to take strenuous measures to tidy every room before an Open House.  Having your home staged to sell can be inconvenient and disruptive.

Consider this, would you rather be temporarily inconvenienced with some disruption to your life, OR have a home that isn't properly prepared (staged) for the market and have it sit for months without any offers? Possibly having to endure showing after showing...month after month?  Think about the inconvenience of not being able to move forward with your plans.  What about the possibility of taking on two mortgage payments?

Looking Fine By Redesign had this very conversation with a potential client just a few days ago.  After explaining the benefits of staging their home before listing, and mentally preparing them for the undeniable inconveniences that they will have to endure during the selling process, the client was able to understand that staging is definitely the "lesser of two evils." 

We were able to give a few tips and suggestions that will help alleviate some of those inconveniences, (whether "real or perceived,") such as:

• Place a small box or tote under the kitchen sink that can be used to "stash" the extra countertop items quickly and efficiently before a showing.
• Place a similar box or tote in the bathrooms or linen closets to quickly hide away personal toiletries.
• Use decorative baskets in the laundry room to hide away extra items and small amounts of laundry if necessary.
• "Double-up" on the use of one or two of the bathrooms in the home.  Consider having the children use the Master Bath/Shower to eliminate the number of bathrooms to clean.
• Keep a "pre-set" dining table complete with fresh flowers and/or candles.

We strongly recommend, however, that you do NOT store the kitty potty in the same manner as suggested above!  This is a MUST CLEAN DAILY item...no exceptions!!

It is critical that a homeowner understands that once their home is put on the market, it isn't your home anymore.  While it may be the place where you live, it is now a product and in order to sell that product, it MUST be staged for maximum buyer interest and for a quick sale!

Teresa Mills Schremm, is a Certified Professional Home Stager and Owner of Looking Fine By Redesign, (www.LookingFineByRedesign.com) and Member of ASHSR. Serving Western Cuyahoga and Lorain Counties, Greater Cleveland, Ohio area.  Call for your Consultation today at 440-655-5831, or email teresa@LookingFineByRedesign.com

It's amazing!  We made the news for the third time this year!  When we started out over two years ago, home staging was like a dirty word around here!  Although it is slow to catch on...there are more and more people (homeowners and Realtors) asking questions about home staging.

We are determined to do our part to make home staging an industry standard.  Maybe there is something to that old cliche'...."the squeaky wheel gets the grease." :-)

Here is the link to the latest interview:  http://www.cleveland.com/sunherald/communitylife/index.ssf?/base/features-0/122235170651111.xml&coll=4

Thanks for reading!

Teresa

I wrote a blog a couple of months ago about feeling guilty when I cashed my clients check.  Here is a brief recap of that blog:

I received my client's check for the monthly rental fees, right on time, as usual.  I had recently learned that the homeowners had received an offer on their vacant house after only 52 days on the market.  A fraction of the time for my area.  However, the offer fell through because the house failed the inspection!  At that point, I wasn't sure if I should tell my client that with a significant repair issue, all of the staging in the world wouldn't help sell the property.  After blogging about this horrible "emotional" decision, I received a huge amount of support and staging wisdom from my fellow ActiveRainers!  I was reminded that it wasn't MY decision to make!  I was reminded that vacant homes do NOT sell as quickly and for top dollar!  Thanks everybody for the "reality check!"

Well, yesterday was ANOTHER emotional day for Looking Fine by Redesign!  It wasn't because we cashed another rental check.  It wasn't because our wonderful client paid a lot of money to repair the issues that killed the sale.  It was because of this:   

    AND THIS:   

We DE-STAGED the house because after only 148 DOM it is  ......

The new owners take possession of this great "home" on September 30th!!

While this was an emotional rollercoaster ride for the homeowner, Realtor, and Looking Fine by Redesign, it is just another example that staging works!   For all you homeowners out there, when at all possible, make those repairs before you put your home on the market!  Why not invest a few hundred dollars and have a HOME INSPECTION  done so that you and your Realtor know if there are any potential deal breakers?  If you live in the home or if it is vacant, remember to consult with a PROFESSIONAL HOME STAGER to ensure that your home shows at full potential and is appealing to the most number of buyers as possible!

Teresa Mills Schremm is a professional home stager, and owner of Looking Fine by Redesign, in North Olmsted, OH.  If you are selling your home in the Cleveland, Cuyahoga/Lorain County, OH, call us today for your home staging consultation!  Don't put your home on the market without a "polished presentation."    Let's get it SOLD...Together!  (440) 655-5831  www.LookingFineByRedesign.com

Hello everyone!  There were several requests here on AR to read the July 6, 2008, Arkansas Democrat Gazette article written by our very own Amber Langston of Home Branders.  I contacted Amber, and she has posted the article on her blog.  I'm including the link to her blog page here.  http://activerain.com/blogs/westageit.  (Column Two, Set Up To Sell, 6 July)

Thanks, Amber for including us in your article!

Teresa

Several months ago, I signed up to receive "listing alerts" when a new home in my area is listed on the MLS.  I set aside a couple of hours each week to look at the internet photos, and send out an email to the Realtors if the property looks like it could use some staging.  I'm sure this is something that a lot of us do.  I know that ALL of the MLS photos won't be perfect, but I get so upset, and quite frankly, a little TWISTED, that I just stare at my computer screen in DISBELIEF!  Are Realtors AND Homeowners LOOKING at these photos with BUYER'S EYES?  From what you see in so many of these photos, I would have to say NO!

It amazes me that something so obvious is being overlooked by so many!  I know, I know!  Obvious to a professional home stager, but not to the "un-objective" eye.  As a Realtor, why on earth would you think for one minute that creative property descriptions will bring a herd of buyers DESPITE a horrible FIRST IMPRESSION?  For that matter even a handful!  As a Homeowner, why on earth would you think that a perfect stranger, a buyer, is going to beat your door down, and fall in love with a dark, dated, cluttered room?  Or your lovely purple window sheers?  Then there are those "updated" and "move in ready" vacant homes!  You know the ones with blank white walls, and the sterile space that has absolutely no defining features.

I recently came across some statistics that show an increase of buyers looking on the internet for their next home.  It is now estimated that 87% of these consumers are looking for their dream house on line.  This is just one reason why we must keeping moving forward in our crusade to make home staging an industry standard. 

I know this is an ongoing problem for all of us.  I also know that staging is making a "mark" in the industry.  I just get really frustrated when I look at these horrible representations of a property that has so much potential.  So my plea to Realtors, Brokers, Homeowners, Builders, Investors, FSBO, or ANYBODY selling a home, PLEASE understand that INTERNET PRESENCE is critical when marketing a home for sale! 

I will continue my quest to save the world through my God given staging talent, and hopefully one day these icky photos will become a distant memory.  Please forgive my ranting and raving! :-)  I have included a few samples of "updated, cheerful, move-in ready, light and bright"  MLS photos for the Cleveland, OH area.  Let me say in advance that if any of these are your listing, I don't mean any disrespect, but PLEASE call me....I CAN HELP!

Teresa

If you need a Professional Home Staging Consultant to help prepare your home for sale, or a Realtor who has "difficult" properties to market in the Cleveland/North Olmsted, OH area, call  Looking Fine by Redesign, LLC.  "Let's get it SOLD...Together!"

E-Mail:  teresa@Lookingfinebyredesign.com

Teresa Mills Schremm, Staging Consultant  Phone:  440-655-5831

www.Lookingfinebyredesign.com

Powered by PASSION, INTEGRITY AND ENTHUSIASM

What an honor!  Looking Fine by Redesign, was included in Amber Langston's "Set Up to Sell" article in the Arkansas Democrat Gazette (July 6, 2008). 

The article is very informative and well written, and addresses some of the biggest mistakes homeowners make when marketing their home.  Amber did a great job putting all of the comments together, and has created some eye-opening facts that homeowners should NOT ignore!

It was a true honor and I am humbled to be included among such an elite group of home staging professionals.  Thank you, Amber for this awesome opportunity!

Teresa

Do you need an experienced PROFESSIONAL HOME STAGER to help you prepare and market your home?  Are you a REALTOR in need of a professional home stager to prepare your listings and make your job EASIER?  I would enjoy helping you meet your selling goals!

Teresa Mills Schremm, ASHSR

Phone 440-655-5831

www.LookingFineByRedesign.com

Email: teresa@LookingFineByRedesign.com

"Let's get it SOLD...Together!" 

Serving the Greater Cleveland, North Olmsted, Ohio area.

Hello all.... 

I wanted to update you on our interview with the Sun Herald.  We had a great interview with the nicest reporter on Monday!  She even interviewed one of our clients!  We waited anxiously for Thursday to arrive...ran out to the news stand early in the morning to find the article didn't run. However, we received a call from the reporter at the Sun Herald and she apologized profusely...but apparently the local Senior Prom(s) took up a lot of space!  So, the article WILL run hopefully next Thursday!  It was a little disappointing, but at least we have another exciting event to look forward to in the coming week.  I have to admit, I love looking at all those "decked-out and smiling faces" from the local high schools.  Why it was only a couple of years ago when I attended my senior prom!  OK...so it was 30 years ago...who is counting?

The day got much brighter a couple of hours after the phone call from the Sun Herald.  I picked up a copy of another small local newspaper, WestLife News...and MUCH to my surprise...another connection made with the Associate Editor for our area...PUBLISHED an article that I had written and submitted a month ago!  It was totally UNEXPECTED!  It was a feature article in the special edition of WestLife's "House, Home & Garden."  Unfortunately, since it was a special edition to the paper this week it isn't accessible from their website.  But, if you live in Western Cuyahoga County, pick up a copy and let me know what you think.  The article is entitled, "Attracting Home Buyers with Psychology.  Does it Really Work?"  You can also read the article at http://ezinearticles.com/?id=990347.  It's under what else...home staging.

Well...I will update my update next week.  Have a wonderful and safe holiday weekend!

Teresa Mills Schremm is the co-founder and owner of Looking Fine by Redesign, LLC in North Olmsted, Ohio.  We are Home Marketing Consultants specializing in Home Staging, serving Homeowners, Realtors, Builders, and Investors.  "Let's get it SOLD...Together!"

Finally!  After two years in business, we were contacted by a local newspaper today, and they want to know more about what we do!  There have been several articles in the larger newspaper recently about home staging and redesign, and  apparently, the Sun News, wants to "get with the program" too. 

We are being interviewed on Monday morning by a Reporter who knows "zip" about home staging.  This will be a great opportunity to educate, not only her, but over 25,000 readers!  The Sun News will also be interviewing one of our clients, and a Realtor partner!  This is such an exciting moment for us...we have been waiting for the chance to get the word out about the benefits of staging through a resource such as this one!

Wish us luck....stay tuned for an update next week!

Teresa Mills Schremm, owner of Looking Fine by Redesign, LLC, in North Olmsted, Ohio helps homeowners, real estate professionals, builders, and investors to prepare and position their homes for the market.  We specialize in vacant home staging, and senior relocations throughout Cuyahoga and Lorain Counties, and the Greater Cleveland area.

I want to make sure I understand certain marketing (or lack of) strategies from a Realtor's perspective. 

As part of my company's service, we take beautiful "After" photos of all staged homes we do.  We then email those photos to the listing agent.  We do not charge extra for this service and believe that it is a valuable one.  Am I wrong?  Here is a brief scenario of what has happened with 99% of those Realtors that we have sent photos to.  They either graciously accept them and do NOTHING with them, OR they never bother to acknowledge that they received them and do NOTHING with them.  They are not used on Realtor.com.  They are not used on their own website, or any other logical place that you would market a home for sale.  Isn't this also a "dis-service" to the seller they represent?  It seems to me that "free" photos of a staged home would be VERY desirable....isn't it a fact that over 80% of buyers are looking on the internet for their next home?  Wouldn't these photos save the listing agent time so that they can do other things?

 I must be missing a key element here!  I would GREATLY appreciate any feedback from my ActiveRain Realtors on this topic.  I want to make sure that the services that Looking Fine by Redesign offers are valuable and please don't hesitate to "tell it like it is!"  Thanks!!

Looking Fine by Redesign, LLC proudly serves the Western Cuyahoga and Lorain Counties, and Greater Cleveland area. 

Here is the real estate virtual flyer I created for our recent vacant home staging. (Its the same as the show in the widget on my blog...also, the first widget is the "before" show of the same home). Do you think the angles and the overall show represents the features of the home?  Comments/critiques welcome! 

http://www.realestateshows.com/flyer.php?id=278410

We had the pleasure of staging a 1300 square foot Bungalow in Bay Village this past week.  The client lives thousands of miles away, and we communicated by e-mail throughout the whole process!  She found our website in early March, and was desperate to find a home staging firm that could handle the entire project for her.  This was a vacant home that needed new paint, carpeting, lighting, and more! This was the second time this home has been on the market.  There were NO offers the first time (it was vacant then too).  We answered her e-mail in a timely manor and assured her that we could manage the project for her...no problem.  She liked our quick response, and said she "had a good feeling about us."  Wow!  We were so honored that this client was handing the reins over to us!

We contacted the listing agent...(who is absolutely wonderful...and she BELIEVES in staging :-), evaluated the home, got the lock-box code, and we were off!  Three weeks later....the walls are painted, the carpeting is installed, and the staging is done!  Whew!!!!  The Open House is this Sunday!  We plan to drop by BEFORE the Open House with a nice flower arrangement for the front steps.  We are so excited and so pleased....but most of all our client told us that the results are "amazing!"  She acknowledged that we stood true to our word...that Looking Fine by Redesign most certainly is "powered by passion, integrity, and enthusiasm."

It's not just about making money...its about helping others achieve their goals, and to lay down at night knowing that you have "met and exceeded" their expectations.  Ok...so take a look at the real estate show we created for our client.  I have also posted the link to the "before & after" show that was created for educating vacant home sellers.

This is the "after" show:

http://www.realestateshows.com/show.php?id=278410&traffic=0

This is the "before & after" show:

 http://www.realestateshows.com/show.php?id=278994&traffic=0

Today I came across a profile of a Realtor in my area and noticed that she is an "Accredited Home Staging Specialist."  Hhmm.. that sounds "impressive."  So I read through the profile and the "seller" information looking for some detail about her staging expertise.  I thought, wow! I should send her an email and let her know that I am in the area. Maybe she could use an extra person to help with staging sometime, or maybe I can help with a "sensitive" seller..who knows!  I didn't find anything other than a tiny paragraph at the bottom of the page that read "I will walk through your home with you..., there are some home improvements that are necessary, and some that are not.  Be careful!".  Wow!  What is that about?  Ok...so I am not one to post "BEWARE"signs everywhere, but is this something to put on your website?  Is she warning against the advice of "other" home stagers and/or remodelers?  What do you think?

Anyway, I clicked on a link regarding her "AHS" designation.  I was directed to a website that boldly declares that every real estate agent should be staging their listings.  Every REA knows that a staged property sells faster and for more money.  AND why pay $500-$3000 for some other training course when you can learn all there is to know for only $199!  AND "IN LESS THAN ONE DAY!"  Oh, my!  I just about fell off of my chair!  Don't get me wrong...I know there are some REAs out there who have the talent and ability to stage their listings.  I am still wondering about the time factor though!  I haven't arrived yet!  My staging work takes several hours....and vacants can take days!  Back to the point....I am VERY concerned about these "economy" training courses, and especially concerned about the "IN LESS THAN A DAY" claim.

Please help me out here....staging homes for a living .... takes time, energy, effort, sweat, muscle, planning, and so much more!  How can a REA (or anyone for that matter) "walk through with you" and call that staging?  Helpful tips...maybe!  But not "staging specialist."  Have those "economy...quicky" courses forgot about the fact that MOST homeowners cannot be OBJECTIVE about their own home?  If they had the ability to be objective, AND have the natural talent...then none of us PROFESSIONAL HOME STAGERS would be in business!  I would love to hear your opinion!  Thanks for reading!

For more information about us, please visit                                                                                    www.Lookingfinebyredesign.com

"Let's get it SOLD...Together!"                             

As I eagerly flipped the pages to the real estate section this morning, I found what I was looking for!  So I thought!  There was a full-page article on home staging which contained highlights from an interview with a local stager.  As I excitedly read the article, I stopped...horrified at this quote, "The larger and more expensive a house is, the more it needs to have furniture in it while it's on the market..."  While I don't disagree that large and expensive homes should be staged (they should be), I can't help but think that those readers who are unfamiliar with staging may think that staging is only for the "expensive," or the "large" home.  Maybe I am just being paranoid, but I spend a lot of time educating homeowners and realtors about the benefits of staging, and that EVERY home will benefit!

Another quote in this article was, "You can't just stage one or two rooms.  You have to do the whole house."  Here is why I disagree with that statement.  In an occupied home, yes, every room needs to be addressed in terms of clutter and de-personalizing, along with staging the main living spaces.  In a vacant, the key rooms and spaces can be staged, and will give a buyer a "frame of reference."  Yes, it would be ideal to do every room, but, it is also our job as professional stagers to work with the client's budget!  I believe that staging the key rooms like the living room, dining room, kitchen and Master will serve a great purpose. Even if the guest bedrooms are left vacant.  This is only my opinion, and has been my experience in dealing with the "average" income client.  I would love to hear your opinion!

Hello everyone!

 I just want to share my latest real estate show.  I have to thank Maureen Henry...she was my inspiration on this project!  Thanks, Maureen!  Not only for inspiring me to think "outside of the box," but teaching me all about teeny tiny widgets!  I added my second one today.  Here is the link to the real estate show:

http://www.realestateshows.com/242648

 Teresa, Looking Fine by Redesign

As I sit here in my office on this rainy morning, I reflect back to this past weekend.  We helped a wonderful and fun couple stage their home about a week ago.  It's a beautiful Colonial in a desirable country setting.  Unfortunately, it has been on the market for six months without an offer.  So..the lightbulb came on for this couple that they needed to address the "why's"...why no offers, why are people saying "they're just looking," why has our Realtor REDUCED the listing price, etc.  Answer: because it doesn't show well!  Too much "stuff."  Cluttered and VERY personal....why the daughter's wedding photos dominated the wall along the stairway....ugh, the "bunny rabbit" collection has invaded every room of the home!  Oh, and don't forget the "rec room" in the basement is littered with unused exercise equipment and worn out furniture!  Oh, my....if they had only called us six months ago!  Or better yet, their Realtor had called us six months ago!  I am sitting here gnawing on my pencil eraser just like my second grade son does!  The realtor had an open house on Sunday (he doesn't do his own...he had someone fill in for him), and he stopped by at the end of the showing, and said "the new photos that the home stagers sent to me were 'impressive' and the home looks 'impressive'....geez, I wish YOU had done this earlier!  Now that is a statement wouldn't you say?  Well its time that I hit the road and make some more introductions among my real estate community.  I guess I have a lot of educating to do today!  Thanks for letting me bend your ear!  I think I need some coffee...this eraser doesn't quite do it for me!!!!

Teresa, Looking Fine by Redesign, North Olmsted, OH

I spoke with a Realtor this week who told me that she believes home staging works.  However, after some discussion I was amazed to learn that she doesn't think staging a home for sale in today's soft market will help much at all!  She has become so negative in light of listings sitting on the market for months, that she has "forgotten what she knows"!  I leaped at the opportunity to explain what home staging is, and how it is even MORE critical during this housing market slump.  A staged home will sell faster and for more money than a home that is not staged...if homes are sitting for months on end what better marketing strategy is there?  Make the home appealing...get the interest level up in the property.  Every newspaper is running articles daily on the tougher mortgage lending practices...so why would you not want to capitalize on the buyers that are getting loans?  That, in my opinion, is a captive audience so to speak.  Hundreds of homes...very few buyers..hhmm,..that seems like a no brainer to me.  Professional Home Stagers really have a lot of educating and motivating to do these days!

Teresa Mills, Professional Home Stager, Looking Fine by Redesign, N.Olmsted, Ohio