Friday, October 26, 2012

HAPPY FRIDAY!



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HAPPY WEEKEND!


xoxo
Sharon


"LET'S GET STAGING AND GET IT SOLD!"

Thursday, October 25, 2012

TRAVELING THURSDAY TO LEWISBURG



Thanks for stopping by.  Today, we are traveling to Greenbrier County in West Virginia.   There you will
find  beautiful soft rolling hills with pasture lands.  We are visiting the town of Lewisburg to look at this lovely home.
                                       Stone Construction on 3+ acres downtown Lewisburg
                                                       
                                                                      $950,000                    
     Can you picture yourself entertaining in this spacious cathedral-style living room with extraordinary views?
 
                                             or sleeping in this spacious bedroom with the natural woods ?.  Do you like this look?



                                                          It's all about the View.



                                                               HAPPY THURSDAY!
Thank you www.realtor.com for giving us a peak into this very lovely residence. The MLS# 140276.
                                     If you would like to see this house, give me a call 304-444-3831.




                                       
                                            "LET'S GET STAGING AND GET IT SOLD"

                                                                           xoxo
                                                                          Sharon

P. S.  The past week the weather has just been "summer like" in  West Virginia.  Have taken
my dog Duke for great walks surrounded by trees bursting with fall color.  Get out and Enjoy the day!

P.P.S.  Duke is sitting here at my side  with those big brown eyes asking "Can we go now?".

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

ARE WE DINING IN TONIGHT?




  What a great dining room.  I like all the different colors and features. The dark hardwood floors,
the built-in shelving , the neutral color palette. A beautiful room for family to gather.  But today,  let's talk about your house when an appointment has been made for a potential buyer.




Clear off dining room table except for one nice centerpiece.
Remove tablecloths from the table.

  
Even with a small dining  room it  is inviting and charming.
The color palette has been kept neutral with the grays, silver & white rug
that gives the feeling of open but intimate dining space.

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Remove extra leaves from the table to make the room appear larger.
Remove extra dining room chairs if they crowd the table or fill up corner of the room.
Four to six chairs are plenty.
I think this room is so inviting with the neutral colors, the glow of the dining table. What do you think?

Do you prefer  warm neutrals or the cool neutrals?






HAPPY TUESDAY!

XOXO
Sharon

'LET'S GET STAGING AND GET IT SOLD!"


P.S.  Instead of dining in last night, Charlie and I met our good friends at Ichibans in
Charleston, WV.  They make a fabulous Caesar salad that my husband orders each time we dine there.
My favorite is their WinterPlace rolls.  With great friends, a nice bottle of wine, and wonderful
cuisine - it was a night to remember.

Monday, October 22, 2012

FABULOUS-WORKABLE KITCHENS IN GRAY

Let's take a look at a few gray kitchens.  Which one do you prefer?  As Realtors, we know  Kitchen and Baths sell houses.  Would these kitchens make you want to buy? 


         I love the commercial-style range and the stainless countertops. What do you think of the countertops?        
                                                          I would move in here in a sec.


Softer gray-color subway tile for the backsplash goes beautifully with the
                   creamy-colored cabinets enhanced by the soapstone countertops and dark pulls.


  

Gray is a wonderful neutral that goes with anything and everything. Carrera marble - no doubt great choice.

If you are thinking of using gray in your home, consider Benjamin Moore's- Gray Owl.
XOXO
Sharon

Oh By the Way - .  Had an incredible meal last night with the family at our daughter's apartment in the
Historical area of Charleston,WV.  It was a beautiful fall evening , sweater in hand we headed for the
big front porch for a little wine before the dinner was ready .  If you have never had barbocoa
from skinnytaste, and try it!  Delish!

Happy Monday!

"LET'S GET STAGING & GET IT SOLD"



Friday, October 19, 2012

HAPPY WEEKEND!



                                                                 

;                                                                                                                


XOXO

Sharon

"LET'S GET STAGING AND GET IT SOLD!"

Thursday, October 18, 2012

TRAVELING THURSDAY

Welcome! Each Thursday we are going to travel around the country  and feature a property on the market for sale.  We're  outside of Chicago today. This 5 bedroom, 5.3 baths redefines luxury on the North Shore.

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                                                     An Asking Price of $4,195,000.
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                                The Terrace is a stunning feature for entertainment and relaxation.

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                                 Featuring the finest domestic and imported stone and fixtures

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                                                 Welcome to the walnut paneled library

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                                                       Light & wonderfully open dining

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                                                                  A Gourmet Delight


                       Ready to write a purchase agreement?  It's certaintly staged to Perfection!
                           
                            Thank you Jameson Sotheby's International Realty for sharing this lovely home






                                                                    Have a great day!

                                                                           xoxo

                                                                          Sharon

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Staging Is Not Decorating!

Glad you stopped by.  Let's take a closer look into Staging and Decorating!  I love to do both. Home Staging is professionally preparing homes for sale, so they appeal to the most amount of buyers and will bring the seller the highest price in the shortest amount of time on the market.  You will hear me over and over again talk about how Staged Homes will be a step above the competition, because they will present themselves by being clean, clutter-free, and ready to show to prospective buyers.



Home Staging is not decorating, interior design or redesign.  Home Staging is detailing, de-cluttering, and
depersonalizing.  This makes it inviting for the Buyer who now will be able to visualize themselves in a space,
and that's when they start writing the purchase agreement. Notice in the living room above, the neutral colors,clean lines of the furniture, and everything in its place.  The draperies are open, lights on for maximum
 amount of light.  It's open, cheery and space to walk around.

As I said earlier, I love to do both.  I am fortunate enough to have a daughter, Elizabeth, who is an Interior Designer. Elizabeth also does graphic design for websites, logos, and blogs.  You can find her at The Mustard Ceiling blog. Elizabeth has an incredible eye for color, and my stronghold- accessories.
Together we make a pretty good team and have great success in the past with our staged properties.


The living room above is quite large and open.  There is not a problem in handling the over sized sofa.  The
problem I see today are normal size rooms with very large-scaled furniture.  It smothers the room and leaves
very little room for walking or moving.  We need to use the right scale furniture for the right size room.  Even
in the picture above you will notice furniture is at a minimum.  The focus- the beautiful view of the snow-covered mountains and the fireplace.  As an Accredited Stager we know that "Clutter eats equity!"




Lights, Music, Action!  This house is ready for the new Buyer.  Because your home has been professionally Staged - it will be recognized as a Staged Home.  More Buyers want to see these homes, increasing your visibility and showings. Turn on the lights, a  little soft jazz in the background and the stage is set.

I enjoyed having you here today so we could explore the difference between Staging & Decorating.  Hope
this has helped.  Thought for the day -"de-clutter".  If you take anything away from the blog today, it's the
importance of de-cluttering and depersonalizing.

                                                                           xoxo
                                       
                                                                       Sharon

                                             "Let's Get Staging and Get It SOLD!"

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Stepping Out above the Competition!

I am so glad you stopped by.  Today we are going to take a look at the exterior of your home.  The first impression when a buyer drives up to your home is critical.  Walk across the street and look at it through the eyes of a buyer, they will be doing the same,.  What do you see?  Can you see your house?  The old saying
"Plants are like children, they grow up so fast!".



Take a hard look at the front door and trim. Give this area special attention because this is the buyers first opportunity to get a close up inspection of your home.  Repainting the doors and trim will make the house look crisp and in good condition.



During the growing season, mow grass weekly. Keep your decks, walks, porches and patios swept.
Remove the slippery moss from all decks, walks and patios. Very important to reduce clutter on decks,porches and patios so they will appear larger. Repair broken fences and paint. Your flower beds need to be looked at carefully.  Fresh mulch and living plants make a big impression. *a little secret... if you have time before a showing gently spray down your mulch to make it look darker and very fresh..



If you are fortunate enough to have uplighting on the exterior of your home, by all means use it at dusk.
Buyers are driving the neighborhoods after work and we want them to notice that extra touch about your house.  Remove any extra items from the yards.  Children's toys should all go in one area in the back yard in an orderly manner. Give attention to your drains that might need cleared. Repair any and all cracks in the ceilings and walls.



This sweet little guest house says it all.  Curb appeal gets the  Buyer to want to take a closer look.
Because your home has been professionally Staged - it will be recognized as a Staged Home.
A Staged Home is recognized by other real estate agents as properties ready to sell. They
will be more likely to show your home to potential buyers.






xoxo 
Sharon

"Let's Get Staging and Get It SOLD!"

Monday, October 15, 2012

Taking a Drive through the Neighborhood

Hope your weekend was beautiful and you were able to get outside and enjoy the fall air and colors. When my husband and I travel to other cities, one of our favorite things to do, other than taste the cuisine, is to drive around the neighborhoods looking at houses. Some have that perfect touch of color, landscaping that just draws your eye to it. Take a look.  I can just imagine how beautiful this home is inside.
Can you imagine sitting on the porch in the evening ?  If you are fortunate enough to have a covered porch,
make it welcoming with comfortable seating, table.  More on this later.
Flowers, Flowers, Flowers nestled by a border of shrubs.  Anything prettier?  Simple but tasteful.

Large or Small, Staging says it All!   Have a great day!
xoxo
Sharon
"Let's Get It Staging & Get It SOLD!"

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Welcome!

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Thanks for stopping by. . . Today I wanted to talk about curb appeal and what makes a buyer , STOP the car and absoultely want to see a particular house.  The home featured today has wonderful curb appeal which makes the buyer pick up the phone and makes the appointment.  The grays on the house with the white trim, stone steps, and the beautiful black door says it all.  "I'm House Proud."

Step outside today and take a look at your entrance, does it say "I'm House Proud and Welcome". Do you think this will  make a buyer want to see more?

"Let's Get Staging and Get It SOLD!"

xoxo