Showing posts with label syracuse home stager. Show all posts
Showing posts with label syracuse home stager. Show all posts
Stage that home to sell!
A picture is worth 1000 words, especially when selling your home. Make sure your home is staged before listing and that you have great photos for the MLS. We offer not only home staging, but a photography service as well. Just bartered getting my toes done in exchange for professional photography for the mls :-)
2010 Parade of Homes
Smart Move Design has been chosen as the design company to work with Sciuga Builders this year on their home in the 2010 Parade of Homes.
The Parade of Homes will take place September 11-26 at Mallard's landing in Manlius, NY. Eight distinguished Central New York builders, representing the latest in design, decorating, construction and energy-saving techniques are participating in the 2010 Parade of Homes. The Parade of Homes is open to the public and usually sees 20,000 or more come through to view the homes during the 16 day event.
Sciuga Builders are three generations of artisans working together to create the finest in custom homes today. The home featured in this year's parade is a Craftsman Style Home. We look forward to working with Sciuga Builders to create a showcase home at this event. More info to come in future weeks!
Lisa Ryan, Owner
Smart Move Design
Professional Home Staging and Redesign
Serving Syracuse, NY and surrounding areas.
First Impressions Count!
The first step in our staging philosophy is first impressions.
What is the first impression when someone pulls up to your home?
Is the yard picked up, fresh paint on the house and/or front door, no debris in the yard? This determines if buyers will get out of the car or continue on by.
What is the first impression when you step into the home?
Is it cluttered? Do you have outdated lighting such as gold or brass fixtures? Are there backpacks and sneakers and a catch-all clutter place front and center? People form an impression in 15 seconds. Make sure it's a good one.
What is the first impression as you go into each room? Turn a corner? Open a door? When we stage we look at ALL rooms to ensure the first impression is a great one and the home flows well.
Lisa Ryan, Owner
Smart Move Design
Professional Home Staging and Redesign
Serving Syracuse, NY and surrounding areas
To flip or not to flip
As a home stager I work with several home "flippers" to stage their homes prior to going on the market. And with a great success rate. Hoping to flip a home myself one day, I've been compiling info on flipping. Here are a few general rules of thumb if you are thinking about entering into this business venture.
1. Have a Plan
Flipping is a business and requires a business plan. Do your research - research materials needed, housing market comparables, budget and carrying costs, and create a time line to stay on track.
1. Have a Plan
Flipping is a business and requires a business plan. Do your research - research materials needed, housing market comparables, budget and carrying costs, and create a time line to stay on track.
2. Pick the right house in a familiar neighborhood.
Know your neighborhood, then don't buy the biggest house on the block. Start small - a little fixer upper that needs mostly cosmetic changes is a good beginner flip.
3. Get an inspection.
Do not overlook this step. An inspection will cover all major aspects of the home (plumbing, electrical, foundation). Not getting an inspection can be a budget breaker in the long run.
4. Find a good contractor.
A good contractor is gold in your pocket Get referrals, see the work the contractor has done, and then check references. A good contractor also knows what permits are needed. Not having the right permit can hold up work and cost you money.
5. Do what you can yourself.
Painting, swapping out light fixtures, new hardware in the bathroom , landscaping-these are areas where you may be able to do the work yourself and save some money.
6. Over estimate costs
Figure out your budget then add 10-20% on to it. This will help you deal with any surprises that may come up during your flip.
7. Hire a good realtor.
Find one that knows the area and is experienced. A good realtor will help sell your home faster. For a "flip" you want to do just that, sell fast. Which leads us to number 8.
8. Understand the value of home staging.
Home Staging is putting the icing on the cake. Home stagers pay attention to detail and create a warm and welcoming appeal for your buyers. They can help with paint color, interior finishes, and give creative suggestions for space. They bring in the right furniture and accessories for the home style. The bottom line? Staged homes sell faster and for more money.
Know your neighborhood, then don't buy the biggest house on the block. Start small - a little fixer upper that needs mostly cosmetic changes is a good beginner flip.
3. Get an inspection.
Do not overlook this step. An inspection will cover all major aspects of the home (plumbing, electrical, foundation). Not getting an inspection can be a budget breaker in the long run.
4. Find a good contractor.
A good contractor is gold in your pocket Get referrals, see the work the contractor has done, and then check references. A good contractor also knows what permits are needed. Not having the right permit can hold up work and cost you money.
5. Do what you can yourself.
Painting, swapping out light fixtures, new hardware in the bathroom , landscaping-these are areas where you may be able to do the work yourself and save some money.
6. Over estimate costs
Figure out your budget then add 10-20% on to it. This will help you deal with any surprises that may come up during your flip.
7. Hire a good realtor.
Find one that knows the area and is experienced. A good realtor will help sell your home faster. For a "flip" you want to do just that, sell fast. Which leads us to number 8.
8. Understand the value of home staging.
Home Staging is putting the icing on the cake. Home stagers pay attention to detail and create a warm and welcoming appeal for your buyers. They can help with paint color, interior finishes, and give creative suggestions for space. They bring in the right furniture and accessories for the home style. The bottom line? Staged homes sell faster and for more money.
Smart Move Design is a Home Staging and Redesign company serving Central New York (syracuse, camillus, liverpool, fayetteville, and all other surrounding areas
Home Staging Question of the Week
This week's question comes from M.A. in San Diego, CA.
What is the best color to paint your front door to invite in more buyers?
traditional entry design by new york architect Kevin Quinlan Architect LLC
modern entry design by san francisco architect Feldman Architecture, Inc.
Take your lead from the landscape outside your front door. Bushes, trees, colorful flowers, brick, stone, and other natural materials can provide some great color options. You can coordinate with roof, trim, or shutter color as well. Take a look at your neighboring homes. Choose colors that set your house apart, without clashing with nearby buildings. Blend in, stand out, but don't clash!
Great curb appeal makes buyers take notice and gets them inside the front door.
Here are a few colors I personally like:
Benjamin Moore Moroccan Red 1309 is a great color especially if you have a south facing door. In feng shui a south facing red door welcomes in strong, yang energy.
Benjamin Moore Goldrush 2166-10 is a gorgeous pumpkin color. It is warm and welcoming and looks outstanding with many home colors.
Sherwin Williams Black Emerald 2936 is a green so dark it looks almost black. It is sophisticated and rich looking.
Smart Move Design is a Home Staging and Redesign company serving Central New York (syracuse, camillus, liverpool, fayetteville, and all other surrounding areas
What is the best color to paint your front door to invite in more buyers?
traditional entry design by new york architect Kevin Quinlan Architect LLC
modern entry design by san francisco architect Feldman Architecture, Inc.
Take your lead from the landscape outside your front door. Bushes, trees, colorful flowers, brick, stone, and other natural materials can provide some great color options. You can coordinate with roof, trim, or shutter color as well. Take a look at your neighboring homes. Choose colors that set your house apart, without clashing with nearby buildings. Blend in, stand out, but don't clash!
Great curb appeal makes buyers take notice and gets them inside the front door.
Here are a few colors I personally like:
Benjamin Moore Moroccan Red 1309 is a great color especially if you have a south facing door. In feng shui a south facing red door welcomes in strong, yang energy.
Benjamin Moore Goldrush 2166-10 is a gorgeous pumpkin color. It is warm and welcoming and looks outstanding with many home colors.
Sherwin Williams Black Emerald 2936 is a green so dark it looks almost black. It is sophisticated and rich looking.
Smart Move Design is a Home Staging and Redesign company serving Central New York (syracuse, camillus, liverpool, fayetteville, and all other surrounding areas
Staged and Sold in One Day.
The scenario: on the market for five months with very little traffic and no offers
The problem: faux paint and stenciling throughout gave the home a dated look. No furniture kept potential buyers focusing on negative details.
The solution: bring in neutral paint color and beautiful furnishings to accentuate the home's positive aspects.
The result: First buyer in the door after staging made an offer and the home has sold.
Smart Move Design is a home staging and redesign company located near Syracuse, NY. We serve central and northern ny.
House Highlight
Staging highlight for this home - we chose minimal furnishings to show off the home's best features (large windows, wainscoting, open floor plan) while adding accessories to give it warmth. If a home is overcrowded with furnishings, the beauty of the home can get lost.
Smart Move Design is a Home Staging and Redesign company located near Syracuse, NY and serves the Central and Northern New York areas.
Green Tip
Tis the season for holiday lighting!
Try switching your holiday lights to LEDs this season.
Check out the benefits of using light-emitting diode bulbs (LEDs for short)
LED bulbs use 90% less energy than traditional incandescent bulbs.
If you switch over to LED holiday lights, you'll save an average of $50 over the holiday season on your energy bills.
LEDs last about 6 times as long as CFLs and 60 times as long as old-school incandescent bulbs, so you have to change them less often.
They're less likely to cause fires (as much as 90% of the energy consumed by incandescent lights is given off as heat).
Unlike CFLs, LEDs contain no mercury.
Smart Move Design is a Home Staging and Redesign company located near Syracuse, NY and serves the Central and Northern New York areas
Question of the week
This week's question comes from V.S. in Liverpool, NY.
Any ideas for storing a sewing machine so it's accessible but not intrusive? All we have is the machine - no table yet.
An armoire would be a nice option. Install a pullout shelf to put the sewing machine on and bring in a comfy side chair.
Another option - keep it on a rolling cart or table in the corner of a room. Hide it behind a decorative screen that can be moved when you want to access your sewing corner or pull out the cart.
Smart Move Design is a Home Staging and Redesign company located near Syracuse, NY and serves the Central and Northern New York areas
Any ideas for storing a sewing machine so it's accessible but not intrusive? All we have is the machine - no table yet.
An armoire would be a nice option. Install a pullout shelf to put the sewing machine on and bring in a comfy side chair.
Another option - keep it on a rolling cart or table in the corner of a room. Hide it behind a decorative screen that can be moved when you want to access your sewing corner or pull out the cart.
Smart Move Design is a Home Staging and Redesign company located near Syracuse, NY and serves the Central and Northern New York areas
House Highlight
Our house highlight for this week is a gorgeous 3 bedroom, 2 bath home on Broadfield Road in Manlius, NY. New construction with one floor living, beautiful hardwoods, stone fireplace, and open floor plan. See here for additional real estate info on this home or to contact the agent.
Staging highlight for this home - we created a restful atmosphere using a palette of browns, blues, and taupes. With an open floor plan, keeping the same color scheme throughout provides a cohesive flow.
Smart Move Design is a Home Staging and Redesign company located near Syracuse, NY and serves the Central and Northern New York areas.
Green Tip
Consider rugs that are made with natural fibers (cotton, hemp, jute, and wool), are formaldehyde-free, and then lay them down on grip pads that are not made with carcinogen PVC.
The following are some nice green alternatives.
Prairie Rugs at Target
Felt Rugs at Peace Industry
Jute Rugs at West Elm
Cotton Chenille Rugs at Amazon.com
Information provided by Ideal Bite
Smart Move Design is a Home Staging and Redesign company located near Syracuse, NY and serves the Central and Northern New York areas.
Question of the Week
This week's question comes from J.R. in Buffalo, NY
What paint should I use in my shower to keep mildew away?
Sherwin William's Bath Paint and Benjamin Moore's Kitchen and Bath Paint are both excellent.
The absolute best mildew resistant paint is Zinsser's Perma-White. It has a 5 year mold and mildew proof guarantee. The only drawback is, it's only tintable to off-whites or pastels.
The absolute best mildew resistant paint is Zinsser's Perma-White. It has a 5 year mold and mildew proof guarantee. The only drawback is, it's only tintable to off-whites or pastels.
Besides mildew proof paint, there are other things you can do to keep mildew under control.
Turn on the bathroom fan.
Fans will help pull moisture from the air, preventing the growth of mildew. If your bathroom doesn't have a fan, use a dehumidifier, air conditioner, or open a bathroom window. In the winter, turn on the heat. Heat will help dry the bathroom faster and remove excess moisture from the air.
Turn on the lights
Turn on lighting before, during and after a shower or hot bath. Mildew doesn't grow in well-lit areas. Leave lights on an extra fifteen minutes after showering.
Clean
Mildew feeds on body oils and soap scum trapped on painted surfaces, grout, shower doors, curtains, and tiling. Scrub bathroom shower walls and doors with a solution of bleach and water (1 cup chlorine bleach to 5 cups hot water). Bleach kills bacterias like molds and mildews. You can use regular household bleach or cleaners containing bleach. Wash the shower curtain regularly in hot water, adding a cup of bleach to the water.
Keep the area dry
Wipe down the shower and bath area after bathing to help remove moisture. Use a squeegee or sponge. Wet towels and washcloths are also hot spots for mildew growth. Hang towels, clothing and anything that can collect moisture.
Smart Move Design is a Home Staging and Redesign company located near Syracuse, NY and serves the Central and Northern New York areas.
House Highlight
Our house highlight for this week is a beautiful 3 bedroom, 2 bath ranch located in Fayetteville, NY. It is listed for $174, 900. This home boasts hardwood floors, a newly renovated kitchen with breakfast bar, updated baths, a wood burning fireplace and 2 new exterior decks. See here for additional real estate info on this home or to contact the agent.
Staging highlight for this home - we defined spaces with area rugs and furniture while maintaining the open feel of the home.
Smart Move Design is a Home Staging and Redesign company located near Syracuse, NY and serves the Central and Northern New York areas.
Staging a Vacant Home Makes a Difference
This was a vacant staging job we did for an article in our local paper. The article came out on the cover of today's Home and Garden section in the Post Standard (May 9). You can read the online article here (sans photos).
What the article didn't say: We had 3 days to find a vacant home, pull the furniture and accessories together, then stage the home. On staging day, the "before" photo shoot was at 10:30 a.m., the "after" photo shoot was at 3:15 p.m. leaving us less than 5 hours to stage a vacant 1500 sf, 4 bedroom home from top to bottom! A downpour during the move, airbeds that wouldn't stay up, last minute paint fixes, a few minor repairs, all the while neighbors, realtors, and clients decided to come through unexpectedly to look at the home made for a crazy (but exciting) day.
This home was on the market for 30 days prior to staging. The seller received an offer within a week of staging and the home is sold!
Smart Move Design, a home staging and redesign company serving central and northern NY
Transformation - Plum Court Condo in Franklin Square
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Our staging inspiration - we kept a contemporary look using clean lines in cream and black. We drew in red from the exposed brick and green from the stained glasss light in the kitchen area (as well as the outdoor courtyard). We carried the colors throughout the first floor. Upstairs we had the blue/gray carpet to draw from.
The asking price on this condo is $299,900. It is a first floor condo in Plum Court. Open floor plan, 1st floor location with private courtyard, high ceilings, gas stove, hardwood floors, marble, exposed brick, 1st floor laundry, pantry, 2 bedrooms and 2 1/2 baths.
Plum Court is located in a renovated warehouse in Franklin Square, Syracuse, NY.
Email for additional info on home staging or realtor contact info.
Smart Move Design, a home staging and redesign company serving central and northern NY
Looking to buy your first home this year?
If you're a first time home buyer, you'll get a significant tax credit for signing a mortgage this year. The new stimulus bill will give you a refund for 10% (up to $8,000) of the total amount paid for your new house. Just don't sign a subprime mortgage.
What's Your Style?
Shabby, yet stylish. Cozy and comfortable with muted shades taken straight from a flower garden.
Shabby Chic and Cottage work in my home.
What's your style? Follow the link below and click on "restart quiz". The site may prompt you to sign up for a free account at HGTV, so go ahead, sign up. Then click the link below again and find out what your decorating style is.
Staging Fixes
Problem: large outdated furniture, wall print too small for the space, no coversation area, awkward flow
Fix: Rearrange furniture to create better conversation area and flow, replace small print with large print, separate furniture, add pillows and throw to distract from outdated furniture.
Problem: Bookshelves look messy, broken ottoman stored under shelf, bar and kitchen area is lost behind clutter
Fix: pack away half the toys, remove ottoman and organize bookshelves, clear bar to show the potential of kitchen area
Problem: furniture and packed boxes stored here for moving. Area shows messy and with no purpose.
Fix: Packed boxes moved to an outside rented storage unit. Oversized and outdated kitchen set was moved downstairs to give this space purpose and free up space in the kitchen. Stereo was removed from the over crowded living room and moved down to the family room.
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