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April 2009 Newsletter
Greetings!

Now that the Spring real estate market is here, it's time to do some Spring cleaning to get homes for sale in show-ready condition. 
 
Every home that is occupied by the homeowners can benefit from the expert advice of a home stager. Consultations are the key in getting occupied homes sold and closed.  See the article directly below which describes what consultations are all about.
 
For the month of April, Designed to Appeal is offering a Home Staging Consultation for a flat fee of $300, no matter how long it takes.  See the Special Offer at the bottom of the newsletter. 
 
Welcome to Spring!
 
Donna M. Dazzo
Designed to Appeal
 
P.S.  To all my fans, I'm sorry to disappoint you but my segment on the March 29 HGTV Special, Buying and Selling Secrets, was left on the cutting room floor. : (
Consultations are the Key to Closing
 
If you could invest a few hundred dollars knowing your return on investment could be in the thousands, why wouldn't you?
 
A consultation by a home staging expert will provide you with everything you need to do to make your property look its best to potential buyers.
 
Owner occupied homes that were staged spent 89% less time on the market in 2008 than unstaged owner occupied homes.* 
 
A Home Staging Consultation involves:
  • Walking through the home with buyer's eyes
  • An assessment of furniture, accessories, room focal points, balance, flow, smells, color, among others
  • Completion onsite of a 10 to 20 page room-by-room Action Plan
  • Proposal of staging and other services - the homeowner can do it all themselves or the home stager can help with some or all of it

See the Special Offer below.  For the month of April, Designed to Appeal is offering a flat fee of $300 for a Consultation and Action Plan, no matter how long the consultation takes.  Normally the rate is $300 for the first 2 hours and $100 thereafter.

* Real Estate Staging Asociation 
According to the Corcoran Group, in Manhattan:
  • 91% of units sold so far this year were below asking price, compared to 62% last year
  • The number of units on the market has increased over 47% since 2nd Q 2007, and is now at its hightest level since the early 1990s
  • The median price per square foot has declined 17% to $867 from its peak of $1,043 during May 2008 
Did you know...
              pets             
 
Pets Are a Possible Turn-Off for Prospects?
 
  
According to The Humane Society of the United States:  
  • 39% of U.S. households own at least one dog.
  • Nearly 34% of U.S. households own at least one cat.
This means that between 61-66% of homeowners do not own a cat or dog. Whether the reasons include allergies, aversions or other personal preferences, it's clear that a large portion of prospects viewing the listing with a household pet could turn off a potential buyer.
 
When a home is on the market, and especially during showings, pet owners need to remove all evidence that the home is occupied by a pet:
  • Remove all pet food bowls, cages,and other items
  • Remove all pet odors - since an owner is probably used to the smell, an honest friend can provide an assessment
  • Most importantly, remove the pet.  Homeowners should take the pet with them during open houses.  For scheduled showings while the owner is present, get a neighbor or friend to temporarily house the pet.

logo web    Tips and Tricks of the Trade

  • Make ceilings appear higher by hanging window treatments close to the ceiling, rather than at the top of the window.
  • Make windows appear wider than they really are by hanging the window treatments beyond the sides of the windows so that it appears there is more window under the drapes but in reality it's just the wall. 
  • Blue is the best color for bedrooms because it promotes feelings of calmness and tranquility
  • Every room should have one focal point that commands the viewer's attention - a fireplace in a living room, a bed in a bedroom, the sink and vanity in a bathroom, an island in a kitchen.  Use color, size or furniture arrangement to draw the viewer's eye toward the focal point.  For example, a beautiful painting hung over the fireplace and/or furniture turned towards it will lead the viewer's eyes to the fireplace the minute they step into the room.
According to the Corcoran Group, in the Hamptons:
  • The average sale price and the median sale price decreased 7% and 3% respectively between 2007 and 2008
  • The number of units sold decreased 42% over this same time period
  • The dollar value of units sold decreased 47%
Cahn     Testimonial of the Month
 
"I wanted to let you know we are finally in contract to sell the house! I do believe your staging helped to set us apart from the other houses, and in this terrible market every advantage helps.
 
Because you made sure that you personally attended to all the details of staging the home, the results have been remarkable.  First, what's amazing is how much bigger a space looks when you remove all the clutter and add just a few choice touches. People are willing to pay more for the same square footage because they feel like they are getting more for their money .
 
Second, people walked into our home and were awed by the beauty of the woodwork, molding and original features of the house. These things were there before, of course, but you managed to highlight these things so that a prospective buyer could not help but be wowed by them. The subtle lighting changes, paint colors and choice of furniture turned a so-so home into a true work of art, deserving of its landmark status."
 
--Dina Cahn, New York, NY 
 
In This Issue
Consultations are Key to Closing
Did you know...
Tips and Tricks of the Trade
Quick Links
 
 
 
 

Staging Consultation

me

Contact me today to schedule your Special Offer
 Home Staging Consultation
 
$300 Flat Fee 
Normally $300 for the first 2 hours and $100 per hour thereafter, Designed to Appeal, is offering Home Staging Consultations for a flat fee of $300.  This offer applies to Consultations in Manhattan and the Hamptons from Montauk to Southampton only.  Sellers will receive a 10 to 20 page report at the end of the consultation listing everything they need to do to get their home in show-ready condition. The reports also includes these bonus items: Open House Checklist, Closet Organization Checklist, and Painting Tips.
Offer Expires:  April 30, 2009