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topMay 2010 Newsletter
Greetings! , 
 
Are you bored or tired with the way your home looks?  Could it use some sprucing up? Do you need help with choosing paint colors?
 
In addition to our home staging services for sellers, we also offer Interior Redesign services for homeowners.
 
What exactly is Interior Redesign? It's the process of using mostly what the homeowner has by rearranging the furniture and decorative accessories to maximize the space.  It can also involve adding new furniture, decorative accessories or updates to modernize the space. In these ways it's very similar to home staging, however what we do is for the homeowner's tastes and preferences, not the buyer's.
 
Contact us today for an Interior Redesign.
 
Warmest regards,
 
Donna M. Dazzo, President
Designed to Appeal 
 
 
In This Issue
Don't Underestimate the Value of a Home Staging Consultation
Market Overview: New York, NY
Tips and Tricks of the Trade: Don't Forget the Laundry Room When Staging
Did you know...
Market Overview: The East End
Testimonials of the Month
F/REE Closet Organization & Open House Checklists
 
articleDon't Underestimate the Value of
a Home Staging Consultation
 
A few months ago we were contacted to do a home staging consultation on a soon-to-be listed, owner-occupied Carnegie Hill apartment.
 
When I spoke to the client, Suzanne Dyer, I told her my minimum is 2 hours, and she said to me:
 
 "I doubt you'll need to be here for more than a half hour.  We really just need to figure out what to do with the dining room that I'm using as an office". 
 
Well, after an initial consultation lasting 3 1/2 hours and a follow up staging lasting 1 1/2 hours, Suzanne was one very happy client: 
 
"The staging process was definitely a worthwhile investment." 
 
The apartment went into contract in 50 days at full asking price. Her agent, Jessica Flagg of Corcoran, was also pleased:
 
"Your work really made a difference in getting the apartment sold quickly..."
 
See their complete testimonials below.
  
After decluttering and rearranging a wall-size bookcase that was stuffed end-to-end with books and papers (see the results left),
Bookshelf After removing extra furniture, moving around existing furniture and generally sprucing up the look of the apartment, it was so much more enticing to potential buyers. In the end we decided to leave the dining room as a home office since Suzanne needed it that way.
 
Here are some before and after pics of the transformation:
 
Foyer Before & After
 
Office Before & After
 
Bedroom Before & After
 
Living Room After
 
 
   Market Overview:
   New York, NY (Manhattan)
 
 
 
 "Marketwide sales activity continued to gain momentum in April, the strongest month since October 2007.."
 
Co-ops:  
  • The median sales price of $681,000 was 16% higher than a year ago and 6% higher than last month.
  • Average price per square foot was $1,259, a 9% increase from a year earlier and last month.
  • Days on the market were unchanged from a year ago but is 6% less than the last month.
  • Discount from last ask to sale was 4% compared to 57% a year ago, but unchanged from the month before.
  • Listed inventory is down 19% from a year ago and but up 5% from the month before
     
  • Condos: 
  • The median sales price of $1,187,500 was 26% higher than a year ago and 4% higher than the month before.
  • Average price per square foot was $1,259, a 17% increase from a year earlier and 9% higher than last month.
  • Days on the market decreased 49% from a year ago but is 9% higher than the last month.
  • Discount from last ask to sale was 10.4% compared to 17% a year ago and 6% the month before.
  • Listed inventory is down a whopping 28% from a year ago and up a slight 1% from the month before
  •  
     
                              
    Laundry Room Before & After
     
    Tips and Tricks of the Trade 
     
    One of the often overlooked rooms when staging your home for sale is the laundry room.  Most homeowners, even those who know that the home must be decluttered, neat and clean when their home is on the market, often forget about carrying this into the laundry room.
     
    And those homeowners who don't have a laundry "room", but instead have their washer and dryer in the basement, fail to market this space in an attractive way.
     
    The laundry room, whether or not it's an actual room, a closet, or an area in the basement, needs to be shown to its fullest potential.
     
    That means that the homeowner needs to show the buyer that there is adequate room for storing laundry detergents, etc. and for perhaps other functions, such as folding clothes and ironing.
     
    Here's a list of things you can do when staging your laundry "room".
     
     
    shin - exterior 
     
     
               Did You Know...
     
     
     
     
     
     
    New York City has some of the priciest housing in the world, but it's still #3 behind London and Moscow when it comes to 2009 average sale price:
    • London: $2,433,420
    • Moscow: $1,982,520
    • New York City: $1,945,920
     
    New York City residential real estate bounced back in price in 2009 much slower than other markets but faster than Dubai's price change:
     
    • #1 Dubai:  - 45.0%
    • #2 Tokyo:  - 12.5%
    • #3 NYC:  - 12.5%
    • #6 London: + 6.0%
    • #9 Hong Kong: + 40.0%
      
    Source:  The Real Deal, May 2010 
     
     
     
     
    Market Overview: The East End
     
     
     
     
    East Hampton Town had a strong showing in the first 4 months of this year compared to all of 2009, according to Suffolk Research Service's April 2010 report.
     
    Note: 2010 year-to-date numbers have been annualized and are compared to all of 2009.
     
    East Hampton Town
    • The median price is up 24% over 2009 to $1,125,000 
    • The number of sales were up 72% over 2009
    • The dollar volume of sales more than doubled (up 105%) from 2009
     
    Southampton Town   
    • The median price is up 14% over 2009 to $900,000
    • The number of sales were up 26% from 2009
    • The dollar volume of sales were also up 26% from 2009
     
    Southold Town   
    • The median price is up 5% over 2009 to $486,000
    • The number of sales were up 11% from 2009
    • The dollar volume of sales were up 0.5% from 2009
     
    TestimonialsTestimonials of the Month
     
    "Your work really made a difference in getting the apartment sold quickly, and Suzanne has been telling everyone what you did (actually she's had several parties and everyone noticed!).
     Thanks!" 
     
     
    Jessica Flagg 
         Jessica Flagg, The Corcoran Group

     
     
     
     

    "The staging process was definitely a worthwhile investment.  It helped me prioritize what needed to be moved and removed.  Your willingness to 'roll up your sleeves' to actually help with moving the furniture around was extremely valuable.  I also appreciated the work you did thinning out and rearranging the bookcase items.  It looked so much cleaner and less personalized."

     
     Suzanne Dyer, Homeowner
     
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    F/REE Closet Organization and
    Open House Checklists

     

    Checklist

     

    To request your FREE Closet Organization and Open House Checklists, contact us.  Just put "Free Checklist" in the subject line, and we will know what to email to you. 

     

     
     
    Home Staging
    Consultation
    (Occupied
    Homes)
     
     
    For Manhattan and the Hamptons from Montauk to Southampton:  $300 for the first 2 hours, $100/hour thereafter
     
    Other Areas:
      A travel premium will apply.
     
    Click here for more information and to schedule a Home Staging Consultation.
     
     
    ALSO: FREE ESTIMATES of staging vacant homes in Manhattan and the Hamptons.