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February 2012 Newsletter

Greetings! 

 

This month we feature a beautiful one bedroom duplex in the heart of Greenwich Village which we staged for the homeowner who lives there.

   

And while staging a three bedroom, 3 1/2 bath apartment with amazing Hudson River views, we were filmed by TV Tokyo.  Though it's almost all in Japanese, you can view my segment (in English) at about 1:25 minutes. 

 

TV Tokyo re Staging

 

Warmest regards,

 

Donna M. Dazzo, President  

Designed to Appeal

 

 

 
In This Issue
Testimonial of the Month
Greenwich Village Duplex Transformed
F/REE Closet Organization, Open House & Moving Checklists
Market Overview: New York, NY
Tips and Tricks of the Trade: Sectional Sofa
Did you know: Wall Street and the NYC Housing Market
Market Overview: The East End
 
TestimonialsTestimonial of the Month

Bedroom After Staging
 
" The Designed to Appeal team took one look at my apartment - which was, at the time, a cluttered mess - and thought about what its best features really are.  I love living in the apartment now, with its new elegant and modern aesthetic that was there in the bones all along but took Designed to Appeal's touch to bring out.  
 
Best of all, apartment hunters are now responding to the space in a very positive manner.  The New York Times even commented on how stylish and attractive the space looked and chose to feature it recently in their On The Market section. 

Terri Cude, Homeowner

New York, New York

 

 

 Staging
Living Room After Staging1

 
 
 
 
 
 
Greenwich Village Duplex   Transformed
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F/REE Closet Organization,
Open House, and Moving Checklists

 

Checklist

 

Download your FREE Closet Organization,  Open House and Moving Checklists,

Try our new Home Staging Savings Calculator developed by the Real Estate Staging Association (RESA):
 

 

 

Click on the calculator above, which will launch in a new window. 

 

For more detailed instructions, click here.

We were asked by Halstead real estate agent, Lisa Wiener-Koenig, to do a Home Staging Consultation on her new listing, a one bedroom, two bathroom duplex in the heart of Greenwich Village.

 

The owner-occupied unit had some great features, but the rooms were not showcased in their best light.

 

After the homeowner removed a lot of the personal clutter accumulated over the years, we set out to make this space market-ready.

 

See our Before and After photos below:


 Living Room Before Staging 

Living Room Before

The living room had nowhere for potential buyers to relax, and the dining table and chairs were confusing the purpose of the room.

 

Living Room After Staging 

Living Room After 

So we rented a sofa, lamp and cocktail tables to define the space. Now buyers can imagine themselves relaxing in this space.

  
  
   Dining Room Before Staging  
Dining Room Before
This empty room would leave buyers wondering what they would do with it. 
 
Dining Room After Staging
Dining Room After 
So we rented a dining table (but used the owner's chairs) to define the space, and now buyers can envision eating and entertaining here. 
 

    Breakfast Area Before

Breakfast Area Before

The space was not very inviting... 

 

Breakfast Area After

Breakfast Area After 

...until we added some much-needed artwork and expertly rearranged the items on the bookshelves for better balance and less visual clutter. 

  

 

Bedroom Before Staging
Bedroom Before 
The bedroom on the upper level was large, but had too much personal clutter, making the space feel smaller than it actually was.
 
Bedroom After Staging
Bedroom After
After the homeowner decluttered, we purchased some attractive storage bins for the shelving, as well as new bedding, decorative objects and throw pillows.  Some rental furniture was added as well, all to create the relaxing retreat a master bedroom is supposed to be.
 
 
 Beddroom Before Staging
Bedroom Before
 
Master Bedroom After Staging
Bedroom After
 

 

Kitchen Before Staging
Kitchen Before
 
Kitchen AFter staging
Kitchen After
 

 

Entry Before Staging
Entry Before

 This entry foyer with a TV cart did not make a great first impression

to a potential buyer.

 

Entry After Staging

Entry After

It now sets the tone for what buyers expect to see in the rest of the apartment.

 

 

 

   NYMarket Overview:
     New York, NY


According to Corcoran's monthly report:
 

"Market-wide pricing decreased in January from both last month and last year, largely due a reduction in the size of residences that traded this January.  Studio and one bedroom sales increased 19% compared to last year and 5% from December.

 

The number of new listings coming to market more than doubled from last monthm which is expected at the start of the new year. Despite over 2,000 new listings, market-wide inventory remains 7% lower than this time last year.  With less availability, discount from last ask to sale continues to tighten to under 5% for both condos and co-ops ."

 

The following is a comparison of January 2012 vs. January 2011:

 

Condos:

  • The median sale price decreased 15% to $1,160,000.
  • The average price per square foot decreased 18% to $1,176.
  • The days on the market decreased 32% to 177.
  • The discount from last ask to sale decreased 31% to 4.5%.
  • Listed inventory decreased 12% to 3,502 units.
  • Number of contracts signed decreased 18% to 243.

 

Co-ops:

  • The median sale price decreased 12% to $625,000.
  • The average price per square foot decreased 7% to $839.
  • The days on the market increased 10% to 166.
  • The discount from last ask to sale remained the same at 4%.
  • Listed inventory decreased 3% to 4,135 units.
  • Number of contracts signed decreased 1% to 365.
 
 
 Sectional Sofa 
 Tips and Tricks of the Trade:
How to Use Sectional Sofas  

Sectional sofas can be a great addition to a living room or den, as they provide a cozy seating arrangement.   But often they need to be balanced by another piece of furniture, such as a chair or ottoman, depending upon the size and shape of the room.
 
Read this article about how to strike this balance, with helpful photos. 
 
Photo source:  Eleven Interiors
 
  

 

 

 

 

   Did you know....      

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  • ...Wall Street professionals are accounting for less of a market share of renters and buyers in Manhattan than before?
  • ...just 24% of luxury development buyers worked in finance last year compared to 35% in 2006 and 2007?
  • ...last year, foreigners (21 percent) and technology, media and entertainment workers (19 percent) closed in on Wall Streeters' share of new luxury developments?
  • ..41% of renters below 96th Street made their money in finance last year as compared to 58% in 2005?
  • ...the share of renters in technology and creative industries has increased to 26 percent from 16 percent? 

Read more about this trend here

 
 

 
     EastEndMarket Overview: The East End




 

The following is a comparison of January 2012, annualized, vs. all of 2011, by town, according to Suffolk Research Services:

 

East Hampton Town:
  • The median sales price increased 11.42% to $975,000
  • The number of sales decreased 14.5% to 420
  • The dollar volume of sales decreased 26% to $529 million

 Southampton Town:

  • The median sales price decreased nearly 15% to $735,000
  • The number of sales increased by 4% to 1,020
  • The dollar volume of sales decreased 22% to $1.398 billion
Southold Town:
  • The median sales price decreased nearly 6% to $415,000
  • The number of sales increased 11% to 324
  • The dollar volume of sales decreased 17% to $150 million

And according to a recent article in Newsday, the Hamptons summer rental market is moving along briskly.

 

HomeStagingConsultationHome Staging
Consultation
(occupied homes)
 
For Manhattan and the Hamptons from Montauk to Southampton:  $350 for the first 2 hours, $125/hour thereafter
Other Areas:
  A travel premium will apply.

Click here for more information and to schedule a Home Staging Consultation.


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