I recently returned from a wonderful trip to southwestern France and the city of Amsterdam. Those frequent flier miles definitely came in handy! My friends and I rented a "chateau" (cheaper than a hotel!) which became our home base to explore the charming medieval cities nearby. Then I proceeded onto Amsterdam, solo, for a jammed packed 2 days of walking this beautiful small city. I also had dinner with two Netherlands-based stagers whom I met at a staging convention in Vegas a few years ago. It was really interesting to share ideas. Staging helps sell homes no matter where they are.
Here are just a few shots.
Back to business: Our featured staging this month is a 2 bedroom/2 bathroom apartment listed by Maggie Kent of Core. We staged this vacant apartment and it was on the market only 3 weeks before the owner accepted an offer!
See our transformation in the Before and After photos below.
Warm regards,
Donna M. Dazzo, President
Designed to Appeal
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Testimonial of the Month
"Donna and her team made my apartment look amazing. The eye to detail, and the seamless way that they moved everything in (and out after a quick sale) was remarkable! In addition, Donna was always easy to reach via phone, email or text, making the process move rapidly and on point. It was absolutely worth it to me to use Designed To Appeal, and I would use them again."
Theresa K., Homeowner, New York, NY
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Referrals are a great source of business, as we all know. This homeowner contacted us saying that she had seen the staging we had done at her friend's apartment a few years ago and heard her friend sing our praises. We didn't disappoint (see the Testimonial above).
We staged this empty 2 bedroom/2 bathroom apartment and brought in a landscaper for the terrace. It sold in just 21 days after it was listed!
Living Area Before
Living Area After
Living(foreground)/Dining Area Before
Living(foreground)/Dining Area After
Living/Dining(foreground) Area Before
Living/Dining(foreground) Area After
Master Bedroom Before
Master Bedroom After
Master Bedroom Before
Master Bedroom After
Guest Bedroom Before
Guest Bedroom After
Guest Bedroom Before
Guest Bedroom Before
Kitchen Before
Kitchen After
Dining Nook Before
Dining Nook After
Terrace Before
Terrace After
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Market Overview: New York, NY
"After robust sales activity during the first half of 2015, the third quarter continued the trend and was one of the more active quarters in years. Closed sales and signed contracts were up, inventory was down, and meridian price hit a ten-year high. Inventory, which has remained stubbornly low over the last several years but saw a notable increase last quarter, dropped again during third quarter 2015. Increasing sales combined with decreasing inventory, along with a resurgent new development market, put upward pressure on prices."
The following is a comparison of Third Quarter 2015 vs. Third Quarter 2014:
Market Wide:
- The median sale price of $999,000 was a 5% increase.
- The average price per square foot of $1,592 was a 2% decrease.
- The listed inventory of 4,832 units was a 16% decrease.
Condos:
- The median sale price of $1.250M was a 3% decrease.
- The average price per square foot of $1,688 was a 3% decrease.
- The listed inventory was 1,935 units which was a 3% decrease.
Co-ops:
- The median sale price of $780,000 was a 5% increase.
- The average price per square foot of $1,210 was a 2% increase.
- The listed inventory was 2,082 units which was a 24% decrease.
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Tips and Tricks of the Trade: Best Halloween Decorating Ideas For Your Modern Home!!
Halloween is a fun time to play dress-up and entertain friends and trick-or-treaters. Getting your home into the spirit doesn't have to be hard, and you don't have to go over the top. A few little touches of Halloween spirit go a long way. Get into the mood with our modern, fresh Halloween decorating ideas.
Pumpkins
Nothing says fall and Halloween like pumpkins. The best part is that pumpkins can work right through Thanksgiving. Here's a fresh take on the holiday staple featuring 10 stylishly spooky pumpkins.
Halloween Trees
Jack Skellington (of "The Nightmare Before Christmas") stole the Christmas tree, and so should you. Make a Halloween version by spraying a small faux Christmas tree black, or collect willow branches or other twigs, paint them black and use them as a makeshift tree.
Black and White is the New Orange
Halloween doesn't have to be orange and black. In fact, the combination of black and white adds a modern look to Halloween decorating.
Jar Halloween Decorating Ideas
Take glass jars and fill them with spiders, eyeballs or candy corn to serve as Halloween decorations. Think of them as horror terrariums and create whole scenes inside.
To read the entire article, click here!
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Did You Know.....?
Halloween Traditions & Superstitions Explained!!
Halloween, which is relatively new to America, having only become popular in the early 1900s - has its roots in pagan beliefs. Some traditions are based on Irish folklore and have been carried on throughout the centuries, while others are more modern additions. Read on to find out the meaning behind some of the spooky Halloween staples.
Black Cats
Often used as symbols of bad luck, black cats grace many Halloween decorations. The black cat's bad reputation dates back to the Dark Ages, when witch hunts were commonplace. Nowadays, black cats aren't synonymous with bad luck and mischief everywhere - in Ireland, Scotland and England, it's considered good luck for a black cat to cross your path.
Jack-O-Lanterns
A fun fall activity, carving Jack-o'-lanterns has its roots in a sinister, tragic fable. Celtic folklore tells the tale of a drunken farmer named Jack who tricked the devil, but his trickery resulted in him being turned away from both the gates of heaven and hell after he died. Having no choice but to wander around the darkness of purgatory, Jack made a lantern from a turnip and a burning lump of coal which the devil had tossed him from hell. He used the lantern to guide his lost soul. In turn, the Celts believed that placing Jack-o'-lanterns outside would help guide lost spirits home when they wander the streets on Halloween.
Witch's Broomstick
The witch's broomstick is another superstition with its roots in medieval myths. The elderly, introverted women that were accused of witchcraft were often poor and could not afford horses, so they navigated through the woods on foot with the help of walking sticks, which were sometimes substituted by brooms.
Trick-or-Treating in Costumes
In olden times, it was believed that during Samhain, the veil between our world and the spirit world was thinnest, so that the ghosts of the deceased could mingle with the living. The superstition was that the visiting ghosts could disguise themselves in human form, such as a beggar, and knock on your door during Samhain asking for money or food. If you turned them away empty-handed, you risked receiving the wrath of the spirit and being cursed or haunted. In the U.S., trick-or-treating became a customary Halloween tradition around the late 1950s, after it was brought over by Irish immigrants in the early 1900s.
To read about more traditions, click here!
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Market Overview:
The East End
East Hampton Town:
- The median sales price of $860,000 was a 10% increase.
- The number of sales of 55 was a 23% decrease.
- The dollar volume of sales of $60.2M was a 26% decrease.
Southampton Town:
- The median sales price of $860,740 was no change.
- The number of sales of 42 was a 5% increase.
- The dollar volume of sales of $55.6M was a 10% decrease.
Southold Town:
- The median sales price of $465,000 was a 6% decrease.
- The number of sales of 26 was a 28% decrease.
- The dollar volume of sales of $14.3M was a 51% decrease.
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For More Info
During the Month...
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FREE Closet
Organization,
Open House, and
Moving Checklists
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FREE Closet
Organization,
Open House, and
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Try our
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.
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