Complimentary Wall Colors Add Value to Home Sales

Experience proves that staging a home adds value to the selling price and garners quick sales, however without the structure of a well maintained home a quick sale may take a little longer than necessary. A home owner may chose to save money and avoid changing their wall color, thinking it is just paint, no big deal. But it is a big deal! When a home has been painted with bold, in-your-face colors, the walls show wear and tear, are dirty, or painted in stark white, home buyers will be turned off and it can be more difficult for you to sell the home. Consequently the home will sit on the market longer and unfortunately lose the potential for a higher selling price.

Zillow.com conducted a study in 2016, of color schemes of 50,000 homes sold during a 10-year period beginning in 2006. The results showed the highest sale of premium homes with kitchens painted in hues of creamy or wheat yellow. These homes did better than those painted white or eggshell, or had no color at all. Other top-performing listings had earthy tones like sage green or dove gray walls.

Now in Santa Fe, NM, opting for sage green walls may not be the choice of color to use especially with our heritage of rich warm tones and new creamy palettes. Instead, consider a warm palette in neutrals that are stylish and clean, and compliments the homes architectural features. Lighting, flooring and additional elements of the rooms will play an important role in selecting the proper color and should be taken into consideration whether the home is for sale or one to live in for many years to come.

Images: the harsh eggplant walls (before image-top) was a hard sale. Lightening up the room with neutral creamy wall colors and staging accessories in complimentary hues (after-bottom image) created a relaxing and cozy master bedroom and an offer received shortly after listing.

At DeMarais | home staging + design we offer color consultations and home staging solutions to help sell homes fast and for top dollar! Contact Debbie at 505.699.4989 today to schedule an on-line consultation. Check out our portfolio or reach us www.homestagingsantafe.com.

Challenges If Not Staging a Home

There are challenges in selling a home that is vacant compared to one which has been staged. For instance, the first thing buyers experience is empty, cold and unattractive rooms, areas of neglect are front and center, even if the rooms have been painted, there is nothing for buyers to connect with visually, and no perspective for the scale and size of the space. The home remains on the market for many months with little or no interest from buyers and their agents and ultimately frustrating the seller. Buyers do find ways to ask for a reduction in price because they see the duration of the listing period and assume that the seller is eager to sell. Empty homes also lose momentum when listed before they are staged. Many sellers think they will save money if they stage it later, however the listing period continues even after staging and each month results in big loses for their return on investment.

The benefits of staging an empty home are enormous! Using a trained home stager, they will work with the home and each room to create strategic placement of furniture, decor and artwork, the home says "welcome" to prospective buyers, and home staging provides intention while giving each room purpose, plus the features of the home are highlighted.

Vacant home before and after images of master bedroom and living room with dining room.

In this example, upon entering the house, in the living room is immediately off the front door,  the couch was placed against the wall to project a larger room size and draw focus to the kiva fireplace, rather than the odd shaped and small room.

Of course the major benefits to home staging is more money in your pocket and faster sales, incredible photos for on-line marketing, which do make a difference, and in most cases staging a home will increase the selling price.

As a trained and certified home stager, I encourage my clients to make the most of their listing and invest in the process of staging their home at the start. This means taking the time to fix and mend those neglected areas, freshen up the wall colors, replace outdated light fixtures, do a deep clean, and hire a trained home stager. Trained home stagers know how to maximize and position the home to sell, they focus on placement, furnishing arrangements and are trained to style the home to attract buyers. Some home stagers are able to use existing furnishings or they have an inventory you can rent.

These little tips will bring in faster offers in a shorter timeframe and the home will stand out against the competition. Buyers are savvy, they do not want to buy a house if it is dirty, unattractive, has a lot of repairs to do (unless of course the house is sold-as is for a lower price), looks a mess and is empty. Buyers want the perception they are getting move-in ready home and one that feels like a five-star hotel when they walk in.

All homes deserve to look their best and this can be achieved through home staging. If you want to sell your home quickly, first step hire a trained home stager, it's a wise investment that gets great results!

Debbie DeMarais is a trained and certified home stager at DeMarais home staging + design, and trained in the field of interior design. She provides full service solutions for occupied and vacant staging, color consultations, and interior design services. She can be reached at 505-699-4989 to schedule a personalized consultation to sell your home faster.

Staging to sell, or leave as is?

Sell a home as is or stage to sell? An awesome transformation to this home in Wilderness Gate, Santa Fe, NM will garner more money now that it's staged rather than if it was left as is.

We removed the center island blocking the amazing views of Santa Fe, painted, cleaned out years of personal belongings, updated the kitchen, and more. This home seller will be able to sell the home for more money with home staging and the updates we recommended. With a complete transformation it is positioned to sell quickly. 

Ready to stage your home, contact me to schedule a consultation.

Debbie DeMarais

DeMarais | home staging + design

Certified Home Stager and Designer

Home Decorating and Staging Special for September

Dreaming of adding pizzazz to your existing home or decorating a new one and would like professional help to create a defined style with decorating, furnishing or space layout? 

Perhaps it’s time to sell the house? Where to start? Receive the expertise, guidance and staging tips you need to stage your house to stand out, sell quickly and for top dollar.

Whatever the reason you may have, now is the time to update the home before the holidays arrive! Schedule a design session or an occupied staging consult during the month of September* and receive five hours, for the price of four!  Contact Debbie today to reserve your customized hands-on session. 

Not in Santa Fe, NM? Interested in staging your home via Skype? Let's give it a try, offer can be split into two sessions for Skype staging only.

*Back-to-School Special - five hours at $375, plus tax, expires 9/30/2016. Offer does not apply to materials and supplies, rental inventory, vacant home staging, delivery, or additional labor. Visa/MC accepted.

DeMarais | home staging + design
Debbie DeMarais | HSR Certified Home Stager, ASID Allied Member
www.homestagingsantafe.com

Pops of Color in Staged Home

Creating balance with color, brings life and energy into what was a dark and monochromatic design. The home owner loved blue and in every hue. However, it was too much for a home buyer to try to envision creating it as theirs. Getting ready to sell the home the owners called upon me to stage it to appeal to home buyers. As in each home I stage it's important to look past the seller's design style and personality and create the stage that appeals to home buyers. Working with only their furniture and lot's of it, I pared down the number of pieces in each room, rearranged furnishings and added accessories and art to highlight the rooms. Providing the pop of color and design invites home buyers to spend time in exploring the possibilities of this home. The rooms feel like home so sit down, relax and dream of making this home yours. Www.homestagingsantafe.com 

Home Buyer's Seek Staged Homes

Selling a house today is quite different than it used to be years ago. Today’s home buyers are extremely savvy about what they want in their next home. Marketing a home takes more consideration, time and work. Focusing on the appearance, how a home is presented will contribute to the success of a sale.

81% of home buyers reported staging makes it easier to visualize the property as a future home, reports the National Association of Realtors 2015 Profile of Home Staging. A staged home ‘invites’ the buyer see the potential rather than develop negative objections.

Top five reasons to stage a home:

1.     Buyer’s looking on-line make their decision to view the home in person within 8 seconds.

2.     Staging a home creates a vision of how a buyer aspires to live in your home, not showcasing the actual day-to-day existence.

3.     Buyers focus on positive reinforcement throughout the home rather than negative to consider if it meets their needs.

4.     Buyers will re-prioritize their list, when a house feels like home they can live in.

5.     Leaving a home in “as-is” condition will only help sell the competition. Buyers look for homes with updated fixtures and appliances, and décor.

Staged homes on the average earn more money than a home that hasn’t been staged. A professional Home Stager is trained to know what buyer’s look for and how to get a home sold quickly. Taking the extra steps to prepare a home for sale is the difference between a quick sale or a long-term listing with price reductions. 

For more information visit - www.homestagersantafe.com 

Debbie DeMarais 

DeMarais | home staging + design

Ms. DeMarais is a Certified Professional Home Stager through Home Staging Resource and is trained in Interior Design and Architectural Design. She is a member of RESA and ASID, Allied Member. She provides full-service home staging solutions and interior design in Santa Fe, NM.

Image: This home was staged using the owners furnishings and decor. They received an offer within four-days of listing the home!

Home Staging Inspiration from Architectural Details

Selling a home “as-is,” in most cases, is not the most effective way to reach a buyer’s attention and invoke their appreciation for the characteristic and fine detail of a home. Finding a buyer (only 20%) who can look past the seller’s décor style and furnishing arrangement, plus areas of neglect to appreciate the gem of an “as-is” home is risky.

This unique home built in 1900, was formerly the residence of Santa Fe Governor John E. Miles (1939-1941). In addition to its historic past, this South Capital home is appreciated for its unique architectural design. It is one of two homes found in Santa Fe built with the classic Gambrel roof characteristic of the Dutch Colonial style. The exterior walls and fireplace built with stone, rumored to originate from Upper Canyon Road.

The age and history of this home was the inspiration to determine the style of furnishings and décor used to stage this property. Rather than staging it with traditional Santa Fe style furnishings, a timeless contemporary design with clean lines produced an elegance that is inviting, comfortable. The style also helps to highlight the floor plan and showcase features such as the stone fireplace and crystal chandelier. The completed design blends cohesively and harmoniously with its surroundings, while emphasizing the architectural characteristics, which become important elements in staging a home.

Had the seller retain the existing style of furnishings and decor, buyers may have been unable to appreciate the details this rare home has to offer. When selling a home, it is best to highlight key selling points and features, rather than overburden it with a design that competes with the space. 

Considering selling your home, and wondering if the design style or furnishing arrangements showcase the home at its best? We can help with a virtual consultation and walk-through  of each room. You will receive tips and suggestions to get the most out bang when selling your home. www.homestagingsantafe.com

Homes Sell Quickly as Buyers Visualize Property through Home Staging

Living room at 319 Villeros, Santa Fe

Providing home staging guidance to owners who live in their home while trying to sell it is a different approach than filling a vacant home and staging it with furniture, accessories and decor. 

The goal is to create an environment within a home that is for sale so buyers can connect with it, while using the seller’s things. Working within the seller’s budget, we spent about a day to help them stage the house and gardens in order for this home to get quick results. In just a short time, the owners received styling and design guidance using their belongings. We moved most of their furniture around, rearranged the placement of beds, cleaned up the art studio, created an inviting seating area in the living room, artwork was rehung, and unnecessary items were removed which contributed to the cluttered appearance we initially came upon. While going through this process we even helped them get organized to begin the packing process of letting go which can help get the house sold. The gardens also received a much-needed face-lift due to neglected maintenance and overgrown weeds to highlight the Koi pond, two private patios and fruit trees. 

According to the sellers, not only were the results fantastic, but also buyers were thrilled with how the home looked, and it sold within six weeks of staging. Home staging is an effective tool in selling a home with "81% of buyers saying that home staging makes it easier to visualize the property as a future home", according to the National Association of Realtor's 2015 Profile of Home Staging. 

There is a difference in how a home looks between "living" in a home and "selling" the home. If you are uncertain how this can make a difference with your situation or you need some guidance, contact us at www.homestagingsantafe.com, we can help even through a virtual home staging consultation.

Dining Room and Entry

Kitchen and Breakfast Nook

Art Studio

Gardens and Private Patio

Home Staging for Discerning Lifestyle

With just over 6,000 sq ft of beautiful interiors and expansive outdoor space this very "lived-in" house was transformed into a home you'd expect to see in a "high-end" lifestyle magazine. Working with the homeowners we spent many days preparing this home to bring it to the expectations of a discerning home buyer and showcase it like a million dollar house. With so many unique and inspiring architectural features built into the home, it was important to remove the clutter, excess furniture, repurpose and downscale the 'day-to-day' affects of family living.

Without our home staging help, a buyer would miss the opportunity to appreciate the details and the seller may not have been unable to list the home at $1.1 million. Once we moved a lot of furniture, decor and clutter from each room, and reorganized the furnishings to enhance the spaces, it magically turned into a home that looks and feels worthy of the price tag.

A key element of our home staging techniques is to pay attention to the demographics of the buyer and ensure the home's appearance is staged to reflect the discerning tastes and lifestyle of the audience. Buyer's will appreciate the cleanliness, spaciousness and many details of a home when it is presented with them in mind. It's easier to sell a home that shows well, even if the price tag is much lower. How a home looks and feels when buyers approach it will determine how long they'll spend in the home touring it to see if it "fits" just right for them and their family.The longer they stay the greater the possibility they'll "feel at home" and make an offer.

To view additional images of this home at 11 Rancho Cholla, visit www.homestagingsantafe.com

Updating an Outdated Home with Home Staging

Holding on to outdated styles is never a good thing when selling a home! An outdated home reminiscent of bygone era’s can drastically reduce the value. Without making the necessary updates to fixtures, finishes, appliances or furniture the home may stay on the market longer than those with updated and desirable features.

In this home its pink wall-to-wall carpeting, outdated and monotone furnishings, antiquated fixtures and appliances, and lack of style had no appeal nor garnered interest from potential buyers. 

In an attempt to sell the home for three years, this homeowner, unaware that his home and its contents were keeping buyers away, enlisted the help of a home staging professional. Trained to identify the key selling features buyers look for in a home and staging it for maximum appeal for a targeted demographic is one of many bonuses in hiring a home stager. Looking at the home from a ‘buyers perspective’ the seller was ready to make the necessary upgrades to sell his home competitively in today’s real estate market.

Suggestions included replacing the carpeting with hard wood flooring, fresh coat of paint, new furnishings, appliances and fixtures, plus the designing a stacked fireplace in the living room as the focal point in the room. The results were astonishing. The seller admitted the home was unrecognizable with the updates and remarked the transformation went from a “sow’s ear into a silk purse”. Eager to put his home on the market he has more confidence that it will sell quickly.

When preparing your home to sell, consider enlisting the assistance of a professional home stager. They can show you where your home may hold you back from getting top dollar and selling your home quickly.

Selling a Lifestyle through Home Staging

How the interior space of a home is styled says more than you think. Selling a home takes more consideration than just painting the walls or planting flowers outside. Consider the message the interior speaks, does it scream that it needs help?

This living room had some great items to work with. Before we staged the room it was overcrowded and unappealing. The room appeared to be very small and had many focal points. Making a detour around the room to sit down was the entry point. Considering Feng Shui principles, this room represents blocking creativity, flow and keeping your guard up.  Unfortunately, it isn’t very welcoming as the first impression into the home, especially if it is for sale.

Using home staging techniques and interior design principles to maximize the space and highlight the homes features will make this home extraordinary. By removing excessive accessories, eliminating unnecessary and over scaled furniture, plus introducing appropriate décor items we can begin to paint a picture for buyers. One that highlights the occupant’s lifestyle, maximizes the size and functionality of the room, improves the perception and sensibility of the space, plus adds value to the home.

First impressions count and by creating a focal point for each room that is inviting, comfortable and beautiful will increase the on-line viewing and selling potential. Homebuyers can see the potential and possibilities of envisioning their family making the house their own and will be ready to buy.

Whether you live in your home or it is for sale the placement of furniture, décor as well as scale speaks volumes. Does your home reflect the lifestyle you aim for or does it hold you back?

View more changes to this home.

Five-Star Bedroom

Dramatic changes not only occur on TV! My team and I recently completed staging this home in Santa Fe and it received a total makeover from room to room with our Full-Service Staging Package.

One of the major transformations took place in this guest bedroom that went from boring to WOW it sizzles and feels like a five-star hotel.

Whether you're staging a home or wanting to live like you're in a five-star hotel, keep things simple, follow a coordinated color palette and remember the rules "less is more". In this situation of the "before" room, less is not a good idea! 

32% of buyers are willing to pay 1-5% more for a home...

According to a survey by the National Association of Realtors Home Staging Profile 2015 taking the step to stage a home really does make a difference to potential buyers. The good news is that 32% of buyers are willing to pay 1-5% more for a home that is staged than those not staged!

Staging a vacant home provides visual for the placement of furnishings and how one can utilize a space. Occupied homes require the same attention and detail and at times can be more important to potential buyers. Of the poll 81% of buyers say that staging a home makes it easier to visualize a home. 

There are so many levels of preparation to consider and if you have an occupied home look at how inviting the front entry is to the appeal of furnishings, bedding, and even where the pet bowls and litter boxes are placed. We live in our homes for ourselves, however when we sell a home it's time to let go of our comfort zone and invite others with discerning tastes and styles to see the home through their eyes.

If you're considering selling your home and whether staging is right for you, remember 96% of buyer's agents say that staging has an affect on some buyer's view of the home. If you're buying a home what do you look for? Clean and ready to move in or disorderly, cluttered, areas of concern and unknown maintenance issues? Those are the same concerns buyers have.

Staging a home may bring you a little extra income from the sale and a tax deduction depending upon your situation for the costs of preparing and staging your home.

To read more data about Infographic: Effectiveness of Home Staging survey.

Have a question about your home? Contact me for an in-home appointment or virtual conference.

Selling your home and staging

According to NAR Research “home staging can help sell a home for more money, can help prospective buyers better visualize themselves in the home and could modestly increase the home’s value for both the buyer and seller." Now that’s a win-win!  

Finding the right stager is like trying on a pair of shoes. Each provides a different style, service and fit. Do you know what key elements to look for in a stager? Some thoughts if you're selling a home that is vacant, would be...

• How current are the design styles? 
• What about design aesthetics, does balance and harmony exist?
• How old is the inventory, does it appeal to a broad audience?
• Does the “staged” home feel sterile and cold or warm and inviting?
• Are they trained in home staging or is this a hobby?

 
These are just a few questions to consider. You're making a big investment in selling your home and you want the right team to be there to help you from your real estate agent to a home stager.

There are other key aspects to improving your home especially if you live in it during the listing period. Pay attention to...

• Keep the front door and entry clean and clutter-free.
• Personal belongings such as shoes, toys, coats, homework, newspapers should be in their proper places such as a closet, book shelf and toy box or storage.
• Litter boxes and other pet related items should be clean, free of odor and kept to one area and out of the main flow of traffic.
• Furnishings should look nice, if your sofa is tattered and stained get a slip cover, same goes for the chairs. If that's not possible, then borrow or rent nicer pieces while your home is on the market. It will make a difference.
• Plants and flowers are they healthy looking or are beyond their lifespan. Throw them out if their past their prime. Have fresh flowers on the dining table.
• Open the windows and let some fresh air in, shake out the rugs.
• Personal photos of the family, take these down as well as any possible controversial artwork that may distract a buyer from looking at the house. They may pay more attention to this than to the real reason they are in your home. It could be very distracting and you've lost an offer.

There are many more areas of the home which will need special attention. Ask yourself if your home says "Welcome Home" or "Stay Away" be honest, does your answer give you hints into the work you need do?  Hiring a trained home stager will know what to look for and how to 'stage' your home to make it approachable and livable for you and your family during the listing period.  It will be worth the investment where your home could sell quickly and even for top dollar.

Case and Point about De-Cluttering

The importance of de-cluttering is to enhance the rooms and showcase the features of the home. It also frees up space and increases the livable areas of the floor plan. If a home is going to be listed for sale, the best thing is to strip it down and start from the beginning to highlight those great features. This also means trading out dated or period specific furnishings and linens, removing personal photographs, and paring down the furnishings.

Recently, I was asked to prepare (do some home staging) to an occupied home that was going to be photographed and listed for sale. The owners were gracious to follow my instructions and we went from room-to-room of a very full house and started emptying the rooms, storing all extraneous furnishings, books, collectables, etc., into storage. We even gave some rooms a new coat of paint. With that complete the next step was to rearrange and style the rooms for good flow and ambiance. Sometimes there's nothing one can do with existing furnishings, especially when it's occupied, so you make it work and that's what we did. For a fresh facelift, we brought in updated linens, removed old towels and throw rugs, plus added new artwork. There was plenty more work behind the scenes that took place to showcase this home, and now it feels as if it's square footage has increased! Future buyers can envision creating a new life, dreaming of how great it will be to gather with friends and family during the holiday's in the great room, and calling it home.


Does your home tell a good story or does it warn people to look the other way? If you're uncertain, then getting an impartial professional to do a walk-through can help. It may be all you need to seeing your home in a different light.


There's so much more to see in this beautiful home, take a look at the unique features and the fun exercise/music room.