- Kitchens with center islands – Granite counters top the list. Here in the Los Angeles area, acceptable solid surface alternatives are Ceasarstone and Silestone. I have Ceasarstone counters in my kitchen and I LOVE them because they are so low maintenance.
- Energy Efficiency – Energy-efficient appliances, insulation and windows top the list. The use of recycled materials is valued more highly here in Los Angeles than in many other parts of the country.
- Home Office or Study -Buyers are willing to trade, say, a formal dining room or home theater to have a home office or study.
- Main-floor master suite - This is a very desirable feature for empty-nesters and for certain cultural groups. Many home buyers are thinking about “aging in place” and eliminating the need to climb stairs to the master bedroom is an important consideration.
- Outdoor living room -According to the report the popularity of outdoor living spaces is on the rise. In Los Angeles or Pasadena, many homeowners are adding outdoor kitchens or food prep areas to take advantage of our beautiful weather.
- Ceiling fans – While not always on the top of many Los Angeles and Pasadena home buyer’s list, newer models are very energy efficient.
- Master-suite soaker tubs – Whirlpools are desirable for many home buyers, according to the report. Here in the Los Angeles area, I see many large or double showers in new construction luxury homes as well. Personally, I prefer an air-jet soaking tub, like those made by Bain Ultra, over the traditional whirlpool tub. More sanitary.
- Stone and brick exteriors - Stucco and vinyl aren’t at the top of the list. Don’t forget this is a national survey and may not reflect Los Angeles home buyers’ taste. I agree with the low rating for vinyl siding, but stucco continues to be a very popular finish here in Los Angeles. I also see a lot of homes with full stone or partial stone facades. Brick, not so much.
- Community landscaping - “Preferably it includes walking paths and playgrounds.” This applies mainly to new, very large “communities” aka tracts. In any case, being able to walk to services like the post office, shops and restaurants is very desirable for most Pasadena and Los Angeles residents.
- Two-car garage - This would be much further up the list for me. I live in a home with no garage. Our garage was converted into a legal guest house in the 1940’s. While I’m happy for the extra income the guest house brings in, my next home will definitely have a 2 car garage.
Los Angeles Home Staging Video – Hollywood Condo Staging
February 27, 2010
We staged this Hollywood condo right after returning from the Real Estate Staging Association International Home Staging Conference at the end of January.
When I spoke to the listing agent, she told me that she had received multiple offers after the first open house!
Yay! Home staging in Los Angeles helps sell homes faster.
This was the first home staging video I’ve created using my Flip Camera. Some of my camerawork is lacking. I promise I’ll get better with practice!
A Real Estate Agent Gets Real About Home Staging
February 26, 2010
Here’s another animated video about home staging. In this video the real estate agent talks to her client about the necessity of hiring a professional home stager. The homeowner is a do-it-yourself home stager, and the results are, well, interesting.
©Copyright 2010 Michelle Minch & Moving Mountains Design. All rights reserved. Copyright includes video, script and contents. Be original, don’t copy!
Pasadena Based Home Staging Business Gets Results!
February 21, 2010
This article recently appeared in the Pasadena Star News, on February 9, 2010. Very exciting!
Just click on the article to be taken to a PDF of the article.
Los Angeles Home Staging Video – A Real Estate Agent Talks About Home Staging
February 20, 2010
Here’s a video I created about home staging. A real estate agent talks about home staging to their client.
©2010 Copyright Michelle Minch and Moving Mountains Design. All rights reserved. The contents of this video, including the dialog (spoken words) are protected by copyright. Please do not copy. You can create an original video at Xtranormal.com
Los Angeles Home Staging a Glendora Townhome
February 18, 2010
Today we staged a cute Glendora townhome, located one block from Historic Route 66.
The home owner found Moving Mountains Design as the result of a this Pasadena Home Stager in the Pasadena Star News that appeared last week.
Despite (or maybe because of) her Senior Citizen status, she recognized that home staging is a wonderful tool that could help get her Glendora condo sold.
She is a retired real estate agent, and she told me that she wished “home staging was around when I was selling real estate. How much easier it would have been”.
The home owner put a lot of effort and money into getting her townhome into market ready condition, but hasn’t caught any buyer’s attention….yet. Let’s see if home staging is the magic wand to get this cute Glendora townhouse sold.
This townhome is 1,426 sq. ft. with 3 bedrooms & 3 bathrooms and is listed for $359,000.
For more information about this Glendora townhouse, contact the listing agent, Chris Purkiss at (626)335-8118.
Altadena Home Staging An Occupied Home
February 18, 2010
I was hired to stage a beautiful Altadena home this week.
The homeowners are moving to a larger home to accommodate their growing family. I was called in by the real estate agent to help the homeowners prepare the home for sale, to maximize the size of the rooms, accentuate the beautiful architectural features and give each room a clearly defined purpose.
The formal living room was being used as the master bedroom, which worked fine for them, but might have caused some confusion for potential buyers.
I suggested they move the master bedroom to one of the large, airy bedrooms, and gain a living room in the process.
The piano was moved from the dining room to the living room. It made the dining room feel larger and there was plenty of space in the living room to accommodate a piano.
Here’s a few shots of the bedrooms after staging:
And a lovely vignette shot:
For more information about this beautiful Altadena pool home, contact the listing agent Bettina Rosenfeld, Coldwell Banker, at (626)827-6114.
This Los Angeles Home Stager Has Earned Her RESA-PRO Designation!
February 14, 2010
I’ve earned the RESA-PRO designation. Yay!
I’ve met all the requirements, passed all the tests, and now I have the right to use the RESA-PRO badge on my website. As a home stager in Los Angeles and Pasadena, I need to prove to my clients that they are getting the best of the best. The RESA-PRO designation proves that I am experienced, I am professional, I am ethical, I am insured and I recognize the importance of continuing my education.
RESA-PRO home stagers:
- Must adhere to the Real Estate Staging Association Code of Ethics
- Must pass the RESA Ethics Exam with a score of 80% or higher
- Must be in business for at least one year
- Must show proof of home staging business insurance
- Must prove they have a business bank account in their company name
In addition, RESA-PROs must complete a number of home staging contiuning education classes over the course of 2 years in order to maintain their RESA_PRO status
As a home owner or a real estate agent, seeing the RESA-PRO designation gives you an extra measure of assurance that I’m a true professional (not a hobbiest) and you’ll be treated ethically.
If you’d like to find out more about the RESA-PRO designation, visit the RESA-PRO website.
Happy Chinese New Year To All My Chinese Friends & Clients!
February 14, 2010
Gong Xi Fa Cai!(Mandarin)
GungHei Fat Choy! (Cantonese)
Happy Lunar New
Year to all my Chinese friends & clients
While most of the Western
World is celebrating Valentines Day today, Chinese people the world
over are celebrating the Year of the Tiger.
I have the great good fortune to work with many Chinese clients staging their homes in Arcadia, San Marino and Pasadena. I want to wish you all a very happy and prosperous New Year.
Chinese New Year, also know as Lunar New Year or Spring Festival, is the most important traditional Chinese holiday. Regional customs and family traditions vary widely for the celebration of the Chinese New Year. Traditionally, every family thoroughly cleans their home to sweep away any bad fortune. This makes way for good luck to come in. Windows are opened and rooms are aired out. Brooms and cleaning rags are thrown away and trash is emptied so that no dirt of misfortune is carried into the New Year.
Starting today, Chinese people all over the world engage in a wide variety of traditional customs and practices that involve food and gift giving. Dumplings (sometimes known as Dim Sum) that are shaped like gold bars are eaten. Children receive small amounts of money in red envelopes (Hong Bao). Adults may receive a gift of tangerines, which are symbols of prosperity and happiness, or kumquats, which are another prosperity symbol. Schools and businesses in China close for at least a week.
My nephew, who is an architect in Shanghai, says they don’t get much sleep during this week due to all the firecrackers going off at all hours of the night.
The Chinese Lunar Calendar is set up in 12 year cycles and each year in the cycle is associated with an animal. This coming year is the Year of the Tiger, the third year in the Chinese Zodiac. The tiger is a symbol of Courage, Strength and Prosperity. According to legend, Lord Buddha summoned the animals to him before he departed the earth. Only 12 came to bid him farewell and so he named a year after each one as a reward. It is believed that the animal ruling the birth year of a person has a profound impact on their personality.
Despite diverse customs and traditions across China, and for Chinese living in other parts of the world, the sentiment infusing Lunar New Year is one of peace, prosperity and happiness.
Happy Lunar New Year to all my Chinese friends, clients & business associates. I wish you much happiness, good health and prosperity in the coming year!
Los Angeles Home Staging A Hollywood Condo – Multiple Offers After 1st Open House!
February 13, 2010
We were hired to stage this vacant Hollywood Condo by the homeowner, who was also the listing agent.
She chose Moving Mountains Design because we are professional and experienced and because she liked the photos in our home staging portfolio.
The condo was vacant after having been rented to tenants for some time. The REALTOR wisely put a lot of energy and effort getting the condo into market condition. She did everything right to get it sold:
- She hired an experienced, professional home stager to make the condo more appealing to buyers
- She priced it right
- She marketed it well
For more information about this Hollywood Blvd. adjacent condo, contact the listing agent, Judy Oroshnik, Prudential California Realty, at (323)671-1248.
What Los Angeles Home Buyers Want
February 9, 2010
According to an article in the Washington Post, experts at the International Building Show in Las Vegas say American home buyers want smaller homes that are in step with changing lifestyles.
Buyers want “cost effective architecture” and homes that are “designed ‘green’ from the outset,” according to said Carol Lavender, president of the Lavender Design Group in San Antonio, TX.
Whether you are selling a new construction home or a 1920’s Pasadena Spanish Revival home, there are some features that many home buyers find appealing.
While I’m not advocating tearing out a wall to add a center island in your kitchen just to make your home more desirable to buyers, if you have the space, its not a bad idea to add one.
Following is a list of the top 10 most desirable features in new construction homes compiled by Avid Ratings, which conducts an annual survey of buyer preferences:
I’d add the following to the “must have” list:
11. Walk in closets – Closet space is at a premium in most homes. I’d rather have slightly smaller rooms and more closet space.
12. Laundry room near the bedrooms - Since most of our dirty laundry is generated near the bedrooms, having a laundry room near- by would be a dream
13. Family room or great room off the kitchen – This is one of the most requested rooms for Los Angeles & Pasadena home buyers, whether they are buying a new construction home or an older home
If you were shopping for a new construction or older home, what would be your must have features?
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