Apostle Art Home Staging & Design Blog: Pennsylvania: Stroudsburg

I seem to be making a lot of fast friends these days. So many very special people keep popping into my life in droves it seems. I recently blogged about one in my Humble Pie series but there have been many more.

I have a business associate that I know through a local networking group. We were talking one day last year about our kids and it turns out he has a daughter who is 15, same age as my son and they are both very passionate about music. He owns a video production company and recording studio in Stroudsburg PA, Tera Productions,...very cool so he suggest we get the kids together. Well, life happens and finally a year later, last Saturday we go over to see his studio.

His house and studio were like a fairytale!  It turns out that he is an artist and a designer as well and his lower level where he works was transformed into a European street scene complete with columns and meticulously faux finished, antiqued walls...a man after my own heart!

We quickly discovered just how much we all had in common and really did become "fast friends"! His daughter, Francesca, absolutely blew us away with her talent. She was having her very first performance ever that night at an event at a local Pizzeria. I am so glad we took the time to come out and see this beautiful young lady perform as I know she has an extremely bright future ahead of her.

You Go Francesca..our new and very special fast friend!!  :)

(Just click on the video to play)

 The anatomy of a low cost, High style Staging in the Poconos!

Staging Homes for Homeowners and Real Estate Investors in the Poconos doesn't necessarily need to be a "High End" affair...but it should be "High Style!" in order to get the best results.

Showing off a home by creating an environment that buyers will have an emotional connection to is the key to selling faster and for more money in this competitive real estate market.

At Apostle Art Home staging & Design, our mission is to help increase appeal without breaking our clients bank. We could certainly set up each property as if it were a model home but in our experience, most properties do not require that level of investment in order to get great results. Of course, price point does play a role. If you are selling in a higher price range, the furnishings you use to stage the home should always reflect the desired lifestyle of the potential buyer.

Selling a home is like selling any other product, you need to focus your marketing efforts with your end buyer in mind. Companies invest an incredible amount of money packaging and marketing their products because they know it works. Your Home is likelyto be the biggest "product" you will ever be selling so the packaging and marketing are essential.

The good news......a talented, resourceful, professional stager can help your home look like a million bucks without investing a million bucks!

This is a property we recently staged for a real estate Investor here in the Poconos that was listed for about $120 K.

Whether investor or homeowner, every dollar counts. So how did we transform this once lifeless, vacant space into a warm, inviting and desireable one for less?

Let's break it down...

Love seat (Bought second hand) ... $40

Slipcover ... $60

Accent Chair (most expensive piece) ...$150

Decorative accent pillows... $100

Area Rug ... $80

Wall Art... $25

2 Topiaries... $60

Table accessories ... $35

2 Lamps ... $40

Coffee Table ...$40

2 table cubes (Bought these second hand, originally orange, painted expresso)... $30

Total cost for furnishings...$660... That is a whole room for less than you would spend on one sofa!!!

Total value for the talent, experience and resources to pull it off...PRICELESS!!!

________________________

 The other "Good News" for sellers in the Poconos is that they do not have to spend hours and dollars shopping for or purchasing any of these items because we have invested in a full warehouse of furnishings in all styles shapes and colors to suit almost any home. Our affordable monthly rentals make Staging the best investment to package and market your property effectively.

So, when style counts and budget matters..

....hire a professional Stager who knows how to get the most bang for your buck!!! For it may often be true that you get what you pay for...BUT...sometimes you actually get MORE!!!

I was so looking forward to today knowing it was going to be warmer than it has been for weeks here in the Poconos. While the cold and snow is great for the skiers... we had 2 properties to de-stage so the milder temperatures were a much welcome and anticipated blessing.

So, still rubbing the sand out of my eyes and stumbling to the sliding door on my upper deck, I peeled back the curtain to be greeted by the day and this was my

 "Good Morning"...

Pinks and purples in full array...All I could think was that this was God's Valentine...His way of saying "I LOVE YOU!"

What better way to start the day?

LOVE, SWEET, LOVE!!!

There is nothing more Sacred...

...or more beautiful...

...Than LOVE!

 Happy Valentine's Day...and Thank You God!!

( The Pocono Mountains, PA is an incredibly, inspiring and beautiful place to live and enjoy. Why not plan a visit? )

We got a bit of the white stuff yesterday...about 6-8 inches. It was the light and fluffy kind...not great for snowballs but perfect for shoveling...especially when your driveway is over 70 feet long like mine!!!

So my husband sets out, shovel in hand...he is on a mission. I come out to help...I am on a mission too...

...to take photos of the deer tracks on the lawn! Just kidding...I took the photos AFTER I helped shovel...LOL!!

So he starts blasting through, throwing snow here, throwing it there, he wants to get out!

What do I do?

I methodically choose a starting point, develop a plan of action and proceed to remove the white stuff in a highly organized fashion. Line by line, row by row, making sure it is cleared right up to the rocks that line the driveway forming a wall on either side. I go back, retrace my steps, making sure the surface is level and clean and even everywhere.

My husband...he's been gone an hour already!

Staging runs through my veins...I cant switch it off... it resides in the very fiber of my being!

...and not a snowflake out of place!

Last night I had to sing for the Confirmation mass as I do every year with my choir at St. Luke's Church in Stroudsburg, PA. I love participating in this ceremony as I get to watch and pray for this group of young adults who proclaim their commitment to their faith. It is always a grand affair, Bishop and priest from all over the area. Knights of Columbus with their swords and feather plumed hats, Full brass band and us singing like a choir of angels in the background.

The Bishop addresses the students and asks these questions...

How will you be different after you are confirmed tonight? What will change in your life?

After sharing with them many thoughts, he concludes with this true story...

One Sunday, in a church in Colombia, where guerrilla terrorist were ramped and regularly attacking and killing Christians, a congregation met to celebrate Holy mass. In the middle of the ceremony, the church doors fling open and a man enters with a machine gun under his arm. He marches up to the altar, grabs the priest and escorts him outside to be executed. After hearing the gunshots, the terrified congregation waited in silence and shock.

The doors open again and the man with the gun goes to the front of the church and shouts..."If any of you believe as that man, come forward now!" No one dared move a muscle. Then a man stood up and approached..."I believe"...He too was escorted outside to be executed. More shots fired and the terrorist returns. He asked the question again...One man stands up and then a woman. They exit as well to the sound of machine gun rounds.

The man enters one more time...and fearing what would happen...no one else stood up.

So the man says..."Get out of here all of you!"

They exit the Church to find the Priest, two men and the woman standing outside, unharmed. He points and says to the four..." Go back in where you belong." To the congregation standing outside he says...

"Don't ever go ever go back in that Church unless you have faith to stand up for what you believe in!"

+++

This is my favorite meditation piece we sang after communion last night...like Heaven meeting Earth. ( This is not our choir but I found the closest version I could on YouTube...Enjoy!)

"O Sacrum Convivium"

Blessings...

~Val

 "PRAYING in the Rain"

( I just started the group "Praying in the Rain"...Don't be surprised if you see me praying for everything from now on...and why not??... come join us and make this day, a day you pray!!)

If you have been watching "America's Got Talent" over the past few weeks, then you know who Prince Poppycock is and if you watched the final performances you will also know that he got buzzed with a big, fat "X" from one of the judges.

Love him or hate him, he made it to the final. He had some appeal but was it enough?

All throughout the competition, the judges would make comments to the contestants like. It was a "nice" performance but at this stage in the game you've got to be the best...we are looking for the best!

So...it got me thinking...How many listings out there are like Prince Poppycock? Good enough to go so far but not quite enough to take them to the "TOP" of a buyers list. Do they have broad enough appeal to be the winner in this competitive market or are they just "nice enough to get noticed?" You know the old saying..."Almost doesn't count except in hand granades and horseshoes." Well, the same goes for Real Estate...almost getting a contract means not getting a contract...it's like almost winning the lottery!!

Buyers are looking for the best...so give them the best you've got!!

The "Best" way to do that is to hire "The Best" Agent you can, List at "The Best" Price for your particular market and Hire "The Best Professional Stager" to push your property to the TOP of the list!! The competition is tough out there and Professionally Staging your home will give you "THE BEST" possible chance for a fast and profitable sale!

Statistics are now showing that Professionally Staged homes can sell up to 6 times faster than comparable un-staged homes and for more money.

While it is never too late to get great results, it is best to Stage before you list so every buyer will see your "BEST" because the only "X" you want to be seeing is the one showing you where to sign at closing!

 My husband and I will be heading to the closing table in a few weeks...next stop...the bank!  While many  say it is a great time to buy, but not to sell, I say...

"It's a great time for both...if you do it right!"

Flipping homes in this market is not for the faint of heart. You need determination, education, dedication, patience, guts, savvy and a strong dose of faith and trust! Do your homework, do it right, and there is money to be made. Here are five quick tips:

• Don't pay too much!  ~ Your money is made when you buy not when you sell. Pay too much and you may have trouble recouping when it comes time to sell.
• Get it looked at. ~ While you may not need to do a full inspection, we always have "Our Guy" come and check things over prior to purchasing as he may pick up on some big money fixes that we will need to consider.
• Work it out!!! ~ Figure out all the cost involved, purchase price, renevation cost, holding cost, commisions, taxes...and then... add in several thousand as a buffer.
• Have a clear idea what the selling price will be before you buy! ~ So many investors skip this step and get burned when their agent disappoints them at listing time. Make sure there is good room for profit ahead of time.

And Last but MOST important...

• STAGE, STAGE, STAGE... and then stage some more! ~ Lucky for me, I am a stager but even if I weren't, This would be one piece of the puzzle I would never leave out. This is the secret ingredient that assures our success. Hire a professional! Staging will set you apart from all of the other investors out there who still have not realized the value of this investment...Hire a professional!

Here are some of the before and afters of our most recent project...

I originally posted this photo and was delighted to see all of the creative and imaginative responses to what various people saw in the shot. You can read them here... What do you see?

  The reason I was intrigued with this scene was my sheer amazement of God's great design and the "intelligence" of some of his smallest creatures. I was sitting on my deck, reading my prayers the other morning while the sun was still struggling to find it's strength. I suddenly noticed a lot movement in one particular tree. I had to strain my eyes to see what, to my surprise, was a half dozen birds hiding on the uppermost limbs. I had never seen these birds here before and they were only in this type of tree. There was another tree beside it that was frequented by many a blue jay but these birds knew that this particular tree was the one that would camouflage them the best.

It is amazing to me what we see and what we don't see at times. How many, sitting in the same spot, would have missed these birds?? As Stagers, our job is to see what others don't and then transform it so that others can fully appreciate what is there. Sometimes we need to blend elements, one into the other so that they don't JUMP OUT, so it is softer, more subtle like the birds. We need to find those things that are hidden from homeowners eyes because they have become immune to them over the years. We are called to look more closely, to pick out potential problems, to use our visual perception. We have vision and we use that vision to create a scene that causes buyers to feel at peace and to fall in love!! :) 

This is why Staged home sell faster...because we see what needs to be seen, we know how to make it work and we love getting great results!

Here are the close ups of the same shot. There are at least 4 or 5 birds here and a few more were on the other side. They are all in the original photo above!!

 ~Apostle Art Home Staging & Design offers professional real estate staging services to sellers, real estate agents and investors, as well as Design Services for homes and businesses located in the Pocono Mountains Region and beyond. www.apostleart.com ~

If you are selling your home or are a Real Estate Agent with Vacant or Occupied listing located in North Eastern Pennsylvania, The Pocono Mountains, Greater Stroudsburg Area and beyond...Please call us now so we can bring life to your listing and get you results with our Professional Home Staging Services...570-972-7939.

  I love transforming homes, and as a professional Home Stager and Designer in the Stroudsburg,PA area, I love it even more when that transformatiom leads to success for sellers! One of our local, Stroudsburg homeowners saw the Staging light when his home sold in only DAYS after he had us Stage his property here in the lovely Pocono Mountains.

Richard was a "Staging Skeptic". His beautiful home in Stroudsburg sat vacant on the market well over a year with no contract in hand. It was fair to say he was feeling a bit jaded about the selling process as his house sat and sat, empty and lonely and longing for a buyer. It was a gorgeous "craftsman" home situated on a lovely property with acres of land. It was not overpriced, but it was cold and hard and empty.

Since nothing was happening, Richard decided to switch realtors and relisted with a fantastic agent with Realty Executives in Stroudsburg, PA who in the first month of listing brought over 30 plus showings. But, alas...30 showings and no offers. Lucky for Richard, this agent believed in Staging and knew that Staging was the missing piece of his marketing puzzle.

 "But I don't think staging is really going to do anything since my home is so unique and needs a buyer who is looking for something different." Richard told me as we discussed the staging process. Richard had no idea that staging was going to be the very thing that would bring that buyer to his door. We did a light staging to keep the cost down, leaving out some rooms that I would have liked to staged but it was a leap to get this skeptic even this far.

His agent posted the new photos after staging and within days got a call from a buyer.

The Buyer told the agent..."If the house looks half as good in person as it does in the pictures, I'll buy it."...and HE DID!!!

      After a year and over 30 showings with no results, the first person to see the home staged, bought it!

Needless to say...Richard is now a bit Richer and his Realtor sleeps with a big smile on her face because they both know that Staging WORKS !!

If you are selling a home in Stroudsburg, PA or surrounding areas, why not let us help you become a believer like Richard. We will get you Staged and Sold so you can sleep with a smile too!

~Apostle Art Home Staging & Design offers professional real estate staging services to sellers, real estate agents and investors, as well as Design Services for homes and businesses located in the Pocono Mountains Region and beyond. www.apostleart.com ~

If you are selling your home or are a Real Estate Agent with Vacant or Occupied listing located in North Eastern Pennsylvania, The Pocono Mountains, Greater Stroudsburg Area and beyond...Please call us now so we can bring life to your listing and get you results with our Professional Home Staging Services...570-972-7939.

The St. Patrick's Day Parade in Stroudsburg on Sunday was definately the place to be! If you have never been to Stroudsburg, Pennsylavania before, Sunday would have been a great time to be there. The streets were filled with people from all over the region celebrating St. Patricks Day in all it's glory. It was truely a glorious day, the second day of spring, seventy-five and sunny...not a cloud in the sky.

Stroudsburg is located right in the heart of the Beautiful Pocono Mountains. With its quaint shops and Irish pubs it was a perfect setting for such an impressive parade. I last time I attended the parade was about eight years ago and now I am sorry I waited so long to return. There was truely something for the entire family to enjoy. From the kilts to the clowns to the classic cars we were kept captivated for the entire 2 hours.

My only regret...I was in Starbucks when the Irish dancers in full costume galloped by so I missed capturing that to share with you all. I did capture a lot though. So...If you missed the St.Patrick's day Parade in Stroudsburg, PA this year, Check out the link below and make sure you make it there next year.

If you are thinking of visiting the Poconos or purchasing a home in the area you will not be disappointed. I have lived here for over 20 years and continue to discover all of the wonderful people, places, Events and, of course, natural beauty that lies within these mountains. Come check us out!

~Apostle Art Home Staging & Design offers professional real estate staging services to sellers, real estate agents and investors in the Pocono Mountains Region and beyond. www.apostleart.com ~

If you are selling your home or are a Real Estate Agent with Vacant or Occupied listing located in North Eastern Pennsylvania, The Pocono Mountains, Greater Stroudsburg Area and beyond...Please call us now so we can bring life to your listing and get you results with our Professional Home Staging Services...570-972-7939.