This BLOG has moved!

Hi Everyone,

All summer we have been working on remodeling our website and blog.

The fresh updated look just launched.

Go and take a look:
www.thehomestylist.com


Our blog can now be found at:
www.thehomestylist.com/blog

Please follow us to the new blog. See you over there!

Julie

Bookmarks and Diggs

Have you noticed on the left side of this blog the bar that says "SUBSCRIBE"?It is a cool little widget that lets you, my dear readers, subscribe to this great little blog. You will be notified about new postings.I would like to invite you to subscribe to INSIDE THE HOME stylist blog. It is easy, quick and you won't miss a single post.

Have you noticed on the left side further down is a bar that says "BOOKMARK"?Have you ever wondered what that is? It is a way for readers, just like you, to bookmark this blog and share your find with others. Two of the most popular collective bookmarking sites are called DIGG and DEL.ICIO.US. Visitors to Digg and del.icio.us can view what other people think are neat blogs and websites. The more diggs or points you get the more people can learn about other cool sites.

I would love for you to add me to DIGG and Del.icio.us. You can add this blog and/or www.thehomestylist.com website.It is appreciated. Thanks for spreading the love.

Are you trying to sell your house?

Did you put your house on the market this spring but it has not sold? You definitely need to stage it. It should be decluttered, cleaned and staged to sell.


The Complete Idiot's Guide to Staging Your Home to Sell is the best do-it-yourself resource for this project. (yeah, I am bias 'cause I am the author)



Don't make the mistake of thinking: "I know what to do" or "Everyone will like my house just the way it is".


Competition in the housing market is tough. Staging Your Home to sell helps you beat the competition and get the most out of your biggest asset.

Get this book today to help get the most money for your home in the quickest time possible.

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Staging Your Home to Sell

HGTV's Design Star - Do you watch?

Shh...don't tell but my guilty pleasure is watching HGTV's Design Star. Like its sister show Next Food Network Star, the show casts off people until the one left gets their own TV show.

Here is the link to the show: Design Star

The judges this year are great: Genevieve Gorder Candice Olson and Vern Yip .

Do you watch? What do you think of the contestants or the projects they are asked to do? This year the budgets seem to be more generous but it is the time frames that are so unrealistic.

Your thoughts?

Super busy this summer. why?

In the interior decorating and home staging business, summers can be slower than other times of the year. In this area (Buffalo, NY) folks are finally able to be outside and enjoy the gardens, BBQs, and picnics. The spring is very busy and summer slows down. Not this year!

I am having one of my busiest summers ever. My theory is that the unusually cold and rainy weather has people inside more. They are stuck inside on a rainy day and say to themselves - "I really don't like this room".

With my services of do-it-yourself decorating and staging, homeowners stuck inside can actually afford to make those room transformations by doing some of the work themselves. But more importantly have a plan so they don't make mistakes and save money.

What are you waiting for? Love your home again.

Julie

The power of staging, again

Last week I was called in to consult on a very nice home in desirable area. It had been for sale by owner for a month or so then the real estate agent came on board.

He realized right away that even though it was nicely decorated, he knew with a few changes it could be great.

I came in and made several simple suggestions: Move furniture for better traffic flow, removed small area scatter rugs to make the room less choppy, and we even talked about painting over a small mural in the kitchen.

I met the homeowners on a Thursday night. They did much of the work themselves including painting over their beloved mural. On that Saturday's open house, the house SOLD!

Prepping a house for sale is decluttering but it is also depersonalization (the mural) and making the house appear as large as possible (traffic flow). The hardest part of this for homeowners is depersonalization because there is not objectivity - the exact reason to bring in a professional home stager.

The homeowners and real estate agent are thrilled! and so am I.

Julie

How about you, do you need so professional objectivity to get your house sold? call me (716- 912-1581)

the demograhics of doilies

I have been very busy these last couple weeks. Who said there is a recession. The housing market is hot.

The last three houses I have done a home staging consultation for have had one thing in common: doilies.

In my most professional manner I kindly explain that the house they are selling is aimed at a certain demographic - young upper mobile professionals.

The doily is not a decor object that normally appeals to that age group.

What I really want to say is doilies reminds that generation of their grandma and they do not want to buy a "little old lady house" - there I have said it.

If you are putting your house on the market - do a doily check. Please remove them from all horizontal surfaces including your end tables, toilet tanks and plant stands.

It is easy to do and costs no money - no excuses. And yes, that means you.