Last week I found myself in an older part of Atlanta, near Grant Park. It had been awhile since I had visited, 1998, I was pregnant with my first child. I remember it because my husband and I were celebrating our Wedding Anniversary. We had gotten off at the wrong Marta exit so he proceeded to tell me we were taking the scenic route to Zoo Atlanta (pregnant and on foot). On our scenic route, I remember the area being run down, sparse and showing signs of wear.

This visit was quite different. Number one, I was in my own car and I had my GPS with me...no 'scenic route'. I was a little early for my appointment so I decided to check out the area again, as I had done the week before at the consultation. (I try to get a feel for the types of homes, amenities and infrastructure of each area I stage.) Secondly, I realized there was a major change. This area had undergone revitalization! There were trendy restaurants and shops nearby on Memorial Avenue by Oakland Cemetery, well-kept yards and mid-day activity. I went in the other direction and visited the local green spaces. If it were not for my appointment, I may have walked down to the zoo.

Once the furniture arrived, we started staging this historical and beautiful home. I noticed people walking up and down the street. There were couples holding hands, a young family pushing a stroller and single guys walking their dogs. The neighbors next door, an older couple who has lived in the area for 30 years, welcomed me with excitement. I had met them before and they were glad I had won the staging bid. They knew the staging would bring in a really good buyer.

Finally we took a lunch break around 2 pm. My associate stager and I knew where to go. We walked one block to the corner and had a delicious and freshly made calzone in the local pizzeria. The ingredients were hot and flowed with the melted cheeses, the ice water quenched our thirst. It was a relaxing time. We enjoyed chatting with the waitress and local residents. It was a great feeling and a warming sense of community.

A bit of time past and the staging was complete. This updated older home is beautiful and ready for a buyer..a buyer who has a love for being near the big city but far enough away to enjoy the life in his/her own front yard. Swinging on the front porch on a quiet evening, listening to the chirping of cicada and sipping an ice cold glass of tea...or maybe gathered around a big table with family and friends, windows open, soft music, enjoying fellowship and fun. The options are endless. Whoever this buyer is, I admit, I am a bit envious. I know they are going to fall in love - in love with the address, the amenities in the area and with Atlanta.

Thanks Vanya for the opportunity to stage 411 Glenwood Ave, SE!

Written by Amy F. Powers

Home staging is the best thing that came along to feed my creative and business side.  I remember staying with my cousins for a short time as my family transitioned to move to Frankfurt, Germany.  The neighbors across the street had place their MLM kit curbside for collections. I thought I struck gold. My  cousin and I played office that summer.  I had a desk area with all my paperwork, pretend phone and writing utensils. Something about it clicked with me.

Recently I recalled that memory.  My cousin and I chuckled at the reality that we weren't playing house or doctor.  You see, I never really imagined myself as anything other than a business professional.  In 2007, I began Accent Home Staging.  It completed my love for design, color and creativity with my heart for entrepreneurial-ism.

I enjoy sharing my love for this growing industry.  I am proud to be apart of RESA, the nation's largest and prestigious association for home stagers like myself.  They do a great job of bringing all types of stagers and professionals together.  My RESA-PRO designation is very similar to the REALTOR designation, but for home stagers.

As you are considering a professional home stager in Metre-Atlanta, know that I love my job.  I am passionate about making my clients happy and selling their home.  It's what I was born to do. 

On a side note, I am the proud mom of three so now I do get to play house and be a business woman - and as my 8 year old daughter would quote Hannah Montana, "It's the BEST of both worlds."

Amy Powers

Owner, Accent Home Staging

Home Staging in Atlanta, GA since 2007

Real Estate Staging Association Member since 2008

Foreclosure is an ugly business and sadly due to the economic times, many people are facing its harsh reality.

It is not always about how much you have in the bank that will aid in getting your home ready when staying away from foreclosure. If you know that hard times may be headed your way, communication is key. Contact your lender and open up the dialogue about payment plans or other available options. Carefully explain your situation, making sure you are speaking clearlyand kindly. Most likely, no one willknow except you and your mortgage rep about this conversation, so try not be toself-conscious. Not having the conversation may result in an embarrassing case if you do end up in foreclosure.

Hopefully your options will be workable so you can stay in your home, however, if that is not the case.  Selling it may be the best direction. If this is so, you want to sell fast and for a higher profit.

Check your local newspaper and see who the top selling agents are for your area. Arrange to meet them and learn how much they know about your community, the real estate market trends, if your home is comparable to the ones they are selling and other important skills necessary to sell your home quickly. It is important that you have the best agent.

Prior to your home being on the market, there are things that will need to be corrected to ready your home for listing. Hiring a RESA-PRO™ Certified home stager is a sure way that your home will be in the very best condition prior to online photos and open houses. The cost in hiring a stager may seem extravagant considering foreclose is lurking, however, their knowledge can help you focus your energies on areas that are most important. Most homes “as is” take much longer to sell, if at all.  Once the home is sold, the small investment for staging will have paid off immensely.

In Metro-Atlanta there is an overflow of homes available, including new homes. Due to the market fluxing, they are more ambitiously priced.  Your home needs to show better than theirs. Amy Powers, of Accent Home Staging often says, “Don’t sell the competition, be thecompetition©.” Meaning, do not let your homes condition be the reason they buy someone elses. Romancing the buyer is essential in getting the home sold, especially in a down economy.

Bottomline, your home is a marketable item that needs to be market ready when foreclusure is on the horizon. Price, how many people see it and how it looks when they see it are important variables. Eliminate as many obstacles before they enter the front door. In return, they will fall in love with your property from the portico to the patio. Contact a professional, proven experienced home stager today.

678.774.9660

Atlanta Professional Home Staging

Accent Home Staging of Atlanta

Over-the-top decorations may distract buyers, but subtle touches like a simple wreath can make your home feel warm and festive.

"Holidays can be personal on a lot of levels, but you want to make sure your decor is neutral," advises Amy Powers, owner of Accent Home Staging & Interiors of Atlanta. "You want to romance your buyer, not invite them to your Christmas party."

Try these tips to get buyers in the right spirit:

• Clean and stage. "Before you decorate, your house needs to be staged," Powers says. If your living room is already piled high with clutter and tchotchkes, your ceramic reindeer collection is only going to add to the sense of overcrowding.
• Create a cozy vibe. The less-is-more mantra of home staging may tempt you to forgo holiday cheer this year. But a few subtle touches like a bowl of pinecones, an evergreen wreath, or a pot of cider simmering on the stove can create a warm and festive feeling in your home.
• Complement your palette. Before you start untangling your tinsel, make sure your holiday collection matches your current decor. If your living room is painted a soothing ocean-blue hue, skip the clashing red garland and opt for white snowflakes or a silver glass-ball wreath. If you've got an earthy color scheme, accent with rich tones like cranberries, forest greens and gold.
• Accentuate the positive. Too many trimmings may distract buyers, but the right accessories can draw attention to your home's best features. Dangle mistletoe in an arched doorway, or display your menorah on the ledge of a bay window; just don't block a beautiful view with stick-on snowflake decals or clutter an elegant fireplace with personalized stockings.
• Go light on lights. Step away from the inflatable snowman, Clark Griswold. One man's "merry" is another man's "tacky," so tone down any garish light displays while your home is on the market. (No, your neighbors didn't pay us to say that.) Instead, use simple string lighting to play up your home's architecture or draw attention to the gorgeous fir tree in your front yard.
• Be an equal-opportunity decorator. Leave the life-sized Nativity scene in storage this year, because overtly religious flourishes may be off-putting to some buyers. "You want to keep neutrality throughout, so you can attract any type of buyer," Powers says. Not sure what qualifies? Powers adds, "No matter what your religion is, you're not going to feel offended by a nutcracker."
• Mind the tree. A tall Christmas tree can help you show off your two-story great room, but make sure the wide base won't overwhelm the floor space. If your living area is on the small side, save space with a skinny tree. Swap the gaudy heirloom ornaments and trim your tree in a cohesive theme such as icicle lights and silver tinsel, for example, or blue and gold glass balls.
• Clear the clutter. A few decorations can stir the holiday spirit, but don't feel obliged to hang every last ornament. "A lot of people, when they decorate, tend to use all the extra space in their house," Powers says. "You still want each space to look as spacious as possible." Limit yourself to a few hints of holiday flair, but stash the rest in the basement for now. If you start to miss your Santa figurines, just remember that with a little luck, you'll be celebrating next year's holidays in a new home. And you can decorate that place any way you please.

Don't Sell the Competition...Be the Competition.

(c) 2008 Accent Home Staging. 
Located in Woodstock, GA. Serving Metro Atlanta

Don't Sell the Competition...Be the Competition.

(c) 2008 Accent Home Staging. 
Located in Woodstock, GA. Serving Metro Atlanta.

My favorite time of year is knocking on the door.  Fall!  The crisp air, cool nights, trips to the mountains, apple pies and beautiful colors, a design palate worth noticing.

This year, fall will be extremely fun for me. I am in a play called Halloween Dreams, ironically directed by a fellow stager, Andrea Redd.  It is at the Acworth, Theater on Main. The show will be playing October 3 - 26. It is a fun family show, a series of murders have occurred and Chestnut Hollow must find the killer before Halloween.

Also, I was just offered a role in The Reddoor Playhouse Improv Troupe in Roswell, GA. If you ever enjoyed, "Who's Line Is It Anyway", you enjoyed Improv. Our first performance is Sept. 27.

As the leaves begin to drop and your season's change, I encourage you to notice the beauty and fun around you.  I would love for you to see one of the performances mentioned above.

On a professional note, if you need an experienced Home Stager, call Amy Powers today @ 678-978-1377.

Don't Sell the Competition...Be the Competition.

(c) 2008 Accent Home Staging. 
Located in Woodstock, GA. Serving Metro Atlanta.