#10 Recent Customer Testimonials, Q1, 2016, #HomeStagerinAlbuquerque

Sometimes, I forget that I need to keep all the cool "Atta Girl" messages I get from Albuquerque Realtors and Customers, so I'm going to compile a quarterly list and share it with all of you about Home Staging in Albuquerque.

It's nice to hear these positive affirmations, and it is also good for the general public in Albuquerque who are Home Owners who could be future customers to hear what present customers have to say about what I do.

So here goes;
Home Staging in Albuquerque Customer Testimonials

Paul Daniels	Mar 9
to MELINDA, Listing, Joe, Olson0118

Melinda, I can't thank you enough for your time today. You were extremely professional and I can see why you come  so highly recommended. Your attention to detail and timely response back with what we need to do was perfect. Thank you Paul and Kristen Daniels.

Brian K Gibbs	12:11 AM
to Zsonelle, MELINDA, browncl

Hi Melinda,

It was a pleasure to meet you. Your presence in our home was timely, affirming and added great value to our showing. 

We had two families to do a walk thru and one made an offer. We are now in escrow with a lot of positives to look forward to.

Again, thanks so much for providing such high quality and timely service.

Brian & Zsonelle Gibbs

Michael Okeefe <michaelokeefe2123@gmail.com>

Mar 8

Melinda, it was certainly a pleasure meeting you and watching you at work.  I have moved all the furniture as requested. I finished the pantry, cleaned it all out and only put back a few items.  It looks really good.  Believe it or not, I remembered every thing we discussed far the furniture placement goes.  

I am really happy with my master bedroom.  I put the bed under the window and then I placed the dresser next to it on the same north facing wall only in the corner.  The room looks twice the size.  It is exciting putting the place together and staging things.  

I will hopefully get everything wrapped up over the next few days and will try my best to meet up with you late next week...

Have yourself a great evening..,.

Warmest regards,

Michael O'Keefe,DBA.,MBA

lynnm@lynnm.com <lynn.martinez@cblegacy.com>
March 3, 2016, 7:17 AM 

to MELINDA
Good morning Melinda,

Just wanted you to know 1204 Lawrence Ct {{ in Albuquerque}} went active on Friday the 26th. We had numerous showings over the weekend. Presented 2 offers on Monday & got it sold & into pending status. Thank you for all your help {{ with the home staging tips and suggestions}}!!

Cindy Ann Chavez Melinda Potcher; you are magical! Looks so good!   March 12, 2016 on facebook re: 1813 Chelwood Park Blvd NE {{Albuquerque Home}} Staging Photos

Christine Turpen Melinda just did an open house on the ridgecrest home you staged for talia freedman. You did such a great job!!!!!! Everything could not of looked better, I am so impressed with your talent!!!

Unlike · Reply · 2 · February 14 at 3:39pm

Talia Freedman The photos and staging came out AMAZING on this house. Thanks so much for doing a great job Melinda Potcher!

Unlike · Reply · 1 · February 5 at 5:30pm

Didn't the photos come out nicely? I like what you chose for the deck a lot.

MAP Consultants, LLC, dba Advantage Home Staging, LLC added 15 new photos to the album: #HomeStagerinAlbuquerque 3614 Calle del Sol NE.

Listed by Bob Pennington, KW, Photos by FotoVan

MAP Consultants, LLC, dba Advantage Home Staging, LLC

Yes! The house looks amazing thanks to you!

	Linda Joyce March 15 at 12:02pm 2936 Beach Rd NW {{in Albuquerque}} just sold this weekend because of your staging, Melinda Potcher! We've had a showing almost every day since it was listed a couple weeks ago! YOU are the BEST! xxxooo

#HomeStagerinAlbuquerque

Listed and Sold in 3 Days with a full price offer.{{9600 Ventose, in Albuquerque}} Thank you Melinda for the {{home}} staging consultation.

--

Joe Brooks                                                        

Realtor, Certified Negotiations Expert,

Member of the Keller Williams Realty Agent Leadership Council

(505) 977 3474 

Check out My Free Real Estate  http://app.kw.com/KWSGO19I

WWW.HomesInABQ.info       Brooks Real Estate Team

Follow me at www.facebook.com/AbqRealtor

Keller Williams Realty

6703 Academy Rd NE

Albuquerque, NM 87109

Office (505) 323 3054

Main (505) 271 8200

Fax (505) 349 3023

PS: It is a great honor for your recommendations and referrals for buyers and sellers.

Home Staging Photos - 5100 Timan Ave NW, ABQ, NM 87114, Listed by Jan Gilles, KW, 505-710-6885

by Melinda Potcher
http://MAPConsultants.houzz.com

Photos by FotoVan.com
Furniture provided by CORT Furniture Rental ABQ.
Desert Greens Golf Course, ABQ, NM

#9 Curb Appeal IS the First Impression #HomeStaginginAlbuquerque

Home Staging Tips and Suggestions by Melinda Potcher

http://MAPConsultants.houzz.com

We’ve all seen the iconic photo of the house with the white picket fence, right?

I’m not saying that you should or would do that to YOUR house, but I am saying that curb appeal is an essential aspect of staging your house for sale.

In today’s competitive market, Buyers and Realtors are going to make a snap judgment about your house before they even walk up to the front door, based on your front yard landscaping, or lack thereof.

Even if you don’t have a lot of time or money to spend, there are little things you can give your attention to that will make a difference in the minds of Buyers and Realtors.

#1 – Clean it up – if there are spent flowers, leaves, withered and dead or dying plants, clean them up and get them out of there.  Sweep your front porch and walkway on a regular basis.  Get rid of those cobwebs around your porch ceiling and outdoor light fixtures.  

If you have lawn ornaments or other décor items on your front lawn, porch, courtyard or patio, please consult with your Realtor and Professional Home Stager (that would be me) on whether they should stay or they should go. 

Right before photo day (when you are getting ready to put the house on the market) I am suggesting you wash your windows or have them professionally cleaned, if you can afford it.  Vacuum the sills.  Wash the insides too.  If you have screens, take them down, hose them off, and put them back up – dust and dander can make them look shabby too.

#2 – Patch & Paint – as needed – look at your mailbox, your lamp post, your porch posts, your wood trim around your garage, etc.  If it is cracked, chipped, paint is peeling, giving it a fresh coat of paint will make a tremendous difference and for very little money. 

Additionally, be sure your house numbers are visible in 2 or 3 places – I suggest having the curb numbers painted if they are not already, as well as reflective adhesive numbers on your mailbox and easily seen house numbers on your house or garage.

#3 – Give it a Haircut – your lawn, your rose bushes, boxwood hedges and so forth – be sure to make the time to manicure the plantings in your front yard prior to putting your home on the market.

#4 – Grow something!  If you have opted for the “zero” landscape look (zero landscape and xeric landscape are mis-used terms here in Albuquerque, however humorous colloquialisms) add a couple colorful pots filled with fresh not fake flowers to add some curb appeal to your front yard or walk way.  

If you don’t like flowers, think of low maintenance grasses that could fill the pots.  Choose pots that will compliment not clash with your homes architecture and style.  Nothing feels more welcoming when folks drive up to your property than something of beauty growing on your property.

#8 Lighting IS Everything

Home Staging Tips and Suggestions by Melinda Potcher

http://MAPConsultants.houzz.com

Yes, I know it seems “a little much” doesn’t it to address lighting when listing your home for sale?  But today’s savvy buyers, (including Millennials) don’t make buying decisions soley on facts and numbers – it is also about the way the house makes them feel.

According to a well known home stager, Julea Joseph, whose quote has been used by NAR (The National Assn. of Realtors); “A staged home may seem like it has furniture that’s fixed in place; but what is going on in the buyer’s mind is a very kinetic process.  With a home that is staged, they see a family – celebrating home.”

So what does that have to do with lighting?  Well, lighting can change how a photo looks, how a room feels, and so on.

Allow me to share an example from my good friend and real estate photographer, Jim Gross;

See how differently each of these rooms “feel” based on the choice of light bulb?  Can you guess which one is which and which one is more desirable?  “A” is the photo on the left, and the light bulbs used are CFLS (energy efficient, compact fluorescents – the “curly” bulbs).  “B” is the photo on the right, and the light bulbs used are “regular” incandescent bulbs.

The preferred lighting choice is B, the incandescent bulb.  It gives a softer warmer light that is more desirable for real estate photographs.

I do encourage homeowners to use as many incandescent bulbs as they are able for MLS photos.  Sometimes that is hard because it seems like everyone has jumped on the energy efficiency bandwagon and converted all of their light bulbs to CFLS.

There are a couple other options as well – LED lights are expensive, energy efficient, but do cast a nice white light.  I’ve also heard them referred to as “jewelry store lighting”.

Another option is to have a professional photographer do the photos of your home for MLS.  Most Professional Real Estate Photographers carry extra lighting with them, so they are able to provide extra lighting for a dark room when needed.

Professional Real Estate Photographers also do “post production” work on the photographs they take to remove shadows, correct colors and enhance lighting.  This is why it is so important to hire a professional photographer to shoot your home.  If lighting is everything and presentation is key a professionally shot home photo is head and shoulders above a cell phone picture, IMO (in my opinion).

I’ll leave you with a final bit of data from the National Association of Realtors 2015 Profile on Home Staging found that 81% of buyers find it easier to visualize a property as a future home when it’s staged. 

Lighting, IMO (in my opinion) is a part of that staging.