The House on Huffaker

It's pretty rare to find a house in the middle of the city that sits on almost 3-acres. Well the house located at 1155 W Huffaker Lane is just that. A private oasis surrounds the property with lush landscaping, a courtyard with a tranquil pond to relax by, and expansive views from large picture windows throughout the property. Sounds like a dream right? Take a look at how we helped this property polish up and showcase its true beauty.

Living Room after Staging

Living Room after Staging

This isn't always how the living room at the Huffaker House looked... Normally when I go into a house, I'm prepared to ask the owners to move furniture out but in this case, we actually had to bring furniture in to make this house feel more like a home. When we first arrived, the only furniture in the extra large living room was a couch, end tables and a media cabinet

Huffaker Living Room Before

Huffaker Living Room Before

Often times, people are concerned that if they put furniture in a room that it will look small. This is a common myth. In fact, when you add furniture the room can actually look larger. The sectional couch was removed along with the granite end tables and the media console. We then had a blank slate to work with. The artwork to the left in the picture, was an awesome piece so we kept that in the same spot. 

Living Room After

Living Room After

Living Room After

Living Room After

Immediately off of the living room was the dining room area. Again, there really wasn't much in this room except for a few miscellaneous items and an oversize mirror that we utilized in the final plan. 

Dining Room Before

Dining Room Before

I recently read a statistic from the National Association of Realtors that said 81% of buyers are more likely to visualize a space as their home when it's staged and that staging can increase a homes value by 1% to 5%. 

Dining Room After

Dining Room After

The living room and dining room were our main areas of focus in this case however, when we do the custom consultations we provide a homework list to the homeowners that gives recommendations for each room in the house. 

Kitchen Before

Kitchen Before

With regards to the kitchen, there wasn't much to change here. The  barstools were removed to make the room feel more spacious and the countertops were cleaned off. 

Kitchen After

Kitchen After

Breakfast Nook Before

Breakfast Nook Before

We also changed a few things in the breakfast nook including switching out the artwork with an oversized clock and repositioning the table. 

Breakfast Nook After

Breakfast Nook After

Clutter control is another aspect that we discuss in the staging proposal. When you list a house that means you are preparing for your next step. The more you pack up initially, the better it is all around. The items in the office at the Huffaker house needed to be reduced.

Office Before

Office Before

The majority of the books were packed up and the remaining placed to add a little style to the shelves. We also moved the picture of the dog into the office, removed one of the office chairs and a small bookcase. 

Office After

Office After

Last, but definitely not least, we tackled the outside. The front door is not your traditional front door so to keep it from getting lost, we added two arbor vitae trees in decorative pots, a small seating area and an oversized decorative metal piece to break up the wall. The planters were finished with bark completing the look. All in all, a few additions made it much more inviting. 

Front Door Before

Front Door Before

Front Door After

Front Door After

We only staged a few areas in this home featured in this post. If you would like to see the full property, copy and paste the link below for additional photos.

http://www.trulia.com/property/3214541462-1155-W-Huffaker-Ln-Reno-NV-89511

Or for more information, contact The Hays-King Team

Mike Hays and Shaina King Team® Keller Williams Group One, Inc.

Phone: (775) 453-4625

Email: BuyOrSellWithUs@gmail.com

Website: www.PrimeRenoRealEstate.com

Address: 10539 Professional Circle #100 Reno, NV 89521

10th Floor Please--Staging the Montage

Staging Stories~Reno, Nevada

This was a first...I'd never been to the Montage in downtown Reno before, so I was excited to see what a place in there looked like. It's funny how a change in environment can make you feel like you are worlds away even when you are in your own backyard. Walking into the lobby I felt like I was back in DC and living in the big city.

We took the elevator to the 10th floor and entered the studio. The space had a nice layout: living room, kitchen/dining, bedroom, bathroom and outdoor balcony. Just enough room for all of the essentials. The best feature though, was the view! HOLY WOW! I could sit there all day and watch the beautiful show mother nature provides. 

Each time I stage, I like to take before photos so you can see the transformation unfold. Scroll down to see all of the before images.

I made my notes and began to formulate the plan for this space. The renter that was currently living there was moving out the following week so that meant we would have a blank canvas to work with when we returned. 

To me this space felt chic, fresh and modern. I wanted to encompass the glitter of the city lights within the walls so I chose to incorporate metallic accents to bring that city glimmer inside. Additionally, the view had to be highlighted so all of the curtains were removed, allowing the natural light to come pouring in. 

The living room provides a cozy conversation area with panoramic views of the cityscape and the Truckee River. 

We used the dining table to create a separation between the living area and the bedroom. Dinner for two anyone? 

Sweet dreams are made of this! Don't you just want to hop into bed? 

If this were my place? I'd have coffee on the balcony every morning!

Would you like to see this property in person? Contact Chris Smith with Keller Williams today because this little slice of heaven isn't going to last long. 

French Country in the City: Damonte View Drive

Walking into the house on Damonte View, I was immediately excited to begin this staging process. This home boasts numerous expansive windows looking out onto the Nevada landscape. The large, open space concept provides the perfect setting for entertaining. The master bedroom has the same beautiful views and is the perfect retreat due to its isolation from the the rest of the rooms in the house. This home, located in Mountaingate, is just over 3,000 sq.ft. with 3 bedrooms, 3 full bathrooms and 1 half bath. 

The current owners have already moved leaving the house mostly empty with the exception of a couple of items. We were called in to focus on the main living areas: living room, dining room, kitchen and master bedroom and bath. 

I'll let the pictures speak for themselves. Take a look at these before and afters:

IMG_4993.JPG

If you are interested in taking a closer look at this home, there will be an open house this Saturday, August 15th from 11am-2pm. Contact Cathy Deal for more information 775-762-7684

Otherwise, check out the full tour, just copy and paste this link in your browser:  http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/13375-Damonte-View-Ln_Reno_NV_89511_M27029-93382

Setting the Stage on Skyline

This past month has been a whirlwind! A good whirlwind of course! We've had a lot going on and on top of that, two homes came up that need to be staged. "No" has never been in my vocabulary so that meant it was time to load up the U-haul and prepare to move! 

Staging Skyline: The house on Skyline boasts over 2,500 sqft, 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, two fireplaces, and a large bonus space with french doors out to a backyard that is your own private sanctuary. The home was vacant so when I came in, it wasn't a matter of de-cluttering the space or re-arranging existing furniture. Instead it was taking a space void of personality and creating a welcoming environment focused on capturing someone's heart and allowing them to visualize calling this space home. 

Instead of staging the whole home, we focused on the main living areas: living room, dining room, office and bonus room. One thing I love about this house is the number of windows in the space and who doesn't love multiple fireplaces. Click through the before pictures to see how the space started: 

After touring through the house for the first time, my mind immediately started developing the staging plan and I never go anywhere without my notebook so I jotted a few notes down. Then it was off to the races; time to start tagging items in the warehouse.

Weather has been a little tough and unpredictable this month. You can imagine my enthusiasm when we were loading the U-haul and the sky broke into an immediate down-pour followed by a hail storm. Yes, those little white specks in the picture are huge pieces of hail!

IMG_4235.JPG

Needless to say we took a short break until the weather subsided before we finished loading up the U-haul and then it was off to stage. It took it a couple of hours to complete the staging process, but I loved the way it came together! The living room went from cold to cozy. The kitchen and dining room are ready to entertain and the bonus space became the perfect game room! Click through the slide show to see all the after photos.

There will be an Open House this Saturday, July 25th from 1pm-3pm so if you are in the neighborhood, be sure to stop by and see this beauty in person! 

Property Details:                                                                                                                                   2075 Skyline Drive, Reno, NV. 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 2,576 sqft                                             For more information contact Mike Hays: 775-771-9801  Email: Mike@mikehays.net

Staging Sells: Mt. Rose Street Edition

In the past couple months I've staged several homes all which have sold in record time! The quickest sold within 24-hours of listing it. I've found that I absolutely love staging and helping people sell their homes. Homes are like people, they have unique personalities. Some are introverted and need a little help coming out of their shell while others are quite extroverted, exhibiting so much personality, they need help containing themselves. It's important when preparing your house to sell that you remember you are trying to appeal to the masses and engage multiple offers so you can sell your home quickly and for the best price possible. 

The home I staged yesterday is a true gem, located in one of the most desirable neighborhoods in Reno and it has been completely renovated with no detail left undone. This 1,600 sq.ft. beauty was a pleasure to stage and possibly my favorite to date. It was a "complete stage" meaning it had nothing in it and everything had to be brought in.  Hello Uhaul! Here I come! 

If you'd like to see this house in person, OPEN HOUSE is this weekend on Saturday and Sunday! 1485 Mt. Rose Street. For more details and for all of your real estate needs, call Mike Hays: 775.771.9801

Click the picture below to see the before pictures:

Now scroll down to see the transformation:

One of the coolest features of this house is the double sided fireplace that adds ambience to the living room and kitchen/dining area. It's a statement immediately welcoming you inside upon entering through the front door. We kept the decor simple and modern with a cozy twist.

Overstuffed micro-suede couches furnish the living room and make you want to cuddle up and enjoy a good book. From there, you move onto the office nook which is the perfect space to get your work done without being isolated from the living room.

The kitchen makes a beautiful statement with the espresso cabinets, grey subway tile backsplash, beautiful quartz countertops and stainless steel appliances. Dining in sounds better than dining out with this space. Heck, I'll even come over and do the dishes.

From there you head to the bedrooms each providing its own unique oasis. The first guest bedroom we equipped with a twin bed and small desk, perfect for little ones. The second bedroom boasts neutral tones with some metallic details to give it a little pop.

Lastly, the  master bedroom is an ideal retreat for unwinding after a busy day. With sliding glass doors that lead to the back patio, a spa like bathroom and a great closet, you're sure to be impressed.   This room is light, airy and simply delightful. 

Do you have questions about staging your home?? Want to know about this home?? Feel free to reach out to me.