Lori Matzke - Home Staging Portfolio
Charming Tudor - Creating an Owner’s Suite
These motivated sellers were ready to get things done! After staging the main-level and basement using the owner’s own furnishings, I advised my clients that the upstairs offered a unique opportunity; to transform what had been used as their young daughter’s playroom into a desirable owner’s suite! Funky angled walls were repainted in a pale, flat taupe, worn carpeting was replaced with laminate plank flooring, and the lighting fixtures got an update. All furnishings and accessories were excess that came from the lower level and were used to create the perfect owner’s suite!
This listing had multiple offers the first week it hit the market and sold with a cash offer for $31K over asking price.
Desirable Luxury Townhome - Bringing Nature Back into View
The owner of this luxury townhome purchased the property specifically for all the natural light and beautiful backyard overlooking a game preserve. She then proceeded to block both the light and the view with unnecessary window treatments, hiding one of the townhome’s best features. The most desirable selling point was placed back on full display simply by editing and re-arranging, working only with what the seller already had.
This listing sold for $15K over asking price after a bidding war broke out between two buyers.
Primary Bedroom - Now Spacious and Livable
The homeowners of this property spent weeks painting the entire house in all their favorite colors when they suddenly decided they wanted to move. What they DIDN’T want to do was repaint! After advising them to remove the custom bookshelf they planned to take with them to their new home and providing them with a plan of action, this room was edited and rearranged to create a more inviting layout. The artwork, small lamp propped up on a few books, pillows, and greenery all came from other rooms in the house. This new arrangement automatically drew potential buyers to the wooded backyard view and made the room feel much more spacious and livable. The sellers spent absolutely zero dollars preparing to sell, with the exception of my fee.
While this neighborhood had several similar listings on the market to choose from, this property was the first to sell, and it sold at full price.
Dated Farmhouse - Motivated Seller Got It Done
After nearly three years on the market and going through five different Realtors, this homeowner was exhausted when I was finally called in to help. Believe it or not, the fifth and final agent was the first to advise this seller to bring in a professional to assist! Desperate to get the property sold and move on, she was more than willing to do whatever it took to finally get it sold. After advising her that new carpeting was a must, she also agreed to update the paint throughout. After some aggressive editing, rearranging, and light-handed accessorizing using what the homeowner already had, the end result was a very clean, tidy, updated property that provided peace, quiet, and calm in a country setting.
Just shy of three years after originally going on the market, the seller was thrilled to receive an offer one month later at a new list price that also covered the update investment.
Family Home Dilemma - Two Issues Resolved by One Simple Solution
These sellers were smart to sign a new agent after 6 months on the market and no offers. The two major issues? 1) Potential buyers were being routed to enter the listing through the garage door instead of the front entry opening into the small living room. 2) After painting a main wall in the family room red on the advice of their first agent, the feedback they were now getting was that the red wall looked heavy and out of place. To counter these problems and prevent the owners from having to paint yet again, I advised them to move the loveseat to the small living room and exchange it for the piano that was previously blocking the front door. This not only allowed potential buyers to access the home from the front entry, it also helped to create a sense of balance with the visually heavy red wall in the family room.
A week after staging, these sellers finally received their first full price offer and were able to make their cross-country move.
This gorgeous historic home was almost on the market exactly one full year. While a few half-hearted offers had already come in, they were well under asking price, frustrating the seller. Furnished with antiques curated from his shop over the years, and unwilling to budge on the price, I advised the homeowner to heavily edit the rooms so potential buyers could see all the wonderful features. Since there was already a formal dining room, the extra dining table being used in the living room as a game table was removed to ensure buyers weren’t confused about the function of the space. Excess rugs were removed to show off the hardwood floors, while furnishings and accessories were packed away and stored on the lower level. The homeowner was also advised to stain the ornate details on the replacement mirror over the original fireplace to match the finish.
A showing came through the very next day and made an offer the homeowner accepted. The house was marked ‘pending’ within 24- hours after the staging was complete.
Besides the issue with not being able to open the front door, this small formal living room also suffered from an identity complex! Creating an actual living room using the loveseat from the family room and extra furnishings and accessories from throughout the home helped show buyers the actual function of the space.
$3.5 Million Historic Home - Sold the Day After Staging
Advised client to remove plastic crown molding that had only been applied to one room, replace dining room lighting in disrepair, and repaint all rooms to create connecting flow throughout. ‘Shopped the house’ to stage property using furnishings and accessories the homeowner already had. New area rug under dining table, throw pillows on sofa, and live fern to highlight window seating were the only other investments made by the client.
After sitting on the market for 9-months with only lowball offers prior to staging, this property sold 3 days later for full price.