It seems to me, anyone seeing those photos on-line is not going to be in a rush to purchase those homes.

Since more than 80% of home buyers are searching on-line before going out to look at homes, the photos your real estate agent posts on the MLS are of the highest importance in driving home buyer traffic to see your home.

Did you know that Moving Mountains Design provides big, beautiful, professional-quality photos of the homes we stage, for use in marketing the home on the MLS and print marketing? You can check out our photos in our home staging portfolio or in many of our blog posts. Whether your home requires vacant home staging or occupied home staging, when we stage a home, or provide a home staging consultation, we work doubly hard with  home owners to ensure that their home appears at its best, both online and in person. We want your home to sell faster and at the highest price!

Would you like to get an estimate for staging your home? Just click here: How much does home staging cost?

On December 29, we staged a lovely owner-occupied house in Rosemead, CA. This Rosemead house has a great floorplan and flow with a very high ceiling in the livingroom, lots of windows and space. The homeowner hired us for a home staging consultation a few weeks ago so that she & her husband would have enough time to complete the necessary work. The home has been freshly painted and is sparkling clean. The kitchen and bathroom all have granite counters.

I’m so impressed with what a great job the homeowners did following my home staging consultation instructions. Many items went into storage to be moved into their new home, after this home is sold. We worked with a combination of the homeowner’s own furniture and rental furniture. In addition, we brought in lots of artwork, accessories, lamps and silk plants. Since the family will continue to live in the home while it is on the market, we purchased new bedding and linens for them to use. I just love this embroidered duvet and bedding set in the master bedroom by Martha Stewart, which was purchased at Macy’s.

This home has 5 bedrooms – 1 on the first floor and 4 on the second floor. Here’s a shot of the guest bedroom on the second floor.

I mentioned before that this home has very high ceilings in the living room. Here’s an overhead shot from the second floor overlooking the living room.

The home will be listed on the MLS next week. In the meantime, you can contact the listing agent Keith Yang, Long Dragon Realty (626) 888-2080. I think this home will sell quickly. Its in a very nice neighborhood, has a lot of space, a great patio for entertaining and it shows very well.

If you think your home or listing can benefit from a home staging consultation, please give us a call. We helped transform this home and we’d love to help you!

We are experienced working with investors, property managers, asset managers and banks. Call Michelle Minch today (626)385-8852 to learn how we can help you sell your listings faster and for a higher price. We know what makes homes sell!™

Here’s the information from the Pasadena-Foothills Association of Realtors:

Starting January 1, 2013, it will be unlawful to smoke in any common area, patio, balcony, or inside a unit within any multi-family building (defined as two or more units.)

Effective January 1, 2012, property owners/managers must post No Smoking signs in the common areas of their building.

Also, effective January 1, 2012, all leases/rental agreements AND purchase agreements must contain a reference to the prohibition AND a copy of the ordinance.

What does this mean for you if you are a smoker? If you live in a condo, townhome or apartment complex in Pasadena, you cannot smoke in any common areas (for example, halls, meeting rooms or around the pool) on your balcony or patio, or within your condo, townhome or apartment.

If you are a Pasadena landlord, as of January 1, 2013, all leases and rental agreements must contain information about this no smoking law and you must include a copy of the ordinance.

If you are selling a home or are a real estate agent involved in a real estate sale in Pasadena you must include a reference to the no smoking ordinance in the purchase agreement as well as a copy of the ordinance.

Here’s a release from Laura Olhasso, Pasadena Government Affairs Director. 626.795.2455

Pasadena City Council Passes Ordinance Banning Smoking in Multi-Family Buildings
Earlier this week (July 11, 2011), the Pasadena City Council passed an ordinance which will ban smoking in all multi-family building (defined as two units or more). Smoking will be banned in all common areas and within the unit themselves, including balconies or patios.
The ban goes into effect immediately for apartment units which are newly constructed or which are being leased or rented for the first time.
It will be unlawful to smoke in ALL multi-family units (including condos and townhomes as well as apartments) effective Jan 1. 2013.
Property owners, managers, homeowners associations, etc. will be required to post signs noting the no smoking law but are not responsible for its enforcement. Enforcement of the ordinance will be through the city’s health department.
All lease agreements entered into after Jan. 1, 2012 will incorporate ordinance disclosure information. All purchase agreements after Jan 1. 2012 are to include a reference to the ordinance and a copy of it. PFAR will be working with city staff to develop disclosure forms and information.
Questions: Laura Olhasso, Government Affairs Director. 626.795.2455

And here’s a copy the the no smoking ordinance:

8.78.080 – Posting of signs.

A.  Every owner, operator, manager, or other persons having control of a structure where smoking is prohibited under this chapter shall conspicuously post in such buildings “No Smoking” signs with capital letters not less than one-inch in height on a contrasting background. The international “No Smoking” symbol (consisting of a pictorial representation of a burning cigarette enclosed in a red circle with a red bar across it) may be used in lieu of the written “No Smoking” sign, or a sign approved by the city’s health officer.

B.  The “No Smoking” postings may be limited to first floor entrances and exits, lobbies, restrooms, and elevators.

(Ord. 6548 § 2 (part), 1993)

8.78.085 – Reduction of drifting tobacco smoke in multi-unit housing.

A.  The following words and phrases, whenever used in this section, shall have the following meanings:

1. “Common area” means every interior or exterior space of multi-unit housing that residents of more than one unit are entitled to enter or use, including, without limitation, halls and paths, lobbies and courtyards, elevators and stairs, community rooms and playgrounds, gym facilities and swimming pools, parking garages and parking lots, shared restrooms, shared laundry rooms, shared cooking areas, and shared eating areas.2. “Multi-unit housing” means residential property containing two or more dwelling units but does not include a hotel or motel that meets the requirements set forth in California Civil Code Section 1940(b)(2) or a mobile home park.3.  “New unit” means, for new construction, a unit that is issued a certificate of occupancy on and after July 1, 2011, or, for buildings already constructed, a unit that is leased or rented for residential use for the first time on and after July 1, 2011.

   4.  “Nonsmoking area” means any unit or common area of multi-unit housing in which smoking is prohibited by this section.

   5.  “Unit” means a personal dwelling space, even where lacking cooking facilities or private plumbing facilities, and includes any associated exclusive-use enclosed area or unenclosed area, such as, without limitation, a private balcony, porch, deck or patio. “Unit” includes without limitation: an apartment; a condominium; a townhouse; a room in a long-term health care facility, assisted living facility, or hospital; a room in a single room occupancy facility; and a room in a homeless shelter.

B.  Nonsmoking Areas in Multi-Unit Housing.

1. It is unlawful to smoke in all common areas of multi-unit housing.
2. It is unlawful to smoke in all new units of multi-unit housing.
3. It is unlawful to smoke in all multi-unit housing units on and after January 1, 2013.

C.  Disclosure of the Requirements of this Section.

1. Every lease or other rental agreement for the occupancy of a multi-unit housing unit entered into, renewed or continued month-to-month on and after January 1, 2012 shall contain a reference to this section and attach a copy of this section.
2. Every purchase agreement for the sale of a multi-unit housing unit entered into on or after January 1, 2012 shall contain a reference to this section and attach a copy of this section.

D.  Violations and Enforcement.

1. It is unlawful for any person to violate the provisions of this section.
2. Notwithstanding Section 8.78.110 or any other provision of this code, a violation of this section shall be punishable under the administrative citation procedures set forth in Chapters 1.25 and 1.26. The fine imposed for a particular violation shall be in the amount set forth in the administrative citation schedule established by resolution of the city council pursuant to Section 1.26.060.
3. The provisions of this section shall be enforced by the health officer of the city or an authorized designee in the environmental health division. An owner, operator, manager, landlord, homeowners’ association, or other person having control of a multi-unit housing unit shall post signs as required by Section 8.78.080; however, said persons may, but are not hereby required, to assist with enforcing the provisions of this section and shall not be deemed in violation of this section by failure to assist its enforcement.

Please note, the information contained in this post is for informational purposes and is not intended as legal advice. You should consult with an attorney or licensed real estate professional before acting on any information contained in this post.

If you are selling or listing a Pasadena home and need help getting rid of smoking odors read Home Stagers Tips: How To Remove Smoking Odors From Your Home

Photo credit: Nirbhao on Flickr

Here’s a money saving home staging tip: hire a professional home stager for a home staging consultation and then do the recommended work yourself.

By calling Moving Mountains Design for an occupied house staging consultation, you’ll get expert advice and house selling tips at an affordable price:

1. Verbal Home Staging Consultation – We’ll walk through your home , inside and out,  and discuss the work that needs to be done to get your home in market ready condition. We can make paint color recommendations, suggest the optimal furniture layout and discuss what items need to be pre-packed or donated. You can ask any questions, show us carpet samples and paint chips you may have picked up. You take all the notes. Do the suggested work on your own schedule.
2. Comprehensive Home Staging Consultation – We walk through your home with you (including exteriors) and outline the work that needs to be done to get your home in top market ready condition, same as above.  Afterwards, I’ll email you your  custom and very specific comprehensive home staging consultation report. Your report will contain all the recommended changes and tasks that we discussed. In addition, I’ll include information about how to prepare for open houses and showings, how to stage your closets, how to stage your garden, how to stage your garage, and how to stage your kitchen cabinets. Once again you save money by doing the recommended work yourself.

Once you’ve completed all or part of the suggestions in your Home Staging Consultation, the Moving Mountains Design team will come in and complete any portion of the work you would like. Our services are completely a la carte. The more work you do yourself, the more money you will save. 

 Here’s what a recent Pasadena home staging consultation client had to say:

…The best decision we made in this whole process was hiring you. It’s no exaggeration to say that we couldn’t have gotten any of this done without you — we didn’t even know where to begin.

We also offer cost-effective interior design, decorating or redesign consultations. Many homeowners are not planning on moving in the near future, but want to redecorate or refresh their current interior decorating. Once again, you can do all the work yourself, do some of the work and hire us to complete the project or hire us to complete your project while you put your feet up and relax. We can handle everything from light redecorating to full-on kitchen and bath remodels (we only work with licensed and insured contractors and sub-contractors!)

To schedule a home staging consultation appointment, call (626)441-8975 or send me an email at Michelle@MovingMountainsDesign.com.

Moving Mountains Design – We know what makes homes sell!™