We all know that the real estate market is in a major slump. Nothing seems to make that grim point more real than when one takes a short drive through any neighborhood. For it is there we see, dotting the front yards of so many homes, a multitude of For Sale signs. But while looking at a sign in a front yard makes a tangible point of reference for what is happening with the sales of single-family homes, what’s happening in the condo market is sometimes harder to see.

Because often there is no sign, it is easy to overlook the fact that there are many, many condominiums for sale, too. In some ways, selling a condo is harder then selling a single-family home. First, it is not uncommon, especially in larger developments, for one condo in a building to be selling against another condo configured with the exact same floor plan, features and finishes. And, except for slight differences in the exterior facades, it is also not unusual to find one building full of condos to be pretty much the same as another building full of condos in the same neighborhood.

Cookie-cutter condos
Sellers need to understand that with so many condos to choose from, they all start looking the same to the buyer. In the buyer’s eye, without much distinguishing one from another, they become just another Vanilla Box.

While there are many configurations of the Vanilla Box, the typical Vanilla Box of today has the door in the rear, sliding patio doors to a balcony in the front, and a kitchen in the middle with stainless steel appliances, granite countertops and an island that separates the kitchen space from the open dining/living room area. All are pretty much the same — floor to floor, building to building, neighborhood to neighborhood.

With so many condos being relatively the same, the chance for a sale is quite competitive. Plus, if you are a home seller that is currently living in a Vanilla Box, in a neighborhood that offers similarly priced NEWLY constructed Vanilla Boxes, keep in mind that a shiny new Box is much more appealing to a buyer, than a scuffed, scratched, and worn used Box.

Stagers to the rescue
Good news is that the hope for selling your Vanilla Box is not a lost cause, whether it’s the independent owner trying to sell their unit or a builder trying to sell one or more units. Both, for different reasons, can benefit from hiring an EXPERIENCED home stager.

Stagers will help an individual seller trying to sell their unit in a number of ways. First, they will point out the problem areas that make a used home look used, and then offer low cost ideas and solutions that will make the condo feel new. Next, while it is a fact that a furnished property is easier to sell than a vacant one, sellers need to understand that due to size constraints of the home (typically condos are more compact), furnishings in the condo need to be set in a way that actually help the condo show and flow for touring. A stager can help here, too. Good staging is a balance between adding the right amount of visual appeal, without having the interior decor distract the buyer’s eye from the property.

For the builder, a stager can also be of great service. Who hasn’t been a bit surprised to experience a builder’s empty vanilla white unit after touring their lush and lovely model? For this reason, large builders have for years had model properties for buyers to see first. Today, the opportunity and benefit of having a model unit need not be a selling advantage reserved only for the larger builder. Smaller builders can hire a stager who can provide low-cost, yet beautifully designed staged-model solutions. PLUS, if the builder is selling multiple units in one building and the staged unit is sold, the staged model can be moved from one unit and reset in the next. The added flexibility of a “rolling” model offers yet more flavor and appeal to the Vanilla Box.

So yes, without a doubt this is a tough market, especially for condo owners. But properties are selling. Fortunately, builders and owners of Vanilla Boxes can change the flavor of their offering from FOR SALE to SOLD!… with the help of a Home Stager.

Flavor It Forward... Craig Schiller, founder of Real Estaging

Do you live in an eco-friendly designed home and want to give props to the designer behind your masterpiece? The National Kitchen & Bath Association will be recognizing innovative approaches to water and energy savings in the bath with a new Best Sustainable Bath Award category in the 2009 NKBA competition.

Formerly named the Smartest Hot Water Award for its 2008 competition debut, organizers have decided to go beyond hot water delivery to recognize the expanding array of sustainable solutions being applied in today’s new and remodeled bathrooms. Designers entering any of the competition’s bathroom design categories will be invited to submit additional information demonstrating how they maximized both comfort and resource efficiency.

The winner
The winner of the Best Sustainable Bath Award will receive a $5,000 prize and be recognized at the NKBA Design Competition Awards Ceremony during the 2009 Kitchen/Bath Industry Show (K/BIS) in Atlanta, which will be held from April 30 to May 3, 2009 at the Georgia World Congress Center.

Last year’s winner in the Smartest Hot Water Award was designer Marcio Decker of Home Concepts in Truckee, CA. Decker used a natural gas, high-efficiency storage water heater with a direct vent system for his master bathroom design in a new Squaw Valley vacation home. His design solution met the client’s request for a spa experience in their master bath that combined a unique, stylized design with a highly efficient hot water supply, offering low operating costs and minimal impact on the environment.

NKBA is among the many industry associations leading the charge in recognizing the growing need for more eco-friendly designs, procedures and products in our home.

An industry institution
The 2008 competition received a record number of entries — nearly 600 projects from across the United States and Canada. A panel of NKBA-certified designers evaluates each project using five key criteria: visual appeal, creativity, elements and principles of design, presentation, safety and ergonomics.

The Best Sustainable Bath Award expands upon these with recognition for elements that appeal to consumer interest in green design and living, as well as an appreciation of the hot water products that make a sustainable bathroom possible. The 2009 Call for Entries will be announced by the NKBA later this summer. For more information, visit NKBA.org.

Got hot local housing tips or a story you want to share? Contact Amy Le at openingdoorsblog@homescape.com.

This past weekend I flew out to Newport Beach, CA, to meet up with some old friends from high school. One of my friends is now an energy consultant and runs his own company, Azlan Energy Solutions, which provides existing businesses and homes with energy-efficient technology to cut down utility costs and reduce carbon use. As we sat out on the deck of our beach house overlooking the deep blue waters of the Pacific Ocean, RJ and I got into a discussion about the environment. The conversation eventually got us talking about home buyers “going green,” and the struggles that come with changing the mindset of past generations.

Don’t believe the hype
From the newest HGTV programs to the mushrooming number of green-certified builders sprouting up across the country, “going green” seems to be the hottest trend since fat-free snacks. But what may be a groundswell of media and marketing hype, may not always be true in practice. While there is much discussion about building more environmentally sustainable homes and remodeling existing homes to meet green standards, few homeowners and contractors really understand the process.

Green building or remodeling can be as basic as putting up formaldehyde-free insulation to installing a high-efficiency air conditioning unit. A new kitchen might use energy-efficient refrigerators and dishwashers and fluorescent compact lighting; a bathroom, water-efficient toilets. The exterior of the house might use bricks from the existing house or a metal roof, which helps with home cooling and offers cleaner rainwater runoff. Landscaping might rely on low-water planting techniques or take advantage of rainwater barrels that capture water from the roof to be used in landscaping irrigation.

For most home owners and builders, the cost of going green is a major deterrent, but through some self- education, the process will pay off in the long run. A green-certified designer I met at a home show once told me, “There’s a lot of green-washing going on out there, and consumers need to be aware of the wanna-be-greens and the real deal.” Similar to the popular demand of organic foods in mainstream grocery stores, understanding the labels and requirements for the special certifications will help you decipher between the “real deal” and the fakes. Being green educated will prevent you from getting scammed out of paying more on something that will have little impact on your long term savings.

Green certification
LEED certification is a rating system developed by the U.S. Green Building Council to help promote green building practices and sustainable development across the country. It rates construction projects of all types by awarding points for green building practices in four separate areas: sustainable sites, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, and innovation and design process. When the points are added up, a structure or project is assigned a LEED rating of Certified, Silver, Gold, or Platinum, with a LEED Platinum project being about as green as a construction project can get.

The one downside of working towards achieving high LEED ratings can be too much green, as in money. Homes that are LEED Certified generally cost more initially due to the types of materials used and the sometimes unconventional building and design needs of these projects. Consequently, always figure out a budget ahead of time with any building project where LEED certification is a goal. With any major remodel or new home, keeping a tight budget is of utmost importance. Where LEED certification is concerned, it’s even more critical. But always keep in mind that while a LEED Certified home will cost more initially, it also will make up the cost difference in energy savings and tax credits over time.

The revolution will be televised
Regardless of your political or environmental views, it’s hard to deny the fact that developing countries around the world will continue to grow, and their demand for natural resources will only increase with it. It is essential that we find new ways to conserve our energy and reduce our carbon footprint. As my friend RJ said to me during our tree-hugging conversation this weekend, “We can’t expect everyone to convert over to green technology overnight.…This is a shift towards a new paradigm, and it’s going to take some getting use to, but it’s a movement that isn’t going to go away.”

To find out more about green builders, contractors, architects and interior designers check out these helpful Web sites:

USGBC LEED Certification
National Association of Home Builders Green Building Guidelines
Green Home Guide
Green Home Building Blog
Directory of Green Professionals
TreeHugger.com
TheDailyGreen.com

Got hot local housing tips or a story you want to share? Contact Amy Le at openingdoorsblog@homescape.com.

So my home selling pets, would you like to pick a house stager but are not sure which in the bunch to hire? The fact that it seems like there are more and more people becoming home stagers almost overnight, doesn’t help simplify the dilemma.

It can be tough to know which stager you should work with, especially because staging is still relatively new in most parts of the country. But there are also many new bananas rapidly joining the staging bunch.

Staging qualifications
To make a wise and informed pick, you need to understand that a “professional stager” may just be an average green Jane or Joe who just fell out of a training tree. Many are transformed into “professionals” because they sat through a one-, two- or three-day foundation training workshop. That’s it, as little as one day, and voila! — a new staging banana with an impressive title tacked on it.

So be wise, home staging credentials that hype “trained,” “certified” or “accredited” can be a bit deceiving, especially considering that it can take as little as one day to be trained and graduated from foundation training programs. This is not to say that there are well-qualified real estate stagers who have been professional trained. But remember, above everything, the ripeness of EXPERIENCE trumps all else — even “credentials.”

Unfortunately, the home staging industry is an unregulated wild bunch. As a result, sellers are at risk, especially in a tough selling market. Picking a green stager could cost you some green. So while staging looks mighty tasty to those of you who are looking for some help, don’t blindly accept the fact that a stager who has a horde of initials after their name really knows what to do to maximize your home’s staged appeal.

Picking a ripe stager
So how can you pick out a green novice house stager from the ripe experienced stager? Well, it is not that difficult, if you keep in mind that home staging is an “image” industry.

Considering it is a stager’s job is to create a good first visual impression of home seller’s property, then a good stager needs to do the same for themselves. A good stager knows the importance of and how to present a good visual first impression of their company and their work.

To weed out amateurs from the experienced, first consider looking closely at the stager’s portfolio of work. Also, make sure that you ask the stager if they ACTUALLY staged the properties they show in their portfolio. Believe it or not, there are some foundation training programs that give green stagers a set of “starter” portfolio photos. Finally, if you have any doubts, you can always ask the stager for testimonials from past clients or references.

Considering it’s a jungle out there in the housing market, picking a stager doesn’t have to be as difficult. Follow these tips and you’ll be well on your way at grabbing the ripe stager.

Staging It Forward...Craig Schiller founder of Real Estaging

From Portland, OR, to Ridgewood, N.J., the National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) traveled cross country to find this year’s top professional bathroom designs. The 2008 winners were announced at NKBA’s annual show and conference held in Chicago April 11-13. The winners of this year’s competition are:

Powder rooms
An impressive powder room has become a fundamental element in modern homes. More designers today are creating spaces that are reflecting their client’s personality, but continue to remain practical. Materials and finishes play a significant role in designing the ideal contemporary powder rooms.

• First place:
Lori W. Carroll, Lori Carroll & Associates, Tucson, AZ

• Second place:
Lori W. Carroll, Lori Carroll & Associates, Tucson, AZ

• Third place:
Lori W. Carroll, Lori Carroll & Associates, Tucson, AZ

• Honorable mention:
Elina Katsioula-Beall, CKD, Dewitt Designer Kitchens, Studio City, CA

Small bathrooms
The tranquil effects of Japanese elements had inspired Michael Ranson’s clients for many years, so they asked that he use these elements in creating their new bath. The couple specifically asked that a modern version of a furo, or Japanese soaking tub, be incorporated into the design.

• First place:
Michael Ranson, H O M E + atelier Michael Ranson, San Diego, CA

• Second place:
Leslie Ann Cohen, CKD, Leslie Cohen Design, Cardiff, CA

• Third place:
Tanya L. Woods, X-Tiles, Royal Oak, MI

• Honorable mention:
Mark S. Morris, Mark Morris Design Group, Brisbane, CA

Large bathrooms
This rustic-inspired bathroom features a large double vanity with a counter that has real leaf imprints in the concrete backsplash. But one of the most unique features in this room is the waterfall, which runs down the sandstone-tiled wall into a bed of pebbles.

• First place:
Siri Evju, CKD, CBD, Siri Designs, Portland, OR

• Second place:
Donna L.A. Riddell, CKD, CBD, Artistry Design Group, Ltd., Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

• Third place:
Blue Arnold, CKD, CBD, Kitchens By Request, Inc., Jarrettsville, MD

• Honorable mention:
Tracey Scalzo, CKD, CBD, Eurotech Cabinetry, Inc., Sarasota, FL

Master suite/bathrooms
The challenge of this master bathroom suite was to create a relaxing spa-like feel that included his and hers lavatories, walk-in closets, a make-up table, tub, large shower, linen storage and a separate water closet.

• First place:
Holly Rickert, Ulrich, Inc., Ridgewood, NJ

• Second place:
Nicholas J. Geragi, CKD, CBD, Klaff’s, Inc., South Norwalk, CT

• Third place:
Scott and Sandra Gjesdahl, Bristol Design & Construction, Kirkland, WA

• Honorable mention:
Wendy R. Mayes, CKD, Jan Parker’s Kitchens By Design, LLC, Wichita, KS

Got hot local housing tips or a story you want to share? Contact Amy Le at openingdoorsblog@homescape.com.