An “uncertain” market doesn’t mean you have to be uncertain about your investments While there has been some panic about how home buyers will react to the coronavirus pandemic, it seems to be just that: panic. In reality, mortgage applications are higher than expected, beating last year’s numbers by 9%. If you are getting ready to list a property, you want to take advantage of the current market and secure a great return on your real estate investment. If your goal is a great ROI, there are a lot of ways home staging can help. Here are three of the top effects staging your property can have o ..read more

Do you know these veteran tips on home staging? Rave Home Staging has been working with the area’s top realtors, flippers, and builders, as well as everyday home sellers, for many years. At this point, we’ve seen it all, from yucky, cluttered kitchens to luxury, million dollar homes. Here are our top 5 little-known tips on home staging for properties of all price ranges. “Lived-in” vs “I could live here!” One of the goals of staging is to make a buyer feel like they’re walking into their new home. That’s why adding small, personal touches can be so powerful. Consider setting out a board game ..read more

How has the real estate market responded to coronavirus uncertainty? We’re living in a frighteningly uncertain time. As many states and counties shut down some or all nonessential businesses, the financial effects of the coronavirus are being felt across the country. No one can know the full extent of coronavirus’ market impact at this point. Nevertheless, we wanted to share what we’ve seen in the real estate market so far. Loans While the CARES Act should be a boon for most businesses, it does jeopardize some loans. Borrowers with credit scores below 680 may no longer qualify for government ..read more

Monica Flowers, Rave’s Lead Home Stager, found her way into home staging through marketing and interior design. We often say that home staging is actually marketing. Our lead stager, Monica Flowers, comes from a marketing background and is currently in school for interior design. In the video above, she plans out how to stage a 3 bedroom, 2 bath home. Monica has been staging for Rave for two years. How did she make such a big transition? It all started with an internship. Back to School Monica didn’t see interior design as an option when she first went to college. “When I was applying for col ..read more

Staging a vacant property isn’t just putting furniture in an empty room. Vacant property sellers who use staging know something that most people don’t. When a house is staged properly, it doesn’t just look fuller. The perceived value of the home improves drastically.  How does staging make such a difference? Here are the top 5 reasons why staging a vacant home is the smartest decision you can make. Makes the rooms seem larger It’s difficult for people to accurately gauge the size of a room just by their eye. If the room is empty, there’s nothing to anchor buyers’ sense of scale. When t ..read more

Is rose gold on its way out? Probably not. But grey is. You’ll still see bright whites, but they’ll be mixed with pastels and warm, caramelly wooden accents. Read on (or listen along) to learn what trends we can expect to see thrive in the 2020s and which ones are best left in the 2010s.  Casual Comfort We don’t see a lot of minimalist design in Northeast Florida, most homes go for “Casual Comfort.” While few people in our area technically live on the beach, you can find a beachy look in homes throughout Jacksonville and St. Augustine. Those “Beach This Way!” signs are not going away. F ..read more

When you run a large home staging company, someone needs to set the standard. At Rave Home Staging, that someone is Konnie Kretlow. As our Staging Manager, Konnie is responsible for quality control. That means running a clean, tight ship on every stage. It also means supporting and training a team of 5 stagers and 4 assistant stagers! Despite her busy schedule, Konnie was able to sit down and answer some basic questions about her role and her experiences as a stager. How did you get into staging? Konnie said she worked in interior design and sales for about fourteen years before joining Rave ..read more

Rave’s founder hasn’t always been a stager. Rave Home Staging is a million dollar company, owned and founded by Melissa Marro. Melissa’s home staging journey started in real estate. As a manager in a real estate office, she saw first-hand how poorly many listing photos actually convey the value of a home. Empty rooms. Bad photos. It bothered her, but she didn’t see a solution right away. Then, she started watching a staging show on TV. It peaked her interest and worsened her frustration. The homes on the show were staged, but poorly. Finally, a coworker told her about a training course for st ..read more

Why DIY Home Staging Isn’t Worth Your Time As the new year approaches, people are starting to think about their goals for 2020. Which means at least some of you are starting to think about selling your house. Maybe you’ve been saving money and want to finally upgrade, or maybe you’re an empty nester who’s decided to downsize. Either way, the gears are starting to turn. Where does hiring a professional home stager come in? While you’re in the planning phase, you’re probably starting to consider the changes your house needs to get it ready to go on the market. Which, hopefully, means you’re con ..read more

Home Staging and Decorating for the Holidays We’re well into December, so if you’ve been procrastinating on putting up decorations for the holidays, now is the time! On a recent radio show, Melissa Marro, owner of Rave Home Staging, used her home staging know-how to share a few quick tips on home decorating. Not everyone celebrates this time of the year, but if it’s your first time hosting the family holiday celebration and you’re drowning in tinsel and candles, you’ll want to keep reading. Don’t Be Matchy-Matchy You could try to match your gift wrapping paper, card envelopes, Christmas tree ..read more