Low Cost Home Staging Can Cost You Money We have all experienced a time when we were “penny wise but pound foolish” and regretted buying something because it had the lowest price, only to find out the item broke too soon, was not the quality we were looking for, had maintenance problems or other issues. I know I have with a few vehicles I have purchased!If we had just purchased a higher quality item, it would have saved us money in the long run and we would have been much happier with our Read more […]
Author: Mary Ann Benoit
President- Northern Lights Home Staging and Design
Owner- Arctic Paradise Bed and Breakfast
Artist- Stained Glass, Jewelry and Alcohol Ink Art
Wildlife Biologist
Director- Kaleido World Percussion and Dance Company
Director- Tavus Dance Company of Alaska
Lover of music, art, dance and animals.
Interview with Mary Ann Benoit on Anchorage Advice Givers
Mary Ann Benoit of Northern Lights Home Staging and Design was honored to be interviewed by Kris Bohman of Anchorage Advice Givers on her experiences as an entrepreneur, and as a home stager, starting and running Northern Lights Home Staging and Design. The interview gives insight on why she is passionate about home staging and design. It also provides some great advice if you are interested in starting your own business, whatever that may be. See the interview below. https://youtu.be/l5c3QST32ZQ If Read more […]
Will Buyers Fall in Love with Your Vacant House?
Selling a vacant house is difficult, for a variety of reasons. With nothing else to look at, buyers tend to focus on every flaw. Buyers have a hard time visualizing how big the space is and it often appears smaller than it is. They can not picture how their own furniture might fit in the space, especially if you have a challenging layout. And most important, it is very difficult for buyers to make an emotional connection with a vacant house! They look a little sad and lonely! Here is an example Read more […]
Getting ready to sell your home? Build Your Team Part 2- Find a great Realtor
Previously, I wrote about getting ready for the spring market and gathering the key members of your team to help you prepare for a successful home sale. That team includes a professional home stager, a great realtor with your best interests as their number one priority and real estate photographer! We talked about how to find a great home stager. See my blog article if you missed it! Now let’s talk about finding the next key member of your home selling team, your Realtor! Here Read more […]
How Much Money are You Leaving on the Table?
How much money are you leaving on the table? Your Bed and Breakfast table in particular. Probably a lot more than you think! In a previous article, I talked about how Home Staging Boosts Demand for Rental Properties. Whether you have a vacation rental like a Bed and Breakfast, or a longer term rental such as an apartment or home, home staging can help you get a higher rental price, increase your business, attract a higher quality renter and generate great photos for online advertising, How much Read more […]
Interview with Anchorage Advice Givers!
I was honored to be interviewed by Kris Bohman of Anchorage Advice Givers related to my business, Northern Lights Home Staging and Design. You can see the video and listen to the podcast here. About Anchorage Advice Givers Founder Kris Bohman, the host of the Anchorage Advice Givers Podcast and business owner himself, has an interest in meeting other smart business owners and fascinating entrepreneurs. When he started to reach out to these people he realized others needed to hear their stories Read more […]
Best of Houzz 2016 Customer Service Award
Press Release-Best of Houzz 2016 Customer Service Award Northern Lights Home Staging and Design of Seward Alaska Awarded Best of Houzz 2016 Over 35 Million Monthly Unique Users Nominated Best Home Building, Remodeling and Design Professionals in North America and Around the World Seward, Alaska, January 13, 2016 – Northern Lights Home Staging and Design of Seward, Alaska has won “Best Of Customer Service” on Houzz®, the leading platform for home remodeling and design. Read more […]
6 House Showing Survival Tips for Life in the Real Estate Market
Selling a house is stressful. Try these 6 house showing survival tips for life in the real estate market from Debra Gould, the “Staging Diva”. Whether you’ve already put in a conditional offer on your dream home or you’re being forced to move for a job transfer, if your house is on the real estate market you’re probably hoping to sell fast for the most money possible. Home staging is known to reduce the number of days a home spends on the market before it sells, but it can be very difficult Read more […]
Home Stagers Help Real Estate Agents Stop Wasting Their “Free Time
Home Stagers Help Real Estate Agents Stop Wasting Their “Free Time “As a real estate agent, you don’t make any money until a home sells, so it’s important for your clients’ homes to stand apart from competing properties. The longer you carry a listing, the more it costs you in marketing fees. Home staging can help differentiate your clients’ homes from the competition and speed up sales. According to expert home stager Debra Gould, there’s another reason why staging is so crucial. Read more […]
How to Get a Great Logo for your Home Staging Business!
Looking to get a great logo for your home staging or other business? In 2014, I graduated from the Staging Diva Home Staging Training program and started my home staging and design business. The program offered a great step by step plan to set up and market a home staging business and loads of inspiration! Some of the great advice from the program that would apply to any new business was to get a professional looking photo and logo, to make a fantastic first impression with potential clients. Read more […]