Increase your Vacation Rental Income and Bookings with Home Staging
Did you know that you can increase your vacation rental income and bookings with home staging?
Home staging highlights the positive and downplays the negative aspects of homes for sale. A professional stager creates a look and atmosphere that buyers make an emotional connection with and they want to buy through decorating and market research. It’s the emotional connection that cinches the deal. Sellers then market their properties to attract buyers online with great photos of their beautifully staged home.
The same principles work with vacation rental properties such as Bed and Breakfasts, and other rental units.
“Whether you have investments in multiple apartment buildings, a few vacation properties or a single apartment in your basement, you can’t afford to have vacancies” says internationally recognized home stager Debra Gould, the Staging Diva.
“As a landlord, have you considered hiring a professional home stager to enhance the appeal of your rental units? If you have a property to rent, you should make a call to an expert home stager as soon as a tenant vacates the premises” says Gould in her article “Home Staging Boosts Demand for Rental Properties”.
After deciding who your ideal customer is, Home Staging can update the look of your rental to reflect your brand, appeal to your ideal customer and justify the price you want to charge.
Staging helps you get great photos for your online advertising that attract your ideal guests, increase your rental price and get more bookings.
I staged this property that had been a rental unit for the owner to sell. After listing it, they realized they could make more money by keeping it as a rental and used the staging and great photos to increase their income and bookings instead. After listing it on Airbnb and other sites, it created a buzz and generated more interest than other neighboring properties in the same area, increasing their rental price, income and bookings from what it had previously brought in as a rental unit before staging.
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Increase Your Vacation Rental Income And Bookings Today
I can help you make it happen. Start with a Vacation Rental consultation.
At one time investors flocked to real estate, anticipating guaranteed and speedy returns. If you were one of the people who purchased rental properties to create the “passive income stream” that most get-rich-quick gurus recommend, you’ve probably become more nervous about that investment, especially if you’re relying on rental income to offset your mortgage costs.
Whether you have investments in multiple apartment buildings, a few vacation properties or a single apartment in your basement, you can’t afford to have vacancies.
As a landlord, have you considered hiring a professional home stager to enhance the appeal of your rental units? If you have a property to rent, you should make a call to an expert home stager as soon as a tenant vacates the premises.
A vacant room looks sad to anyone, including prospective tenants. If you’ve never hired a home stager before, you’d be surprised at the difference staging can make in the length of time a unit remains vacant.
“I was called to stage an apartment in someone’s home that normally brought in $1,000 per month,” says expert home stager, Debra Gould, founder of the Staging Diva Home Staging Business Training Program. “It had been sitting vacant for four months with no interest before the owner called me,” she adds. “After the apartment was staged, the next three people who looked at it wanted to rent it! The landlord went from having no interest in four months to having her choice of three tenants within a week of having it staged.”
Vacant BedroomBedroom After Staging by Northern Lights Home Staging and Design
In another scenario, if you own a home and have decided to rent it out, you should not leave it empty. Have it staged as you would before listing it for sale. Prospective tenants will fall in love with a tastefully decorated home much more quickly than a vacant one, even if it’s only for a short-term rental arrangement. You’ll also increase the perceived value of the rental and may attract a higher-quality tenant.
If you are planning to rent it furnished, the staging can be even more important when the prospective tenant discovers they can move right in.
Another area where home staging can make a huge difference is in the vacation rental market. If you’re advertising your vacation home online, does it look inviting enough to entice prospects to make a reservation? Having your properties staged–even just for the attractive photos that will appear on your online listing–will be a worthwhile investment.
Bed and Breakfast before staging by Northern Lights Home Staging and DesignBed and Breakfast after staging by Northern Lights Home Staging and Design
The bottom line is that home staging isn’t just for the more typical “home going to market” scenario. You can make money from the services of a home stager, no matter what role you play in the real estate market!
Internationally recognized home staging expert Debra Gould is president of Six Elements and creator of the Staging Diva Home Staging Business Training Program with over 4,000 students worldwide. Gould is the author of four home staging guides and offers a Directory of Home Stagers to help homeowners and real estate agents locate home stagers who will decorate homes to sell quickly and for top dollar. To learn more, visit www.stagingdivadirectoryofhomestagers.com
Northern Lights Home Staging and Design is your local go to service for home staging or for an online consultation, nationwide.
Get Your Free Report
Updated for 2023. Studies show some colors in specific rooms, increased the sales price in homes. Why? Color affects emotion and buyers buy on emotion! This report gives you six specific color recommendations per room to help sell your house for more based on study results, top paint sales and professional experience. Mary Ann Benoit is a certified color expert and color strategist and professional home stager. Download now. Price: $4.99.
One thing I love about Alaska home staging is that it is a win-win proposal for all involved.
Staging is a Win-Win for Home Sellers
For home sellers, a modest investment in home staging can be transformative. It not only elevates your property’s aesthetic appeal but also gives you a competitive edge in the market. The result? A quicker sale at a potentially higher price. Think of it as turning your house into the market’s standout star. Plus, you can typically deduct your home stager’s fees as advertising expenses during the sale, further enhancing your return on investment. Opting for staging could save you more than what you might concede in an initial price drop. It’s a strategic move for a clear WIN!
Home Staging is a Win-Win for Home Buyers
If you are a home buyer, home staging helps you see the real potential for the property. It helps you look past the clutter, crazy wall colors and the other person’s stuff, and see how you could live there, how your furniture and belongings could fit in the space.
Home Staging is a Win-Win for Realtors
As a realtor, impeccable listing photos can be your competitive edge. With professional staging, your properties will shine during showings and open houses, potentially accelerating sales and, consequently, your commission rate. Not only that, a home stager can handle those challenging conversations with sellers about decluttering, addressing odors, and making necessary repairs. This lets you focus on your primary skill: selling homes. Typically, the seller covers the staging costs, so it’s an advantage without the added expense. By enhancing the home’s appeal, you’re helping potential buyers visualize its value effortlessly. It’s a strategic advantage that leads to a win-win situation!
Home Staging is a Win-Win for Landlords
If you are a landlord, home staging can boost the demand for your rental property by making it look great! This will provide great photos to generate interest in your rental so you rent your place faster and for a higher rental price while attracting your ideal renters! You will make back your investment in no time with a higher rental price and make more money in the future. WIN!
Home Staging is a Win-Win for Vacation Rental Owners
Home Staging is a Win-Win for House- Flippers and Real Estate Investors
Is your business buying and selling real estate? Buying homes and fixing them up for re-sale? Home staging helps your buyers visualize a home they can see themselves living in by furnishing and decorating it so you can sell quickly. After all that hard work and investment, get your money back now and get the most for your investment.
Home Staging is a Win-Win for Home Stagers
If you are a home stager, you can feed your creative passion, help people make more money on their houses, help them sell fast when they may be going through trying times like divorce, job changes, parents dying or many of the stressful reasons people sell. You get to make money doing what you love and when the house sells, everyone is happy! WIN!
It is often hard to find situations that are win-win for all involved. This is a no-brainer. Everyone gets what they want. What are you waiting for? Why not try one of my online home staging services or call me for local, in- person staging services.
Home Staging Service
Are you ready for a win? It all starts with a consultation. Call today.907-362-0065.
Make More on Your Home Sale with the Right Paint Colors
Updated for 2023. Studies show some colors in specific rooms, increased the sales price in homes. Why? Color affects emotion and buyers buy on emotion! This report gives you six specific color recommendations per room to help sell your house for more based on study results, top paint sales and professional experience. Mary Ann Benoit is a certified color expert and color strategist and professional home stager. Download now. Price: $4.99.
5 Steps to Attract Your Ideal Customer and Increase Your Vacation Rental Income
Would you like to attract your ideal customer and increase your vacation rental income? Whether you have a Bed and Breakfast or other vacation rental, it is important to have your property stand out online to attract the guests you want and make the income you want. Learn more by listening to this interview with Mary Ann Benoit on Seward Public Radio’s “Market Minute” with Nicole Lawrence.
These five tips can dramatically increase your Bed and Breakfast or vacation rental income and bookings and attract your ideal guests! I used home staging to make a huge difference at my own B&B and at least doubled my income and bookings. Now my branding attracts guests I love to have stay. Report includes video examples. Download your report now. Price: $4.99.
Attract your Ideal Customer and Increase your Bed and Breakfast Income with Home Staging
Boost Your Bed and Breakfast Revenue with the Magic of Home Staging!
Drawing from my dual experience as a home stager/designer and a Bed and Breakfast owner, I’ve harnessed the power of home staging to elevate my B&B’s appeal and increase revenue, targeting the perfect guests. Initially, when I ventured into the B&B business, I wasn’t equipped with the knowledge of home staging. However, once I integrated the home staging techniques and paired them with savvy social media marketing, I saw transformative results!
Home staging isn’t just about aesthetics; it’s about crafting a space where potential buyers form an emotional bond, often becoming the determining factor in their purchase decision. This concept isn’t restricted to homes on sale. When applied to vacation rentals or B&Bs, the results can be equally compelling. By emphasizing a property’s strengths and mitigating its weaknesses, we can create an inviting ambiance that resonates with potential guests.
Want to amplify your vacation rental’s allure? Here are some insights to harness the principles of home staging, paving the way for enhanced guest experiences and increased bookings
Attract Your Ideal Customer with Home Staging and Design
Who are you?
Discovering and highlighting your rental’s unique essence, or ‘branding’, is the cornerstone to attracting your ideal guest. In home staging, the goal is to spotlight a property’s distinct charm and features, making it irresistible to potential buyers. Apply the same approach to your rental:
• Identify your distinctive traits. • Pinpoint what sets your rental apart. • Define the exclusive experiences and comforts your rental provides. • Craft a statement encapsulating the unique character of both you and your rental.
By genuinely showcasing who you are and the exclusive experiences your rental offers, you will naturally magnetize your perfect guests. Defining and embracing your ‘brand’ will guide your property’s aesthetic updates, refine your online portrayal, and ensure your marketing connects with those ideal guests
What do you want?
What’s your financial goal, and how much effort are you willing to invest to achieve it? Your answers hold the key to setting your pricing strategy and defining your business approach. Consider this:
Do you aspire to be the ‘Walmart of Bed and Breakfasts,’ vying for business by offering the lowest rates? Alternatively, would you prefer to command higher prices, allowing you to work less while delivering a top-tier guest experience?
These questions aren’t just about pricing; they shape your entire business model and the level of service you provide.
Who is your Ideal Customer and what do they want?
Your brand has a magnetic pull on specific customers. Is your brand magnetizing your ideal guest?
Determine your ideal guest profile: Are they avid fishermen, families seeking adventure, or retired couples seeking relaxation?
Craft the experience they desire: Do they crave luxury or the rustic charm of your property?
Cater to their interests: Offer or facilitate the activities they seek, enhancing their stay and leaving a lasting impression
Who is your Ideal Customer?
Update your Vacation Rental to Appeal to your Ideal Customer
Does your vacation rental’s current aesthetic resonate with your ideal guest? Moreover, does its design validate the pricing in their eyes?
Home staging is the key to refining your rental’s appearance, aligning it with your brand, captivating your perfect guest, and supporting your desired rate. Consider my personal experience: through home staging, I not only amplified my brand’s allure but also increased my nightly rate and saw a 200% surge in bookings.
Below, witness the transformation: a before-and-after showcase of my space post home staging and design.
Market your Property to attract your Ideal Customer
Showcase your impeccably staged rental with high-quality photographs. Refresh your website, ensuring your brand and property’s unique features take center stage on the homepage. Transform your photos into an engaging video tour. Promote your one-of-a-kind property across:
Social media, starting with a dedicated Facebook page.
Renowned vacation rental platforms.
Your local Chamber of Commerce.
Take a look at the video I curated using photographs post-staging, capturing my brand essence and targeting my ideal clientele. I prominently featured this video and fresh images on my website’s homepage and a business-centric Facebook page. Can you pinpoint my brand essence and identify the ideal customer I’m targeting? Given the choice, which representation of my B&B resonates more with you – before or after staging?
Ready to Bring Your Bed and Breakfast to the next Level?
Get your online vacation rental staging consultation or staging service today. Click on the pictures to learn more. For in person consultations or staging, call for a custom quote.
What message does your home’s color broadcast to the world? Every facade tells a story about its inhabitants. Is your home a reflection of your personality? Does it uplift your spirits daily? Does it warmly welcome guests or potential clients for those with home businesses? And if you’re selling, does your home appeal to prospective buyers? The hue of your home reveals hints of your identity.
When it comes time to paint the exterior, you have a lot of options and some limitations you need to consider.
Limitations when Picking Paint Colors
Let’s start with the limitations. Just as with the interior, you need to consider the “fixed finishes”, the things which rarely change like the roof or stone features. Your wall and trim colors should complement these fixed finishes and each other.
Consider your Environment
Consider your surroundings when choosing colors. Ensure they complement your landscape and local views, and fit within the neighborhood’s color palette. While a vibrant hue might stand out in a neutral area, it could blend perfectly in a more colorful neighborhood.
Consider Guests and Clients
Do you run a business from your house, such as a vacation rental? What image will the colors project to your customers? Is it consistent with your brand? You may be using photos of your house to attract customers online. Will the photos attract your ideal customer?
Selling your Home? Consider the Buyer
Are you selling the home? Consider more neutral shades to appeal to a broader audience. However, a standout front door color can make it memorable and can be easily changed if the buyer prefers.
Make a Statement with your Front Door Color
Your front door color sets the tone for your home. Even neutral homes can pop with a vibrant door. Everyone perceives and feels about colors differently. Consider what emotions a color evokes for you. Do you want your home to relax, uplift, or energize you? Choose colors that reflect your desired ambiance.
Consider how Color Affects Your Home’s Comfort
The colors you choose can impact costs and practical factors. Dark colors might need more paint layers if covering a light base and can absorb more heat, potentially making deck areas too warm in the sun.
Consider how Color can Affect Your Home Based Business
I provided a color consultation for a Bed and Breakfast located in a residential area. The aim was to design a welcoming exterior that resonated with the mountainous and oceanic surroundings and blended with the neighborhood’s mix of homes. The garden was dominated by colorful flowers, especially fuchsia rose bushes. The house had a blue roof and no other fixed elements. I had previously enhanced the interior of this B&B, which increased their bookings and revenue. The target clientele were retired professionals keen on outdoor adventures, wildlife, bird-watching, and art. The brand was vibrant, luxurious yet earthy with a coastal style, reflecting its proximity to the ocean.
A rich teal (Sherwin Williams Moscow Midnight) was chosen for the walls to complement the roof, nearby mountains, ocean, and the neighborhood’s blue-toned homes. This deep shade enhanced the garden’s vibrant flower colors and matched the local greenery.
The trim was painted a warm white (Sherwin Williams Alabaster) to accentuate the teal and echo the natural hues of clouds and snowy peaks. The cedar trim and decks were transformed from their natural color to white for a more cohesive look and to ensure the upper deck remained cooler. This white backdrop makes colorful outdoor furniture and plants stand out, creating a peaceful retreat.
The front and back doors were painted in Forward Fuchsia, echoing the roses outside and offering a welcoming and distinctive entrance.
Arctic Paradise Bed and Breakfast after exterior painting- Photo, color selection, sign and door design by Northern Lights Home Staging and Design. Exterior painting by Petrosius the Renovator. Photo by Kalani Woodlock.
A sign with a trim-colored background and wall-colored lettering was designed, featuring two fuchsia lines. This subtle sign complements the balcony and discreetly showcases the business name in the residential area. A white metal sculpture of sea gulls, aligning with the brand’s wildlife viewing theme, was placed near the home’s peak.
A new white screen door with full glass was added to showcase the vibrant fuchsia door. Its border features a distinct alcohol ink design, mirroring the door’s colors and emphasizing the brand’s artistic flair. The outdated brass doorknob was swapped for a stylish satin nickel one.
Original alcohol ink art done on the new screen door. Alcohol Ink Art and photo by Mary Ann Benoit of Northern Lights Home Staging and Design.
Feedback on the new look has been overwhelmingly positive, with descriptions such as “bright”, “cheerful”, “artistic”, and “the most charming B&B in Alaska”. This refreshing transformation has even inspired neighbors to consider updating their own homes, potentially revitalizing the entire neighborhood.
The harmonious trio of colors was meticulously chosen using both artistic intuition and color science, ensuring they complement each other perfectly. If you’re thinking of repainting, consider consulting a certified color strategist. Choose colors that truly resonate with you and leave a lasting impression on everyone who sees them.
Are you ready to paint your house?
Get a color consultation today and get your colors right the first time so you avoid making costly mistakes and really love the end result. I can work with you wherever you live with an online consultation. Learn more.
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.
If you would like to listen to the audio recording, check out the podcast.
Mary Ann Benoit
Mary Ann Benoit is the leading home stager in south-central Alaska and is the only home stager in south-central Alaska trained as a professional home stager and with a degree in Interior Design. She is also a Certified Color Expert. Customers and colleagues describe her as “the best at what she does” and her work as “stellar,” “fantastic,” ”amazing,” “innovative,” “prompt and professional.” She is known for giving “above and beyond service,” being a “delight to work with,” and “a great coach and mentor.” “Hiring Mary Ann is more than worth every dollar and led us to success, and a new future.” To find our more about Mary Ann Benoit, check out the About Me page.
Purchase an Online Home Staging Service
For in person consultations or staging, call for a custom quote.
Let’s say you have a Bed and Breakfast. Your potential customers first stop is your website. Do you have high quality photos that highlight why your Bed and Breakfast is unique, wonderful and the perfect place to stay? Does each room look inviting, comfortable and vacation worthy? Does it draw in your ideal customer and make an emotional connection? If not, you have lost them within a few seconds!
I did a little market research on how my customers selected my Bed and Breakfast. My research (I asked them) showed that most picked my place based on the lower price. My target market was couples that were interested in wildlife viewing, and wanted a little luxury and were willing to pay more for a mid-high end Bed and Breakfast. My ideal customers were not the bargain hunters. I decided I needed to make a change!
My goal was to make my place unique and beautiful, raise my prices, increase my bookings and attract guests with interests similar to mine so I could provide them with great customer service.
I knew home staging worked to sell houses fast and for more and to attract a particular target market by using decorating to make an emotional connection with those buyers.
So, I transformed my Bed and Breakfast inside and out!
What do your Ideal Customers Want?
Ultimately, they are paying for you. Your establishment is a reflection of you and your unique and amazing self:) Yup, it is really not about your bedding and art and your price. But your decor reflects “you”, and having a beautiful establishment brings higher prices.
What did I have to offer that made me unique? I had been working as a wildlife biologist specializing in birds for many years, so my expertise was in wildlife viewing. Also, I was an artist, musician and dance instructor so could offer unique art in the room as well as private lessons. And as a designer, I wanted my decor to reflect all this and be colorful, happy and artistic. I decorated the room using lots of color so that it was happy but relaxing, wildlife art, my personal art and interesting accents with a wildlife theme.
Decorating for Your Ideal Customer
I decorated the room using lots of color, wildlife art, my art and interesting accents with a wildlife theme. I replaced the bedding, pillows, art, table and chairs, slighting and painted the dresser. I also added an electric fireplace for ambience and heat.
I used colorful pottery, my own stained glassware and wildlife accents such as this woodpecker door knocker and bear drawer handles.
In the bathroom, I selected had this beautiful shower curtain made based on a famous painting about hummingbirds as my inspiration piece. I then remodeled the bathroom to harmonize with it. I removed the wallpaper, put in vinyl laminate flooring, new baseboard molding, replaced the outdated vanity, installed a new light and faucet, painted the walls a beautiful green.
I had the exterior painted a cheery color that harmonized with the coastal landscape, and continued the bird theme by adding outdoor bird metal art at the eaves.
How Much Money was I leaving on the Table?
So was I able to increase my Bed and Breakfast income with home staging? Yes I was!
I took great photos and updated my website. I raised my prices by $40 per night, my bookings increased by 200% and I was fully booked the entire season. The increased prices paid for all my costs for the Interior updates the first season, and my increases the second year paid for the exterior paint job. The home staging and design work increased my income by about $10,000 per year for the one room that I rent. For an establishment with more rooms, you could increase your profit.
Just as Important as Money
Just as important, I was able to attract the types of guests that I want. I used the new photos to promote my website using social media advertising on Facebook and bookings are increasing every year! Having guests that I enjoy in my home that enjoy me and what I offer make a huge difference in the experience.
Stop Leaving Money on Your Table
Are you ready to update your vacation rental for increased profits and to attract the guests you want? Contact me for a home staging or color consultation today. I can also assist you with social media advertising or a website review after it is looking great!
