Amie Hebert Chaney Home Staging by Amie Table of Contents Working the Room From "For Sale" to Sold New Show on HGTV: The Stagers About Amie Services Offered Before/After Photos FAQs Contact Amie Amie is a certified

Amie and a home she staged were recently featured in a new magazine for women called FACE, which premiered in the Lafayette area in June. The article was entitled "Working the Room."

The home Amie staged is a 3,134-square-foot located in Youngsville. She replaced modern furnishings with more traditional pieces more in keeping with the architecture and character of the home, removed clutter and created a space buyers could see themselves in while showing off the home’s many amenities.

Here is an excerpt from the article.

Everyone has their own version of home sweet home. We spend years perfecting our nest, customizing our abode to fit our needs and match our style. But, when it comes time to sell, those personalized touches actually can work against you.A professional home stager can create the inviting,
clutter-free look you need to intrigue buyers.

Why can’t you do it yourself?

Like all things personal,it’s hard to be objective about your home.“You have to shift from dweller to seller,” home stager Amie Chaney says.

The magazine also included Amie's "Seven Simple Steps for Staging a Room." They are:

1. Stand in the doorway of a room to see what the buyer will see. What are your first impressions? What feelings does the room conjure? Is it inviting?
2. Decide the intended purpose of a room.
3. Determine which furniture will stay in the room to define its function. For example, a bedroom will contain a bed, nightstands and dresser.
4. Remove all unnecessary furniture and accessories. If a piece is crowding the room, move it out.
5. Place furniture in a way that gives the room the most spacious appearance.
6. Re-layer accessories. Too many accessories will be seen as clutter.
7. Stand in the doorway again and answer the same questions from number one. What is your first impression of the room? Is the room inviting? Do you want to go into the room and take a closer look? If you answered “yes” to the questions in step 7 its time to move on to the next room.

• Download the article as it appears in FACE (PDF file).
• Visit FACE magazine's Web site.
• View before and after photos of the home.

Here are some testimonials from home sellers - a home builder, Realtor and a homeowner - who experienced a quick sale as a result of having their homes staged by Amie.

"Staging does add a much needed value to the newly constructed house. It not only enhances the construction but also allows the prospective buyers to visualize the house as a 'home.' Staging adds color and texture to the house. It makes the buyer have a warm and inviting feeling.

"I have staged the last three homes that we built and I think that is the reason the properties sold so quickly. With each house, we had an open house on a Sunday and had a signed contract by Monday evening. You just can’t beat that! I would recommend staging to anyone trying to sell a house. Staging works!"

Pam Weaver
W Construction
Lafayette, LA

"I have requested Amie's expertise for two listings (so far) and have been extremely pleased with the jobs she has done. Not only is she extremely knowledgeable and creative, her people-skills are exemplary and she goes the extra mile.

"One of my clients is quite elderly and working with her was, at times, challenging. Amie's tact and patience achieved the desired results and my client is absolutely delighted that her home sold after being on the market only two days! I will definitely be calling Amie in the future!"

Wendy Klamm, Realtor
Van Eaton & Romero
Lafayette, LA

"My home was on the market for several months and I was not getting any offers. The subdivision was still building new homes and the buyers were coming in and buying the new homes. My house was only a year old.

"Amie did a wonderful job staging my home and in no time I got a contract and sold my house. I liked the fact that I did not have to buy anything. Amie used the things I already had in my house and made it picture perfect. I would highly recommend her to anyone who is trying to sell their home."

M. McGee, Homeowner
Lafayette, LA

Got a listing that's been sitting on the market for months? Contact Amie and make it go from "For Sale to Sold!"

In this struggling real estate market, HGTV has a new series, The Stagers, that focuses on the newest trend in selling homes: home staging.

The Stagers goes inside the hectic world of professional home stagers as they rush to transform a problem house into a showroom - often in just a few days. Amid the tantrums and turmoil are tips and touch-up ideas you can put to work in your own home.

See a list of their staging dos and don'ts.