country items for the home
country items for the home
A question for people from San Fransisco: Where could I get these items?

My mom's friend is going to San Fransisco for a business trip and I want her to get some products I couldn't find in our home country:

Aveda Rosemary Mint Body Lotion
Kiehl's Yerba Matte Tea Cleanser and Lotion
Cardigan from American Apparel (Menswear)

But I don't want to cause her a lot of trouble because she'll be working and all, so wheres the best place where you could get them all, at least in close proximity?

The Westfield Mall at 863 Market St. has an Aveda store and a Kiehl's store. A few blocks away is the American Apparel store at 363 Grant Ave. These are around Union Square, which is a major shopping area in downtown.

No guarantees that those specific items will be available. Nordstrom may have Kiehls, but it won't have Aveda (only sold at salons and Aveda stores) or American Apparel.

Why Staging is so Vital in Home Sales

Asking why staging is a vital aspect of home selling is kind of like asking "why bother to clean before the show?" Years ago before staging had not really been defined in the real estate industry, the process was already being done to some extent on most home sales. It is just in recent years that the need has presented itself in enough force to found a whole new business sector. Home staging is now all the rage in the home selling sector and as a result, buyers are expecting more of a presentation when they view a home. In turn, home stagers have turned the average home sale into a fully designed and carefully coordinated showpiece complete with new art and custom furnishings.

The difference is evident when viewing a staged home versus an un-staged one. The difference is actually quite alarming. A staged home is utilizing all the space in the home to show off it's various assets as opposed to using the space for mere storage. Also much of the time our furniture is an extension of our personalities and a distinct personality can be difficult for some buyers to get past. Visually the homes should lack the sellers personal tastes in art, furniture etc. Many home stagers hold a larger inventory of furniture that can be utilized to accent any room perfectly. Other stagers have simply learned how to accent a room using existing items. Most will be fully capable of both and will make their decision based on the quality and "show value" of the items that are currently there.

With so many homes on the market and the number of qualified buyers in question, it has become a necessity to present the best possible home package. Competition for buyers is stiff all over the country and well presented homes are definitely catching their attention. The big question is "can you afford not to put yourself in that percentage of well presented homes?" In today's real estate market, the reality is that homes need to have an impressive package to garner the kind of buyer interest that's necessary to sell a home. Staging is a great way to garner that positive attention.

About the Author

With over 19 years of experience in real estate Gretchen Koitz has proven herself to be one of the top agents in Washington D.C. real estate. For professional and intelligent service in Maryland real estate contact the Koitz Team today or visit us online at www.koitzteam.com

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