Who are you?
I’m a resident of Saratoga Lake, originally from Brooklyn Heights. I’m an accredited staging professional, professional organizer and a member of National Association of Professional Organizers.
What do you do?
I help prepare my clients’ homes for sale. I prepare houses or homes by removing my clients’ personal items and clutter in order to showcase the house itself rather than its contents.
When somebody walks into a home for sale, I want them to see that it’s a great house with beautiful molding and great woodwork and not the owner’s basket collection. When you live in a house, your house is perfect. It may be perfect for you but not for the next owner. I’m not judgmental of a homeowner’s taste.
When the market took a hit last year, did your business suffer?
No, my business has only gotten better. In a good market, home staging will truly cause bidding wars because it is so desirable.
Where did you work before you became a home stager?
I have a master’s degree in library science. I was a librarian for years, a corporate contract negotiator in advertising and an investment banker. I get up every morning hoping business is good because I don’t want to have to go out and get another job. I’ve never worked harder or longer hours, but I’ve never been happier.
Why do you do what you do?
The best satisfaction for me is when the client puts their house on the market and it sells. Last summer, in the worst real estate market in my lifetime, I listed seven houses in seven weeks, six of which were in contract within 72 hours of being listed. One wasn’t ever listed — the Realtor brought someone in and it was bought on the spot.
— By Patrick H. Donges
I’m a resident of Saratoga Lake, originally from Brooklyn Heights. I’m an accredited staging professional, professional organizer and a member of National Association of Professional Organizers.
What do you do?
I help prepare my clients’ homes for sale. I prepare houses or homes by removing my clients’ personal items and clutter in order to showcase the house itself rather than its contents.
When somebody walks into a home for sale, I want them to see that it’s a great house with beautiful molding and great woodwork and not the owner’s basket collection. When you live in a house, your house is perfect. It may be perfect for you but not for the next owner. I’m not judgmental of a homeowner’s taste.
When the market took a hit last year, did your business suffer?
No, my business has only gotten better. In a good market, home staging will truly cause bidding wars because it is so desirable.
Where did you work before you became a home stager?
I have a master’s degree in library science. I was a librarian for years, a corporate contract negotiator in advertising and an investment banker. I get up every morning hoping business is good because I don’t want to have to go out and get another job. I’ve never worked harder or longer hours, but I’ve never been happier.
Why do you do what you do?
The best satisfaction for me is when the client puts their house on the market and it sells. Last summer, in the worst real estate market in my lifetime, I listed seven houses in seven weeks, six of which were in contract within 72 hours of being listed. One wasn’t ever listed — the Realtor brought someone in and it was bought on the spot.
— By Patrick H. Donges
