Showing posts with label you. Show all posts
Showing posts with label you. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 30, 2016
Got Kids Got a Home for Sale Heres Seven Tips Especially for You
Got Kids Got a Home for Sale Heres Seven Tips Especially for You
Do your children really need a closet full of toys all the time? |
If thats your situation, I feel your pain.
I know how stressful it can be when youve just touched up your wall paint, and discover two days later small handprints all up and down the stairwell.
I know how stressful it can be when your realtor calls from down the street, wanting to show your home in a few minutes, and the living room is draped in blanket forts that cover an intricate complex of Lego villages and train tracks.
With these things in mind, Ive collected my favorite tips learned from PWHOM -- parents with a home on the market.
Systematize. Have routines. Do the same procedures daily. For example, everyone makes his or her own bed as soon as he or she gets out of it, one child puts away dishes after every meal, and another sweeps the front steps each evening. Soon, youll have these habits down pat. Life is simpler with simple rituals, and young ones learn new tasks faster when the tasks are repeated at short intervals, like daily, or even twice daily.
Simplify. Put away the toys and games that are not essential. Most children will not miss the majority of their books, toys, games, dolls and stuffed animals. If storing all but their favorites creates a problem, rotate toys in and out of storage, and explain that the situation is just temporary. Its important for your own sanity that children understand -- as best they can -- the importance of all you are doing to help sell your home.
Squirrel-ize. Thats right, think like a squirrel, and hide things. People on a tour of your home dont need to see your basket of diaper changing essentials, the science project your son is in the middle of, the pile of sports equipment near the back door, or your daughters doll collection. Think accessible, but still out of sight and in a place where home buyers dont look. Here are some hiding places I like for temporary stashing:
- under the bed, in sliding boxes
- an emptied, designated dresser drawer
- pretty shoeboxes, hatboxes, or these DIY cardboard vases
- an ottoman or bench with a storage compartment built in
- the washer or dryer
- the trunk of your car
- a vintage piece of luggage or wicker basket
Delegate tasks on your pre-showing checklist to everyone in the household. This is my #3 grandson, and he actually likes to vacuum. |
Supervise. Once infrequently used rooms are decluttered and clean, dont let them become catch-all areas for stuff that has no home. If you can close off rooms like the guest room or powder room, placing them off-limits to family members, thats another possibility. Remind them that its just temporary.
Schedule. Make a checklist of what touchups need to be done just prior to a short-notice showing. If you leave the house for work in the morning, never knowing if a Realtor will bring people through during the day, having a touchup checklist is even more important. I know its asking a lot, but selling a home is like running a business. Children, even young ones, should have a designated role in touchups.
Secret-ize. Put away things like schedules and calendars that show when you wont be home or where your children will be, any paperwork and decorations that show your childrens names, or photographs of your children. You do not know who is coming into your home or what they want to know about you. I dont think I have to go into the details. Its all about keeping kids safe.
Synchronize. Work with your Realtor on timing so that showings are not a problem. Most parents prefer showings during school hours. Ideally, you should never have to refuse a showing. Some buyers breeze into town for the day and dont have much scheduling flexibility. Its more important to let your home be shown with some toys scattered about, and some wet towels on the rods, than to let a possible buyer escape. Many buyers interpret a demand for 24-hour notice as "not serious sellers." Be show-ready! I know it can be a hassle, but stay focused on the prize.
Youll drive yourself mad if you expect organized perfection. Its a balancing act. On one hand, buyers know you dont live in a model home, but on the other hand, buyers watch HGTV and they know the market now is a buyers market. Whatever leverage you can gain by making your home the one that looks better than the rest, gives you a clear advantage.
I give other tips to help you navigate the waters toward a sale of your home in my eBook, DIY Home Staging Tips to Sell Your Home Fast and For Top Dollar. For just $4.99, it will pay for itself over and over and over. Or Ill give you your money back.
Got Kids Got a Home for Sale Heres Seven Tips Especially for You
Saturday, July 23, 2016
If You Ask Me About Home Staging And You Did
If You Ask Me About Home Staging And You Did
He may be your best friend, but ... |
You can ask me home staging questions and offer your own give advice on my Facebook Group Page.
Q: Our fenced backyard is a wasteland. We let our dogs have the run of it, so we have basically no landscaping there. The front yard has good curb appeal. What can I do?
A: There really isnt much you can do, is there? Fencing a portion of the yard would cost money, look less than satisfactory, and probably make your dogs unhappy.
Replacing your fencing with invisible fencing would also cost money, and necessitate landscaping the backyard.
Id make sure the landscaped areas around your home that are outside the "dog run" look really pretty.
With luck, youll find a buyer who wants a backyard thats low maintenance and dog-friendly.
A: If you have only two bedrooms, I would stage both with a queen or double bed. But if you have three bedrooms, Id stage the third with twin beds. If the third room is small, even a single or a sleeper would be fine.
Also, let your budget be your guide. Dont go out and buy beds you dont want or need.
Q: Should I change the bathroom faucets in my home? They are gold. They work well but I know they arent the latest style.
A: In my eBook, I recommend changing faucets and other hardware like hinges and doorknobs so that metals match. Matched hardware makes a home look more like a new home.
The gold faucets will definitely date your home (unless they are actually sold brass and in an historic home). However, if you are on a tight budget, and the faucets are in great condition, and youre not replacing other outdated, fixed features such as 40-year old countertops and pink toilets, Id let the gold faucets stay.
In other words, it depends on your home, how youve priced it, and the type of buyer you expect to attract.
Faucets dont have to be expensive. And installing one can be a DIY project. Photo: Tiek Built Homes. |
Q: When we stage our home, do we need to convert our home office back into a bedroom?
A: A home office is a definite perk. But homes for sale are listed according to how many bedrooms they have. So, if you reduce the number of bedrooms in your listing, you might as well reduce your price and the desirability of your home!
A room is a bedroom if it has a closet. My advice would be to stage your home office as a bedroom, but keep its office status as well. Its all in how you arrange the furniture. Either squeeze the office space down to just a desk and chair. Or squeeze the sleeping space down to a convertible sofa or sleeper chair.
Most bedrooms have space for a small office if you make the bed either a day bed or sleeper sofa. Buyers see the flexibility of the space. Photo: BH&G. |
Q: I plan to paint all three bedrooms in our home. Is it important to paint inside closets, too?
A: Good for you for giving your walls a facelift! Remember to keep those colors light and neutral.
Even though the job may sound daunting, I recommend painting closets. You may have already decluttered your bedroom closets. If not, painting is a great excuse to empty them, then discard or recycle or put into storage whats left.
The good news is that when you paint a closet you dont have to get too fussy about wall imperfections and such. You just want it to look bright and clean. For this reason, I always paint closets white rather than the color of the bedroom. Give the ceiling a fresh coat of white as well, and youll be surprised what a difference it makes.
Do YOU have a question about staging your home for the real estate market? Id like to hear it.
If You Ask Me About Home Staging And You Did
Saturday, July 2, 2016
YOU ARE INVITED to our Annual FALL CLEARANCE SALE on October 30th!!
YOU ARE INVITED to our Annual FALL CLEARANCE SALE on October 30th!!
Come by and pick out your building awhile so you know which one to buy Saturday! Theyll be gone before you know it!
YOU ARE INVITED to our Annual FALL CLEARANCE SALE on October 30th!!
Thursday, May 26, 2016
What a Restaurant Can Teach You About Home Staging
What a Restaurant Can Teach You About Home Staging
Even a restaurant needs curb appeal. |
I ate lunch today at my favorite Mexican restaurant. My husband and I eat there quite often, about once a week. Is it because we adore Mexican food above all other types? No. Is it because its close by? Not really. Is it because we know the owners? Hardly.
Its because everything that a restaurant should do, they do right.
Today, midway through my chile relleno I thought, home staging should be like this restaurant.
Here are some of their winning ways that translate over to staging your home.
Always Inject Something New
Every time we go to Cerro Grande something new has been added. Today it was bigger iced tea glasses. Muy grandes and brand spankin new! And new menu covers. Nice touches.
Since weve been visiting this restaurant for about four years, weve seen it grow from just another family-style Mexican restaurant to a fun place with a captivating ambiance. Theyve added outdoor seating, painted murals on the wall, changed the light fixtures to south-of-the-border-style lights, expanded the menu, decorated the spaces between the booths, and added a full service bar.
These changes tell me that the management is investing in their business instead of milking it, or just coasting.
If you are selling your home, chances are youll need to make some investments.
Buyers will sense it if you are just coasting, waiting for a sale, holding off on maintenance and repairs because youll be moving soon.
Buyers want some show of recent improvements. Walls that have been freshly painted, a stove with some of the latest bells and whistles, window treatments that stay with the home, landscaping thats been manicured.
Its not necessary to do all kinds of upgrades, but it is important to make a showing of good maintenance.
What was a playground is now an outdoor patio, with a bar and bubbling fountain. Are you using your imagination to maximize your homes potential? |
We never complain about the cost of a meal at Cerro Grande, because we know we get our moneys worth. We enjoy the feeling that were not getting ripped off, just the way a home buyer wants good value for his money.
Is your home priced competitively? You cant just meet your competition. You need to beat them! Ambitious, savvy realtors and successful FSBO sellers will usually set a listing price thats just below the comparables.
And if you are not a motivated seller, what are you doing in the marketplace? If you have the attitude of, Ill sell if I get my (unrealistically high) price, you can expect to wait a longer time to sell.
Offer a Transporting Experience
I find myself uttering the same phrase almost every time we eat at this restaurant.
It feels like were on vacation.
Why? Because the experience is a step away from the ordinary. The aromas of ethnic spices drift from the kitchen. Music and the language of another culture provide background sounds. Vintage back and white photos of heroes from a different place fill the walls in the vestibule. Brightly painted wood carvings decorate the backs of all the chairs.
The way you want a buyer to feel when he tours your home is that hes being taken to an exciting new place. A place where he can relax, and even enjoy a pampered lifestyle. A lifestyle he doesnt presently enjoy. He should feel like he is moving up the ladder of success.
She usually smiles, but she was camera shy. Delivering chips and salsa to your table right away is like great "curb appeal."It makes you like the place immediately. |
Even though you dont know what the buyers present living conditions are, its safe to say everyone reacts favorable to touches of luxury, to extreme cleanliness, to simple orderliness, and to soothing color combos.
Pay
Attention to DetailMy Mexican restaurant takes care of the details like spotless restrooms, fresh flowers at the table, candles that get lighted at sundown, soft music playing in the background, a waitstaff that acts happy to serve you, clean menus, comfortable seats, quick service, consistent food quality, and I could go on and on. It all adds up.
In todays real estate market its not enough to give the house a cursory once-over, pound a For Sale sign into the front lawn or call a real estate broker, then sit back waiting for a good offer.
In todays real estate market its not enough to give the house a cursory once-over, pound a For Sale sign into the front lawn or call a real estate broker, then sit back waiting for a good offer.
A home seller needs to tend to the little things that set the home apart, to make it memorable, and tempt the buyer.
Dont go thinking that my restaurant is a fancy place. Its located in a former McDonalds building. There are no tablecloths, cloth napkins, view of the harbor, printed wine list, pastry cart, or maitre d. But we can have dinner for two, including drinks, tax and tip, and spend just $20.
Those low prices and the humble pedigree dont prevent management and employees from delivering the kind of food, atmosphere and service that more than just satisfies.
Those low prices and the humble pedigree dont prevent management and employees from delivering the kind of food, atmosphere and service that more than just satisfies.
The Takeaway
No matter what the asking price, or the location, age, and style of your home on the market, aim to satisfy the buyer. Remove any hurdles he has to making an offer by doing everything right. Just like my friends at Cerro Grande.
No matter what the asking price, or the location, age, and style of your home on the market, aim to satisfy the buyer. Remove any hurdles he has to making an offer by doing everything right. Just like my friends at Cerro Grande.
Sound daunting? It can be. But my $4.99 eBook, DIY Home Staging Tips to Sell Your Home Fast and For Top Dollar simplifies preparing your home for sale. Youll learn all the step-saving, money saving, stress-saving ways you can get a jump on the competition. Download it now and start a program for staging your home today.
What a Restaurant Can Teach You About Home Staging
Tuesday, May 24, 2016
Real Estate Words You Never Heard Before
Real Estate Words You Never Heard Before
This is the kind of freeting every home needs. Whats a freeting? Read on! |
When youre a home seller, you soon learn that the everyday English language fails you.
You meet people, run into situations, and even DO things that demand a new word. Like these I have coined:
You meet people, run into situations, and even DO things that demand a new word. Like these I have coined:
Blowbed Inflatible mattress dressed to look like a regular bed.
Bubble Bath A grandiose master bath built at the height of the housing market.
Cougar Older home that looks good.
Dishcount A price reduction because the home was cluttered with too many cute plates on the walls.
Drive-by Shooting When a home buyer drives neighborhoods snapping photos on a cell phone to send a significant other for immediate feedback.
Flip Flop Home renovated to sell, but done poorly.
Freeting First impression the foyer of your home gives to those arriving.
Not all Scotchems are hidden. My No-Sew Window Treatments eBook shows you how to make decorative hems, like this pink polka dot one. |
Galcave Craft room
Half Baked Kitchen not staged.
Hext A text message that the people coming to view your home (that you spent all weekend cleaning) bought another home.
Magish When you SO desperately want a room in your house to look like a photo in a magazine, it actually happens!
Sho-wells Towels exclusively reserved for when people are coming to view your home.
Targetize When a home seller buys all the staging accessories in one trip to Target.
NFH Neighbor from hell.
Pillowize Efforts made to cover couch stains with large, decorator pillows.
Scotchem Shortening draperies and curtains by using masking tape or duct tape
WTF White thrifted finds. All the furniture you bought second hand, and then painted white to stage your home.
Zirconia Artificial wow factor, such as an avocado refrigerator painted with stainless steel paint.
If you want some serious help staging your home, download my $4.99 eBook, DIY Home Staging Tips to Sell Your Home Fast and for Top Dollar. You can begin now to DIY your way to a sold home!
Top photo: Meg Broff Interiors
If you want some serious help staging your home, download my $4.99 eBook, DIY Home Staging Tips to Sell Your Home Fast and for Top Dollar. You can begin now to DIY your way to a sold home!
Top photo: Meg Broff Interiors
Real Estate Words You Never Heard Before
Monday, May 9, 2016
Chad Can Do It So Can You
Chad Can Do It So Can You
Popular Woodworking has a long running section in each issue called I Can Do That (ICDT). Each article tackles the construction of a straightforward project build using a small and easily attainable tool kit.
Recently, PopWood has upped their ICDT game with the addition of a video series. The ICDT videos are hosted by +Chad Stanton of Stanton Fine Furniture, American Woodworker Magazine and Wood Choppin Time.
Ive read the ICDT articles for years and recently watched the first ICDT video with Chad. The video adds a great, instructive element to the articles and while not as tongue in cheek as many of the videos Chad is known for, he is comfortable in front of the camera and puts the viewer at ease with a paced instructional tone that teaches as it entertains.
While these ICDT videos are intended for beginners, theyre worth checking out for everyone. You never know when youll need a small table you can make in a day rather than a masterpiece you can build in a few months.
Dont forget about the +Modern Woodworkers Association Podcast. We talk woodworking with Guests from around the world of woodworking every other week. Subscribe to the RSS feed or iTunes today.
Chad Can Do It So Can You
Sunday, April 17, 2016
The Stars Align When You Sprinkle in Some Bling
The Stars Align When You Sprinkle in Some Bling
Arent these contemporary Mercury glass vessels from West Elm to die for? Heres my choice of the best tutorial for hacking the Mercury glass look. |
This week I want to focus on just one of those: Using shine to bring a room to life.
Here are my favorite sources for the kind of bling I am taking about.
- Mirrors
- Crystal and clear glass
- Lucite and acrylic
- Glass
- Silver
- Brass
- Nickle
- Chrome
- Sequins, rhinestones, beads and other embellishments
- Mercury glass
- Glossy plastic and vinyl
- Stainless steel
Bathrooms and kitchens will be an easy place to start your assignment. Stainless appliances and ceramic fixtures quality. Glassware is a natural in these rooms. Im picturing a large clean glass bowl of lemons in the kitchen, and apothecary jars of spa goodies in the bath.
Bring on the Bevel
My favorite way to make a room glisten is to add mirrors. At least one per room. Large or small, depending. And my favorite mirrors are bevelled mirrors. Heck, you can pick up a 30 x 30-inch sunburst mirror at Home Depot for about $35, or a 36 x 30-inch wide-framed mirror from Lowes for $60. Thats alot of bling for the buck.
Along the same lines, glass-covered prints in mirrored frames add serious wow to any room. I see these in vintage styles as well as sleek, contemporary styles.
These botanical images take on a modern vibe when theyre placed in mirrored frames.
This contemporary family room was designed by Little Rock interior designer Tobi Fairley.
The bathroom chandelier, done right! Theres lots of hard surfaces in this room --
the tub, floor, window, tin backsplash, chrome faucet, and glass vases,
that the wooden fireplace surround
and door are a welcome counterpoint. Photo: DigsDigs.com
Stainless appliances are still popular. Whatever your opinion of stainless,
it does add gleaming surfaces to a kitchen, and in a dark or otherwise
slightly dated kitchen, thats a plus. Photo: BHG
A glass topped table and some clear seats almost disappear except for the shine
they bring to the eat-in nook. Chrome legs are sexy. No? Photo: BHG
Do you need more advice, inspiration and formulas for beautifully staging your home on the market? You need my eBook, DIY Home Staging Tips to Sell Your Home Fast and For Top Dollar. Its an instantly downloadable, 150+ page pdf guide to home staging, for only $4.99! You cant afford to e without it, and I guarantee youll be pleased or I will refund your money.
A chandelier is the ultimate bling thing. Look for a place where a fancy light fixture might be a surprise, like a closet or bath. Photo: Traditional Home |
This bedroom by Sarah Richardson is layered with subtle shine: the glass door knob,
ceramic lamp base, lacquered nightstand, mirror over the bed, nailhead trim
on the headboard, a metallic vase, and some pillow textiles with sheen.
A patent leather headboard like this one is going to make a bed the
focal point of any room. This House Beautiful bedroom also features
a mirror over the headboard and some metallic Buddha lamps.
Do your homework. Hunt your home for sources of shine. Make them part of your staging mix. And dont forget that the existing fixtures you have in your house -- the chrome faucets, the ceramic lamps, the bathroom mirrors, the stainless appliances -- should sparkle because youve cleaned and polished them. Do these things, and your home on the market will outshine the competition.
Do you need more advice, inspiration and formulas for beautifully staging your home on the market? You need my eBook, DIY Home Staging Tips to Sell Your Home Fast and For Top Dollar. Its an instantly downloadable, 150+ page pdf guide to home staging, for only $4.99! You cant afford to e without it, and I guarantee youll be pleased or I will refund your money.
The Stars Align When You Sprinkle in Some Bling
Thursday, April 14, 2016
Year in Review Helping You Look Ahead
Year in Review Helping You Look Ahead
Now that all the ho-ho-hoing is behind us, its time to jump into 2014 with fresh goals and sweet expectations. A popular inspirational quote on Pinterest now advises: "Dont follow your dreams, chase them!" Maybe you have dreams of selling your home.
My blog is supposed to help you stage your home. Its 2014. How am I doing? |
To this list, Ive added the posts I personally think will help you the most when you are staging a home for sale.
To kick things off, in January I blogged about assessing your own staging efforts. Most people have difficulty judging their own work. I devised a simple test to see if your home staging tricks are all that they can be. Just answer the questions and youll know if what youve done to get your home sold is on track.
Some readers and Facebook friends told me I was giving away too many secrets when I wrote about the pros and cons of tackling DIY staging, but I like readers to make their own choices. Heres what to read if you are wondering if you should stage your own home or hire a stager.
In May I waxed all nostalgic about my love affair with porches. Porches add value to a home, but even if your house doesnt have a real porch, decks and patios can be just as charming to buyers. Learn how to stage a front porch and your curb appeal can skyrocket. Stage any porch and youve added usable square footage to your home.
I recently viewed a home and was asked what to change about the decor. The single mistake that stood out was a lack of pattern. All walls, all draperies, all upholstery and all flooring were solid colors. If you are afraid of adding pattern, you need to get over it! Please read this post to learn how to mix patterns.
Bedroom and living room furniture define the lifestyle a home portrays. Find out why mid century modern furniture is ideal for staging. Photo: Bryght Modern Furniture. |
Since I think mid century modern furniture is beautiful, Im glad many readers agreed. You dont need to live in a 1950s ranch house to make the most of this styles clean lines and classic textiles. Discover all the reasons why MCM designs are safe choices for effective home staging.
Who doesnt love a makeover? I kept the chair my friend Rhys wanted to throw out because I knew I wanted to experiment with painting fabric. It was one DIY project that received a good number of Pins, and a makeover I really had some fun with. Go visit my microfiber chair repaint.
My husband is a rock star to my mind. He taught me all his professional painting secrets. |
I wrote a few posts about how to stage a mantel, but this one seems to have the best advice, all in a nutshell. Learning how to put together a pretty mantel is an excellent exercise to hone your skills for tablescaping and accessorizing any room. The same rules apply. Check em out.
People who know me know I am happiest when Im fooling around with plants. Whether you are a gardener or not, your home will benefit from a few strategically placed potted plants. Heres the skinny on how to choose containers for container plants.
Its common knowledge that painting a room is one of the best ways to spend time and money when youre selling a house. As a professional housepainter, it drives me a little batsy to see people do it wrong, wasting energy or getting poor results. Please dont let that be you. Do yourself a favor and follow my simple room-painting pointers.
Those are my Top Ten. If putting your home on the market is part of the plans you have for 2014, I sincerely hope that these posts and my blog and eBooks help you reach your goals.
I am looking forward to an exciting year ahead as my blog continues to grow, thanks to readers like you. I value each one of you, and hope youll continue following my home staging adventures in the coming months. I have so many ideas and projects to share with you!
Year in Review Helping You Look Ahead
Thursday, March 24, 2016
Are You Inviting Trouble Into Your Home
Are You Inviting Trouble Into Your Home
At holiday time, its good to review the issue of home safety, especially if you have a home on the market. I wrote about protecting your home from thieves during the winter holidays two years ago, and decided to revive that post because I think its as important as ever.
Happy Holidays, from me to you and your family. Best wishes for a New Year when all your dreams come true.
Are You Inviting Trouble Into Your Home
Friday, February 19, 2016
Popular Decorating Advice You Should Ignore
Popular Decorating Advice You Should Ignore
Can you spot the four staging mistakes? |
Interior decor. Home staging. Two different animals.
Thats why you can disregard some of the most oft-heard decorating advice. Heres examples:
Trends. "Dont follow trends." Wrong. Trends will make any home look fresh and appealing. You dont have to honor every passing trend, but something new and stylish gives life to a room.
Home buyers often tour model homes, which are decorated with trending colors, the newest furniture, and the latest home accessories. Look current.
Colors. "Add pops of color." I dont know about you, but Im tired of hearing how a dull room can be rescued by adding a few pops of color!
A staged room doesnt want pops of color. A staged room wants to be seamless and layered. It wants to be interesting but not in-your-face, like a tastefully dressed but approachable woman at a meet and greet. Lose the pops, please.
Style. "Buy what you love and it will all work together." It probably wont. A well designed room is no accident or collection of oddities. A room that buyers are attracted to takes some forethought, even if it was professionally decorated by an expert interior decorator. When its time to stage, the décor rules change.
Palette. "Look in your closet to determine what colors you should use in your home." Not. Although you might determine your personal color preferences, thats no guarantee youll find the right color scheme for staging a home.
You can save all the fun of splashing color and pattern around once you sell your staged house and move to your next home. |
White. "Paint a closet a fun color. Or Paint a ceiling a fun color." Dont put stumbling blocks between a buyer and a purchase offer. Most people do not like to paint. They want to buy a home thats move-in ready. Choose paints that will have the widest appeal possible, colors that dont call attention to themselves. Closets and ceilings should be white. Period. Ignore what the frou-frou decorators say.
Pattern. "Stencil designs on your wall." Step away from the stencils! Stenciling an entire wall is fashionable with DIY decorators and home décor bloggers right now. But a wall of design, no matter how tasteful, is restrictive. What are the chances it will be appropriate for the new owner? Painting over a stenciled wall is more difficult than painting an ordinary wall because of the raised paint edges and uneven texture left by stenciling.
Stenciling a wall is one of the mistakes in the photo above showing a yellow tree on the wall. The other staging blunders are: colors are too bright, the photos are too small, and the photos show family members.
Its pretty. But paint is safer. Not every buyer will fall in love with the same wallpaper you have. |
Displays. "Dont save your wedding gifts and heirloom possessions for special times. Display and use them." Wrong. Im saying that you should pack these sentimental and valuable household items away.
There is always the chance that something will be stolen from a home on the market. Why take a chance, when you can stage a home with ordinary art and accessories instead of precious belongings or expensive antiques?
Wallpaper. "Use wallpaper in unexpected places like a powder room, pantry or small foyer." All wrong! Buyers do not like to see wallpaper. Chances are theyll want to change it. Painting is faster, easier, cheaper, smarter.
Bath. "Use robe hooks instead of towel bars to save money." Another veto. This tactic looks cheap, even if you are doing it to be stylish. Also, I question that towels dry thoroughly when they hang from a hook.
You have no secrets in a kitchen with shelves like these. All photos BHG. |
Shelves. "Replace your upper kitchen cabinets with open shelving." Stupid idea. I can think of a few instances where this approach would work: a minimalists kitchen, a small vacation home, or a loft where the owners hardly ever eat in.
Most buyers will want closed storage. Are you sure you want all your dishes on display? Do they look THAT nice? And do you want dust and cooking oils to settle on all your dinnerware and glassware?
Trim. "Paint your trim a dark or interesting color." Mistake. Spaces look bigger when edged in white, and dark trim closes spaces. Buyers want big. Give them clean, classic white trim. It will go with whatever wall colors new owners want in the future.
Painting trim is time consuming. It looks crappy if you do a poor job, devaluing your property. Its expensive if you hire painters to paint trim. Keep your trim white.
Lights. "Choose lighting that will flatter yourself and guests." Forget this. Choose lighting that will make your rooms look spacious and clean. This is no time to create moody ambiance with subdued lighting. Make it easy for a realtor to illuminate a room without circling the room to turn on lamps, even if it means you put timers on lamps.
More. To get more tips on staging your own home, be sure to download my $4.99 eBook, DIY Home Staging Tips to Sell Your Home Fast for Top Dollar. Why make mistakes, when you can do it right and make your home sale go faster and more profitably?
Popular Decorating Advice You Should Ignore
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