Home Staging
Has Become Mainstream
As
with any new trend, it takes time to become mainstream. Home Staging has
done so with the help of dedicated home stagers across the country and
three prime-time television shows that showcase its principles and benefits.
Let’s
take a look at these three very different mainstream shows to see how
they are having an influence on how real estate is sold:
Designed to
Sell
Just
as its name implies Designed
to Sell is geared to informing homeowners how to turn a tired house
into a showpiece by giving sellers a $2,000 budget and a team of experts
to transform their house into the hottest property on the block.
Here are nine do’s and
one don’t from the Designed to Sell team:
Make
the front entrance inviting
Potential buyers often drive by before deciding they want to see the inside
of a house, so make sure the front-door area looks nice.
Clear
away clutter
Put away personal photos, knickknacks, boxes — anything that will
distract the buyer from concentrating on the house.
Clean the house thoroughly
Take time to make bathrooms sparkle, wash the windows, and clean kitchen
appliances. Don't forget under the sinks!
Freshen
the appearance of rooms
A little paint can go a long way in making your home sellable: repaint
much-used rooms in neutral colors to make them look clean and fresh.
Arrange
furniture for spaciousness
Remove extra, unwanted furniture and arrange remaining pieces in a way
that creates smooth traffic flow.
Do
all you can to reduce odors
People never forget smells when they walk in the door. Try your best to
remove odors caused by pets, smoking and cooking.
Perform
all minor repairs, if necessary
Take a hard look around your home and see it from a buyer's perspective:
oil door and window hinges, fix loose handrails, etc.
Replace
outdated light fixtures
Wall sconces, recessed lighting or pendant lights are good alternatives
to that single old-fashioned overhead fixture.
Clean the carpeting
Unless it's extremely worn, you may be able to avoid replacing carpet.
Buyers often prefer to choose their own new carpet or opt for hardwood
floors.
Don't
forget the garage
It's tempting to stash stuff away in this area of the home, but when you're
selling, the garage has to be neat and clean too!
Let Amie design your next listing to sell!
Sell this
House
Want to
know what buyers are really thinking about a house for sale? Sell
This House™ gets inside the mind of the buyer and the heart
of the seller. Each episode features homeowners desperate to sell and
prospective buyers secretly videotaped as they express their observations
upon first seeing the house. Watching the footage, homeowners get a peek
inside what potential buyers like, love, and hate about their home.
The homeowners also receive
some advice from a real estate and home decoration expert who recommends
changes. Then the real work begins as homeowners and the Sell This House
team gets started redesigning and renovating the house, hoping that their
efforts will lead to a big payoff.
Learn pointers, tips, and other
suggestions on how to prepare your house for market while the team transforms
each house from okay to must see. After the work is complete, the buyers
are brought back. Will the house sell? For how much? To whom? You'll learn
the answers as participants experience the ups and downs of Sell This
House .
Here are some pointers from
the designers of Sell this House:
TIP
1
Removing wallpaper is a tough job but a solution of warm water
and fabric softener can speed things up.
TIP
2
A fresh coat of paint is a good way to get rid of those stubborn
odors.
TIP
3
You know how to make your house sell great for an open house?
Bake cookies! Open house guests will eat um up.
TIP
4
When painting, spend a few extra dollars on a quality paint brush.
Cheaper brushes tend to lose their bristles easily.
TIP
5
Before holding an open house, pack up all personal items so not
to distract guest from seeing the full potential of each room.
TIP
6
A general rule is that gloss paint is best for bathrooms and
kitchens. That’s because there easy to clean unlike a flat finish.
TIP
7
When painting, if you have to apply pressure to your roller it
means you need to reload up on paint.
Contact
Amie to help you sell
your house!
The Stagers
The
newest HGTV home staging show, 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.
See what important tips are
available from Bridget Savereux of The Stagers:
Top
5 Dos
Spruce
up your curb appeal. Potential buyers judge your home before
they even enter it. Make this first impression count. Plant flowers, mow
the lawn, put out a welcome mat and make small repairs that you have been
putting off.
Clean,
clean, clean. This simple tip is essential. Dust, vacuum, clean
the windows and mop the floors. Make sure there are no odd odors floating
around or major stains on the carpet or furniture. Do like your mother
said and make your bed.
Declutter.
Get rid of any superfluous items that detract from the rooms. Hide figurines;
throw out or recycle junk mail, newspapers and magazines; file disheveled
papers; and put clothes, shoes and the like out of sight.
Neutralize.
Potential buyers need to imagine themselves living in your home. Make
it easy for them by removing all personal items like family pictures and/or
religious statues. Also, get rid of any loud paint colors, offensive wall
coverings or in-your-face accessories.
Remove
all big clunky furniture. Oversize couches, chairs or coffee
tables have to go. If you cannot replace them with smaller pieces, get
rid of as much as you can — less is more.
Top 5 Don'ts
Don't
take it personally. As soon as you decide to make the commitment
to sell your home, you need to think of it as a product, one that you
want to sell fast and for top dollar. Don't take buyers' remarks personally.
Instead, think of it as free advice on how to make your "product"
live up to its highest potential. Emotionally detach yourself.
Don't
do major renovations. Finishes and fixtures that you see as beautiful
may not suit every buyer's tastes. It is best to limit the amount of time
and investment you make on renovations to the essentials — replace
old flooring, tackle small repairs, paint, change outdated fixtures. Save
your renovation energy and dollars for your new home.
Don't
think the house will sell itself. The real estate market is a
game. You need to make your home the most appealing "product"
on the block. Declutter, clean, do small repairs, repaint and, in general,
make it feel fresh and welcoming.
Don't
run out and purchase all new furniture. Chances are the furniture
you have is not the reason your space is not selling. You may just have
too much of it in one area. Or perhaps it needs to be cleaned or just
neutralized with a simple throw. Remove before you completely redo.
Don't
be afraid to ask for help! Call in a professional
stager, whether they just spend a few hours giving you some helpful
tips or they come in to completely redecorate your entire space. It is
money well spent and will eventually end up back in your pocket when you
sell your home for top dollar.
Thanksgiving Wish
On a personal note, I want to extend a Thanksgiving wish to each of my
readers. In this time when economic futures seem dismal, I hope you will
take stock of the many blessings you enjoy.
It
is my hope this newsletter will continue to provide valuable information
and inspiration to assist in selling your listings. I extend a special
heartfelt thanks to those of you I have had the pleasure to work with
this year. I am very grateful to you all.
