Avoid These 8 Staging Mistakes
You may love your home, but that doesn’t mean that everyone coming through the door will feel the same way. What may be “charming” to the seller may seem off-putting to a prospective buyer. Many sellers attempt to stage their home themselves and, in doing so, create mistakes that can actually sidetrack the sale of their homes.
Here are some of the biggest staging mistakes, according to professional home stagers.
1. Getting too personal: Home staging is meant to create a neutral canvas that will appeal to the majority of buyers. Staging is all about de-personalizing the space, and creating more of a luxury hotel or a model home look that will appeal to most everyone. This is not the time to bring in your unique style and create a look that appeals to just you.
2. Using dark colors: If painting, you should choose a nice, neutral and warm color, such as beige tones, grey tones, or light blue or pale greens. You’ll be amazed at the transformation a few coats of fresh paint will make on your home.
3. Not taking advantage of natural light: People love natural light, so blocking off any light with heavy curtains or furniture can hurt your sale, especially if the home has attractive views. Anything dated in a home is a turn-off to a potential buyer and window treatments are one of them.
4. Thinking more is better: Scale down your furniture. The size of the furniture needs to be in balance with the scale of the room and the other furniture in it. Remember that the purpose of furniture when selling a home is to define the purpose of the room and to show what will fit where. It is not meant to show that you can provide seating for 15 in your living room and every seat has a side table to rest drinks on.
5. Leaving pets at home: You need to remove all traces of animals from the house and make sure “Fido” or “Sunshine” is away during showings. Having a pet could kill a sale before someone even steps into a house.
6. Neglecting the outside: People care about the outside space just as much as the inside, so add flowers, make sure the lawn is mowed, the yard is tidy and add a few backyard accessories for the kids.
7. Only dealing with “main” rooms: People are quick to stage living rooms, kitchens and bedrooms, but don’t forget to spruce up the garage, basement and closets as well.
8. Forgetting fixtures: When staging a home, it’s important to ensure all lights are burning with fresh bulbs, and that all fixtures are working.
Remember, staging a home means showcasing the property’s many features, not concealing its flaws. Make sure your house is in good condition and use staging to cast the home in the best light.
Prudential Fox & Roach is an independently owned and operated broker member of BRER Affiliates, Inc. Prudential, the Prudential logo and the Rock symbol are registered service marks of Prudential Financial, Inc. and its related entities, registered in many jurisdictions worldwide. Used under license with no other affiliation with Prudential. Equal Housing Opportunity.
Showing posts with label Remodel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Remodel. Show all posts
Monday, February 13, 2012
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Fireplaces Provide a Warm Glow to a Home on the Market
Fireplaces Provide a Warm Glow to a Home on the Market
With winter weather gripping most of the country the fireplace takes on greater importance in the sale of a home.
The National Association of REALTORS® recently conducted a survey that found nearly two-thirds of homebuyers had a fireplace on their wish list. The fireplace has become a coveted amenity and homes boasting this feature see its benefits during resale.
“The fireplace is a focal point when people come to see your home,” said Hillary Staats, an interior designer for Sanctuary on Church in Vienna, Va.
That’s why it’s important to make sure that the look of your fireplace has been updated and is working properly. An older looking fireplace that seems an eye-sore can be easily updated.
“There is a lot you can do to enhance the fireplace before a sale. A lot of times, if it has older brick, I will re-stone a fireplace. Other times it could be as simple as changing mantels, adding a fancier screen or placing a beautiful piece of art above it.”
Transformation materials that are inexpensive and easy to work with are tile, manufactured stone, granite, marble and wood. Sometimes even painting over old, ugly brick will make a huge improvement.
“A masonry fireplace can really set a home apart from the rest and significantly improve resale value,” said Larry Kett, owner of Kett’s Hearth and Home in Grand Rapids, Mich. “Adding a mantel also helps. An engaging fireplace and mantel can provide grandeur for an otherwise ho-hum room.”
Keeping the mantel clean and uncluttered is also a must. “You want the fireplace to look inviting but not cluttered, so keep the mantel clear of all photos and knickknacks,” Staats said. “It’s fine to decorate with accessories, but they shouldn’t distract from the fireplace itself.”
If you want to add a fireplace to improve your home’s resale value, consider an electric fireplace as it’s often the least expensive option and reasonably easy to install.
Gas fireplaces are more common today and easy to use, plus they can be installed just about anywhere. There is no need for a chimney, wood or even matches with this type of fireplace and there is no mess to clean up either. Ceramic log kits are efficient and look like the real deal, without ashes to clean up.
Finally, regardless of the season, a fireplace should be kept clean and in working order. “You want your buyer to go home feeling really great about that room and knowing they can move in and sit in front of that wonderful fireplace and hearth,” Staats said. “There are few things as warm and inviting as a burning fire on a wintry day.”
Prudential Fox & Roach is an independently owned and operated member of BRER Affiliates Inc. Used under license with no other affiliation with Prudential. Equal Housing Opportunity. Source.
With winter weather gripping most of the country the fireplace takes on greater importance in the sale of a home.
The National Association of REALTORS® recently conducted a survey that found nearly two-thirds of homebuyers had a fireplace on their wish list. The fireplace has become a coveted amenity and homes boasting this feature see its benefits during resale.
“The fireplace is a focal point when people come to see your home,” said Hillary Staats, an interior designer for Sanctuary on Church in Vienna, Va.
That’s why it’s important to make sure that the look of your fireplace has been updated and is working properly. An older looking fireplace that seems an eye-sore can be easily updated.
“There is a lot you can do to enhance the fireplace before a sale. A lot of times, if it has older brick, I will re-stone a fireplace. Other times it could be as simple as changing mantels, adding a fancier screen or placing a beautiful piece of art above it.”
Transformation materials that are inexpensive and easy to work with are tile, manufactured stone, granite, marble and wood. Sometimes even painting over old, ugly brick will make a huge improvement.
“A masonry fireplace can really set a home apart from the rest and significantly improve resale value,” said Larry Kett, owner of Kett’s Hearth and Home in Grand Rapids, Mich. “Adding a mantel also helps. An engaging fireplace and mantel can provide grandeur for an otherwise ho-hum room.”
Keeping the mantel clean and uncluttered is also a must. “You want the fireplace to look inviting but not cluttered, so keep the mantel clear of all photos and knickknacks,” Staats said. “It’s fine to decorate with accessories, but they shouldn’t distract from the fireplace itself.”
If you want to add a fireplace to improve your home’s resale value, consider an electric fireplace as it’s often the least expensive option and reasonably easy to install.
Gas fireplaces are more common today and easy to use, plus they can be installed just about anywhere. There is no need for a chimney, wood or even matches with this type of fireplace and there is no mess to clean up either. Ceramic log kits are efficient and look like the real deal, without ashes to clean up.
Finally, regardless of the season, a fireplace should be kept clean and in working order. “You want your buyer to go home feeling really great about that room and knowing they can move in and sit in front of that wonderful fireplace and hearth,” Staats said. “There are few things as warm and inviting as a burning fire on a wintry day.”
Prudential Fox & Roach is an independently owned and operated member of BRER Affiliates Inc. Used under license with no other affiliation with Prudential. Equal Housing Opportunity. Source.
Thursday, December 15, 2011
FURNACE AND FIREPLACE SAFETY......Lowe's Inside Out Home Improvement Tips | Produced by Inman News
Friday, December 9, 2011
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