It looks like you're new here. I appreciate you stopping by! Feel free to throw down some graffiti on my wall by adding a comment to this post! And, if you like what you see, please subscribe to the feed and I'll deliver all my new content, right to you! Thanks for visiting!

How we choose to live in our homes is our business…right? WRONG! If you are selling your home, you may have to make some lifestyle adjustments. For instance, that pool table you have in your living room might make sense to you, but, to a buyer, it can just be confusing. If you have a room with a chandelier hanging down, you should probably have it furnished as a dining room, even if you have not been using it that way.

Quite often, we have rooms in our homes that have to do double duty, or even triple duty. The room that functions as an office, guest, and exercise room, is sending a message to buyers that there are not enough rooms in your home. It is best to choose one function, and move the other items out.

I went on a staging consultation one time, and the homeowners had a bookcase in front of the fireplace. I asked them why, and they said they never used the fireplace and it was the only place the bookcase would fit. You can imagine how confounded buyers would be. A large TV placed in front of a window because that is the only spot where glare is not a problem, is fine for you and your family. But, when your home is for sale, there should be nothing in front of the windows. When buyers open your coat closet, it is best for them to see coats, not boxes of cereal or rolls of paper towel. The fax machine you keep on your kitchen counter will only raise questions as to why it is there.

Take the time to put your home in order, an order that will make sense to buyers. A little inconvenience is a small price to pay for getting your home sold quickly.

I am asked quite often “What is the difference between decorating and staging?” I thought I would provide you with a quick explanation, and some definitions of other terms we use in staging.

Decorating is furnishing and accessorizing a space, with the taste and lifestyle of the homeowners in mind.

Staging is decorating, also, but in a manner which showcases the best features of the home, detracts from any negative features, and appeals to the greatest number of buyers.

Neutralizing is removing a particular style or theme. For example, if a home is decorated with a Southwest motif or a kitchen has a “cow” or “rooster” theme.

Depersonalizing is the removal of any items which speak loudly of who lives in the home. Family photos, memorabilia, travel souvenirs, trophies and awards, to name a few.

Scale is the term used to describe the relationship between the size of the room and the size of the furnishings. If the furniture is too big, or there is too much of it, it will make the room appear small and crowded. When the furniture is too small or there is not enough of it, the room can look bare and uninviting.

Balance refers to the placement of furniture in regard to other furniture or an architectural feature like a fireplace or built-in bookcases. Large pieces of furniture should be placed in a way in which the weight and height is even throughout the room.

Vignette is a word that stagers use to describe a smaller area furnished and/or accessorized which conveys a welcoming feeling on its own. A window seat accessorized with pillows, and a decorative tray containing a coffee cup and a book, would be considered a vignette.

Understanding these terms and recognizing the value of staging your home is vital in today’s market. If the task of getting your home ready is too overwhelming or you just don’t know where to begin, contact us for a referal to a professional stager in your area.

Decorating your home to fit your lifestyle, and decorating your home to sell are VERY different! You may have displays of treasured collections, items you have picked up on your travels, or family memorabilia. There are two reasons to pack it all away when you put your home on the market. The first is that your display may be so interesting, that buyers pay more attention to it than your home. I did a consultation at a home that had a border of plates depicting different animals displayed along the top of the living room and dining room walls. I could just imagine the buyer’s focus directed at this collection instead of the features of the home. The second reason is for the safety of your possessions. The only way to guarantee that your belongings don’t get broken or stolen, is to pack them away out of sight.

What is a good rule to follow? Less is more! Do you have photos or artwork hung on every wall? This is a good place to start editing. Blank wall space allows the eye to rest, and makes it easier to take in the surroundings. It will also make a space appear larger. Remove anything hung on a wall, when that wall is less than two feet wide. Place artwork on the larger walls only. For tables, shelves, or other surfaces, stick with the “Rule of 3.” Remove all but three items from each table. For example—a coffee table might have a plant, a decorative bowl, and a large book. This rule works for the kitchen counters, or a fireplace mantle, too.

Remember, buyers will open closets and cabinets, and if everything is filled or overflowing, it will appear that your home does not have enough storage. Remove one third of everything in each closet, kitchen and bathroom cabinet or drawer, and pack them up. Is your garage or basement bulging at the seams? Buyers pay attention to these two areas, also. This would be a good time to clean out what you don’t want to move with you. You’ll be surprised at how much room you will have, and buyers will be impressed with the amount of space.

Getting your home ready to sell takes time and hard work, but when your home sells, you will be glad to have some of the packing already done.

What exactly does a staging company do?

A staging company will analyze the home, determine what changes are needed to make it show the best it can, and implement the changes. The work can quite often be completed in one day. It is not always necessary to bring more items into the home. In most cases, the opposite is true and de-cluttering and editing is needed. The object is to highlight the best features of the home and detract from any negative ones.

Isn’t hiring a stager the responsibility of the REALTOR?

There is no steadfast rule, but REALTORS and sellers have the same goal; sell the home quickly and for the highest price. There are circumstances when a call should be made to a staging company before that call to a REALTOR. If a homeowner is willing to do some fix-up or remodeling before putting the home on the market, a staging company is a good source of information. Recommending paint and carpet colors that will appeal to the most buyers is just one of the ways they can help. They can also provide statistics showing which remodel projects produce the best return. Moving out early? They can suggest what furnishings, if any, should be left behind, making the home simpler to stage.

I’m good at decorating! Why can’t I stage my own home?

Decorating and staging are very different. Standard decorating takes into consideration the homeowner’s lifestyle, tastes, and possessions. Most people have an emotional attachment to their homes and it is reflected in their decorating. Staging a home means removing the personality of the homeowner in a way that allows buyers to more easily imagine themselves living in the home.

We are willing to do the work ourselves, but where do we start?

Most staging companies offer a detailed staging consultation for sellers who have the time to do the work themselves. This usually includes a walk-through analysis with the homeowner, starting with the curb appearance and covering the entire interior and exterior of the home. This should be followed up by a report, and the staging company should be available to answer questions or provide assistance if the homeowner needs it. A consultation takes between one hour and two, depending on the size of the home.

What other services do staging companies offer?

Other services vary from company to company. Interior redesign is becoming very popular as an inexpensive way to get a fresh new look for the home. Often finished in a day or less, one or more rooms are transformed using the homeowner’s own furnishings. Clients have described this process as “magic!” Other services include organization, move-in and down-sizing services, and color consultations.

What does it cost?

The cost depends on the amount of staging a seller wants done. Many only stage the rooms you see when you walk in the front door, making the most of the buyer’s first impression. After determining which rooms are to be staged, there are differences in the level of staging, ranging from a “light” staging to completely furnished. Also, some staging companies charge an hourly rate, some a flat half or full day fee, and still others charge a percentage of the price of the home. Most offer free estimates, which allow homeowners to know what the costs will be up front. One thing to keep in mind: the cost of staging is usually less than half the cost of the first price reduction!

Preparing your home to sell can certainly be a daunting task, and most sellers don’t know where to start. I suggest you start where your buyers will start, with a first impression. It’s difficult to be objective about your own home, but there are some tricks you can try.

Jump in your car, and drive to an entrance to your neighborhood. Try to imagine that you are buyers considering purchasing a home there. Drive through the neighborhood, and take note of the conditions of all the homes, not just the ones that are for sale. What are the features of the homes you find most attractive? What makes some of the homes less appealing?

After you have figured out the components of good curb appeal, drive by your own home, and continue down the street. Then, drive by it from the other direction. How does your home compare? Are there changes that could be made to improve that “first impression?” Perhaps there is too much overgrown landscaping, or the yard is too bare? Is the exterior color attractive, and does the home look well-maintained?

I had a staging client who was instructed to change the mint green exterior of their home. They weren’t sure what color to paint it, and it’s so difficult to choose from a small color swatch. I suggested they tour areas of similarly priced homes, and decide what colors they found to be the most popular and the most attractive. The result, when they painted their home, was dramatic!

To be as objective as possible, try to see your home and neighborhood through the eyes of the buyers. You don’t have to have the most attractive home in your neighborhood to get it sold. But, wouldn’t it be nice if buyers pulled up in front of your home, and were excited to see inside?

You may have seen this in your neighborhood. A “for sale” sign goes up in a yard, and after a long period of time, you notice it’s gone. Thinking that the home sold, you are then surprised to see a new sign go up, “for rent”. As “days on market” figures continue to climb and our economy remains sluggish, this is becoming a very common occurrence. So, why does a seller decide to give up on selling, and rent, instead? Of course, it’s all about money.

I could fill up this blog with horror stories of tenants who skip out without paying, never clean, leave damaged walls and carpets, and turn lovely homes into something inhabitable. Sellers need to think about this when they are making that decision to open their home to strangers. If you can’t get a decent renter, it will cost you more money in the long run. And let’s say you are one of the fortunate ones who find good renters. Isn’t your ultimate goal to sell the home?

As a professional stager, I am starting to see a trend. I have had several sellers contact me to hire my staging services, with a deadline in mind. They tell me that they want the home staged for two or three months and if it doesn’t sell, they plan on renting it out. Fortunately, after the homes have been staged, they sell before that deadline. These are sellers who are making the right decision and having their properties staged, but my main concern is for those who give up and stick the “for rent” sign in the yard without exploring other alternatives. Those sellers need to keep in mind that there will be costs down the road, like repainting and/or re-carpeting, at the least, after the tenants have moved out. Having the home staged now is a less expensive choice, and gets them to their goal that much faster.

So, if your home isn’t selling and you are thinking about renting it, please consider hiring a professional stager, who’s committed to enhancing your home for a quicker and higher sale. Or, you can rent it and find that the tenants have moved out, but left a pot-bellied pig (I told you I had horror stories!)

Are you confused by all the advice you read about how to prepare your home for the market? I have come up with a very simple concept that most everyone can follow. Prepare your home as if you were throwing a party. Think about the steps you take when you entertain, and consider the buyers coming through your home as your party guests. Not into entertaining? Then, think back to a party where you were the guest and your host or hostess made you feel special.

So, how do you want to present your home to your “guests?” It should be clean, of course. Fresh towels should be put out in the bathrooms, and personal items placed out of sight. The everyday clutter like the stack of mail on the entry table, the collection of remote controls on the sofa, the pile of shoes that grows bigger every day, needs to be cleared away. Have you ever arrived at a party and the hostess hung your coat in a closet, and you wonder how she had room for them? She anticipated you arriving with a coat and cleared out a space. That same kind of planning will make your buyers feel comfortable in your home.

What about music? You can’t possibly know what everyone likes, so try to play music that is soft and soothing, and will appeal to the greatest number of tastes. Soft lighting created by table and floor lamps, or indirect lighting are good choices for enhancing the look of your home, and is preferable to the more harsh overhead lighting. There are flameless candles on the market now, which are perfect for creating a welcoming ambience. The enticing smell of something baking always keeps your guests interested, and buyers are no different. Fresh cut flowers are a nice addition, adding a wonderful scent and a touch of elegance.

A successful party is one in which your guests enjoyed your home and hospitality so much they didn’t want to leave. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if buyers felt the same way?

There are many affordable ways of getting your home ready to sell.  Updating the lighting can produce that “wow” factor, for not a lot of money.  The larger home improvement stores have a wide variety of lighting choices, at surprisingly low prices.

I recently previewed a condo and suggested that the owner replace the dated brass, five-light fixture in the eating area.  When I went back on staging day, hanging over the table was a sleek modern fixture that the homeowner purchased for under $40.  The effect was dramatic, as the whole kitchen seemed to have been updated.  And don’t stop with the kitchen! 

A new light fixture can improve the appearance of an entry, or hallway, and don’t forget the bathrooms. Outdoor lighting is important, too, especially (more…)

There are many ways to make buyers feel welcome when they are viewing your home, but none so easy, and obvious, as a welcome mat! A good first impression is key, and a brand new mat says you care about your home, inside and out!

Not all homes have old and worn doormats, but most of them do!  That’s if they even have one at all! I went to preview a home about a year ago, and as I climbed the front steps, I noticed that not only was it doormat-free, but the outline of where it had been was still there. I knew the home was vacant, but the removal of the mat made the home seem very sad, and I hadn’t even walked in the door yet. It made me wonder if the owners had removed other things, like the light fixtures, or the mirrors in the bathrooms.

My first task in staging that home, was to add a new welcome mat. What a difference it made! An open house the next weekend produced two offers, after being on the market for six months without any interest!

I can’t think of another item that can be added to a home, costing under $20, that makes a “statement” like a welcome mat. I know there are fancier mats out there, but I recommend the very simple ones, always with the word “welcome”.

This is Part 6 in a series of things to do that will increase your chances of a quick home sale, for the highest possible price.

Home Staging

I have written on other occasions the importance of Home Staging.  A showhome sells for more money and in less time than the competition!  It’s a fact, and it is worth the cost in almost every instance.  If you want to give it a go on your own, here are some tips.  Go Here to see other articles regarding Home Staging.

• Study magazine ads or furniture showrooms to see how

(more…)