Condo’s are notoriously longer to sell than a home. Fact is, there are fewer potential buyers seeking to live with in a community life style. On average, staged condo’s sell in 6 months. Recently, a vacant condo that I staged had multiple showings and an accepted offer 5 weeks after the listing. The pictures on the MLS greatly helped attract the right buyer. Remember: The investment of STAGING is less than your first price reduction.
Selling a home during the Holiday’s can be challenging for the home owner as well as the potential buyer. All the tree trimmings and other holiday items that are tradition to display, only distract the potential buyer from being able to see the home. TIP; When showing a home during the Holiday’s, stream line the Holiday decor to include three areas; a tree with trimmings, a fireplace mantel and a dining room table center piece, for example. By keeping the holiday groupings to a minimum of three areas, it will allowthe potential buyer to visualize themselves living in the home. Remember, it is the home you are selling, not the home owners stuff.
The most popular places for red walls that I see are in kitchens, dining rooms, and living rooms; typically found in starter homes. The home seller is taking a gamble by not painting the walls a neutral color in hopes to find the home buyer that loves the color RED. Though the color red is a WOW color for a rooms decor’, it is NOT the wall color of choice when marketing a home for sale. Instead, suggest to the home seller to paint the walls a neutral color and accent with vibrant red accessories splashed in the room. This is the WOW factor that the MAJORITY of home buyers are looking for.
When preparing a home for sale, determine what each room’s best feature is and determine the best way to highlight that feature. If there are architectural features in a home, highlight the details by clearing items away from the features. Built in book cases are a good example; they are best highlighted by minimizing the amount of items diplayed, allowing the eye to see the details of the book cases, not the stuff in them. Large windows with beautiful views are best highlighted by removing as many items in front and around the windows as possible and sometimes even removing the window treatment.
Often, in living rooms the fire place is blocked by a large sofa, not allowing the home buyer to see the room’s best selling feature. Instead, move the sofa to the side and highlight the fireplace with a few attractive accessories. Place two chairs opposite the sofa. Buyers will be able to visualize themselves sitting next to the warm fire with this furniture arrangement.
Most often, it is the bed, itself, that is the best feature in a bedroom. When properly staged with beautiful linens and an abundance of pillows, it will showcase a luxurious place to retire to.
Kitchens and bathrooms have many architectural details that can be highlighted by simplifying the items on countertops and walls. In kitchens and baths, less is always best to showcase the many detailed features that are in these rooms.
One point to remember; WE ARE SELLING THE FEATRUES OF THE HOME, NOT THE HOME OWNERS STUFF.
JULIE STONE, ASP
Accredited Staging Professional
616-581-2759
E-mail: juliestone7612@sbcglobal.net
Website: www.stagedtosellbyjulie.com
When preparing a home for sale, evaluate in every room of the house what furniture the homeowner can temporarily live with out. large, oversized furnishings only make a room look and feel small. The idea is to make each room appear larger than what it is. For example;
-In a family room, consider removing all items except a sofa and two chairs, one end table with a lamp, and a cocktail table in front of the sofa. Simplify accessories and pictures on the walls to no more than five items. These few furniture and accessory pieces will provide an excellent showcase of the room and its size.
-Utilize plain fabrics or slip covers to hide large patterns on furnishings and bedding as patterns tend to close a space in.
-Painting the ceiling white with a neutral light hue on the walls creates an open, airy feeling, again, making the space appear larger. If possible, match the floor covering to the wall color. Drastic light and dark shades between floor and walls chops the room in half making it feel small.
-lighten up the room with open or no window coverings. Light not only brightens a room, it also visually creates space. So, turn on overhead lights and lamps. If there is a dark corner, up lights work great to showcase that area of the room.
REMEMBER: It is the floor space that you are selling, not the furniture.
Julie Stone, ASP
Accredited staging professional
Interior Designer
When preparing a home for sale, determine an area in each room that you want a home buyer’s eye to go towards when viewing the home. For example; a large window that displays a beautiful outdoor scene can further be highlighted by arranging a cozy seating area in front of the window allowing the potential home buyer’s eye to go to that area. If the outside view is not attractive, draw attention away from the distraction by defining a focal point of a cozy seating area opposite the window.
Defining a focal point in each room can greatly help attract or distract a potential buyers eye from the rooms assets or flaws. I recently staged a home where the outside view was spectacular. Showcasing the windows with furnishings allows the potential home buyer to visualize themselves living in the space.
Staging sets the scene throughout the house to create immediate buyer interest.
JULIE STONE ASP, WCR
Staged to Sell, by Julie
www.stagedtosellbyjulie.com juliestone7612@sbcglobal.net
A home I recently staged had been on the market for 13 months, 42 showings with no offers. After evaluating the home, two of the rooms had beautiful had painted murals on the walls. Very tastefully done, but very personal to the home owner. The home owner agreed to have the murals painted over, along with several other rooms that had bold vibrant colors. In total, six rooms were painted. New furnitre placement and a few updated accessories was all it took. After the 43 rd showing and just 16 days on the market after staging, an offer was made and the house SOLD. Staging helped a potential buyer to visualize themselves living in the space by de-personalizing.
JULIE STONE
Accreddited Staging Professional
Interior Designer
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