Real Estate Blog - Liquid Equity - What changes a little bit of paint can create!

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Liquid Equity - What changes a little bit of paint can create!

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. When you are listing your photos in MLS, maybe that should be a thousand dollars!

The before photos are from a home that was 'completely renovated' and listed by an investor. The home was just completed and the investor was looking for an 'edge' in this market. The first thing we noted was that the cabinets still felt dated. The rest of the home looked fresh and new, but this area was still a sizable problem. Paint was the cure....

The cost for this makeover? Less than $1500 (and included the master & powder room cabinets as well). The change will more than make up for the cost.

While most of those of you who know me realize that I work primarily in vacant homes (as this one was) I think it is important to note that these are the kinds of changes that we should be making when staging homes. Just adding furniture is not enough. Our job is to create equity and value for our clients..... give the most bang for their buck!

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First Impressions Home Staging & Interior ReDesign is a nationally award winning company owned and operated in Summerville, SC a suburb of Charleston, SC. We provide high quality staging for both occupied and vacant homes in the greater surrounding areas and beyond! For more information please visit, www.WeStageSC.com. If you are interested in learning about making Home Staging your profession, please visit, www.StagingAndRedesign.com for more information.

Posted by Melissa Marro www.StagingAndRedesign.com www.RedesigningCharleston.com on 02/22/2008 10:48 PM

Comments (27)

Originally posted at: Staging And Redesign - My View of the Industry: Liquid Equity - What changes a little bit of paint can create!

This post has been included in South Carolina Information Charleston County, SC Information

27 Comments on Liquid Equity - What changes a little bit of paint can create!

FEB

2008

This is a great before and after - sometimes it is just those little things that can make a big difference. Congrats on this house

Melissa, great post! Thanks for the reminder, and you're so right it is often the little things that make a deal.

Paint is so powerful... what an amazing transformation!

You did a good job Melissa. A few changes makes a world of difference. That home will bring in more money.

Melissa- You really eliminated a huge eyesore! The afters are a huge improvement!

Melissa,

I love, love, love this! The key is proper prep and a really good paint job. This looks very professional.

Wow, the paint really lightened up the kitchen! Looks a lot more contemporary, nice visual improvement.

Vincent - Thank you! It was great working with an investor who actually listened! What a difference it made....

Tony & Darcy - This is why it is important to bring in someone who knows which little things will add the most bang for the buck!

Lisa - What a true statement. Paint IS POWER!

Maria - Now if we can get a quick sale... open house tomorrow!

Elaine - it was such a shame when they did such a good job updating the rest of the home. I was so glad they agreed!

Susan - Thank you! I'm sure my assistant (who did the painting work) will be happy to hear that!

Deborah - It is amazing when you are actually in the kitchen how much larger it feels! (Cleaner too!) I hope it gets a lot more activity for the seller.

FEB

2008

Melissa, I love your blogs and how easily your pictures make the point for staging. It is remarkable! You are the most successful blogger in SC, and I am nr. 2, right after you.

I've enjoyed your blogs for a long time; I have no idea why I did not subscribe to your blog until now.

Keep up the great work! You are a pillar of your industry!

What a difference that paint made. First I was in grandma's house, then this wonderful contemporary space. Since kitchens are high profile rooms, this should make a tremendous difference in a quicker sale of the property.

What a difference....

Oh my gosh...those are the strangest looking cabinet doors I've ever seen (and I've seen some doozies)! Thank goodness he painted them. What a huge difference it made.

I was noticing the odd doors too! Real dust collectors I'm sure! What a great improvement!! I find myself trying to share improvements not just staging all the time! Great Post and the best painted kitchen B&A's I've seen!

Melissa...this is a fabulous post! I just had a painter on the radio show with me yesterday and this was one of the things we discussed...how easily and affordably you can wake up tired interiors with paint. She shared a really great tip about primers. For cabinets that are a pine finish...she suggested that you use a shilac based primer. She said that the shilac will seal the wood so that you don't end up with any leakage from the sap that will eventually show through any applied paint. I hadn't even given this a consideration. The timing was perfect however since I am getting ready to paint over my own kitchen table. I will be using her tip for sure!

Thanks for another great post! Loved the photos!

Cheers!

BIG DIFFERENCE , they look so much better !

Mirela - Thank you for the wonderful compliment! I hope you continue to enjoy my blogs!

Janis - I agree completely. It is clearly an older neighborhood, but a great one. The little bit of money in paint will definately set this home apart from the competition - and it is much less than a full kitchen remodel!

Audrey - Thank you!

Judy - It feels mroe like 'detail work' painted - before it was a little wagon wheel.....

Becky & Nicole - The grease on the doors was actually far worse than the dust! My assistant spent one full day doing nothing but scrubbing them clean! Thank you for the wonderful compliments also!

Gina - YES! We find that BIN has a great shellac based primer that we usually use. It makes the work so much easier and ends up having a better finished look. Good point!

Fernando - Thank you!

Hi Melissa-

This looks much brighter, newer, and even the illusion of more cabinet space! Cabinets really require professional painters to get the proper hard finish that will wear well and look good. These look so much better, and kitchens are so important.

Kathy

Melissa, I love the term "liquid equity" and will be using it from now on! Another great post!

Very nice, Melissa. Great call and an instant and affordable update!

Kathy - I am fortunate that my assistant is great at being a perfectionist with this type of work! That's why I let her do it!

Sharon - I think I actually got that from Lisa Laporta..... but it works, doesn't it?

Julianna - I'm hoping the home will sell quickly! This is an investor property and we might be picking up another great constant business opportunity. He definately agreed with what we were saying & feels we provided a good value.

That's quite a dramatic change! I like the phrase 'liquid equity' and will keep that in mind when I run into listing opportunities like this in the future.

FEB

2008

If I were to see this house on the mls, it would have been a next...looks so much better now!

I am glad to hear the discussion about priming and proper preparation. Too often, people just slap on some paint/any paint, and end up doing more harm than good.

It is wonderful how a little well applied paint can change everything.

This is an amazing transformation. Do you actually do the painting yourself as part of the staging or do you have the homeowner hire someone directly?

John - GREAT! I think it is important that when so much is right on the home to leave that 'one big thing' is just like leaving a stack of money on the table.....

Cindy - Thank you! I just love the power of paint!

Laurie - Creating a quality job is very important to my company. We spend very little money on marketing so we rely on word of mouth & referrals. That only happens when you provide a quality job on a reasonable budget.

Diana - My assistant did the painting. There are jobs that we hire outside painters to do - one this week actually, but most jobs my assistant can do for me. She does a great job & I would usually rather pay her extra than an outside source....

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