Let me first say, we are not moving. At least not this month.  But we are re carpeting our 2nd floor and replacing our white wooden stair balusters for our enjoyment as well as the future return on investment.

Why did we really want to do this?

Heck, we want to enjoy the upgrades now while we live in it! As a professional home stager, I have seen far too many sellers upgrade to sell and wish they'd done it years ago for their own use once they see how great it looks.

But sellers, I feel your pain!

When it's highly recommended to replace your carpet by a professional home stager or your Realtor (or just know you need to do it) and say "I'll just give the buyers a carpet allowance", I understand why.

It is quite a job to replace carpet while living in a home. I know, I've done it.

But it's also quite a job for a buyer to move in to a home and have to replace the carpet once they're  in. Consider your inconvenience as doubly theirs and why many buyers choose to move on to another newly carpeted property when they hear "allowance"in yours.

The work involved in moving and storing items while in the process of re-carpeting (or laying any flooring for that matter) can seem overwhelming(especially from upstairs). Although the carpet installers will move the large furniture it's up to you to relocate and move everything from the tops of dressers, closets and whatever else may get in their way, break or become too much for them to have to deal with.

And then... after all that... you have to put it back! (Unless you really are selling and then you can pack it away in the garage or move it off site to storage. You'll be way ahead of the game!)

But there is a silver lining. You finally get to the closet cholesterol that has been accumulating for years and may decide once and for all to get rid of it.

We're still, after 2 months getting rid of stuff, in fact, we declared this 4th of July - Independence Day from our junk! (well alot of it anyway)

A little background....For the past several years my husband and I have talked about replacing our upstairs carpeting.  We'd already replaced all of our downstairs carpet with wood and tile when we first moved in 6 + years ago but not the upstairs carpeting. With 2 kids and a dog and countless trips up and down the stairs by friends, relations and various animals (from birds to dogs we've housed for friends on vacation... don't even ask what some of these "house trained" pets have done to my house...) the carpet was to say the least "well worn". We decided this summer to replace our carpet and enjoy it while we can. 

But.... that's not all. 

While checking out craigslist for a client who needed some furniture at a discount I came across a company that replaced wooden stair balusters with wrought iron balusters. Coincidentally, I had a client who had asked me about the cost of replacing his and I truly had no idea at the time nor did I know the return on investment to do this.  Well, I researched further the company and the cost.  Turns out this is a popular item with new homes. I've seen them myself and worked in newer homes which have this upgrade.

Well we decided to install them in our home as well, why not? We loved the look, the price was great, and we were replacing our carpet anyway and I knew it would be a good investment for the future.  I have to say, the company we worked with Grandstairways was awesome and totally professional. If you're in North Texas and considering this upgrade, contact Alex Kaiser. He's a man of his word and their prices are about 1/3 of what others are charging.

After a couple of months of milling over carpet selections (had to think long term, wear, color, "green" factor and padding choices too) we made our choice.

Now if you don't already know about carpet, go out and shop for some if you're in the market for it and you'll learn lots from the reps at each carpet store. 

Some basic things to consider when choosing a carpet:

• If you have a pet with claws don't opt for "loop" carpet entirely. Their claws will catch the loops and they will pull and fray.
• For homes with pets, a "cut" pile will work as will a combo of "loop and cut pile". Simply cut the loops that get frayed and they'll match the cut pile nicely.
• Consider the long term if you're not selling. Since you are still living in and using the carpeting, don't go for the lowest grade cheap stuff unless you plan on replacing it when you sell. You want it to last for a while in case you sell in the next several years.
• Think about the carpet color you choose. High usage areas will get worn and dirty. Don't go for white or very light in those areas unless you are meticulously clean, wear booties at all times and have no pets or kids traipsing through your home on a regular basis.
• Again with color, if you plan to stay in your home for a while and want to really get personality injected into your carpet choice - go ahead. But when thinking about long term use and resale, opt for colors that will be universally buyer friendly. We chose a color in the "cashew" family.
• We opted for the upgraded padding with a moisture barrier. Not only does it make the carpet feel plusher, spills don't soak into the pad and "reappear" over time. The barrier acts as a protective shield to ward away those magically reappearing stains.
• Green is clean and consumer friendly, something I believe most people are looking for now and in the future.  The carpet we chose was from Mohawk. It's called SmartStrand and it's partially made from recycled materials. Check the link for more information.
• I was also reminded today in fact that most carpeting is petroleum based and very soon the price of it will also increase.  Keep that in mind if you've been on the fence about replacing yours and consider alternatives if you've got your eye on other flooring surfaces (wood, bamboo, stone, tile)

Now that I'm at the end of the most recent upgrades the work was definitely worth it.

Sellers, many Professional Home Stagers are homeowners too. We understand what's involved in owning a home and we understand what it takes to help you prepare your home to sell too. We feel your pain but in the end the real goal is financial gain!

Proudly serving Collin County and North Dallas Realtors, Sellers & Investors, Home Star Staging is here for you North Texas!