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Rooms Full Of Sweet Dreams

By
Home Stager

When you put your home on the market you are selling not only the home but what the buyer perceives as the lifestyle that goes with it.

This means your home needs to show the buyer how wonderful it is to live in various zones of your home.

Let's look at the bedrooms.

If you are selling a family home, show it as a family home.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You are a young couple selling your home. You have no children and you have a spare room with a bed. Is that enough? Let's face it there is no message here for the buyer. To help a buyer see the home as a family home, set up a vignette. Bring in a bedside table, lamp, stuffed animal and artwork. Create a child's room to help the buyer imagine their child sleeping here.

Create a guest room that welcomes a visitor to the home.

Add pillows and throws.

Perhaps you could set out a small basket of guest accessories.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Young children cannot really grasp the changes taking place so we tend to leave them alone as much as possible.

One thing you can do is tell them you are packing an item up to take to their new room.

If you know the item is very rarely looked at you may find it easier to pack the item while the child is napping or out of the house.

While we do want the room tidy and de-cluttered as much as possible it is good to leave the 'warm fuzzies' there. Set the mood so that the buyer will feel it is a great space for their child.

Master Bedrooms are an important area when you are selling.

You are selling the buyer a retreat from the world.

Buyers like a hotel/magazine look.

The bed is the focal point of the room so show off your linens, add throw pillows, candles.

Keep the surfaces of chests clear with simple accessories.

Open the window treatments and let in the natural light.

                   Show the buyer your home offers the lifestyle they want.

                                                Offer them sweet dreams.

 

 

Posted by

Retired Home Stager

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Comments(9)

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Kathy Streib
Cypress, TX
Retired Home Stager/Redesign

Janice- So right, sellers would be wise to show the potential use of a room as well as help the buyers envision themselves in it.  A Master bedroom needs to be inviting, and show the buyer what a sanctuary it could be.

Jul 17, 2010 03:47 AM
Janice Ankrett
Burlington, ON
Staging Professional

Kathy, I'm glad you agree ;).

Jul 17, 2010 03:48 AM
Doris Freeman
Zach Taylor Real Estate - Gallatin, TN
Broker/Agent, 615-961-7799

Great post and pictures and your information is right on, however what do we do when the home doesn't  relay the message we are trying to relay.  Some homes  just can't relay sweet dreams.  Thanks

Jul 17, 2010 03:52 AM
Brian Madigan
RE/MAX West Realty Inc., Brokerage (Toronto) - Toronto, ON
LL.B., Broker

Janice,

This post demonstrates that it doesn't take too much to make a dramatic change.

Brian

Jul 17, 2010 04:14 AM
Janice Ankrett
Burlington, ON
Staging Professional

Doris, I've worked on houses in all price ranges. The presentation can always be improved. If there is no budget for improvements then the seller needs to invest some sweat equity into cleaning, de-cluttering, making the bed, keeping the room tidy etc. If there is a minimal budget and the house is tired we may recommend they use the funds for paint, flooring, rug shampooing etc rather than on accessories. Sellers need to see their home as the product that it is and that it must compete. I think it would help if Realtors took their clients out to see the houses in competition with them.

Roger, many buyers only know what they see not the way it is going to be.  In other words they have trouble see past what it there.

Thanks Brian. Simple vignettes can make all the difference.

Jul 17, 2010 05:01 AM
Kathleen Emhof
Buffalo, Amherst, Orchard Park and Western New York - Buffalo, NY
Home Staging and Redesign, Experts in Transition

Love it:  "Offer them sweet dreams!"

Buying a home is so emotional!  You nailed it!

Jul 17, 2010 08:05 AM
Janice Ankrett
Burlington, ON
Staging Professional

Thanks Kathleen!

Jul 17, 2010 11:23 AM
Sharon Tara
Sharon Tara Transformations - Portsmouth, NH
Retired New Hampshire Home Stager

I love your title.  Bedrooms are so important when presenting the house to buyers.  Children's rooms can really tug at the heart and emotions if prepared correctly!

Jul 18, 2010 11:19 AM
Janice Ankrett
Burlington, ON
Staging Professional

Yes they can Sharon. The buyer should feel those warm fussies and bond.

Jul 18, 2010 12:30 PM