As a busy Atlanta Realtor, I rarely take the time to go on vacation, but I had the opportunity recently to join some friends in Paris. I loved it, and highly recommend you visit if you ever get the chance!
As I experienced Paris , I learned what they do so well there (and why everyone loves it!) and how some of these principles could also be applied in getting a home ready to sell and making it appeal to the most buyers:
1) Design is key: No matter where you are in Paris, you can't escape the fact that the French haver an impeccable eye for design. Nothing is haphazard or sloppy; everything is perfectly put together. .
2) Quality over quantity: Rooms in Paris contain only meaningful items that are perfect on their own, but also contribute to the overall beauty of the room, rather than being cluttered with "stuff" as we Americans tend to do.
3) Small details matter: Even when walking down a narrow back alley in Paris that was not particularly pretty, I spotted a little pot with a beautiful flower growing out of it that brightened up the whole alley! Parisians take pride in every square foot of their space!
4) Charm them with your curb appeal: Even though their homes and apartments are small, Parisians have garden stores 
on every block. They live (and eat) outdoors most of the year, and use beautiful flowers, shrubs and trees EVERYWHERE–whether it’s a row of small trees used as a room divider in a restaurant or beautiful flowers spilling out of the flower boxes on balconies.
5) Small can be beautiful: Since space is at a premium in Paris, it’s amazing how creative they are at making the most out of every inch, whether it’s a sidewalk cafe serving gourmet food in a space the size of a walk in closet; or an exquisite apartment with enough room to live, sleep and eat, but no wasted space–ultra-efficient and beautiful.
6) Live your life beautifully: When visiting a Paris flea market, I saw a couple of the sellers taking a lunch break. Were they eating their food out of styrofoam containers, balanced on their knees? No–they had covered a little table with linens and were using “real” napkins, silverware and china–creating their own little spot of beauty for their meal.
- You may not have the resources to re-design your home, but you can do minor updates and consult with a professional home stager to help maximize your home’s layout and design.
- When selling your home, “less is more”–let them see the house, not how many antiques you can fit into your living room or how many books you can cram into your bookshelves.
- Let your prospective buyers see something that “wows” them–a gorgeous light fixture that makes the whole house feel more expensive, or a spot of bright color in a piece of art or perfect accessory that livens up a neutral color scheme.
- I cannot emphasize this enough–the outside of your home needs to be staged as much as the inside! Green grass, shrubs and trees are great–but you need some COLOR in the form of flowers to make the house “pop”–especially in the pictures online. And it’s been proven that beautiful landscaping will help you sell your Atlanta home faster and for more money.
- Even if you don’t have the room you wish you did in your home, make every square foot shine (see #1-3 above)! Small kitchen or master bath? Give buyers a reasons to buy anyway by making them as perfect, efficient and updated as you can possibly afford–you’ll get that money back in higher offers and a quicker sale.
- When selling your home, take a little extra time to make all the beds perfectly, put away the personal items and run the vacuum before you leave; and perhaps put some fresh-cut flowers in a vase. These extra touches will be noticed when your home is shown!
So whether your home is large or small, old or new, think about using my lessons from Paris. And contact me for help in getting your Atlanta home sold quickly and for maximum value!
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