As I'm sure we all know, today's real estate market is a lot different from the market 4 years ago. Buyers have become extremely discerning about buying a home, and with all the foreclosures on the market, it is very difficult for a regular homeowner who has put his house on the market to get any interest. If a seller has lived in their home for years and it is filled with all their "stuff" or if they have moved out and the house is empty( a sign of desperation to a buyer!), they are probably having a hard time selling the property..But there is a way...research shows that homes which are staged sell faster than homes which are not...but you need to know the little tricks of staging so that your home looks its best and shows to its fullest potential. There are essentially 5 steps to staging...1. Declutter. Pack away all the knickknacks, collectibles, and anything gathering dust in your home. Any furnishings that are worn or out of date, store them or give them away. 2. Clean. And I don't mean just getting out the Lysol and wiping things down! You need to hire a professional cleaning crew to come in and clean places you didn't even realize needed cleaning! Your house needs to sparkle! 3. Repair. You know, all the things you've been meaning to get to..the leaky faucet, squeaky door... I also recommend getting a home inspection before you put your house on the market and having everything repaired that needs repairing. You want your house to be in move in condition. 4. Neutralize. This is where you take a good look at your home and anything that makes it look like YOU, or stands out as your personal taste, REMOVE! And that goes for bright colors on the walls, and artwork that is, shall we say, lacking universal appeal! Remove all personal items on bathroom and kitchen counters Choose warm colors for your walls...tans, taupes,soft greens, and warm beiges. You want the buyer to be able to see their furnishings in the home. And lastly, number 5. Enhance. This is where you bring in fresh flowers, nice white fluffy towels for the bathrooms, candles, plants. But always remember less is more. You want the buyer to walk into a spacious, neutral, warm environment. Also, don't forget curb appeal! You've got to get them to want to enter your home, and if there are dead plants or no plants or if your driveway has oil stains on it, the buyer may just have the realtor turn around and drive away! So plant flowers in nice-sized planters..Yellow is a welcoming color, so go with that color for your plants. Put out a nice welcome mat...maybe a lovely wreath on the door One more thing..70% of buyers search for homes on the internet, so for goodness sake, make sure your home is professionally staged before you have pictures taken! Its a hard market, but people ARE buying! You have to make your house the best-looking house in its price range! Good luck! Sharon Hendrix Hendrix Interior Design and Staging
Comments(2)