Home Staging for the Holidays
Why Should You Stage Your House For Sale?
When is the Best Time to Invest in Home Staging? Before The Sign Goes Up.
What A Home Staging Consultation Will Address?
Decorating Versus Home Staging
Home Staging Checklist - For Better Photos
The Entrance – Say Welcome Not Good Bye
“Mirror Mirror…on the Wall”
De-clutter...What Does It Really Mean?
Clean It Up
Depersonalize Means Many Things…
Keep it Neutral
“Mirror Mirror…on the Wall”
Home Staging for the Holidays
As a general rule of thumb in the Real Estate market, there are fewer houses
on the market as well as fewer buyers out looking during the month of December.
But don’t let this discourage you; this means less completion from other houses
on the market and the buyers that are out there looking at this time of the year
are likely to be the very serious buyers that are ready, willing and able to buy.
In every market, including the holidays, it is important that the house appeals
to the tastes of the widest range of potential buyers, that the houses selling
features are highlighted and enhanced. If your house is listed for sale during
the holidays, be careful to refrain from covering or hiding the houses architectural
features with holiday decorations.
A spot light on the entrance. A simple cheerful wreath on the front door in
holiday colors that coordinates with and compliments the house will welcome
potential buyers. If using exterior lights, kept them simple in one complimentary
color will flatter the house, look more elegant and be less distracting.
You can’t go wrong with greenery, wreaths, garland, and branches of evergreen
or pine cones with decorative ribbon inside or out during the holidays.
Use simple, elegant decorations that maintain the color scheme in the house,
avoid clashing or too many different colors or too many different themes. You
do not to overwhelm buyers. Use holiday decorations in place of the existing
accessories and not in addition to existing accessories during the holidays,
to avoid a cluttered look. Be selective in the decorations used; use the
decorations that compliment the style of the décor. A poinsettia enhances
any room. In today’s multicultural society it is best to keep all religious Icons
packed and out of site to use in your new home next season. Some people
might be offended by “CHRISTmas” decorations. A good rule of thumb, if in
doubt don’t put it out.
Sellers should always keep security in mind. Never leave in view valuable
jewelry, money etc. It is a good idea to avoid displaying gifts under the tree
for security reasons.
The goal is for the house to be warm, inviting and festive, the decorations
tasteful and minimal to appeal to all potential buyers. You want the potential
buyers to picture their family celebrating the next holiday season in this,
their new house.
Why Should You Stage Your House For Sale?
A study by the National Association of Realtors in 2009 showed that 92% of today’s home buyers use the internet as a major tool in their home search. They view online photos and virtual tours of properties of interest in desired locations and price range that meet their criteria to come up with a short list to actually view, thus saving buyers the time and frustration of viewing properties that are not suitable. If the buyer is not enticed, by the pictures and the description, the chances are the house will not get viewed and if the buyer doesn’t view your property, they’re not going to buy it.
You can’t change the location or size, but you can enhance its presentation to make the house more appealing to attract viewings over the competition. Your agent’s job is to market your property. The more attractive and appealing your property is, the more effective the marketing will be. A Staged house will show better in the photographs, virtual tour, property feature sheets, during the real estate agent tour, open houses, viewings and advertising. You know the expression; “You only have one chance to make a first impression.”
Your house is probably your biggest investment, and you want to maximize your return on investment and protect your equity. Should your house remain on the market for an extended period of time, the cost of home staging would have been much less than a price reduction, additional mortgage payments, taxes, insurance and utility bills, not to mention the inconvenience and stress of not being able to move on with your life.
The Home Stager will respect your individual situation, timeframe and budget and leave you with a prioritized list and assessment of recommendations and suggestions to get your house ready to be put for sale
It is estimated that 92% of today’s buyers use the internet as a major tool in their The Entrance – Say Welcome Not Good Bye 1. Seasonally appropriate wreath on the front door if you have an old or plain door. 2. Front door should be painted and in good repair and working order. Updated coordinating door hardware, polished and free of rust. House numbers which are in good condition, match and are easy to read and visible from the road. 3. Update and clean light fixtures, install the highest bulb wattage allowable so the entry is visible from the street. It's a good idea to leave the lights on in the evening for appointments as well as for prospective buyers driving in your neighbourhood. Timers on lighting both inside and outside are a good idea. 4. Updated coordinating mail box, free of rust, dirt, scratches and paint chips. Door bell should be clean, paint free, in good repair and operational. 5. Planter of seasonally appropriate flowers or greenery. One or two planters are sufficient, don’t over do it. Avoid obstructing the walkway and stairway with plants or accessories. Keep safety in mind. Live plants are more attractive than the plastic flowers from the dollar store. 6. Shrubs and bushes should be trimmed back keeping the walkway, stairway, porch and doorway clear. Shrubs and bushes should also be trimmed around windows, to show off the house and to let in as much natural light into the house as possible. 7. Think of your landscaping as decorating. Do the colours co-ordinate, are things in balance, harmony, proportion, is there a focal point? Declutter and depersonalize the outside as well. A few well placed outside accessories are visually more appealing to buyers that a collection of Snow White’s Dwarfs. 8. During the Christmas season, a tasteful display of Christmas lights make you house festive and inviting. During the summer months, Christmas lights could leave a reflection on your maintenance habits. 9. Updated with a stylish neutral door mat appropriate for the entry. If the mat is decorative, the decoration or wording should face the person entering. 10. Area should be clean and tidy, free of mail, newspapers, toys, shoes, recycling boxes and garbage containers. Should reflect “Pride of Ownership” Clean It Up The first step in Home Staging is de-cluttering, think of it as packing up seasonal and all the items which you do not need and are not using, including clothing, shoes, books etc. Pack it up, label it and ask a family member or friend if you can store your items in their garage or basement until your move, then you can move these items directly to your new location. Keep it Neutral “Mirror Mirror…on the Wall” Keller Williams Real Estate Associates, Brokerage Direct: 905-272-4764 Office: 905-812-8123
When is the Best Time to Invest in Home Staging?
Before The Sign Goes Up.
Your house should be staged before the sign goes on the lawn, so you have the competitive advantage over your competition, statistics show that Staged houses sell for more money and in less time.
Before the photos are taken, Home Staging will show your house at its best creating a great first impression and highlight the features and benefits of the house, enticing Buyers viewing the house on the internet to come out and view the property.
Before the feature sheets are prepared, staging captures and highlights your houses best selling features. When potential buyers visit your property, they will leave with the feature sheet to help refresh their memory why they should consider your house as the one for them.
Your house should be staged before the real estate agents tour, houses that show well will leave a good impression with the Agents who will remember it when they are determining which houses to show their Buyer clients.
Before open houses and viewings, to appeal to the widest range of potential buyers so they will see your Pride of Ownership and your house will stand out above the other houses viewed.
Before money is spent on advertising or marketing.
Before the appraisal is done, so it will appraise for top dollar.
Ongoing general maintenance, repair and updating on an ongoing basis during the course of ownership goes a long way in the up keep of a property and is easier and less expensive than when a house and property has been neglected and it has deteriorated.
What A Home Staging Consultation Will Address?
The anticipated results of Home Staging is to maximize your return on investment, protect your equality and shorted the length of time your house is on the market before it is sold.
In the end, it is you that will decide which recommendations are implemented.
Home Staging should not be confused with decorating. Home Staging is not decorating. Decorating is done for the benefit and enjoyment of you and your family. It is a reflection of your tastes and preferences. Home Staging is done for the benefit of potential buyers.A Home Stager will look at your house through the eyes of the most critical buyer and give you their honest, unbiased professional opinion of all the improvements and changes you can make so that your house shows at its best. Critique and make recommendations, room by room, including the exterior, as well as curb appeal.
Areas the Home Stager will address include but are not limited to:
Highlighting and enhancing the houses selling features and minimize any negative aspects.
Address de-cluttering, depersonalizing, colour schemes and repairs required.
Enhance the functionality and visual flow of the rooms and house.
Address the furniture layout, the scale and proportion, the balance and harmony, the lighting, as well as the traffic flow and room focal points.
Address color, accessories, pictures and their placement and appropriateness.
The goal of Home Staging is to have your house appeal to the more mainstream tastes of the widest range of potential buyers, and to make sure that they are left with a memorable all important first impression.
Decorating Versus Home Staging
Decorating is what makes your house a home. It is all the personal
souvenirs, treasures, keepsakes, family photos and mementos, all
the things that are special and irreplaceable to you and your family.
Decorating is your favorite colors, style of furniture, pictures and the
accessories that you have personally chosen to bring it all together.
Home Staging is the opposite, staging or home enhancement involves
removing all those special personal items and packing them away
to have to personalize your new house, so it will become your home.
Home Staging includes not only depersonalizing, but neutralizing your
house. Potential buyers coming through your house should not upon
leaving feel like they know you and your family. Buyers should not
leave knowing your cultural or ethnical heritage, your religion or your
educational of sports accomplishments.
Decorating makes it personal.
Home Staging removes the personal.
Home Staging Checklist - For Better Photos
home search. Buyers view online photos and virtual tours of properties in their
desired location and price range to come up with a short list to actually view.
You want your photos to entice the buyers to come and view your property.
You want to give them a great first impression. If they don’t view your property,
they’re not going to buy it. You can’t change its location or size, but you can
enhance its presentation.
Photos are not forgiving, so you want the room to look its absolute best.
Check
from the surface of counters in kitchens and bathrooms, tables, chairs, dressers, desks etc. that is not positioned for the purpose of accessorizing.
lamps, tables, accessories, pictures, candle sticks etc
12. All signs of pets and their paraphernalia are removed.
10 Home Staging Tips for your entrance to say “Welcome” to prospective buyers. You've heard the expression, "You only have one chance to make a good first impression" that goes for the prospective buyers coming to view your home. While the Realtor is getting the key out of the lock box and opening the door, the buyers have plenty of time to have a good look around.
If you have a decorative door, leave it plain, you want to bring attention to it.
De-clutter...What Does It Really Mean?
The first step in Home Staging is de-cluttering. De-clutter before you clean and it will make the cleaning and keeping the house clean easier. The synonyms for clutter include: mess, litter, disorder, confusion, untidiness and encumbered. I think the confusion as to what is and is not clutter lies in the eye of the beholder. A hockey card collector sees his hundreds of cards in various displays all over as treasures.
Another person might look at them as clutter.
It is the house that is up for sale and not the hockey card collection. What will sell the house is space and features. De-cluttering the unnecessary furniture, collections, knick knacks, excessive photos, excessive anything and it will create more space, make the rooms, their size and volume of space feel bigger and brighter.
When the house is de-cluttered and the furniture and accessories are strategically placed to make the room functional, make it look spacious and accent the selling features and benefits you will have a better chance of selling the potential buyer. When there is too much furniture, too many accessories, too much “stuff” the potential
buyer gets distracted and might not even notice some of the features and benefits.
Home Staging and de-cluttering includes the closets, cupboards and drawers that are attached to the house. They should be organized and look roomy. You don’t want the potential buyer to find every closet and cupboard packed to the brim; it will give them the impression the house does not have enough storage space. Leave only the items necessary, pack the rest up in boxes and label them for your move.
Ask a relative or friend if you can store the boxes and extra furniture in their garage or basement until your move. The easiest way to describe the desired look when you open your cupboards and closets is the look you see in a store. Items of similar size and shape together, stacked and organized neatly.
Clear off the kitchen counters, the bathroom counters and the tables and desks, leaving only a few tasteful appropriate accessories for decoration.
Refrain from buying in bulk while your house is on the market. Buy on an as needed basis. Remember space is what you are selling.
A little bit of Home Staging goes a long way in leaving favorable impressions on the potential buyers.
Once your house is de-cluttered, the second step in Home Staging is cleaning, the
house needs to be spic and span from top to bottom. Starting at the top, get rid of all the web sites, clean light fixtures, chandeliers and fans replace all bulbs with the maximum allowable wattage. Wipe off any marks on the walls, there are many great products available today that are very efficient and can make a dramatic difference without repainting. Clean all the windows inside and out. Clean all the mirrors. Wipe down the baseboards, moldings, banisters, stairs, doors and trim, the picture frames and all ledges including window sills. Wash the curtains and hose down the blinds. Wash the floors and shampoo the carpets including the area rugs.
Pay special attention to the bathrooms and kitchen. The bathroom toilet seat should be down and the garbage emptied daily. The counter and shower should be clear of all your personal sundries. An easy answer for this problem is to get a box with a lid for each family member to keep their personal sundries and when not in use, keep the boxes in the cupboard out of view.
The kitchen is a very important consideration for every home buyer; therefore they spend extra time looking at the kitchen during viewings. The appliances should be clean; today they usually stay with the house so the buyers will be looking at them, inside and outside. Remove all the artwork, messages etc. from the fridge door, it should be clean and clear. Counter tops, tables and other surfaces should not only be clean, but clear of anything that is not being used to accessorize. This will also make the area appear more spacious.
Open the windows and air the house daily. Candles and air fresheners only cover the smell, they don’t eliminate the source. Avoid smoking in the house, not only is the smell offensive to non-smokers, but the smoke gets into the various fabrics and becomes very difficult to eliminate. Avoid cooking foods that leave strong or lingering odors; you never know when a potential buyer will come to view your house. Be cautious of pet litter baskets, diaper pails, laundry baskets and any other container that has a tendency for odors.
You can't change the size or the location of your house, but you can make it sparkle.
Cleaning is one of the cheapest and easiest ways to improve the appearance of your
house and give it an advantage over the competion. Cleanliness will show pride of
ownership and that you take care of your home. Cleanliness will also help eliminate
odors and reduce allergens, a clean surface will reflect the light better making it
appear lighter and brighter.
Cleaning plays a very important role in the Home Staging of a house for sale, and in
showing your house to its best potential.
Depersonalize Means Many Things…
Let’s Look at Depersonalizing the Bathroom.
One of the general Home Staging rules is depersonalize.
Looking up depersonalize in the dictionary, the definition
that seemed most appropriate when it comes to Home Staging
was, “to make impersonal”. This can mean different things to
different people.
When a potential buyer comes into a house for sale, you want
them to be comfortable viewing the house and you want them
to be able to picture their family living in the house.
What does it mean…to feel comfortable viewing the house.
Put yourself in the shoes of the potential buyer.
We all know what a bathroom is used for. We all take showers,
use the toilet and brush our teeth. Do you think a buyer would
feel more comfortable coming into a bathroom with a clean shower
and sink, free of product, smelling fresh with a clean clear counter?
Or a bathroom with a ring around the tub, toilet seat up, dirty bath
towel handing on a hook on the wall, full garbage can, sink with
toothpaste and hair in it and on the counter a squeezed tube
of toothpaste, a dirty glass, a brush full of hair and a dirty shaver?
I think we all know the answer. So what is the easy solution?
We all have assorted product we use and it’s not easy to keep
a bathroom looking presentable. Solution. Go to the dollar store
and buy a covered box for each member of your family to keep
their stuff in. When they are getting ready, they bring their box out
from under the counter, do what they have to do, when finished,
put everything back in the box and put the box back under the counter.
The counter is tidy and if the buyer looks in the cupboard,
the boxes will look presentable. You might even find that when
Home Staging is no longer required, this is a great solution to
keeping the bathroom reasonably tidy and continue with the boxes.
Let’s Look at Depersonalizing the Bedroom.
The bedroom is probably the most personal room in the house,
especially the master bedroom. Home Staging the bedroom
when you house is for sale means keeping all personal items
out of site.
We all sleep in our bed every night…but in the morning, make
it as soon as you get out of bed. Tuck your pajamas under the
pillow. Open the curtains so it is light and bright.
Remove personal pictures, family memorabilia, the book and the
magazines your reading and tuck them away into the night table
or under the bed. The only things on the end tables should be
a lamp and clock. Less is better.
Don’t leave your prescriptions, your jewelry, or your heating pad
in site. Undergarments should be out of site in a drawer. Use
a laundry basket with a lid.
Think about a furniture show room. How do they accessorize?
They try to make their showrooms welcoming and at the same
time impersonal. Good Home Staging practices for the bedroom.
Decorating is what you do to make your house a home for your family and yourself.
Home Staging is what you do to make your home a house when it is listed for sale.
Keep it Neutral…should the whole house be beige? No, not necessarily. What you
want to do is appeal to the largest number of the potential buyers in the target market for a particular type of house.
With all the numerous home decorating, renovating, real estate shows on the TV
today, the abundance in decorating magazines and advertisements, the general public is aware of what is in style and what is not. This is not to say that your house has to have all the latest popular trends.
I remember a time when it was very vogue and eventually almost became the norm
to have gold or harvest green coloured appliances. This was a time when it was
customary to take your appliances with you when you moved. Today stainless steel
is all the rage. It has over the years become almost customary to leave the appliances with the house when you move. What would be considered neutral in one decade might be considered almost offensive in another decade. Appliances can be easily changed and replaced.
We moved into a brand new house and got to choose all the colours. Although coloured bathroom fixtures were the style, I chose bone, white and beige for my three bathrooms, giving the rooms colour and personality with paint, floor mats, towels, shower curtains and accessories. My next door neighbour chose sky blue, mint green and grey for their bathroom fixtures. About 10 years later, the neighbours house was up for sale for over a year. It just happened that my husband got transferred and we had to move. Our house was listed and sold in a month and my next door neighbours house was still up for sale when we moved. Changing bathtubs, sinks and toilets can turn into a major renovation, its not just a quick and easy update.
Yes…neutral is in the eye of the beholder, and neutral comes in different styles and
colours, but decorating and Home Staging can minimize or camouflage neutral but
but no amount of Home Staging could make my neighbours bathrooms appeal to the potential buyers in the target market for that type of house.
The lesson is…Keep it Neutral.
Both in Home Staging and decorating, mirrors are one of the most affordable, versatile, quickest and easiest ways to create an impact. They can brighten a room by reflecting light back in, add dimension and depth to a small space and create the illusion of expanding a space. Mirrors can give practicality to an empty wall, add interest in a boring room, bring color and texture to an otherwise hard, cold reflective surface as well as serve as a classy and stylish wall décor.
Common uses for mirrors in the home include personal grooming, decoration, and architecture. Mirrors are used in furniture, for example a table top, doors, as shelving and behind shelving, in bathrooms, bedroom wardrobes, common in bar areas and exercise rooms, as wall hangings, mirror mazes, kitchen backsplashes and table topper to name a few uses.
Decorative Glass Mirrors come in many different shapes, round, oval, rectangular, assorted sizes and styles, such as etched, beveled, concave and convex. They come sandblasted, tinted, textured, painted and can be frameless or framed in contemporary, traditional, wrought iron, accent, antique to name a few and their associated frames can really make them a piece of art.
On the other side of the coin, it is easy to make an unattractive impact with the use of mirrors. Some quick tips for decorating with mirrors are: make sure it’s in scale and proportion with the size of the room. Every mirror should be sparkling clean. Take into consideration the purpose of the mirror. It is important to consider what the mirror will reflect, what images with appear duplicated. Avoid mirrors in unattractive
or cluttered areas of the home.
As a Realtor ® (www.LydiaSellsHomes.com) and Home Stager (www.OwnersPride.ca) I have the unique ability to enhance the presentation of your house. Statistics show that Staged houses sell faster and at a higher selling price. This Home Staging consultation is provided as part of my complete listing service package, offered to my Real Estate clients.
Please feel free to contact me any time.
www.LydiaSellsHomes.com
Lydia@LydiaSellsHomes.com
Lydia is also a Realtor. For Real Estate articles visit her website at www.LydiaSellsHomes.com If you are thinking about buying or selling, it would be my pleasure to assist you with your Mississauga Real Estate needs, including: Clarkson, Cooksville, Erindale, Erin Mills, Lakeview, Lorne Park, Malton, Mississauga Valley, Meadowvale, Port Credit, Sheridan Homelands, Streetsville and Applewood as well as in The City of Brampton and the rest of Peel Region.
For Home Staging articles by Lydia, visit her blog at: lydiapollard.activerain.com
or www.ownerspride.wordpress.com
A Home Staging Consultation is complimentary & included as part of my client listing service.
Lydia Sells Homes & Owner Pride Home Staging
905-272-4764
Lydia@LydiaSellsHomes.com or Lydia@OwnersPride.ca