Staging Your House... Does it Really Work??
With the state of economy these days, we need as much help as we can get. Our house is up for sale at the moment and I'm using as many little tricks as I can get my hands on. Hey, I might even turn this into a career!
Update... our house has sold. It took a while but I learned a lot!
In a Nutshell... (updated daily)
*house has to look like you don't really live in it!
Okay, sometimes staging can backfire on you. I was in Chicago last week and I nearly bought a townhouse that was way too small for us and backed onto a cemetery. It was so beautifully staged that I fell in love with it and actually placed an offer. Now that reality has set in, I know that it won't work for us.
So, think carefully when you go house hunting!
ps... the cemetery really didn't bother me at all but it would have to be something to consider when we try to sell the house in the future.
Photo Credit: Amazon unless stated.
Update... our house has sold. It took a while but I learned a lot!
In a Nutshell... (updated daily)
*house has to look like you don't really live in it!
Okay, sometimes staging can backfire on you. I was in Chicago last week and I nearly bought a townhouse that was way too small for us and backed onto a cemetery. It was so beautifully staged that I fell in love with it and actually placed an offer. Now that reality has set in, I know that it won't work for us.
So, think carefully when you go house hunting!
ps... the cemetery really didn't bother me at all but it would have to be something to consider when we try to sell the house in the future.
Photo Credit: Amazon unless stated.
It Might Sound Like Nitpicking But...
If you aren't having any luck selling your house, you have to start looking even harder at what might be the problem... and this could be it... how neat are the shoes in your closet. You might be able to get away with a messy closet when no one is going to be looking, but when potential buyers are looking, the closet floor has to be neat as a pin! My closet floor is neat... but not this neat!Photo Credit: Amazon
Stacking Shoe Rack - 20 Pairs
My Next House
Buy at AllPosters.com
It has been a hard go... with the economy being what it is... but we did it. We sold our house and it was all thanks to little staging tricks I picked up here and there. And, if you can believe this, our street featured for houses for sale... and all were the same model and we set a record for the highest price on the street.
So, it's nearly time to start thinking about our next house... I think that I'm looking for peace and tranquility this time. lol...
Offering Incentives
I was just watching CNN this morning and they were talking about the lengths that sellers are going to sell there house. One woman was even throwing in a free BRAND NEW car.Other incentives included a free holiday and this one really made me wonder what I'm up against. The builder was offering a 2 for 1 deal. Buy one house and you get another one tossed in for free.
I didn't realize that things were THIS BAD.
Unusual Knick Knacks
I know.. most of the time you are supposed to pack them away, but if you have really unusual ones that will simply make the room, be sure to arrange them in 1, 3 or 5. It seems to be a rule that I'm hearing over and over!
Decorating Your Coffee Table
Having too much on it can look messy, but having nothing on it can look simply dull. So, what do you think of this for creating a bit of interest. Place a seasonal table runner in place. Sit a small arrangement of flowers or a plant in the center and then place an open picture book in strategically placed. Choose a page featuring a pretty photo or flip it over if it has an interesting cover.Of course it all depends on the size of your coffee table. Feel free to play around with the placement until it's just right.
:)
More Help from an Expert
Well, the market has fallen through and while there is very little we can do about it, it doesn't hurt to keep on top of what the experts say. I did pick up a few points. Now, we just have to get the people coming through the house. Nothing is happening at all! I have this really bad habit of picking the wrong times to sell houses!!
Staging Your Home to Sell for Top Dollar
Home Staging Tips for Top Dollar Sale of your Home by Susan Botticelli, Realtor, Broker and Home Staging Expert. Susan specializes in residential sales in the Rancho San Diego area of El Cajon, California. Visit www.RanchoSanDiegoLifestyle.com or call (619)441-8473.
Runtime: 9:42
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curated content from YouTube
Just One Word
DUST... one of those nasty words, but it's glaringly obvious when you have left it for a few weeks.
Like our lives aren't busy enough, but it's just something we have to stay on top of.
:(
Lose the Towels...
at least the ones that are well used. We probably don't even notice, but you can almost guarantee that buyers will. They have this annoying habit of spotting these things! You want towels that look just like this. Fresh Towels;)
Leaving the Lights On
There was an error connecting to the Amazon web service. Please try again.Sorry, there are no results available from Amazon.
A Nice Welcoming Feel
I know that I love to see fresh plants sitting on window sills. There is just something old fashioned about geraniums. And there are so many different colors to choose from.
Buy at AllPosters.com
Buy at AllPosters.com
Paying Attention to your Car
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It's All About Color
I don't know when we finally will get the chance to pick the colors that WE like, but if you plan on selling your home, all the experts say that the wise thing to do is go NEUTRAL. The reason for this is the fact that if you choose a color that the potential buyer doesn't like, there is a good chance that he will walk away.I painted our kitchen and family room the most gorgeous shade of garnet and apparently, I shouldn't have done that. :(
Photo Credit: Amazon
Give Them Something To Remember
It's often the little things that you notice and remember when you go into someone's house. It's very seldom a piece of artwork on their wall, but something like this little nightlight would definitely stick in my mind.Firefly Jar Night Light
Decorating a Foyer
If you are looking for a rustic feel, you could feature a wrought iron hook, a lantern, a faux window with wrought iron bars (I love Home Sense for stuff like this) an old fashion bench, a sconce with tapers play around with some or all of the above until you get the perfect look.Photo Credit: Amazon.com
The Apple Pie Trick
Did you notice the suggestion that Chickendumplinchic left in the guestbook? She suggested baking an apple pie every time someone came for a viewing. She did warn about the calories, but hey, she just might be onto something. Make the house smell yummy and it just might sell the house. Hey, I can always give the pies to our neighbors if we find ourselves with too many!!Photo Credit: Amazon
Decorating a White Fireplace
White fireplaces seem to be quite popular and the Home Section of the newspaper gave me a few ideas for decorating it as well. Featured directly over it was a wide screen tv (which looked black in the photo) and then two black candle holders with glass shades. Beside each of the candleholders were two pieces of tall, thin sculptures, for height. Have no idea what they were supposed to be, so I'm going to have to leave it at that. But they did seem to balance the top of the fireplace. Key point... everything was in black as were the frames on the artwork on either side of the fireplace.Photo Credit: Amazon
I Can Smell Salmon
That's what we had for dinner tonight and I can still smell it... four hours later. Odors are not something you want lingering when prospective buyers are walking through your home.
We are going to have to re-think dinners from now on... or eat out. Hmmm, I like that idea.
Your Favorite Home Decorating Book
I get lots of ideas this way. Some I would never have thought of on my own!
Clear Your Clutter With Feng Shui by Karen Kingston
Clear Your Clutter and Transform Your Life!Clutter more...0 points
Junk Beautiful: Room by Room Makeovers with Junkmarket Style by Sue Whitney, Ki Nassauer
One person's trash is another's treasure. That's a more...0 points
Candice Olson on Design by Candice Olson
Candice's fresh, honest approach to design shows r more...0 points
Elle Decor So Chic: Glamorous Lives, Stylish Spaces (Elle Decor) by Margaret Russell, Editors of Elle Decor
From the sophisticated Milan duplex of runway diva more...0 points
Houses: Inside and Out by Mariette Himes Gomez
The award-winning designer and author of Rooms sh more...0 points
Mary Emmerling's Beach Cottages: At Home by the Sea by Mary Emmerling
beach house.The words alone have the hypnotic asso more...0 points
The Color Scheme Bible: Inspirational Palettes for Designing Home Interiors by Anna Starmer
A practical guide to using color successfully. T more...0 points
Decorating Idea Book (Idea Books) by Heather Paper
Decorating is about being creative-being bold, tak more...0 points
This Is Going To Hurt
When you attempt to sell your house, you have to put aside the fact that it's YOUR house. You are now simply selling a commodity. That means that all the cute little pictures of your babies have to be packed away. I know that you think that your baby is the cutest EVER (I know that I think that way), but people who are looking at your house could really care less. It's all about THEM at this point.You are going to have to wrap up those photos and gently pack them away. When you get to your new house, you can unpack them again and gaze lovingly at your little sweethearts as much as you want to.
Thanks to the Birds
As much as I love the birds, I'm not too pleased with them today. We back right onto a wooded area, meaning that there are lots and lots of trees and meadows to do their "business" but where do they decide to go on our windows. We have this humungous window on the first floor overlooking the garden and they managed to hit the window in three different places.We have a viewing this afternoon and I don't have a clue how to clean it off. It's too high to reach and I don't have anything tall enough to reach the area.
I think that I'm just going to have to suck it up and hope that they don't notice and tomorrow, hit the stores and look for a power washer. I don't know much about them, but here's hoping that they are powerful enough to take care of the problem!!
Photo Credit: Amazon
Using a Closet
I have an old television that simply refuses to die. I think that we bought it in the early 80s and it works amazingly well. Just one problem. It looks that old. Just not old enough to look retro, but pretty sad, so I slid it into a closet in my office. I can sit on the sofa in the room, open the door and watch TV whenever I want. But when someone is coming through the house, I can close the door and no one sees it, unless they go looking through the closets.Photo Credit: Amazon
Things to Feature on Your Bedside Table
(depending on the owner of the room of course)*a pretty lamp
*a pretty clock
*picture frame
*old fashioned telephone
*antique book
*a small flowering plant
Photo Credit: http://www.amazon.com
Giving Your House a Facelift
Here's a stager telling a potential home buyer what he could do with the house. If you are a seller, what she says just might hurt. The changes that she's suggesting could cost you a bundle.
A Happy Kitchen
The secret to a happy kitchen is to keep it clean and tidy. That is even more so when you are trying to sell your house, but you already knew that didn't you. But there is a trick to it. Your kitchen has to look lived in but not used. Figure that one out.
Thumbs Up or a Thumbs Down
When you are selling your house, you are told to make your rooms look like they were just featured in a magazine. That means the master bedroom has to look something like this. Do you agree or is this a little beyond what should be expected?? Selling Your Home in Any Market
Sell Your Home in Any Market: 50 Surprisingly Simple Strategies for Getting Top Dollar Fast
Amazon Price: $7.69 (as of 11/11/2009)
Any little trick that helps is worth looking at and here we have 50 of them to choose from!
Things to Feature on Your Fireplace Mantle
I thought that I would make an ongoing list of items that you could feature on your mantle. If you think of something not on the list, please contact me and I will add it. :)* A display of vases that you have collected over the years.
* Candles in varying holders creates interest.
Photo Credit: http://www.sxc.hu
Those Cute Little Fridge Magnets
I have been collecting fridge magnets for years, but when you are trying to sell your house, they simply aren't welcome. Tiny pieces of art?? What's the problem?? Okay, the little pieces of paper they are holding on your fridge might be classified as clutter!
Bringing Your Lawn to Life
That is exactly what my husband is attempting to do this morning. We finally got rid of all the snow and now we are going to try to coax the brown grass to turn green. To prevent patchiness or over fertilization, he has the spreader out at the moment and is distributing lawn fertilizer. We have a huge lot and the dead brown grass is really helping to sell the house.*And you might want to know that we did a test last year. We spread three price ranges of lawn food to see if the expensive fertilizer was any better than the cheaper alternative. It was... big time!
Winter's Windows
Cleaned the winter's dust and dirt from the windows by the front door. They are so tall, I could only reach so high. Now you can see just how dirty they were!
DH has a job to do when he gets home!
All About Bookshelves
Personally, I love my bookshelves to be stuffed to the gills with books but apparently that is not the way they should look if you are trying to sell your house. I was told to remove about half of them and then create little groupings... and not just any groupings either...
Group books according to size... about 6 or 7 depending on size so that lots of the bookshelf is left empty.
Some books should be stacked instead of standing them upright. Apparently it makes your bookshelf more interesting.
Now every once in a while tuck in a little stature or piece of sculpture!
Now be prepared to realize that the book you need is one of the books that you packed!
Group books according to size... about 6 or 7 depending on size so that lots of the bookshelf is left empty.
Some books should be stacked instead of standing them upright. Apparently it makes your bookshelf more interesting.
Now every once in a while tuck in a little stature or piece of sculpture!
Now be prepared to realize that the book you need is one of the books that you packed!
About Your Collections
This might hurt a bit, but I'm going to tell you to box up any collections that you have. To someone else, they might simply look like clutter. Sad but true.
Curb Appeal Even When It's Freezing Outside
Time to tidy up the front porch. Technically it is supposed to be spring, so I'm going to get rid of as much of the snow as possible and go more for this look! I think everyone is tired of the winter we have had.1. Sweep steps even though it's freezing outside.
2. Dust down wooden door.
3. Hang a spring wreath.
And then keep fingers crossed
Creating More Storage Space
We bought a bureau for the upstairs landing. IKEA has some interesting pieces if you stay long enough to really search. The bureau is supposed to be a sideboard for a dining room, but it will look awesome in the hallway. It's heavy wood with these old fashioned handles. Plenty of storage space too for extra linens and towels, so I'm winning big time here. It still has to be built, but soccer is on so it will have to wait until after lunch.
We also put up a lot of the wall bits and pieces. So far the family room is completed, and one picture and one candle stick holder is above where the bureau will stand.
Kind of hoping that we don't get any showings until EVERYTHING is done. Will update later today :)
We also put up a lot of the wall bits and pieces. So far the family room is completed, and one picture and one candle stick holder is above where the bureau will stand.
Kind of hoping that we don't get any showings until EVERYTHING is done. Will update later today :)
Great Stuff on Amazon
Just to make the house look better ! That's my reason and I'm sticking to it. ;)
Dress Your House for Success: 5 Fast, Easy Steps to Selling Your House, Apartment, or Condo for the Highest Po ssible Price!
Amazon Price: $10.40 (as of 11/11/2009)
How To Stage Your Own Home - Home Staging Do it Yourself
Amazon Price: $99.95 (as of 11/11/2009)
![Selling Your House. . . Before The Sign Goes Up! [VHS]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/518G0AWK1AL._SL75_.jpg)
Selling Your House. . . Before The Sign Goes Up! [VHS]
Amazon Price: (as of 11/11/2009)
Saint Joseph Statue - Brings Luck Selling Your Home
Amazon Price: $5.87 (as of 11/11/2009)
You Are Going to Need... White Towels
... and lots of them. Our stager removed EVERY ONE of our colored co-ordinated towels and replaced them with snowy white towels. As an accent color, she did throw in a bitter sweet chocolate brown towel and it worked!
Pike Street 100% Egyptian Cotton 725-Gram 6-Piece Towel Set, White
Amazon Price: $24.99 (as of 11/11/2009)
because its what our stager told us to do lol...
You Have To Be Seen!
Sell This House
Well, they are eager at least. This morning while we were having breakfast, we heard some banging going on. We had no idea that it was the Real Estate People installing the sign. And it is HUGE. There is no way people on our street is going to miss it. It's huge, it's green and it has our agent's face on it.
Did I mention the fact that it is HUGE and the fact that they had to climb through about a foot of snow to get to the spot they picked!!
Did I mention the fact that it is HUGE and the fact that they had to climb through about a foot of snow to get to the spot they picked!!
Day 2
Maybe It's Not All That Bad
Today we went shopping for bits and pieces to sort of finish off some of the rooms. Today we hit pay dirt. I just love Home Sense if you hit it on a good day. Today we did. I found 2 pictures for the walls, some wrought iron hanging things for the family room, an antique bucket for my bathroom and the cutest towel hanger than looks like something you would find in an old fashioned French hotel... or at least what I think you would find. All in all it was a VERY good day and I managed to find some incredible buys. Here's hoping that this is how it will always be. ;) Day One
Did you know that when you put your house on the market, it means that the house has to look as if it isn't being lived in. The Real Estate agent who signed us up last night said that the house has to look like it's straight out of a magazine. Yikes. How does one live in a house and not live in it at the same time?? Today, a photographer is coming to take photos for real estate brochures and MLS/websites etc. He's coming between 12:30 and 1:00. We stop for lunch at one. Just how are we going to work this? Fun times ahead!
Okay, photographer has been here and gone. At least that's out of the way. But I did forget to tell you one thing that the Real Estate agent didn't like. He didn't like the color of our paint for the kitchen and family room. I had picked Garnet... a gorgeously rich color that I positively love. Obviously, I'm going to be the only one. Most people, he said, like bland colors... his words. Well, it took 7 coats of paint to put it up there. I think that it stays...
Latest Update: Lock box now attached to front railing.
Okay, photographer has been here and gone. At least that's out of the way. But I did forget to tell you one thing that the Real Estate agent didn't like. He didn't like the color of our paint for the kitchen and family room. I had picked Garnet... a gorgeously rich color that I positively love. Obviously, I'm going to be the only one. Most people, he said, like bland colors... his words. Well, it took 7 coats of paint to put it up there. I think that it stays...
Latest Update: Lock box now attached to front railing.
Donald Trump Says...
It's tangible, it's solid, it's beautiful. It's artistic, from my standpoint, and I just love real estate.
Donald Trump - Real Estate -
And look where it got him!! Going to rethink this!
Great Stuff on eBay
Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand by
Any bits of advice??
WindyWinters wrote...
Congrats on your sale & Best Wishes in Chicago! Great Tips as we'd like to sell in a couple of years. :)
Posted August 25, 2009
The_Real_Estate_Informer wrote...
Great lens, thanks! Much appreciated. : )
Posted December 18, 2008
cannedguds wrote...
I'm not only interested in staging my house but I'm also interested in making money through home staging! Is it true to what they say that you don't need a home staging accreditation to be able to be a professional home stager? Anyway, thanks for sharing this 5-star lens of yours! I really appreciate it!
Posted November 04, 2008
jfield wrote...
I do hope you've sold by now. It's October, and my fingers are crossed for you. We put our house on the market on Memorial Day this year and sold it in 27 days. In Florida! We seem to have some similar ideas on staging. If you're still stuck, please visit my lens at www.squidoo.com/icansellthishouse.
Best of luck to you!
Posted October 14, 2008
by Winter52
Hello world. This is my bio. Of all the things that I would rather be doing, letting people wander through my house, open every closet and who knows w... (more)
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