Posted on November 1, 2009Be Prepared for an Open House
Once you decide to sell your home, there is a lot more to worry about than signing a contract with your realtor. Your house must be ready for a stream of potential buyers. And a mere surface cleaning will probably not be enough to encourage people to...
Home Staging Articles
Posted on October 29, 2009Home Staging: Important as Ever in the Current Economy
If the home youre trying to sell has furniture that doesnt suit the space very well, your home stager can even rent furniture to set up in your home to better show your homes assets. This service can be relatively inexpensive or very expensive,...
Posted on October 24, 2009Selling Your Home This Fall: Take Time to Prep Your Yard
With the weather turning cooler and gardens showing their less vibrant side, it is a good idea to prep your yard for prospective buyers so that they look well maintained and easy to take care of.
Posted on October 4, 2009Staging Your Home for Successful Fall & Winter Sales
The whole purpose of staging your home is to make the atmosphere appear inviting to the prospective buyers; what buyers will find inviting in the winter months is quite different than what they'll find inviting in the warm summer months. In the...
Posted on September 5, 2009Home Staging Photos: Keeping it Neutral
The showcasing aspect of listing online seems to be a little trickier for some people. Take a gander at online home listings and you can see many examples of poorly taken photos that do nothing to highlight the positive aspects of the listing at all,...
Posted on August 20, 2009Staging a Home with Pets: Getting Rid of Fleas
Sprinkle borax on your carpets and then vacuum it up to help kill fleas. Mop up uncarpeted areas with hot soapy water. Put any textiles that you can into the washing machine on hot. Take care to take your vacuum cleaner bag outside right away when...
Posted on July 28, 2009Making your Fireplace Shine for Showings
Take a wire brush to the inside of the fireplace and lower chimney. As the newspapers accumulate piles of soot and ash, fold them up and place them in the garbage. Watch as you brush the brickwork; if any of the bricks look like they're deteriorating...
Posted on July 19, 2009Staging a House with Cigarette Smoke Residue
To get your smokey space clean and sweet smelling, first tackle the walls. Depending on how long the oils have been accumulating on the walls, it may be possible to wash it off. Try using a solution of hot water and ammonia or a TSP solution; you...
Posted on July 19, 2009$100-$0 Home Staging
Quite probably the cheapest thing you can do to cover up marks, dings, smells and childhood artistic attempts, painting is easy and cheap if you do it carefully. Cover up nail holes and dents with spackle and paint over. Take the time to tape things...
Posted on July 19, 2009Repainting to Sell Your Home
I've seen bathrooms done in a very subtle parchment finish on the walls that looked beautiful and very unobtrusive; even more importantly, the finish on the walls worked with the fixtures in the room which wouldn't likely be changed because it was in...
Posted on July 15, 2009Staging a Home with a Pool: No Swamp Monsters Allowed
Even if you aren't using your pool it shouldn't resemble a vat of pea soup. Keeping up with the maintenance of your swimming pool will make your entire home more appealing while a gunky pool will make prospective buyers question whether or not you do...
Posted on July 5, 2009Staging Your Desert Yard
Staging your yard to sell your home is usually somewhat of a production, even when you live in an area that gets moderate amounts of rain yearly. However, dressing up a yard in an area where it rarely ever rains and water is a hot commodity is...
Posted on July 4, 2009The Importance of Staging an Older Home
Another important aspect of home staging that is vitally important when you're trying to sell an older house is repainting and wallpaper removal. Many older homes have outdated wallpaper or paint colours; these outdated walls will just accentuate how...
Posted on July 1, 2009Staging Your Home with House Plants
The species of house plants to purchase or borrow for your home will also depend on how much light each room gets. Sun loving plants will not tolerate shady areas well and vice versa. For any rooms that you think lack of light may be an issue, look...
Posted on June 6, 2009Green-Staging Your Home
It's a buyer's market and selling homes for their maximum sale price is hard in these days of foreclosures and short sales. You've heard that home staging is the way to go, but you don't want to rip out perfectly good fixtures in order to make your...
Posted on February 9, 2009Curbed Appeal: Things Home Sellers Do That Don't Sell Homes
This is very important. In order to discourage buyers, make sure that you leave rooms untidy and dirty. Don't under any circumstances let a cleaning product come into contact with anything in the kitchen or bathroom; it will only make things appear...
Posted on February 3, 2009Home Stage Your Attic and Basement for a Better Impression
Whether it's a garage sale or a thrift store donation, get rid of them! For more unusual items, find out if your community has a Recycle Center that will take them. Many people are on the hunt for odd items and there is often a depot that will take...
Posted on January 13, 2009Staging a Home with Your Snow Shovel
Walkway: The walkway should be completely free of anything resembling ice and snow, and that includes icicles that are in danger of breaking and lancing down at some unsuspecting homebuyer. Make sure that any snow "walls" you may construct in the...
Posted on January 13, 2009Clutter - Now You See It...
We've all heard how important it is to stage a home that's up for sale. One of the first things any home staging expert will advise is to get rid of any excess clutter. Sometimes this task is easier said than done, especially in a large, well...
Posted on December 30, 2008Knowledge is Power: Keep Your Information Private When Home Selling
Clear all of this away and make sure that you know when the mailman usually arrives, so you can arrange showings for when he's not going to be dumping Dog Fancy into your mailbox right in front of a horribly allergic buyer. These things may seem...
Posted on December 30, 2008Tips on How to Sell your Home in a Down Market
Learn how to sell your home in a down market including pre-inspection, home appliance warranty and home staging services.
Posted on December 10, 2008Attention Realtors: Time to Spice up Your Open Houses!
Every weekend, buyers head to a slew of open houses, but rarely do they ever make an offer on the properties they see at these events. To enhance the success of the open houses you host, you need to make your properties more memorable in the minds of...
Posted on October 23, 2008Benefits of Selling and Buying a Pre-Inspected Home
This article discusses how home sellers can gain a competitive advantage by investing a pre-inspection and home warranty coverage.
Posted on April 1, 2006Deck the Halls: Staging during the holidays
If you are selling a house during the holiday season, you are in luck! This time of the year gives you the perfect opportunity to create some strong pockets of emotions in any home you are staging.
Posted on October 7, 2008Prepare your Arsenal
No one gets involved in the business of real estate thinking that they would like to lose money. Of course not. But if you don't have an effective marketing plan in place that is exactly what you may be doing.
Posted on September 29, 2008Staging Your Home for Autumn and Halloween
Your efforts to sell your home this fall season can be aided by some simple decorating that reflects autumn and/or the popular holiday of Halloween. Some effective touches can not only 'round out' your staging; they can also encourage potential...
Posted on April 1, 2006Curb Appeal - How to make it work for under $300
We have all heard the term curb appeal before, but what does it really mean? In a nut shell, when it comes to curb appeal - you want potential buyers to fall in love with your property right when they pull up to the curb, before they ever set foot...
Posted on April 1, 2006When the Appearance Can Make the Sale
In today's declining market, the importance of home appeal is becoming more and more apparent. So what can you do to make your home more appealing to buyers?
Posted on August 10, 2008Getting Your Home Upfront
However, if you have a unique or luxury feature in your home you can guess that it may this that is encouraging buyers to 'take a look'. If you don't have a unique feature, then have you thought about getting one?
Posted on July 26, 2008Home Staging for Quick Sale in Real Estate
Home staging refers to a technique that has been used by real estate professionals for years. Increase your chances of selling a home though use of these methods.
Posted on July 12, 2008Sizzling Summer Success: Outdoor Home Staging Tips for the Hottest Season!
Too hot for you to get out there and do some summer gardening? Well, if you're selling your home you'd best be prepared to get out there and liven up your landscaping. In summer's hot and competitive market, buyers are expecting yards to be parading...
Posted on July 12, 2008The Color of Living
Colors play such a dramatic role in our daily life, but the strange thing is that we rarely give them a second thought. Seldom do you stop and think that maybe you are feeling sad because your room is so dark.
Posted on July 7, 2008Don't Be Home When Your House Is Shown
Again and again, I hear stories from fellow real estate agents that affirm what I also see as true: it is not a good idea for the seller to be present when their home is being viewed by buyers. While it may be inconvenient for the seller to stay...
Posted on July 4, 2008Color Your Life
If I told you that colors can affect your mood would you believe me? Well it's true! Color plays a very significant role in your how mood and your well being.
Posted on June 28, 2008Buyer Beware: Don't be Instantly Charmed by Curb Appeal
Begin by investigating the general health of the plants on the property. Even if you're not an arborist, there are tell tales signs such as wilting, brown or dry crispy leaves that indicate a plant is suffering. Also look for fungus or mushrooms at...
Posted on May 28, 2008Staging and Showing Your Home for Summer Success
Adding a layer of bark mulch around flower beds is a great way to add a finished and fresh look to an outdoor space. It's also a nice sort of cheat in terms of keeping the weeds away, or at least hiding them!
Posted on April 27, 2008Making Your House Stand Out in a Tough Market
Make your house stand out in a buyer's market. Learn what's needed to sell your house fast.
Posted on April 4, 2008Can the Chaos
Where do you start? Well, it may be worth looking at why you have so much stuff to begin with - if you sort out the reasons behind your clutter you may find it easier to part with and be better able to maintain organization once you reach it.
Posted on March 9, 2008Decorating & Selling Your Condo
If you are planning to sell your condo and are dreading getting it ready for the market - relax! It couldn't be easier than it is now! More than ever before, the vogue in interior decorating is favoring simplicity.
Posted on March 1, 2008Using Feng Shui to Your Advantage
While a lot of people have heard about Feng Shui, truly understanding it can be a challenge. Feng Shui literally translates to Wind Water, and it is an ancient Chinese concept of balancing elements and energies in a home.
Posted on February 23, 2008Ready, Set, Sell: How to get the most out of you home.
When it's time to sell your home, a little effort can mean a big pay-off. While I'm sure you've heard the term home staging, preparing your home for a sale doesn't have to be complicated. Sure, you can hire professionals to completely update and...
Posted on February 4, 2008Bright Ideas: The Role of Lighting in Successful Home Staging
Lighting is one of the best ways to add intrigue and drama to a room. The right lighting is magic- it can help make a room appear larger, or taller. It can highlight, accent, define and contribute to the ambiance of a room. When it comes to selling...
Posted on January 29, 2008Avoiding Common Decorating Mistakes
When it comes to decorating, there are so many choices available. You'll find dozens of magazines, internet ideas and design centers just waiting to share their products with susceptible new decorators.
Posted on January 5, 2008Home Staging: Making Your Home Sellable
You've listed your home and the agent wants to start showing it to prospective buyers. Here's a few tips to help it look its best.
Posted on December 7, 2007Reasons To Home Stage
The first impression is the most important one when showing your home for sale. It is amazing how just a few simple things can transform a home, making it more visually appealing, and helping it sell.
Posted on June 29, 2007Real Estate: Playing On First Impressions
When you meet someone for the first time you get an impression of that person, it can dictate how you deal with them and has bearing on the relationship that you may or may not have. The same hold true for home sales. Within the first few minutes of...
Posted on June 23, 2007Staging Your Utah Home
Staging your home for a quick sale is becoming an industry all to itself. There are hundreds of home staging services and websites that offer staging services. Now, while these services can help your home sale out quite a bit, there is really not...
Posted on June 17, 2007Why Stage Your Home?
One of the big questions that any home seller will have to ask themselves is: "Why should I stage my home?" Simple. With all the competition in home markets around the country home staging has almost become necessary in selling a home.
Posted on June 17, 2007Real Estate Pointers: Showing Your Home
Over the years the act of showing a home has become an actual art. There are numerous professionals who do nothing but prepare homes for sale. Home stagers have definitely found a niche. One of the most important thing that you can remember about...
Posted on May 9, 2007First Impressions
In the business of real estate, first impressions are everything. From the selection of your realtor to the search for the perfect home, this is an industry where deals are made on first impressions, (and some contentious follow-up!) To give your...
