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TRICKS TO MAKE YOUR HOME STAND OUT AT SELLING TIME March 17, 2001 REAL ESTATE WEEKLY Staging your home for sale is easy. For starters, since you're going to be packing to move anyway, get a headstart by making your rooms look larger and box up excess items and furniture. This allows the buyer to mentally move their furniture into your home. By removing some of the clutter, the focus shifts from the ``stuff'' in the room to the room itself. If you need room to store extra possessions use the garage or rent a storage unit. Cam Templeton of Prudential Decker Realty also recommends making a checklist of things to pack away or change in the house. ``A clean slate is better than a cluttered slate,'' said Becky Winter, who assists homeowners in staging their houses through her business the Cottage Gardner. ``The idea is to place items strategically so it draws a buyer's interest.'' Here are some of the main areas of the home most buyers typically are concerned about, according to Winter, Templeton and Brenda Rawls of Rose & Womble Realty: First impressions: Never truer is the statement ``you never have a second chance to make a first impression'' than when trying to sell a home. From the moment a potential buyer drives up, they should see a manicured lawn with no debris in sight; a clean carport or garage as well as a clean car; and clear gutters and downspouts in good repair. ``Beware of the first impression,'' Templeton said. ``Positive first impressions often create immediate sales.'' Kitchen: A great looking kitchen can be a selling point in a house. The kitchen of a home for sale should only have the bare necessities. Think ``what can I live without'' and pack those items up. This will also save you time later in the moving process. The kitchen should have good aromas or no smell at all. Sinks and floors should be clean and dirty dishes out of sight. The cabinets should be wiped down and the appliances free of food and crumbs. Bathrooms: If there is a leaky faucet or toilet, get it fixed. If the tub or sink has a chip in it, get it repaired. Replace worn out or dirty grout. Make the fixtures sparkle and clean the mirrors and vanities. Put out fresh towels and coordinate them in one or two colors. Have a clean shower curtain or doors, with no mildew. Remove any unnecessary items from countertops, tubs, shower stalls and toilet tops. Keep only your most needed cosmetics, brushes, perfumes etc..., in one small group on the counter. ``Bathrooms are so important,'' Templeton said. ``So many times a dirty faucet or dingy toilet can break a deal.'' Closets: They look larger when there are fewer items stored in them. Neat, well-organized closets show there is ample space available for the new homeowner and their things. This is a great area to get ahead on packing. Garage and basement: Keep everything neat and uncluttered. Put everything away that is not part of the decor. Oil squeaking door hinges, tighten loose cabinet knobs and fix faulty wall switches. Organize or pack away tools not in use and discard boxes and scrap materials. Small rooms, problem spaces Dealing with small spaces seems to be one of the most common decorating dilemmas, according to Winter. It is not true that small items in a small room will make it appear bigger. In, fact three of four deliberately over scale items in a room will fool the eye into thinking the room is larger than it really is. An oversized coffee table, two large upholstered chairs and a love seat will make a room feel spacious, yet cozy. Keep backgrounds even and consistent. Whatever window treatments or wall color is on one wall, keep it the same on all walls. Uniformity is a must in small rooms. ``You wouldn't go to the prom with tennis shoes on,'' Rawls said. ``It is the same with making your house match. It all needs to work together.'' Also, be deliberate with your selection and use of accessories. A few interesting accents are always much better than a lot of knick-knacks that say ``clutter'' rather than ``charm.'' Since the eye goes to color, choose consistent accent colors and disperse them around the room evenly. When considering a small room makeover, be clear on the room's exact purpose. Is the space a quiet reading spot or a busy home office area? Work out your furniture arrangement and color scheme according to its function. You can actually change the visual size of your room by changing colors, lighting and furniture arrangement. Small rooms are not the only problem in staging a house. A problem room is any room or space that is difficult to arrange with furniture or accessories. It may have too few windows, not enough wall space, or just looks outdated. Renovation is an option if you are willing to spend the money, but it is more practical and affordable to make problems disappear through good interior decorating. Any room can get a facelift with a fresh color scheme, different furniture arrangements, new paint and a few well-placed accessories. If a flaw can't be disguised, draw attention to something else in the room. A large picture or mirror with accent lighting and a nearby table draped in fabric is a great eye-catcher. On the outside The outside of the home is one of the most important areas because it is what the buyer sees first. A clutter-free yard and well-maintained house are essential in luring the buyer inside. ``It is a great idea to stage the front of the house where the eye is drawn toward the entrance,'' Winter said. ` `The look will lure people inside.'' The front entrance of the house should be clean, including the front door mat. Also, make sure the doorbell works, Rawls said. Shine any brass fixtures and make the patio look inviting and relaxing. Here are some more tips on staging the outside of a home: Go around the perimeter of the house and move all garbage cans, discarded wood scraps, extra building materials, etc. Throw away anything not needed or not in use. Check, repair and clean gutters. Look at all plants. Prune bushes and trees. Keep plants from blocking windows. You can't sell a house no one can see, Templeton said. Weed and then mulch all planting areas and remove dead plants and shrubs. Keep the lawn regularly cut, edged and fertilized. Clear patios or decks of all small items that clutter, such as small planters, flower pots, charcoal, barbecues, toys. etc. A few large items work best in these types of spaces. Sweep all walkways, including the ones in the backyard. Wash the outside of all windows. Check paint and wood conditions of the house - especially the front door and trim. Repair all wood rot and paint what is needed. Park extra cars away from the house so the buyer can have a clear picture of the home when pulling into the driveway. The last leg in staging the outside of a home is the neighbors. Fortunately, or unfortunately, they are part of the picture, too. If there is something untidy about the property next door ask the owner about taking care of it or offer to help. A purchaser is buying into the neighborhood as well as buying a house, Templeton said. On the inside Clear all unnecessary objects throughout the house. Keep decorative objects on the furniture restricted to groups of one, three or five items. Clear all unnecessary objects from the kitchen countertops. If it hasn't been used for three months, pack it away. Clear refrigerator fronts of messages, pictures, etc. A sparse kitchen helps the buyer mentally move his or her own things into your kitchen. ``You don't want a potential buyer to feel like they are among someone else's things,'' Winter said. ``You want them to feel like they could live there.'' Rearrange or remove some of the furniture if necessary. Thin out a room as much as possible to make the room appear larger. Take down or rearrange certain pictures or objects on the walls. Patch and paint if necessary. Get the carpets cleaned or replaced. Showing your house If possible, have all family members out of the house while a potential buyer is looking through it. Leave on certain lights during the day. During showings turn on all lights and lamps and open all drapes and curtains. Have light music on during the day for a viewing. Pets and their odors turn off many prospective buyers. If possible arrange for the pets to be out of the house during a showing. A simple solution is to put the animals in a laundry room or garage while the home is being shown. For more information on home staging visit these Web sites: www.decoratetosell.com, www.homestagers.com and www.stagedhome.com (Some information in this story was provided by the sites.) |
