Inventory Levels Increased But Remain Low - Bellingham Is Still A Sellers' Market
Most of us don't have a huge budget for Home Staging
And remodeling your home in a way you think will be attractive to buyers may not be effective Home Staging technique. Here are some suggestions for small fixes that can have a big impact on the attractiveness of your home.
Spending Your Staging Dollars Wisely
Ask a Friend or Family Member
Ask a Friend or Family Member
Ask a Friend or Family Member
If you are willing to hear their criticism, you could ask a friend or family member what they think needs work in your home – they may point out something that you hadn’t noticed. We all become blind to our home’s quirks, especially if you’ve lived there a long time.
Storage Unit
Ask a Friend or Family Member
Ask a Friend or Family Member
AFTER you’ve applied a critical eye to your possessions and taken a load (or three) to Goodwill, most people still have too much stuff in their home. Check out Clean Out Your Stuff! for ideas - eliminating clutter is a great no-cost Home Staging technique.
Paint
Ask a Friend or Family Member
Light Switch & Outlet Cover Plates
Paint makes your house looks and smell cleaner – enough said! The best color is white. It doesn’t have to be bright white, just don’t paint with bright colors. White walls generally make your home look bigger, cleaner and brighter. BE SURE to remove outlet and light switch covers before you paint – nothing shows sloppiness like switch plate and outlet covers with smears of paint.
Light Switch & Outlet Cover Plates
Light Switch & Outlet Cover Plates
Light Switch & Outlet Cover Plates
Speaking of which, if you have cracked, dirty or painted-on outlet and/or light switch cover plates, spend less than $.50 each at a Home Improvement Store to replace them. Make sure the plates all match and that they match the switch or outlet (don’t have off-white plates with white outlets).
Window Treatments
Light Switch & Outlet Cover Plates
Window Treatments
If you installed drapes (particularly if they are of substantial/heavy material) or have broken blinds, time to remove them. Unless the window looks into a neighbor’s house or has an unattractive vista, a naked window is better than a broken or unattractive window treatment. You may also be able to get away with leaving the window treatment installed, if it looks fine when opened. Window treatments should be left open for showings, to let in natural light. If you feel you must cover the view from a window, buy an inexpensive shade or blind.
Throws & Pillows
Light Switch & Outlet Cover Plates
Window Treatments
Tie your furniture together with throws and/or pillows in matching colors and patterns. But remember that Home Staging does not mean adding a lot of clutter - a few pillows will do. This idea helps whether you have a hodge-podge of furniture, some of your furniture is looking shabby or the room feels drab.
Rearrange Furniture
Clean windows on the inside AND outside
Potted Plants & Mulched, Weeded Yard
Take a critical eye to each room and consider rearranging the furniture. Stand back and take a “Before” and “After” photo, so that you can consider whether the new arrangement is better than the last. Potential buyers want to imaging spending time with family and friends, so make sure furniture is grouped for conversations/gatherings. Pulling the furniture away from a wall can actually make the room look bigger.
If you have a lot of furniture, some should probably go into storage – a packed room looks and feels cramped. But if you have a large bedroom, put an armchair in a corner, so potential buyers can imagine curling up with a book in this room of respite.
Potted Plants & Mulched, Weeded Yard
Clean windows on the inside AND outside
Potted Plants & Mulched, Weeded Yard
Once a potential buyer HAS chosen to view your home, the first thing they will see when they walk up to your home is your yard and your entryway. Make your yard tidy by removing weeds and spreading fresh mulch. Have at least one pot in the entryway with fresh plants, to make the entryway look bright and cheerful. Don’t be stingy on size – a tiny pot in a large entryway looks sad.
Clean windows on the inside AND outside
Clean windows on the inside AND outside
Clean windows on the inside AND outside
If you are not a detailed person or can’t reach all of the windows, hire a professional.
The Most Cost Effective Home Staging
The Most Cost Effective Home Staging
Clean windows on the inside AND outside
The best way to stage a home? Hire a Professional Home Stager. They will evaluate your furnishings and make a Home Staging plan, which will likely incorporate your home furnishings, refined by their inventory of home staging decor.
Need some Inspiration?
Feeling uncertain about the effectiveness of your Home Staging? Check out a catalog from Pottery Barn, Crate and Barrel, West Elm, or CB2, for ideas on how to put a room together.
AFFILIATIONS & DESIGNATIONS
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