Nanuet, NY

People see their home as a direct reflection of themselves. But if your tastes are extreme, it can increase your listing time.

When it's time move or simply redecorate, beige is beautiful. By ensuring your home is as inviting (and neutral) as possible, you stand to substantially increase your home's appeal, not to mention the selling price.

If you're in the midst of staging your home or just remodeling, consider how the following will ensure it sells quickly at or above the asking price.

1. De-cluttering your clutter

Everything in your home has a home - your job is to find it. If the space is cluttered, buyers won't see your home's full potential. While showing your home, consider renting a storage area or borrowing some space in your neighbor's garage. Remember, selling your house involves showing the buyer the possibilities of the space.

2. Keep it clean

A messy space with grime and grit is a distraction for a homebuyer. Walk through the house with your Better Homes and Gardens® Real Estate sales associate and make a list of the spaces that need cleaning. If you can't do it yourself, hire a professional crew and get it done.

3. Stage(ing) matters

Adding fresh flowers around the house, especially to the front hall, creates a more welcoming environment in your home. Try placing some beautiful books, pillows, fresh fruit, a cozy blanket or other items around the house as well. Little touches will go a long way when buyers are envisioning life in their new house.

4. Let there be light

Replacing lamps and other fixtures with more up-to-date models can take a home from shabby to chic. Increasing the bulbs from low to high wattage can make all the rooms brighter and spacious. Adding wall sconces can make ceilings seem larger. If you have a dark room, think about paint color and light as a way to enhance it.

5. Splash and spruce it

Look at your home with new eyes and see the places that need a splash of color or need some sprucing up. Adding a fresh coat of paint to the walls can instantly turn a dark or a small room into an inviting space. One of the better tips for selling a house fast is to take a walk around the home and find places in need of repair. Then make a list of home improvement and decorating projects to do before listing your home.

For assistance with any of your real estate needs, please contact me by email, phone or visit me at my office, whether it's to get started on helping you realize your goals and dreams, or just to ask a question - no pressure, no hassle, no obligation - just a friendly conversation. I would welcome the opportunity to make a difference for you.

Anthony Stokes Pereira Office: (845) 770-2188 Cell: (845) 538-7021 Fax: (845) 624-7137 Email: anthony.stokespereira@randrealty.com

Taste in art is incredibly subjective. If your home even slightly resembles a museum, consider that one person's treasure can be another's trash. When getting ready to sell your home, it's important to keep the artwork simple so you can get the best selling price.

Before listing your property, consider having a candid chat with your Better Homes and Gardens Rand Realty Real Estate sales associate, or a close friend. Both can give you a better sense of pieces destined for the Guggenheim, and those better suited for the basement. Remember, it's the walls that are for sale, not what's on them.

Remove extra pieces

Overcrowded walls can make a room feel smaller. Many people cluster together family photos and art in groups-a design strategy that sings in some spaces and sinks in others. Take a critical look at the pieces in each room and consider if they add or subtract from the overall buying potential of the home.

Posters

Children typically have posters in their rooms of their favorite bands, artists or sports heroes. It's a good idea to limit the amount of posters on children's walls to give potential buyers a better sense of the room's possibilities. You want to emphasize the versatility of each space. No matter how difficult (for you or your child), it's also a good idea to remove any stickers and adhesives on the bedroom doors.

Family photos

People like to see who is living in the home-but only to an extent. Take a look in each room through the eyes of a stranger. Are the pictures from last summer's sojourn in the Grand Canyon a little much?

Valuable art collections

In most cases, art is a phenomenal investment. During any open house, make sure your best pieces are featured prominently. Valuable artwork can lend an air of prestige to a home, and be a great point for discussion amongst potential buyers.

Using art to create a mood

Art sets the mood for a home. Landscapes, black and white photography, sculptures, and other tasteful pieces do wonders, but try to avoid leaving out anything that's overtly religious, sexual or controversial. Pieces of that nature can detract from the overall feel of your home and give potential buyers a reason to keep looking.

For assistance with any of your real estate needs, please contact me by email, phone or visit me at my office, whether it's to get started on helping you realize your goals and dreams, or just to ask a question - no pressure, no hassle, no obligation - just a friendly conversation. I would welcome the opportunity to make a difference for you.

Anthony Stokes Pereira Office: (845) 770-2188 Cell: (845) 538-7021 Fax: (845) 624-7137 Email: anthony.stokespereira@randrealty.com

Take a good look at your home as if you were about to buy it tomorrow. While throwing out clothes and collectables from yesteryears can be heart-wrenching, making sure your property is junk-free prior to listing is the most important step toward selling your house. The following should help you answer every seller's most important question: should it stay or should it go?

A little help from your Realtor®

If you can't afford to professionally stage your home, ask a Better Homes and Gardens Rand Realty sales associate to give you sage remodeling ideas that will help increase the appeal of your home to potential buyers. Take their advice and get rid of any furniture or décor that's inconsistent or unnecessary in the home.

First impressions

Coat racks are a staple in the entrance of almost every home. But to make the entranceway feel larger, make use of existing closet space and neatly put away hats, shoes, coats and jackets inside. You want buyers to have a good look when they walk in - just not at your collection of running shoes.

Closets are for clothes, not clutter

Unfortunately, you won't be able to hide your "clutter" skeletons in the closet, as potential buyers tend to peer into every possible space. Tackle one closet at a time and ask yourself why you're holding onto something. If it's only to sell in a garage sale, save yourself the trouble and donate any unwanted items to your local charity. You'll be giving others stuff they can use and making your home appear more inviting in the process.

Consider removing unnecessary furniture

Take a look through every room in the home. Why is the furniture set up the way it is? If another way makes more sense, creates more light and makes the room feel and look better, consider room remodeling while showing your home. The idea is to maximize space where possible. So if an item isn't in use, box it up and get it ready for moving day. Alternatively, consider short-term storage facilities where you can temporarily move items you have yet to determine what to do with.

Books, newspapers, magazines and the mail

We all love getting our favorite magazine in the mail, but after years of living in a home, those magazines and Sunday Times crosswords can add up. Homebuyers don't want to see big stacks of magazines around your house. Before showing your home, remove your magazines and newspapers. Be sure to store your personal mail in your files. Take your collection of unwanted books to a used bookstore and your extra newspapers and magazines to be recycled. Getting rid of the paper around your office, living room and entranceway will make the home feel cleaner.

Before you start showing your home, have a final walk through with your Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate sales associate. They are one of best assets in determining your decluttering progress and will be able to judge when your home is ready for potential buyers. By motivating buyers to reach a decision sooner, you'll attract offers on your home quicker than you think.

For assistance with any of your real estate needs, please contact me by email, phone or visit me at my office, whether it's to get started on helping you realize your goals and dreams, or just to ask a question - no pressure, no hassle, no obligation - just a friendly conversation. I would welcome the opportunity to make a difference for you.

Anthony Stokes Pereira Office: (845) 770-2188 Cell: (845) 538-7021 Fax: (845) 624-7137 Email: anthony.stokespereira@randrealty.com

Sometimes home staging is just a matter of rearranging the furniture to make the space appear larger and more aesthetically pleasing. Rockland Home Staging recently did a consultation with the owner of a one bedroom condo. The unit was overpowered by the large entertainment center and bulky furniture. We had a budget of $0 for this project. I was called in to to a consultation and the homeowners did all the heavy lifting! Here are the results.

The photos on the left are the actual MLS photos, mine are on the right. I think choosing a good angle and having a wide angle camera also help.

BEFORE AFTER

BEFORE AFTER

By separating the entertainment center and placing the two pieces on the side of the windows we really maximized the space. The hutch that was to the right of the window fit perfectly in the entry that was previously bare. Even with no budget staging can make a difference.

If you would like to schedule a home staging consultation call Rockland Home Staging at (845)731-9510. We'll help you take the guesswork out of getting your home ready for sale.