melody salazar

In our line of work, we stagers run into a lot of dirty old wood floors. It's expensive to have them buffed and polished. I have found a product that really shines them up very quickly and easily. Once the floor has been lightly damp mopped, jJust pour some out on the floor and work it in with a wood floor cleaner - the kind with the terry cloth.

I had used this product years ago and was upset when it disappeared from my local grocery store.

And then while I was in Walmart the other day (stager heaven) - there it was - sitting on the shelf, the bottle gleaming with promises of shiny wood floors with scratches greatly diminished.

I picked up three bottles with fear that this wonderful product would disappear! I ran home to try it, worried the formula had been changed. But to my delight, it was the exact wonderful product it had been all those years ago. :-)

So get yourself over to Walmart and pick up a bottle of Quick Shine. Put it in your tool box and you will love the results.

Mel

Bright colors are highly personalized and can leave many buyers cold. In this first picture all you see is RED~

So we neutralized with paint and changed out the dated mirror for a fresh new look that will appeal to more buyers

This entryway was the first thing buyers saw when entering the home. This could stop buyers in their tracks !

With more neutral paint colors, buyers can enter the home without pause!

This bright kitchen looks dated and confused!

Toning down the paint, removing the wallpaper , and bringing in the butcher block completely changed the look of the kitchen

Neutralizing colors, whether that includes removing wallpaper or just repainting, is one of the least expensive and most dramatic ways to update rooms.

Mel

The majority of bedrooms have no real focal point. Dressing the bed (and windows in some instances) becomes very important as the bed takes on the 'lead' in the room. With kitchens and bedrooms so important to most buyers, it's necessary to make sure these rooms look as good as they can. Salazar Staging carries a full inventory that includes bedding and window treatments. Here are a few bedrooms we've spruced up.

BEFORE

Here is a room that was low on appeal mainly due to the dated bedding and stock window treatments found in many homes. Although the owners didn't have it in their budget to change out the blinds, by adding some sheers, and changing out the bedding, they softened the look of the room as well as giving it an updated look.

AFTER UPDATES

OLD, WORN OUT BEDDING MAKES THE ROOM LOOK OLD AND WORN OUT

A FRESH NEW UPDATED LOOK

SOME BEDS LOOK BARREN AND VERY UNINVITING, THEREFORE THE ROOM LOOKS UNINVITING

When a house goes on the market, it's important that all the rooms be 'dressed'

Mel

Whether you've sold 10 houses or are selling your first, I have a list of reminders that really help you stay on top of everything while your house is on the market. I give this to all my sellers and they really appreciate this as it keeps them on task as they go through the selling process. It tells them what to do daily, weekly and what to keep an overall eye on.

TIDY-UP TIPS

This checklist will help keep you on track so that you will be ready to show your home to a potential buyer at a moments notice. Remember, you are SELLERS not DWELLERS!

DO THIS DAILY:

•ü Make the beds.

•ü Get clothes off floors and into a hamper or back on hangers....overcrowded hampers...stuff into washer or dryer temporarily.

•ü Hang towels and wash cloths on towel bars to dry.

•ü Give tubs, showers, sinks and ovens and range tops a light scrubbing after use.

•ü Wash dishes or put them in the dishwasher as soon as the meal is done.

•ü Sort and file or dispose of mail as soon as you get it.

•ü Find a home for EVERYTHING. Newspapers into the recycling bin or trash, coats and shoes into the closet, dirty clothes into the hamper---

NO EXCEPTIONS!

•ü Put away personal items, such as eyeglasses, magazines, and books on the nightstand and lotions and toothbrushes on the bathroom vanity.

•ü Clean the litter box, pet areas & cages and pet soiling.

DO THIS WEEKLY:

•ü Tend to the yard (mow, rake, water, & pick up debris).

•ü Dust, vacuum, and sweep bare floors ( do more often as needed).

•ü Lightly scrub refrigerator surfaces and shelves and oven.

•ü Shake out, launder or vacuum throw rugs.

KEEP A CLOSE WATCH ON:

• Windows & light fixtures. Clean as needed...they need to sparkle. Even light bulbs need dusting.
• Laundry. Don't let it pile up in a heap on the floors or in the laundry area.
• The dishwasher. Empty is as soon as dishes are clean. Letting clean dishes sit there encourages dirty ones to pile up in the sink and on the countertop.
• Food bowls & litter boxes for pets. Put them in an out-of-the-way place. Not visible in the kitchen. Keep the area around them clean. Remove entirely during an open house or showing to potential buyers.
• Odors. Avoid cooking foods that leave strong odors, such as bacon, fish or garlic. If they can't be avoided turn on vents and open windows and light a fragrant candle to mask smells.
• The thermostat. Try to maintain a comfortable temperature level so the home isn't overly hot or cold. 68 degrees is usually comfortable.
• The garage and basement or carport. It's easy for these spaces to become the new home for items you've cleared from other rooms. If these spaces are overly crowded and you simply cannot part with things permanently, rent a storage unit so that you don't give the buyers the impression that the house lacks storage and space.

This list has been provided to you by Salazar Staging & Custom Interiors

www.salazarstaging.com

830/626-8967

We all know that storage is a huge selling point, so the more a home has, the better. I have to say, 9 homes out of 10 that I go into consult on, have greatly under utilized pantries. They are, for the most part, catch alls. Every square inch is full of stuff and floor space virtually hidden. If I had a dime for every time I've recommended purchasing Lazy Susans, or tiered spice racks, I could give up staging!

Purchasing these things to organize, is one of the least expensive ways one can increase the visual space in any given pantry. The more organized this space, the more appealing and LARGE a pantry will look.

Don't forget to peek into these hidden assets and don't be afraid to tell your clients that organizing these spaces will only add another sellling point to thier home.

Mel