It is common knowledge that you need to prepare your house for sale. You would have to be living under a rock not to know that you have to "declutter"to make your house more desirable, and it is highly unlikely that you haven't seen some form of home staging show on television.
So, I have a question for you....
What gives?
How is it possible that there are so many filthy, cluttered, poorly maintained houses out there on the market?
I'm not talking about running into one every now and then. I'm talking about more times than not...
The market is cluttered with "BEFORE" pictures!
Maybe it's just me...maybe it's the nature of my work...
I am, after all, called in to give advice. Maybe I'm only seeing the ones that really need help. Maybe I've spent too much time checking out houses on the MLS.
For those who are serious about selling their house? Here is some free advice...
Get the buyers' attention. Show them something that they are not expecting.
Surprise them!
After a long day of touring nightmares,
make your house the house of their dreams.
Show them something they didn't see in any of the other houses. Show them clean, organized, freshly painted. Show them light and spacious.
Here is a novel idea:
Clean under the sink, organize all the cabinets, drawers, and closets. Clean inside the oven and refrigerator. Clean all the windows.
It's really not that hard to impress buyers when your competition is so bad!
More information on preparing your house for sale:
The Secret To A Fast Home Sale
Are You Preparing Your House To Sell Or Sit?
NH Home Stager Reveals Secrets To Selling
Inspired today by Leslie Helm's Speechless Sunday post entitled Like Mushrooms After The Rain, I decided to post my own small collection of mushroom photos.
There is something so magical about mushrooms, something very fairytale about them.
My husband has fond memories of walking through the woods with his grandfather looking for mushrooms. His grandfather pointed with his cane to the ones that were safe to eat, and Rick would pick them. I don't know that I would trust to do this today, but it makes for a great memory!
Planning on listing your house in the near future? Wondering what you can do to increase your chances of finding a buyer and selling it fast?
If you're fishing for buyers, you need to use the right bait.
Unfortunately there are a lot of other sellers with their hooks in the water right now and those buyers have a lot to choose from.
In order to get their attention, you need to have the shiniest house. Your house has to be attractive, appealing, and memorable.
The secret is in the preparation.
You can't do anything about the location. The market will determine the price. Condition is the one thing you have the most control over.
The way you prepare your house for sale could determine just how long your house sits on the market and just how long you sit there on the shore and wait for a bite.
You don't get a second chance at a great first impression. Once they swim by, they don't usually come back again for a second look. Check out your competition and see what their MLS photos look like and then make sure that yours look better.
It's really pretty simple: The one with the best bait usually goes home with the catch of the day!
A professional home staging consultant can tell you exactly what needs to be done to make your home more attractive to buyers.
If you are considering building a green home and would like to visit other green homes to get some ideas, here is your chance to visit some properties and get more information on Green services and professionals available.
The New Hampshire Sustainable Energy Association is holding their 2009 Green Buildings Open House on Saturday, October 3.
If you are interested in reducing your energy footprint and would like more informtion on how to help save the environment through green building, or just want to hear more about the options available, check out this event.
There will be over 75 buildings, located all over the state, opening their doors to the public.
NHSEA is a group of homeowners, business owners and building professionals that want to make a change by helping and educating others on New Hampshire's energy future. You can contact them for more information at:
NH Sustainable Energy Association
54 Portsmouth Street
Concord, NH 03301
Tel: (603) 22NHSEA (226-4732)
New Hampshire Home Stager reveals secrets to selling.
The biggest bang for your buck, by far, is using paint to improve your home's appearance. Paint will make a room cleaner, fresher, brighter, and more stylish. It gives buyers the impression that the house has been well maintained and cared for. It makes your home more competitive with new construction.
Paint can be used to help minimize negative features and to help showcase positive features. It can be used to create a flow throughout the house and to create a lasting positive impression.
Many people have trouble choosing paint colors or are afraid of making the wrong choice. Many times sellers choose colors that they personally like, without taking into consideration the need to be appealing to all potential buyers. It is very important that the colors you choose are neutral, but not bland. Most professional home stagers offer Color Consultations as one of their services, and it is a smart idea to seek the advice of a professional before purchasing your paint.
If you currently have your house on the market or are planning on selling your house in the near future, then this seven-part series was written for you.
Previous Tips:
Tip #1 Update Lighting Fixtures
Tip #2 Identify Red Flags
Tip #3 Pre-Pack Your Stuff
Tip #4 Define Space & Function
Tip #5 Maintenance Means Money
Tip #6 Don't Underestimate The Bathroom
Tip #7 Transform With Paint
In addition to the traditional use for paint, improving the general appearance of a room, I would like to share some other ways paint can be used to help make your home more appealing to buyers.
Prior to staging, this library lacked impact. The built-in bookcases and fireplace were great features, but they were not being showcased. Painting the walls with a rich, warm color made these features POP.
The opposite of the previous example...this den was dark and needed to be lightened. A brighter room was achieved by painting the dark woodwork a lighter color. Painting the shelves and the wall behind them the same color created a more custom "built-in" look.
This laundry room is one of my favorite transformations and is featured on my website. This was valuable real estate space that was not being properly marketed. By painting the cabinets white like the appliances, a cleaner and more pleasant room to do household chores was created.
Walls and cabinets aren't the only places to use paint...
these worn steps were given new life by painting them a rich black.
Other cost effective ways to use paint to prepare your house for sale:
Paint old furniture to give it new life
Update brass light fixtures and brass fireplace screens with black or bronze spray paint
Improve the appearance of mirrors
Update artwork by painting the frame
Use spray paint to revive patio furniture and flower pots
This concludes my seven-part series on The Secrets of Selling. I hope you have found it useful and informative. For more information on preparing your home for sale, visit my website ... or search online for a professional home stager in your area.
Consulting with a professional home stager before you list your home
is the most important "secret to selling" there is!
I am a professional home staging, redesign, and space organization specialist residing in the Seacoast city of Portsmouth, NH. I offer creative and unique solutions to both home owners and realtors.
My mission is to help New Hampshire sellers increase the emotional appeal of their property and sell for the best price in the shortest time. I am dedicated and committed to providing a professional, affordable, resourceful, creative and effective approach to each home I transform. My natural flair for organization and attention to detail are not only invaluable to clients listing their home for sale, but also to homeowners who have a design challenge or are looking for a fresh, updated look.
Making a Great First Impression
You only get that "just listed" buzz once...you want the house at it's ideal showing condition when traffic and the house's price are at their highest. It's all about first impression. Your best chance of getting closest to asking price is within the first two weeks.
A small investment in home staging can make a significant difference in the outcome of your sale.
I would love to assist you in the preparation of your house for sale.
To learn more, visit: sharontara.com
Sharon Tara Transformations works! I sold my house in less than 90 days, and in today's market, that's great. Sharon's keen eye and creative organization skills made my home look like one you would see in a magazine. Many of the prospective buyers were surprised by the amount of space in my home once they entered. I continually got positive feedback from my realtor after showings. I have come to know Sharon through a business networking group that we both belong to. She is professional, trustworthy, and skilled. I highly recommend her, whether you are selling your home, preparing for a special event, or just need to get organized. She can make it happen! Marianne Metz Lipe www.BeholdTheImage.com
If there was ever any doubt about the power of "Staging", Sharon Tara will make you a believer. She did a fabulous job for me...the house she staged sold in a month, after languishing on the market for six months with no offers. She is very professional, very accommodating, and a lot of fun to work with! I can highly recommend her.
-Linda Clapp, Tate and Foss, Inc.
After an unsuccessful attempt at selling our house last year, I had Sharon stage my home. She gave me great advice and our house sold on the first showing! I was so impressed with her ideas, that I hired her to suggest colors for my new home. I get so many compliments on our colors, I just love it!! Thank you, Sharon, I'll surely pass your name on again, and again!
-Tracy Harmon, Barrington, NH
Sharon Tara has worked her "creative magic" on several homes that I recently listed and all the homes had offers within a month's time! She is able to enhance any home with her design suggestions and works well in motivating the Seller into making the changes to get the home sold!!!
-Diane Boynton, Prudential Rush Realty
Sharon Tara did the restaging of my entire 4000+ square foot house. The end result was absolutely spectacular. She made every room breathtaking. She put in what must have been 100's of hours shopping, picking out paint colors, etc. Even my teenage children were impressed-a testimonial unto itself! When she had finished, my home was a gorgeous showplace! I actually cannot think of a negative thing to say about the whole process. Thank you from the bottom of my heart, Sharon. I know that your work was instrumental in selling my home.
-Sherry Eldredge, Exeter, NH
As a realtor, I have called upon Sharon Tara numerous times. I am always amazed at the difference she can make in the appearance of a home. She works with the homeowner to easily and very cost efficiently improve the look of the home, which in turn improves the value of the home. The most amazing transformation I worked with her on is what my company calls the Cinderella house. She took a house that I thought would be stretching it to put it on the market for $800,000 and she transformed it. When she was done we put it on the market for $1,300,000. It was under agreement in 7 weeks. That never would have happened without her!!
Donna Frederick, Prudential Rush Realty
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