Art it’s For Color

Art it’s For Color

Pictures Never Lie

I spent about thirty minutes today looking at listing in three different neighborhoods of Nashville today. Of over 60 listings I looked at there were six that looked good in pictures. All of the others had fatal flaws in presentation. I don’t think buyers want to see the front door from the inside of the home, maybe they do. If you are going to show it make sure it is warm and inviting, not bare with a rug to make sure you don’t get the floor dirty. The other thing I noticed is a lot of brass knobs, brass lighting, brass fans, brass faucets and handles….. brass, brass.

Fans, light fixtures, sink hardware, and knobs are so inexpensive and make a world of difference when a buyer looks at the pictures. They aren’t thinking….oh no complete remodel. White cabinets are also easily fixed with a bit of paint and glaze.

Cats, clutter and crowded bookcases; they are everywhere. Take the cat away when the pictures are taken. Pack up some of those books and arrange the bookshelves attractively, declutter for goodness sakes. Get rid of some of that stuff so we can see the house and the space in the house for the buyers stuff.

Toilets, now really, do I want to see a bunch of toilets, maybe the master, maybe the sink, but commodes…no thanks.

Pictures of your children and their names…..aren’t you a bit worried about security. Take the pictures down, and for the love of the children, take their names off the walls. Let’s clear out their rooms to show the space.

One of the rules of staging is to remove religious icons from the home. I know this offends some, but we are not selling our religion we are selling the house. Thanks for being so understanding.

In closing, 85% of the homes I looked at today could have been presented so much better with little investment and the assistance of a professional stager. One of the staged homes had a contract offer and was only on the market 5 days. Staging pays off and pays up!

The "Staged" Breakfast Room

Here is an example of a well staged room:

A Well Staged Room

Staging Statistics Released by International Association of Staging Professionals

Staging Statistics 2009 were just released by Barb Schwartz, StagedHomes.com. It is proven that staging a home is the best investment you can make when preparing your home for the market. Accredited Home Staging Professionals help you to create an atmosphere that “wows” the buyer. Staged homes sell quicker and for more money.

I recently viewed a home built in 1992. The decor pleasing to the owner, however, a buyer would see only “blue” and stuff. The paint color is overwhelming, and the amount of collections, stuffed animals, pillows, clutter would be all the buyer would see. We must show space allowing the buyer to place their furnishing and accessories throughout the house, creating a home they will love. The more neutral the home is, the more space you can show, the more the buyer will enjoy viewing the home over the competition.

Today homeowners with homes built 10 years ago have tremendous competition, they “MUST” stage their homes. They must neutralize the home and clear the “stuff”. Furniture placement is crucial, with the homes strongest attributes highlighted through the design. Home staging professionals know how to place the furniture, art, accessories and to create ambiance through lighting.

Take a look at these statistics. They are revealing and true. Call a professional Accredited Staging Professional. Visit my website at http://www.interiorredesignandhomestaging.com.