So you have decided that Home Staging is a worthwhile investment to improve your property’s appeal and potentially increase your profit and now you would like to know more about the specific benefits that will be awarded to each room in your home. The following are some rules of thumb executed by the pros in order to emphasize your home’s existing features as well as discovering its maximum appeal to the greatest possible pool of prospective buyers.
The GOLDEN RULE of Home Staging, DE-CLUTTER. This will bring the focus to the rooms themselves and will make the space look larger.
- Start Outside. This is the first thing seen by prospective buyers as they approach your property. You only get one opportunity to make a first impression, why not ensure it is a lasting, positive one? Consider landscaping options – a well-manicured lawn with cleanly sculpted beds, lighting for walkways, and perhaps the addition of a tasteful focal piece such as a fountain.
- Rearrange, Reposition, Regroup, Repurpose. Float furniture away from walls, allowing largest pieces to help shape the rest of the room. Set couches and chairs no more than 8 feet apart to create and encourage cozy conversation areas. By rearranging and placing furniture in new locations, you can open up a space, creating better traffic flow and even an additional conversation area and/or a quaint spot in which to settle with a good book. Let your imagination run the gambit by avoiding becoming locked into a limiting layout.
- Focal Point for All. Accenting an existing architectural feature or creating a focal point in each room gives the space something to revolve around. As interior designer Rosemary Sadez Friedman puts it, “the focal point in a room can be compared to the verb in a sentence; you need one to make it complete.”
- Paint Choices. Color schemes incorporating neutrals and bringing in colors that reflect elements in nature in larger rooms can make the space feel even more open and airy. Conversely, darker hues used in smaller spaces makes for a more intimate atmosphere. Additionally, for smaller rooms, try using the same paint color for adjacent sections, such as the kitchen and dining room, to create a seamless transition and uninterrupted flow. Instantly, two small spaces read as one large room! Draw the prospective buyers’ attention to focal architecture with a bold color. To add drama to bookcase/showcase nooks, try, for example, a rich blue or green to offset stark white accessories accents.
- Accessories. Streamline and keep in mind that an odd number of objects (i.e. triangle formation) and a unifying element (i.e. shape, color, texture, etc.) will create the most impact. Play with scale by varying heights and widths. Displaying artwork/pictures creatively and not in the most typical locations can aid to show off the space. Incorporating season foliage such as flowers and the like is a quick and easy way to add refreshing pops of color.
- Lighting. The secret to creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere in any room is to integrate lamps as the major source of light rather than relying heavily on, what can sometimes prove to be, harsh overhead lighting. Instead, utilize ambient, task, and accent fixtures to complement the space.
- Bedrooms. As with the rest of your home, start by de-cluttering the space, especially the closets, as you want to show off its maximum storage capacity (ranking high on the prospective buyers’ list of priorities). Transform your room into a relaxing, escape with soft colors and lush linens.
- Bathrooms. Achieve a spa-like oasis with neatly folded, matching towels and accent candles. Remember, less is more. Tidy up the space by storing all personal products in concealed areas, leaving out only necessary toiletries, as one would find awaiting them at the spa.
- Kitchens. Another key selling feature, modernizing an outdated kitchen with minimal renovation to make the biggest impact just by staining or painting cabinets and adding new hardware, will boost your kitchen’s overall presence and appeal.
- Repairs. Unfinished repairs could potentially scare off prospective buyers or deduct from what they were initially willing to offer. The attention to these details is a valuable investment.
Happy home staging and home selling!!!
Ruth Miron-Schleider, a long-time resident of Bergen County, has been a real estate broker for over 3 decades. She is the Owner and Managing Director of MIRON PROPERTIES. Ruth is a Certified Residential Specialist, an e-PRO Internet Professional and an Accredited Buyer Representative. She is a member of the Eastern Bergen Board of Realtors, National Association of Counselors, the Senior Advantage Real Estate Council, and the Graduate Realtor Institute.
Ruth has been the Recipient of Circle of Excellence Award every single year since 1999, and the recipient of Reader’s Choice #1 Real Estate Agent Award every single year since 2015.
For a complimentary consultation, call Ruth at MIRON PROPERTIES, 201.266.8555 (office), 201.906.6024 (direct), or contact her via e-mail: Ruth@MironProperties.com.
Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed, subject to errors and omissions.
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