When it is time to sell our home, we all want to sell fast and for the highest price. One of the best ways to make that happen is to stage your home. Home staging uses decorating to highlight the home’s best features and helps buyers visualize how they can use the space while making an emotional connection with them so they can see themselves living there happily.

When it comes to home staging, there are several ways to go about it. You can:

1. Get a consultation with a professional home stager and get advice on everything you need to know to successfully stage it yourself.
2. Hire a pro to do the staging for you or with you, either working with what you already have if you will be living there while on the market, or bringing in everything and staging a vacant house.
3. You can virtually stage the space to show buyers the “potential of the home” and “what it could look like” if it was furnished in a particular style.
4. You can also use ” virtual design” to show how it could look if it were remodeled to have different paint colors, lighting, flooring and more.

What is Virtual Home Staging?

Virtual home staging is a computer rendering of what a vacant space might look like if it was staged with furniture and accessories.

Here are two examples of virtual staging where good quality photos of a vacant home were virtually staged to show the potential of a vacant property for sale. These examples could be used on the MLS for your listing if allowed in your state and should be clearly disclosed that they are virtual photos. A good way to do this is to show both the vacant photo and staged photo together so buyers know what to expect when they see the property in person. Notice in both cases, the condition of the walls and carpeting looked in very nice shape, so the staging was not covering up any obvious “problem areas”.

Virtual staging could even be used to advertise rental properties that the renter is expected to bring their own furniture to show them the potential of the space and give them a sense of scale and how furniture could fit in the space.

What is Virtual Design?

Sometimes a seller or realtor wants to show the potential of a space. Below is an example of one of the rooms above where the paint color was changed, the lighting updated and flooring was changed. The area rug was changed to work with the new paint color.

This type of rendering entails more work because in addition to adding things, you are also changing items such as color, lighting and flooring so would be more expensive. This type of rendering that shows cosmetic changes is more an example of “virtual design” than “virtual staging”.

Virtual design can help if the property for sale will need work such as repainting, new flooring and lighting and the seller is willing to sell for a lower price and allow the buyer to do the work and make their own selections for those items. This would be a nice addition to materials you are showing buyers at an open house. It is not recommended for use on the MLS (Multiple Listing Service) because the cosmetic conditions of the home have been changed and you do not want to mislead buyers about the actual condition.

In addition, virtual staging or design should never show changes of things that cannot be changed (such as removing powerlines or highways from the view). Check to see what is allowed on the MLS in your state. Even if allowed, you may be opening the door to having buyers feeling ‘misled” by the listing when they see it in person, especially if they do not read all the “fine print” on the listing.

Sometimes, you may not have good photographs to work with due to the lighting or angles they were taken at, or the photos are filled with furniture or other items that need to be removed. In those cases, a 3D render can be created from scratch from room measurements. This type of render takes longer so is more expensive. Because these do not use actual photos, I would consider this “virtual design”, and it is critical to make it clear to buyers that this is a virtual rendering so they are not surprised.

The Pros of Virtual Staging and Design

• Virtual home staging usually costs less (often half the cost or less) than physical home staging because it takes less time and there are no rental fees for furniture and accessories.
• If the seller cannot afford in person staging, virtual staging can still help buyers or renters visualize the possibilities of a vacant space.
• Virtual home staging is better than no home staging, because it helps the buyer to visualize how big the space is, how furniture can fit in the rooms and the purpose of each room.
• Some homes may need a lot of remodeling, updates or exterior or interior painting and the seller may not be able to afford to do it, or may choose to leave that to the buyer so they can do it their way and sell at a lower price point. Helping the buyers see the possibilities at an open house with “virtual design” is a great advantage as the majority of people can not visualize how the space could look with major or even minor changes.
• Virtual staging can show higher quality furniture and accessories, or specific styles to attract the target buyer that might not be available for in person staging. This might be beneficial for high end properties.
• Virtual staging could be used to advertise rental properties where the renter is expected to bring their own furniture.
• Virtual design can be used in combination with regular home staging. For example, if you have a home that needs exterior painting due to the color or condition but cannot afford to do that before selling, you could show a render of the house with a new paint color and still physically stage the interior.

The Cons of Virtual Staging and Design

• I always recommend in person staging over virtual staging so buyers can make an emotional connection and envision themselves living there. The emotional connection is what causes buyers to make an offer. Buyers will never make the same emotional connection with a computer or paper image of a space as they will when seeing a beautifully staged home in person.
• When using virtually staged images on an MLS listing, it is critical to make sure it is allowed in your state, and make it clear to buyers that this is a representation of the space. Buyers may get angry or be very disappointed when they visit the home in person and it looks nothing like the advertised image. Some buyers buy online and do not get to see the home in person. Be sure you are not mis-representing the space to buyers that cannot visit it in person. Showing a photo of the real space next to the virtual space with a detailed description can help make that clear.
• If the rendering is not done accurately and to scale, it may give a false impression of how big the space is and how furniture could really fit in the rooms. Be sure to have your renders done by professionals that will make it to scale.

Be Sure to Disclose

Home staging,  virtual staging and design are great tools to help you sell your property faster and for more, or help you rent a property and attract your ideal renter.

Be truthful with buyers on the condition of the house. Check with the MLS for your state to know what is allowed before listing. And remember that all buyers do not read all the details or fine print. Things to consider:

• For realtors and home sellers, be clear and disclose that the photos you are showing are virtually staged and the property is actually vacant.
• For those creating the virtual renders, be sure not to cover problem areas with staging items.
• Be clear if the photos have made cosmetic changes and show the “design possibilities” rather than what the house actually looks like now.
• One of the best ways to disclose are to show the actual photos side by side with the virtual photos. You do not want buyers to be surprised or angry when they see the actual property.
• Photos should be realistic and not cropping out or changing things that cannot be changed, like power lines or other actual physical features surrounding the property.
• Photos should represent the actual scale or size of the space in relation to the furniture and accessories added.

Need Help?

If you would like help selling your home faster and for more, I can help you with an in person home staging consultation or staging of a vacant or occupied home, an online home staging consultation for your home or vacation rental property and virtual home staging and virtual design.

Click on the pictures to learn more about my online services and give me a call for a quote for in person staging in my service area (south-central Alaska).

Virtual Staging and Remodeling Services

I always recommend in person staging over virtual staging so buyers can make an emotional connection and envision themselves living there. Sometimes though, a space may need a lot of remodeling or updates and the seller chooses to leave that to the buyer so they can do it their way. Or the seller can not afford in person staging. Virtual staging can help buyers see the possibilities of the remodeled space or visualize the possibilities in a vacant space.  Learn more about the Pros and Cons of Virtual Staging in my blog article. Drop in renders use your well lit great photo of the vacant space. 3D renders use measurements of your vacant space with a suitable photograph for guidance. I also offer your buyers 10% off an Interior Design consultation for their new home that you can give them as a gift. See examples and Learn More.

Drop In Render- $100 per room photo. 2 Photo Minimum

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3D Render- $210 per room

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Floor Plan Added to either Package above. $30.00 per room

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Is your house a mess and you don’t know where to start when it comes to Interior Design or decorating? Do you wish your house felt like a sanctuary and the perfect place to relax? A place that is beautiful and feels so good there is no place you would rather be? 

Sometimes life gets so busy that it is hard to keep up with the clutter, the mess and before you know it, it has been so long since you redecorated that things look really outdated. You have a situation that feels overwhelming and you just don’t know where to start to pull it all together and create the sanctuary you always wanted. And on top of that, maybe you have a partner with totally different tastes. Or the budget just never seems to be there to really do things the way you want.

Our houses are like a big puzzle. Sometimes just putting the pieces together in a new way can make a huge difference! I learned this lesson one winter when I decided to tear out all the carpeting in my older house and replace with laminate flooring. I figured out how to do it by watching YouTube videos. Of course, this required taking every last thing out of each room as I replaced the flooring to make it possible. And then putting it all back! And that is where the light came on for me!

I am a person that likes Bohemian and global style interiors. In general, that means “more is more”, so I have always had a lot of stuff and displayed it everywhere! I liked it, I was used to it and it felt good. But as I replaced the floors and started putting things back, I did it slowly, and re-arranged things. I started to notice just how much I liked it when the important pieces had more space around them and more room to shine. All of a sudden, I realized how much I liked “less is more”!

So, the moral of this story is that just because you think you really love a certain look, keep an open mind. New ways of doing things and getting rid of a few things might just bring you joy! You could always try taking everything out of a room and putting the most important pieces back in new ways, then layering the accessories and try leaving some things out. You can always store them and trade them out and highlight different things at different times for variety.

Need more ideas on how to get going? My Top Ten Interior Design Tips might help. Download your free report here.

 

Ready to make changes in your home but want a little help to make it happen? Check out my Online and Edesign services. I would love to help you.

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Have you dreamed how to flip a house and make a profit? The first step is buying a great property with good potential to make a return on your investment. Then it is important to invest wisely in your repairs and upgrades. Finally, prepare the home for sale by having it professionally staged, create great curb appeal, get professional photos and sell it fast and at the high end of the price range for similar homes before you have any price reductions.

Invest Wisely

We have all heard the real estate rule of thumb about buying the worst house in the best neighborhood. That strategy gives you the greatest opportunity to make the most profit, as long as the investment needed to fix it up is less than the value of similar homes in that neighborhood in great shape. Do your research on market values for similar homes to know what you can reasonably list it for. Prices can fluctuate so consider that in your calculations.

Before making upgrades, consider what is typical for similar homes in the area so you get a good return on your investment. You don’t want to invest a lot of money installing granite counter tops, for example, if similar homes nearby have laminate counter tops. Consider what the typical finishes are for counter tops, flooring etc. Look at local listings on Zillow and the details for homes for sale to find out.

Of course, you want your house to stand out and look better than similar homes to get the highest price. Great design and color choices can make all the difference without having to spend more for higher cost materials. Do a consultation with an Interior Designer or color consultant to come up with a great plan before you purchase anything.

List High and Avoid Mistakes

There is a range of prices for similar homes in your market. You want the home to look in great condition so you can get an appraised value at the high end of that range and sell fast so you don’t have any price reductions. Time is the enemy of the house flipper due to holding costs. Price it competitively. Give yourself the best chance for success by using professional home staging and avoiding mistakes many home sellers make that cause a house not to sell quickly.

Connect with Buyers

The key to selling fast and for the highest price is making an emotional connection with buyers so they can envision themselves living in your for-sale home.

Hire a Professional Home Stager

The best way to connect with buyers is to get a consultation with a professional home stager and have them stage it for you. They are experts at decorating a home to highlight its best features, downplay the flaws and connecting with buyers so they can envision living there. They can give you paint color recommendations, stage it to appeal to your target market and give you tips for living in the home if needed while it is for sale. They can often use your existing furnishings and belongings to stage it and save you money on furniture and other rental fees if you plan to live in the home while it is listed. See my article on what to look for to find a great home stager to help you.

Don’t sell it Vacant

If you are not living in the home, you may be tempted to skip the cost of staging and sell it vacant. It is hard for any buyer to make an emotional connection with an empty house. They look a little sad and lonely! Buyers have a hard time visualizing how big the rooms are (they often look smaller with nothing in them to give a sense of scale), if their belongings will fit, how to arrange furniture and the purpose of different rooms. Without furniture and other things in the rooms, there is nothing to focus on except potential flaws. Vacant homes often stay on the market much longer, leading to price reductions.

Stage for your Target Market

Who is your target market? Is it a young family with children that are interested in your location near schools? A single professional? A retired couple? Look at who lives in your current neighborhood or is moving in. Check on Zillow to see how close the house is to different schools and what ratings they have. Stage your house to appeal to that target market. For example, to appeal to a young family with children, at least one bedroom should be decorated as a child’s room. A professional home stager will do this research and stage it to appeal to that market.

Increase Your Selling Price with Color

Before selling, consider your paint colors, inside and out. Did you know that the right paint colors in the right rooms attract buyers and can increase the sales price? The wrong colors can also reduce the price buyers are willing to pay. To find out more, check out my free report,  Top Paint Colors for a Speedy and Profitable Home Sale.

Great exterior colors and a memorable front door color can also make a big difference in helping your house stand out and be memorable with buyers….in a good way!

Get Professional Photos

The first step to getting buyers to look at your property is to outshine the competition online with great photos. Your home stager or realtor can recommend a professional real estate photographer to take photos of your beautifully staged home to attract buyers online.  Check out my tips on how to prepare for your photoshoot.

Get Buyers in the Door with Curb Appeal

Make sure you have great curb appeal with a neat and clean yard, and a welcoming front door.  Your online photos may get buyers to the property, but without great curb appeal they may just drive by and never make it inside. Here is a handy guide on how to increase your curb appeal. A great front door color, beautiful door mat and pots of flowers or outdoor art can make a big difference. Consider highlighting “outdoor living space”, which is a great selling feature to attract younger buyers.

You can do it!

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What is a Global Design Style?

Global styles are all about your worldly adventures and telling your story! They are usually very colorful, rich in bold designs and natural textures, patterns, colors and arts and crafts of various cultures. Each piece has a story and becomes a conversation starter.  Treasures are displayed without rules or grouping by the part of the world each piece is from. Antiques mix with modern pieces, and natural objects such as animal horns, plants and rocks add to the charm. While global design styles are eclectic and may mix and match items from a variety of countries, you may be drawn to the colors and cultural artifacts of some countries more than others. Learn More.

 

What is Mexican Style?

Mexican interiors are full of color, are welcoming, warm and there is often a sense of playfulness and whimsy. A mix of colorful, exotic Spanish and Indian handcrafted items and practical things add old world charm.

The furniture is made from solid wood or leather with designs from the Spanish and Mayan cultures. Most are made from pine, walnut and cherry. Sofas, beds and tables often have a rustic look. Rugs are usually hand woven and brightly colored. Multicolored cushions and geometrical patterns for the curtains are common.

Accessories are colorful and bright and include candles, vases and mirrors, painted wooden animal figurines, wall hangings, clay pottery, woven baskets, traditional masks and paintings.

Colors are bright. Red is common and Yellow is also used heavily in shades ranging from bright lemon yellow to deep earthy golds. Terracotta is common. Blues are commonly used in art and accessories.

Mexican style is a global design style. Global styles are all about your worldly adventures and telling your story! They are usually very colorful, rich in bold designs and natural textures, patterns, colors and arts and crafts of various cultures. Each piece has a story and becomes a conversation starter.  Treasures are displayed without rules or grouping by the part of the world each piece is from. Antiques mix with modern pieces, and natural objects such as animal horns, plants and rocks add to the charm. While global design styles are eclectic and may mix and match items from a variety of countries, you may be drawn to the colors and cultural artifacts of some countries more than others.

Sustainable and Eco-Friendly Living Room

Here is an example of an eco-friendly Edesign I did for a Mexican style living room. The clients were a retired couple that loved to travel and enjoyed collecting art and figurines from Mexico and other countries. They wanted a space rich in color where they could relax, read, watch TV, entertain and share their love of travel and ethnic art. They also wanted a space that was as eco-friendly as possible.

Before Photos

The clients had just moved into a new home. Here is what it looked like before their new design. They provided these photos and floor plan to create the design from and information on what they liked in term of style and color and how they wanted to use the room. The only things that would be staying in the room from the photos was the flooring, which was new.

 

 

After

This project was a full service Edesign. These after pictures are 3D renders of the finished design which they received with a concept board, shopping list and set up instructions. As you can see, I changed the wall color, and used PPG’s color of the year for 2020, Chinese Porcelain which I extended into the entry way to create a feeling of more space. I changed the front door, window treatments, lighting and furniture.

Get the Look- It’s Healthy and Great for Entertaining

The products I used are all sustainable and healthy for your indoor environment.  See my article on “Eco-Friendly Interior Design- Why You Should Care” on the Edesign Tribe blog.  All the items are made from natural materials such as wood, cotton, wool, copper, iron, sheepskin, clay, ceramic, palm and leather. Here is the concept board I created for the clients.

Inspiration and Products

The following products were used in this design. Some are trade sources in which I was able to work out a discount for you if you like them and order directly yourself. Others may be affiliate sources, meaning I get a small commission if you purchase them for sharing them with you, at no additional cost to you.

The inspiration for this room was this mural from Anthropologie. The whimsical, crewelwork-inspired motif is based on an embroidery style created by the Otomi people of central Mexico and is filled with pre-historic symbols based on native flora and fauna, local beliefs and even primitive cave drawings. Animals, were thought to be bearers of important news. This piece inspired the color scheme, the purple couch, the colors of the leather chairs and velvet pillows on the sofa.

Eco-Friendly Accessories

The animals in the mural inspired the collection of painted wood animal figurines on the book shelves which I got from La Fuente and Wayfair. The ones from La Fuente are Oaxacan Woodcarvings. The wood carvers of Oaxaca Mexico create whimsical designs in festive colors, are carved by hand from the wood of the copal tree. They are painted in stunning detail with acrylic colors. The carvers believe their figures will bring good luck to the potential owner. The figurines from Wayfair are representations of these, which I chose because I loved the colors and some of the cats were just too cute!

 

This purple cat had some nice colors that tied in with the purple sofa and colors on the wall and mural.

The whimsical mural’s focus on plants and animals also inspired the use of the ceramic masks which feature plants and animals.

 

I found these gorgeous eco-friendly baskets made in Mexico from palm leaves, at The Citizenry.

I found the velvet cotton pillows at Bryar Wolfe, where you can get 5% off with code northernlightsstaging at checkout.

Eco-Friendly Furniture

The sofa uses natural latex cushions, wool stuffed pillows and hardwood frame from Medley Furniture which specializes in eco-friendly furniture.  Get a 5% discount on all their products with the code NLS5 at check out. They use sustainable materials such as certified hardwoods and bamboo, no harsh chemicals or fire retardants. Cushions are made of latex foam, pillows are stuffed with wool, cotton, hemp or down. The furniture is custom made for you within 6-8 weeks and they offer free returns. And they have some beautiful fabrics and colors! Who doesn’t need a purple couch!

I love these copper tables, made in Mexico, from La Fuente. Copper is a great option for incorporating unique, authentic and eco-friendly furniture in your design. I found the coffee table, console table and side tables, all made in Mexico there, and loved the color and the petroglyph cut outs on the console table. I thought it related nicely back to the pre-historic elements of the Otami art.

This picked this end table from Mexico because it was made from reclaimed wood and re-purposed hammered copper on the top and the drawer.

 

I loved this small floating hardwood and iron table made in Mexico from The Citizenry because it did not take up a lot of space and was perfect for the reading area I created near the bookshelves.

These beautiful leather chairs from The Citizenry are unique and made in Mexico

Eco-Friendly Rugs and Throws

The beautiful wool Moroccan Azrou rug is from Atlas weavers. I could not find an eco-friendly rug that fit the design from Mexico, but this one from Morocco is simple and has that folkloric look that worked nicely with the design.

Atlas Weavers will give you a 20% discount on their beautiful authentic new or vintage rugs, made from wool or animal hides.  Use the code “northern lights” at check out on any non-sale item. To learn more about Moroccan rugs, see my blog article on the Magic of Moroccan Rugs.

 

At Arhaus , I found the sheepskin rug  and throw to add a feeling of softness and create an atmosphere you just wanted to snuggle up and relax! Not made in Mexico, but eco-friendly!

Eco-Friendly Lighting

I also found the iron and onyx chandelier, and the clay sconces, made in Mexico at La Fuente.

Plants are Great for Indoor Air Quality

A nice touch to add beauty to your room and to help filter your air is to use plants. I found these clay and marble pots and vases, made in Mexico at The Citizenry as well, where you can shop “by country”.

 

Are You Inspired to Create your own Mexican Oasis?

I love the way this design came out. It seems like a happy, magical space where you can sit back, relax, and tell stories about the wonders of your travels to exotic lands.

If you need help in creating an eco-friendly, global style room in your home, check out my Online and Edesign services. I would love to help you. Follow me on Pinterest for daily inspiration on global style and eco-friendly design.

Wondering what your Global Design Style is? Take the quiz and find out!

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Countertops play two essentials roles in the kitchen: first, from a practical point of view, they make the kitchen space fully functional, and second, they serve an aesthetic purpose.

Different people look for different things when choosing a kitchen countertop.

Some place more importance on functionality, while others place the visual appeal of the material on the top of their list of priorities.

Whatever group you belong in, natural stone offers the best of both worlds.

Below, we will explore the pros and cons of natural stones and list a couple of top picks so that you can make an educated decision about what material best suits your kitchen, your cooking habits, and your budget.

The Pros and Cons of Natural Stone Countertops

Pros:

Natural stone is heat and water resistant and does not require any special care.

To avoid stains, one needs to wipe the stains and spills as they occur, and even more, resistant stains can be removed using a poultice.

As far as cracks and scratches go – natural stone can be easily repaired by a stone restorer.

Aesthetically speaking, you can’t beat natural stone. Deriving straight from the earth, each piece of stone tells its own story, so you can rest assured that your countertop will be a unique piece with a pattern and colour unlike any other out there.

Cons:

All those pros of natural stone come at a price – natural stone is one of the most expensive options for a countertop.

Moreover, stone is heavy and hard to work with, so you will have to hire a crew to cut it and shape it for you.

Finally, some stones are vulnerable to acids, so they require frequent sealing and maybe, repairs done by a professional.

Types of Natural Stone Countertops

Granite

In the past granite was the go- to choice for luxurious homes. However, due to its durability and heat resistance, as well as the wide array of pattern and color choices, granite has not only gained in popularity but also has become one of the most commonly used materials in residential kitchens.

With a price slightly lower than marble ($40 – $200 per square foot, including installation), granite is the best choice for heavily used surfaces.

Granite-Photo provided by Nicole Andrews 

Marble

If you are someone who cares about how your kitchen looks more than anything else, marble may be just what you need, as a marble countertop will add a sophisticated and elegant look to your kitchen.

However, there are a couple of downsides to using marble in your kitchen.

First, it comes in fewer patterns and colours than granite – some patterns more expensive than others.

Second, it is one of the most high maintenance materials, as it needs frequent sealing (every 2-3 weeks) and it etches whenever it gets in touch with acid. Moreover, marble is softer than granite, so it is prone to scratches and knife cuts.

Finally, with a price range from $75 to $250 per square foot, marble is one of the most expensive materials on this list.

Soapstone

If you are going for a more casual, rustic look of your kitchen, soapstone is what you are looking for.

Soapstone is non-porous, so it won’t need frequent sealing like marble (instead of sealer, you can apply mineral oil), but it is just as soft as marble, so soapstone too shows knife cuts and scratches.

Soapstone costs anywhere from $60 to $185 per square foot.

Quartzite

It’s hard to go wrong when choosing a quartzite countertop.

Quartzite looks very similar to marble, but it has the great properties and durabilities of granite, so it’s a great alternative to marble that endures well even in the most heavily used kitchens.

Quartzite costs from $55 to $155 per square foot, depending on the grade of the material. However, it is hard and complicated to cut and install, so if you decide to use a quartzite countertop, you should expect higher labour costs than with other materials.

The labour costs bring the price of a quartzite countertop close to the price of a marble one.

Final Words

To choose the best countertop for your kitchen, you first need to consider your kitchen design and overall cooking habits.

Natural stone countertops come at a higher price than other materials you could choose from.

However, there are a couple of things you could do to save some money, even when going for one of the most expensive options.

First, you should compare different vendors, as the prices between companies will fluctuate due to varying operation expenses. Also, just like with anything else, there is a high and down season in this industry as well, so if possible, buy your materials in late fall of the beginning of winter when the prices are lower than usual.

Second, natural stone is high maintenance, so you should make sure that you apply sealer regularly to avoid extra repair costs. Moreover, go for rounded edges as squared edges chip easier, or consider installing an edge of a different material.

Finally, choose stone tiles instead of a slab: if something were to happen to your countertop, replacing one tile would be way cheaper than replacing the entire slab.

There are many other natural stones to choose from, but the four choices above are the most commonly used in residential kitchens worldwide. We hope that now you have more information on what to look for when choosing a countertop and that you already have an idea about what material would best fit your particular needs.

Happy countertop picking!

Author Bio: Nicole Andrews is the marketing manager for Euro Marble in Sydney, Australia. With a background in interior design, she enjoys writing about the latest industry trends. In her spare time, she walks her dog Rusco down at Bondi Beach.

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Now that you know how to decide on which natural stone countertop is right for you, do you need help pulling all your colors together to make sure that countertop works with your cabinets, flooring, back splash and paint colors? My color consultation is the perfect tool to help you make that happen! Learn more.

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When it comes to home staging, you may be scared it will cost too much, you will offend your client by recommending it and possibly lose the listing. You may be worried it will take too long and you want to get the home listed as soon as possible. You also may be scared to recommend it and that it may not work. OK, all kidding aside, you may not be “scared”,  but maybe apprehensive or you are just not convinced it is the way to go. Please consider the following.

According to Debra Gould, “The Staging Diva” in her article 5 Secrets Real Estate Agents Need to Hear From Home Stagers, you should know five things.

1. Home staging will make it easier for you to market and sell your listings because your MLS photos will outshine the competition online and a staged home will show much better, enticing buyers to make an offer.
2. Most buyers shop online first and professional photos of a beautifully staged listing will attract more leads for you.
3. Home stagers can address problems and can tell your clients the things you don’t want to say for fear of offending your client and losing the listing. Let them be the “bad cop”, especially in situations where the clients are selling due to divorce and sellers may have differing opinions.
4. Home staging can help your clients sell faster and for more, and is a service the client should be paying for, not you. You can always offer a great benefit by paying for the initial consultation.
5. Home staging always costs less than the first price reduction. Wouldn’t you rather have a talk with the client about home staging than a price reduction?

You are probably concerned about the cost, and rightly so since you don’t get paid until the house sells. As mentioned above, the cost of staging should be paid by the seller. They after all, have the most to gain by a higher sales price and faster sale. Both of you will benefit from selling fast. Less stress and costs for the seller and you get paid faster! And of course the seller will love a higher sales price and that increases your commission.

 

Worried about how long it will take? It always takes  time to prepare a home and get it listed, so why not have the staging conversation right away. A good stager can get the job done quickly for you given a little lead time.

Still apprehensive of how to approach the initial conversation about staging with your client?

Susan Atwell, of Atwell Staged Homes recommends one way to handle it is to not to use the word “staging” initially but repeat the message that they need to “properly prepare their home” and that you have an outside consultant who can help.  Let them know that for an occupied home they will be living in while listed, the stager could help them for as little as $500 using what they already have. A vacant home will cost more, but they are also harder to sell as vacant homes don’t make an emotional connection with buyers. Learn more about the costs of home staging.

Still worried, what if it doesn’t work and you have recommended the client make the investment in staging? For years, the National Association of Realtors has published a yearly “Profile on Home Staging” showing the value of home staging. You can see the 2019 report here. Remember that the final results depend on  hiring a professional home stager with a proven track record of results, rather than the “cheapest” stager or having an unqualified, untrained person stage it.  It is worth helping your client find the best stager to do the job for them, even if it costs more.

Want to learn more? Check out our FAQs for Realtors on Home Staging,  or share our FAQs for Home Sellers on Home Staging with your clients.

Still “scared”? What do you have to lose? Well, a better-looking listing that shows better, sells faster, where you get paid faster with a higher commission and have happy clients that will give you great reviews!

Want to get started today? I offer online home staging consultations for sellers nationwide that you can recommend to your client so they can do the staging themselves with help from a pro.

Plan to do your staging yourself but not sure where to start? Send me pictures of your house and I will give you a detailed checklist of everything you can do inside and out to prepare your house to sell fast, sell high and appeal to your target market. as well as tips for living in your for sale home and preparing for your photo shoot. Perfect if you will be living in the home while it is listed. If your home will be vacant, I can give recommendations for paint, upgrades and preparation for market. . Learn more.

 

When you’re considering buying your first home, the process can seem overwhelming. This is, after all, one of the biggest investments you’ll ever make, and it’s a lengthy and costly one that can lead to stress and anxiety even when you have a good plan. For first-time homebuyers who are looking for a fixer-upper, the success of the project hinges on whether you do your homework in the beginning — and there can be a lot of homework.

Knowing what to look for and having some decisions already made, such as whether you’re going to live in the home yourself or flip it once it’s finished, is imperative. You’ll want to think about the big picture before you tackle house hunting, as it could affect your budget or timeline, two of the major factors in taking on a fixer-upper.

There’s a lot to think about, but with a good plan and a little help from professionals, you can get your first home just right in no time. Keep reading for some great tips on how to get started.

Set a Budget

Figuring out your budget should come first, as it dictates exactly how many repairs you can do, who you can hire to help out, and when the timeline for completion is. Get a good idea of what kind of renovations need to be made, and get a professional opinion from an inspector so you can work out a budget as soon as possible. Pad it, because there are always unexpected expenses when one is dealing with a fixer-upper, and you don’t want to be left with a nasty surprise.

Location Is Key

The location of your first home — and whether you intend to stay there or not — is key. There are many older homes that have good bones and are situated in great neighborhoods; these are the ones you want to keep an eye out for. You don’t want something that will be difficult to sell down the road because of the area it’s in, and the community should be one that will fit your target price range when you do decide to sell. Even if you’re going to live in the home once it’s complete, you may decide at some point to move.

Tackle These Projects First

It can be difficult to decide which home projects to take care of first, especially if there are several things that need to be done. Look for safety issues before you do anything else, and hire pros to help out with these. Flooring, roofing, and structural problems should be a priority. After that, electrical issues and plumbing should be taken care of. Ensuring your home’s safety is imperative and should be done before any aesthetic projects begin. For DIY repairs, make sure you have the right tools for the job, such as sanders and jigsaws.

Create Curb Appeal

One of the most important things you’ll need to do is create some curb appeal. This can be beneficial whether you want to sell the house or stay once the renovations are done because it can boost your property value. Adding a new mailbox, planting flowers or shrubs, and updating the front porch area are great places to start, but you can also create some privacy with a “living fence” made out of evergreen trees or shrubs; click here for more info.

Buying and renovating a fixer-upper is a big job, no doubt about it. However, it doesn’t have to be overwhelming or stressful. Starting with a specific plan and knowing what to expect will go a long way toward keeping things calm and stress-free, and you can simply enjoy the process.

Written by guest blogger Ray Flynn of the DiyGuys.net. When he’s not working as a civil engineer, Ray Flynn spends his time dreaming up new DIY projects that promote green living. He created his own website, where you can visit him at diyguys.net.

 

Be sure to check out “Selling Your Fixer-Upper: Tips to Sell Fast and For More” by Northern Lights Home Staging and Design.

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In a recent article, Buying a Fixer-Upper: Tips for First-Time Home buyers by guest blogger Ray Flynn of the DIYGuys, we learned how to manage the buying process for a “fixer upper”, where to buy, setting a budget, what repair or design projects to tackle first, and creating curb appeal. We considered whether to stay or sell once your house is all fixed up.  Did you decide to sell? How can you sell your fixer upper fast and get the highest price for all your hard work and investment

Do Your Research

With any home you put on the market, there is a range of prices for similar homes and you want to be able to list at the high end of that range and sell fast so you don’t have any price reductions. Give yourself the best chance for success by using professional home staging and avoiding mistakes many home sellers make that cause a house not to sell quickly.

Make an Emotional Connection with Buyers

The key to selling fast and for the highest price is making an emotional connection with buyers so they can envision themselves living in your for-sale home.

Avoid selling the house “vacant”.  It is hard for any buyer to make an emotional connection with an empty house. They look a little sad and lonely! Buyers have a hard time visualizing how big the rooms are (they often look smaller with nothing in them to give a sense of scale), if their belongings will fit, how to arrange furniture and the purpose of different rooms. Without furniture and other things in the rooms, there is nothing to focus on except potential flaws. Were your “fixer-upper” skills perfect? Even the pros can make mistakes.

Use Color to Increase Your Selling Price

If you still have painting to do before selling, this is a great time to consider paint colors, inside and out. Did you know that studies show the right paint colors in the right rooms attract buyers and can increase the sales price? The wrong colors can also reduce the price buyers are willing to pay. Why? Color affects emotion and buyers buy on emotion!  For the price of a cup of good coffee, this report gives you specific color recommendations to help sell your house for up to $10,000 more.

Get my guide to Top Paint Colors for a Speedy and Profitable Home Sale to learn more.

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Appeal to Your Target Market

Who is your target market? Is it a young family with children that are interested in your location near schools? A single professional? A retired couple? Look at who lives in your current neighborhood or is moving in, check on Zillow to see how close the house is to different schools and what rating they have. Your house should be decorated or “staged” to appeal to that target market. For example, to appeal to a young family with children, at least one bedroom should be decorated as a child’s room.

Build a Great Home Selling Team

The best way to sell your house fast and for more is to compile a great team to help you.  This includes a realtor, home stager and photographer. Just like you are the expert in converting a home that needed help into a thing of beauty, a good realtor is a marketing and negotiating expert to make sure your house is seen by buyers nad you get the best price. A home stager is an expert at getting buyers to want to see and then fall in love with your house. A real estate photographer is the expert at getting amazing photos that will attract buyers online and get them in your door. See my guide on how to build this team and find the right experts to help you.

A great home stager can help you build your team. Get a consultation with a professional home stager and ideally have them stage it for you. They can give you paint color recommendations, stage it to appeal to your target market and give you tips for living in the home if needed while it is for sale. They can even use your existing furnishings and belongings to stage it and save you money on furniture and other rental fees if you plan to live in the home while it is listed. They can recommend a professional photographer to take photos of your beautifully staged home to attract buyers online and give you tips to prepare for your photoshoot. They can also recommend good realtors if you do not have one yet.

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Create Great Curb Appeal

As Ray mentioned in the previous article, make sure you have great curb appeal. You may outshine your competition online with great photos and get buyers to the property, but without great curb appeal they will just drive by and never make it inside to see your beautiful “fixer upper”.

Spending a little money on home staging and great photos before listing will help you sell fast and for more, cost less than your first price reduction if the house sits on the market and will be a lot less stressful!

Preparing for your Home Sale

The best tip I can give you is to get a professional home staging and color consultation to prepare for your sale. It can make all the difference in your final sales. price.

Buy Now


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