Harvey Goodwin

Preparing your home for sale can be at times very overwhelming and daunting. You want to make sure you’ve showcased the home’s best assets and that your home is in tip top shape to impress any potential buyers. Yes, staging is optional when it comes to selling; but in all fairness it really shouldn’t be. Your home is a significant financial transaction, you should want to help your home, in any way you can, to get top dollar for it. The easier it is for prospective buyers to envision themselves living in your home, the more likely they are to buy it. Follow these simple steps to help achieve the best possible staging for your home.

Remove Personality

It’s time to let go, you need to mentally detach yourself from your home. Start by removing any traces of family photos and personal collections. By creating a more neutral space you are making your home more universally appealing.

Declutter

The one thing buyers want out of a potential property is it to be roomy and clutter free. Remove all those little out of place knick knacks so your home feels light and roomy. You want prospective buyers to envision their furniture and décor to fit in your home. The less clutter you have the easier it is for them to do that.

Little Touches

From fresh flowers, clean scents and fresh baked cookies. There’s nothing better than walking in the front door of a home to immediately smell something delightful. Add a fresh arrangement of flowers to the coffee table or kitchen island to give your home a fresh feel.

Neutrals

Light and Bright is your go to motto! When you’re staging your home for sale you don’t want any dark or bold in your face colors especially in those small spaces like powder rooms. You want to keep it neutral to attract a vast variety of people. Keep the ceilings white to make your walls look elongated.

Lighting

When it comes to lighting in the home most people often forget about it when it comes to staging. Add some ambient lighting in those dark hallways and basements. Some new pendant lights or table lamps with do the trick and help brighten up those dark corners, making the room feel as light as possible.

Floors

Give your carpets the best maintenance possible and have them professionally cleaned before you move. This will hopefully remove any stains or marks that may defer prospective buyers. Carpet cleaning is an inexpensive quick fix to disguise the look of older flooring.

Make it Sparkle

It’s time to clean clean clean! Imagine that your mother or mother-in-law is coming to visit. Mop, dust, vacuum, and wash your walls, windows and baseboards. Do a deep clean of your home making certain that everything is sparkling clean.

Gender Neutral Bedroom

When staging your home for sale you want the master bedroom to be a retreat for prospective buyers that attracts to both male and female. White crisp clean linens, an uncluttered nightstand and matching lamps will give you that all around clean look.

Pet City

Even though your furry friends are a big part of your family, ensure that you have a pet sitter for days you have showings. Many people have allergies and/or fear of animals so do yourself and your pet a favor and relocate them during that time.

Home staging can be easy and inexpensive, especially if you focus on the small details. Once you’ve got your home in order, stand back and let your house shine and it is sure to impress potential homebuyers. 

You only get one shot at a good first impression so let’s make it count! With spring finally here and the warm weather upon us it’s time to start thinking of the outside of our homes. When it comes to improving your home’s curb appeal, there are many small inexpensive changes that can make a strong impact on the first impression. Below are some affordable and helpful tips that will help you accomplish your curb appeal dreams.

Dress up the driveway

Driveways and walkways are often the one thing that gets forgotten about the most when it comes to landscaping. To jazz up your driveway and curb appeal start with removing any weeds or moss that may be growing from the cracks and joins. If you happen to come across some large cracks try and fill them the best you can. For more of an aesthetic feel; line the driveway with some small shrubs or greenery to give it more of a vibrant look and feel.

Refresh the planter beds

Shape up your garden beds by giving them a good pruning and weeding. This will help remove any plants that didn’t quite make it or are starting to die off. Consider adding some brightly colored new plants to give your planter bed that exciting pop of color. When adding new elements to your garden, choose plants that won’t obstruct the home, you want something simple yet elegant that will frame your house. You can also add some fresh top soil or mulch to freshen it up. If you have a stone or brick border around your garden, replace any pieces that may be cracked or damaged. If you don’t have a border around your flower bed ensure that you give the grass a good edging to give it a sharp clean look. Prime spots for planter beds are in the front corners of your yard, along the driveway or walkway – think small shrubs, and right in front of your home.

The grand entry

Your front door is the focal point to your home, you want it to be appealing yet welcoming. Make a statement with giving your front door a pop of color by painting it. There are so many different color options to choose from. This will freshen up the look of your home and give potential buyers something to remember.

Inviting porch

Make your front porch welcoming to your guests. Add a few chairs with a few brightly colored accent pillows and a throw with a small bistro table to draw some excitement to your front porch. You can even go as far as having a few small potted succulents for some greenery or perhaps a pot of your favorite flowers. Adding some well-placed classic accessories can also give your front porch that added boost of curb appeal. Consider adding a seasonal wreath to your front door or even some large lantern candle holders to draw your eye in. Remember to keep the size of your front porch in mind while decorating. You don’t want to go overboard and clutter it up with too many elements. Simple and bright personality is key.

Replace old dated hardware

House numbers, door handles and overhead light fixture are quick and easy elements to update to add some personalized style and interest to your homes curb appeal.  There are lots of simple DIY projects that you can find for creating an eye appealing look for your house. Try mounting the numbers on planks of wood to give it that modern look; or keep it more traditional by placing the numbers on a small plaque to make them stand out. New drop down lighting will also give your home that wow appeal.

Paint the planters

An easy solution to give you that pop color by your front door is painting those boring planter pots. Jump a little outside your comfort zone and try a bold color like blue or purple. Once you start adding your flowers into the pots it will brighten everything up giving it a new exciting look.

Light the Way

Solar powered lighting can make a huge impact on the curb appeal of your home while adding security. Lighting up your driveway or walk way to your home can give it that nice ambiance you may be looking for while still being functional.  Solar lighting is extremely cost effective as it won’t rack up your hydro bill and the install is very user friendly – no cords!

Designing the right curb appeal may take some time, but think of it this way. Spend a couple weekends out in the beautiful warm weather and make your home look fantastic while you bask in the sunshine.  Having the right curb appeal for your home will give your potential buyers something to remember when viewing your home.