As the blustering temperatures of summer soar, the housing market fills with owners looking to make a profit based on buyers’ good moods. With a crowded market place, one off item can mean the difference between your house selling — or Mr. Jones’ down the street. Here are some helpful suggestions when it comes to staging your home doing the summer to make sure it is a standout winner.
Go Back to Basics
Most homeowners with children have busy schedules, even during the summer. This often means less cleaning and more clutter. Before you list or show your home, do a thorough cleaning. If it can be wiped down, dusted, shampooed or scrubbed, chances are it needs to be done.
When the whole family contributes, the work gets done quickly. Start in one room and give each person a job. When everything is finished, move on to the next. Don’t forget to assign someone the important task of “home or away”. Tell them if they can’t find something a home, they need to throw it away. This will cause a few complaints at first but will eliminate all the extra stuff in a room quickly.
Remember the 3 R’s: Resurface, Repurpose, Restore
Most homeowners do not have a huge budget to work with when they are preparing to sell, yet there are plenty of things you can do to change the look of your home on the exterior and interior that will maximize your minimum budget.
Resurface
Resurfacing is like paying a visit to the plastic surgeon. With a little bit of effort, you can take off the layers of time and give something a whole new look. A fresh coat of paint to walls, concrete floors, tiles and bricks can really brighten your home. Affixing stainless steel panels or applying stainless steel paint to your current appliances can give quality updates without crunching your wallet.
Repurpose
Homeowners can’t always afford new bathroom vanities or furniture. Shows like “HGTV’s Flee Market Find” remind us that our old stuff or our neighbors’ can be given a new purpose with just a little bit of imagination and elbow grease.
Courtesy of PlansNOW.com
Old desks or tables can been cut in half for two end tables, a small bath vanity or a crafty place to set your keys like these at decorating files.com. (Photo of table at http://plansnow.com/dn1166.html) The possibilities do not stop with tables. Bats can be turned into lamps, chairs into tables, and even utensils into chandeliers. If you dream it, you can make it a repurposed reality.
Restore
After years of abuse and redecorating, homeowners want to just throw items away for new ones, but there is often a lot of life left in those tired bones. With a little bit of work, those old treasures can be restored to new.
Anything wood — like stairs, floors and porches — can be stripped, sanded and stained. A blend of muriatic acid and water can remove the gunk off of glass, concrete and masonry. It takes time, but your home can quickly be restored to its shining days of glory.
Free flowing
Feng shui has been the “in” thing for quite awhile. For your home to stand out, it should flow freely from the driveway all the way to the back patio. Start by driving by your home. Something should draw you to park and come to the door. As you walk up, that same feeling should make you knock and enter. The lighting, sounds and smells should move freely from room to room without interruption with the climax being your showcased outdoor living space.
When you do your walk through, make notes of furniture, lighting, clutter, plants and anything else that interrupts or blocks that sense of open energy. Chances are if it is an obstacle for you, it will definitely be one for potential buyers.
Make Use of the Season
No matter what time of year it is, your home is the one buyer’s are looking for. It is up to you to convince them. The summer brings plenty of light during the day and the perfect weather in the morning and evening for outdoor time with family and friends. Move things around to showcase the light through the windows, even well placed mirrors can multiple the light and give the effect of open airiness.
With the weather being near-perfect, the outdoors are your friend. If you haven’t set one up, add a seating area outside with soft lighting and maybe even a fire pit. Be sure to take pictures both inside and outside during different times of day. These shots will help buyers see your home’s true summer potential, even if it’s a stormy summer downpour or snowy winter day.
Whether it is 100 degrees or only an overcast 75, good basic cleaning and staging can make your humble home a stellar summer seller.
Sources:
http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2010/07/20/home-staging-for-every-season/
http://www.hgtv.com/design/real-estate/adapt-your-home-to-its-selling-season
http://activerain.com/blogsview/4697640/staging-your-house-for-a-summer-sale-
http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2012/07/29/21-staging-tips-for-selling-your-home-fast/
http://movinginsider.com/2015/06/11/8-tips-for-staging-your-home-this-summer/
http://decoratingfiles.com/2012/09/cutting-a-table-in-half/
https://www.mainstreet.com/article/5-sales-tips-to-heat-things-up-as-you-sell-your-home-this-summer
http://www.hgtv.com/design/decorating/design-101/30-cant-miss-home-staging-tips
http://www.hgtv.com/design/decorating/design-101/feng-shui-staging-tips-pictures
http://www.hgtv.com/design/decorating/design-101/room-by-room-staging-strategies-pictures
http://www.hgtv.com/design/decorating/design-101/staging-to-sell-or-stay-in-spring-pictures
http://www.hgtv.com/design/decorating/design-101/home-staging-tips-for-fall-pictures
http://www.hgtv.com/design/decorating/design-101/7-ways-to-stage-your-home-for-sale-this-holiday-season-pictures
http://www.hgtv.com/design/topics/home-staging
http://www.bankrate.com/finance/real-estate/5-dirt-cheap-home-staging-ideas-7.aspx
