Archive for December, 2009

Are You Making Any of These 20 Decorating Goofs in Your 'For Sale' Property?

Tuesday, December 15th, 2009

As a professional property stylist (or home stager), I get to see a lot of rooms. You see, it’s my job to help home owners from all different backgrounds, (and with different sorts of properties), to get their homes ready for the ‘for sale’ market.

Whilst I do help lots of different people, in different places, I find I’m often helping my home owner friends get a handle on some surprisingly common decorating goofs.

Now, let me just say to you up front, that many of the things on the list I’m about to share with you, aren’t really a big deal for you – when you’re NOT SELLING YOUR HOME. That’s because, when you’re not selling, your house is about your wants and needs.

But, when you are selling, that same property isn’t about you anymore. It’s really about your buyer’s wants and needs. Now that it’s time to sell, these decorating goofs can damage your chances of a better sale without you even realising. Some of them can cost you big bucks if you’re not careful.

With the help of my list of top 20 decorating goofs, you’ll be able to see where you might be going wrong. Once you know what to look for; you’ll be able to make a few changes that will ultimately help you put your (home’s) best foot forward, for a great impression.

1. Poor use of your space. This is all about not defining a room’s purpose and I simply have to say that’s one of my golden rules. Bedrooms should be shown as bedrooms, dining rooms as dining rooms. This is really what buyers want to see. Not your bedroom as a home gym or your dining room as an office or play room for the kids.

2. A look that’s too personal. By too personal I mean a few things, including a room being too formal (AKA uncomfortable), too colourful (AKA a burden to change) or too themed (AKA hard to see past and still a burden to change like in our top picture).

3. A room with too many of your ‘little things’. “It’s the little things.” How sweet. But no – really, you can have too much of a good thing my friends. Pack up most of your nick-knacks, including porcelain roosters or frogs, dolls, stuffed animals and the like. After all they don’t come with the house, do they? Put them away for safe keeping now. In the end it will save you time, and buyers will see more ‘house’ and less ‘you’.

4. Over furnishing a room. My next 4 goofs are closely related, but still separate. Check out the photo of the girls room on this page. Here’s a girl’s bedroom with so much furniture the door can’t be closed – at all. Not only does it make the room feel smaller, but it can even make a buyer wonder if the furniture is in fact holding the door up.

5. Having furniture that is too big for the room. This is the problem with those furniture showrooms; the furniture seems much smaller compared to the room and the other things around it. But when you get it home, it sucks up your space quicker than a vacuum cleaner. Do you think you could live with just one of the 3 seater sofas in the short term to help you open the room up?

6. Poor furniture placement. In my experience this is most common in bedrooms and living rooms. You might even be familiar with furniture layout I like to call the ‘washing machine effect’ see below right for an example. You know when the furniture is lined up against the walls like the spin cycle in your washing machine? It’s far better to bring sofas, coffee and side tables in closer together as they make for much better conversational groupings. If you have a large room like the one at bottom right, don’t spread your sofa and coffee tables out, it looks weird. Instead, consider adding another function to the room like perhaps a dining table or another sitting area. Aim to use the furnishings you already have for this one.

7. Poor traffic flow Grouping your furniture too close together so you can’t get past without bumping into furniture, or having to walk through the middle of a seating area in a passage way are also big goofs. This may not be a problem for you, but what about the agent who needs to bring several people through at once? Very often the agent and his/her buyers will need to move around the same room all at the same time. Take that into account before buyer groups’ start coming through for a look and plan ahead.

8. Competing with your home’s architectural style or location. I can’t stress this enough. If you are selling an igloo, then a seaside decorating theme is unlikely to help you sell your house. Same goes for new builds full of antique furnishings. You’ll only be limiting your buyer pool in a very big way. That’s because buyers in the market for an igloo will expect to see an igloo interior. Keep it simple by being sympathetic to your home’s style and location.

9. Blocking a great view of the outdoors. If you have a great view, show it off. I’ve seen homes by the ocean where overgrown trees and shrubs almost completely blocked the view from the yard or balcony. Buyers had no real idea what was there. You also want to make sure that house hunters can see your place from the kerb.

10. Having your kid’s gear invade almost every room. It’s an easy trap for us parents to fall into. But the reality is it just screams plain old untidy, with an obvious lack of storage. When you’re selling, just keep a few of the kids’ favourite things on hand, have a container that can be easily filled and then stored, without a lot of fuss, in no time at all. Have you got any decorating goofs you’d like to share?

Donna Ross

Great Impressions Real Estate Staging

Sydney and Newcastle

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Architectural Details That Count In The 'For Sale' Property.

Wednesday, December 9th, 2009

As a professional home stager/property stylist (and a property investor), I’ve seen a lot of homes. All have both positives and negatives. But a lucky few have something I think is really special. Something truly valuable and often unique.

So, if you’ve got any of these glorious built-in features in your home, get to work on showing them off in all their spectacular glory!

Here are my 6 all-time favourite architectural features. fireplace

Fireplace: Be it modern or tradtional, nothing says ‘warm and cozy’ better than a fireplace. Make the most of your fireplace by keeping it maintained (even out of season) and well presented. If it needs a little TLC to make it more of a positive, get right on it.

stairs

 

Stairs: Either modern or traditional, they are a feature you can’t ignore. As you can see, they don’t have to be just a way of getting to the 1st floor. If you’re selling, use them to beckon the buyer to see more.

crown mouldings

 

Crown Mouldings: A decorative finish that adds a special touch of class to any room. Highlight crown mouldings with a gloss finish paint, as shown here.

 

 

 

 

 

windows

 

Windows: Flooding the room with natural light and inviting you to absorb the view. Don’t underestimate their value. Make the most of them when you’re selling by keeping them clean and uncovered, unless privacy is an issue.

period home

 

Period Home: A period home exudes a charm that modern houses can’t keep up with. They have an appeal and finish all their own. Mind you, decorating touches should be ‘complementary’ of the property’s features not ‘faithful’. By that I mean we like the ‘look’ of the turn of the century home, but in a practical sense, few buyers want to live like they did back then. So even in the period home, some upgrades will be expected. 

 

bookcases

 

Built-in Cabinetry: And not just because it looks good, but also because it’s super practical and therefore valuable. Like I always say; you can’t have too much storage.

These are all time favourites features – what are yours?

Donna Ross

Great Impressions Real Estate Staging & Consulting

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Warning: Use These 5 Sure-fire Decluttering Tips At Your Own Risk

Tuesday, December 8th, 2009

If you find yourself with a home that’s currently on the market, or you’re just about to take the plunge and face the property market head on, then it’s quite possible that you’ve at least considered have a good clean out and cutting down on some of your ‘stuff’.

Oh, you won’t hear any argument from me; tips on decluttering your home are a dime a dozen. Usually the information is fairly standard. Cleaning, deciding where to start, what to keep, what to throw out, give away, what to put it in and then where to put. You get the picture – don’t you? If not here’s an article on that side of things you might like.

That’s ok. Stick with them; I dare say you’ll need them sooner or later. I’m hoping to get you to think about this process from a different angle than you’re perhaps used to. We aren’t going to be talking about the nuts and bolts (trust me, you’ll need a container for those), so much here, but the in’s and out’s. We’ll be talking quite a bit about the relationship you have with your clutter.  

I won’t promise you that it’s going to be pretty; I will promise you that it’s going to be completely necessary. Ready?

First things first.

1. Define your clutter (aka clutter physiology)box of clutter

Clutter means different things to different people. To a real estate buyer, the term generally refers to the years of accumulated ‘odds and ends’ that home owners tend to have around them. You can bet that these things are of little use to anyone but the owners themselves. For example; clothing that doesn’t fit, collectables of any kind (yes, of any kind), books, magazines, toys, videos, DVD’s, craft ‘bits’, old birthday cards, presents you have no use for, 100’s of photos, old baby clothes, old shoes, tools and so the list goes on and on. Yet, far too many sellers insist on hanging on to this stuff at sale time. The end result is house hunters feel claustrophobic and stressed.

2. What’s with the clutter? (aka clutter psychology #1)

Ever wondered why you’re hanging on to the things you hang on to? For most people there’s some kind of emotional connection. Guilt, perhaps some whimsy. The very thought of throwing something away causes you anxiety as you imagine part of yourself being lost with that ’special’ piece. For those things that are very special to you, consider starting up a scrapbook, journal or keepsake box. For things like cards an letters you can paste those straignt into your scrapbook and make a few notes about that time. For things like a favourite sweater, or baby outfit, grab your camera and take a photo, then add your photo to your scrapbook. Again, write a few lines to help you and others to remember that time. For those things you’ve collected because you think you’ll have a use for down the track, ask yourself how long you’ve had it. If it’s more than 2 -3 months it’s time to get rid of it.

3. When to Declutter? (aka clutter psychology #2)

We’re talking about the ‘P’ word – procrastination. Putting off today what should be done tomorrow. Only tomorrow never comes. It’s all because you feel overwhelmed. This is where planning comes into it. Break it down into smaller chunks (see our next tip), and then get some help from family or a friend.

pantry4. What are your immediate needs and what would a buyer expect to see in this space? 

Think about the rooms you have and your immediate needs while your house is on the market, and what buyers want to see’. Let’s take the kitchen as an example. You’ll of course need food on hand, and some food preparation and cooking equipment, along with some serving ware. Buyers of an occupied home expect to see these things in a kitchen, and they like to know how they fit into the space.  This leaves things like out of date food, 15 different pots and serving dishes, 4 dinner sets, umpteen drinking glasses, personal papers and anything else rarely uses to be packed away until you move, thrown away or donated. Take this similar ‘what are my immediate needs & what do buyers want to see’ approach to the other rooms in your house.

5. The time factor – tear through like a hurricane or flow like a gentle breeze?

If you intend to sell, then you may have to prepare yourself for the most frenzied de-cluttering weekend you’ve ever had. It can feel a bit like a hurricane in that sense; really intense, but thankfully short.  Just remember your plan and get all the help you can possibly muster. If you’re the procrastinating type, then the ‘gentle breeze’ approach may be the best and least painful way to go. Go room by room or even drawer by drawer if it helps. Take your camera with you as you go and try to make the most of it. And put a time limit on the process. Reward yourself at the end, with some scrapbook time.

Have you got any de-cluttering tips or experiences you’d like to share?

Donna Ross

Great Impressions Real Estate Staging & Consulting

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8 Myths of Staging to Sell – Busted

Tuesday, December 8th, 2009

Home staging (or property styling as it’s commonly known as on the Australian property scene) is really an art, not a science. One of the many things a professional home stager understands is that it’s the house that’s up for sale, not the home owner’s bread baking ability or taste in music. So, from the sublime to the rediculous – here’s 8 myths of staging to sell – busted!

1. Buyers can see past my stuff
No – they can’t, so get over it. The reality is that 95% of house hunters shop with a ‘what you see is what you get’ eye. You’ll be maximising your chances of a better and quicker sale if you take the time to clean out, clean up and keep your look simple.brewing coffee

2. Baking bread, brewing fresh coffee and playing soft music will make a buyer fall in love with my house.
Maybe once upon a time this was true – but most would-be buyers are onto that old trick. It’s more likely to trigger alarm bells, with many wondering what it is you’re trying to hide. Your buyers will be happy with a place that looks and smells clean.

3. I’ll need to clear everything out to help buyers see themselves living here.
This is only partly true. Wall to wall family photos are distracting, as is your porcelain rooster collection. These things are best put away. But don’t go overboard, otherwise you’ll end up with a look that feels cold and sterile.

4. If it’s an original feature – it adds value.
Sometimes yes – but often no. Generally a property built less than 50 years ago without being updated is more likely to appear dated, rather than classic.

5. My place isn’t worth staging.
All homes are worth taking the time to present in a positive light to buyers. The trick to knowing where to start and what to do is in having a good idea of what buyers in your target market will expect, along with learning more about what competing properties in your area are offering. 

 
6. Empty rooms look bigger.

This is rarely the case. Buyers will always prefer to see how a room is used and what will fit in it, rather than be left to guess. Very large rooms can also be too intimidating for some. Even borrowed furniture can help buyers get an idea of scale and give the eye something of interest to focus on.

7. Converting a bedroom into a home gym won’t be a problem.
Bedrooms are one of the most valuable commodities of the ‘for sale’ property. Having a home gym set up in a bedroom will prompt buyers to wonder why that is. I remember once looking at a house where this was the case. When I came across the bedroom with the gym in it, I immediately began to question if a bed would even fit. Always give the rooms in your house a purpose.

8. No need to worry about wardrobes and cupboards.
Home storage is a big deal to most buyers and is surprisingly valuable. Prospective buyers will open storage cupboards in kitchens and bathrooms, so keep them tidy. Keep only what you’re using on a daily or weekly basis, and pack the rest away ready for the move.

Have you got a staging myth you’d like busted? Share them with me here.

Donna Ross

Great Impressions Real Estate Staging & Consulting

For home owners between Sydney & Newcastle

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Do You Make Any Of These 5 Real Estate Photo Blunders?

Tuesday, December 8th, 2009

Statistics show that as many as 80% of house hunters now start their search for a new home on the internet.

The bottom line is, that taking the right marketing photos in order to maximise buyer interest and invite them to want to see more of your online listings, is an essential element of any real estate marketing plan.

The good news? You don’t have to be a professional photographer to take a good marketing photo that will get the right kind of buyer attention.

Check your marketing photos now, to make sure that you (or someone you know) haven’t fallen victim to any of these 5 marketing photo blunders.

Never forget, that a picture tells (buyers) a thousand words!

 

clutter

 

1. Too much to look at: In the photo at left there’s just too much to look at. As a house hunter you wouldn’t know where to start. Although the photo isn’t entirely to blame (poor staging is also an issue), this photo demands the eye dart around the room. Accessorise your photos a little – yes; clutter them up – no.

cat

 

 2. People and pets in photos: These are 2 things that should NEVER be seen in any marketing photo. Same goes for pet paraphernalia e.g. dog bowls, litter boxes, dog kennels. I once saw a marketing photo with food in a frying pan as it was being cooked on the stove. Too much information.

 pool table

 

3. Photos of a bed, bath or sink or tables: Buyers want to see the overall space, not just one part of the room. The  photo of the pool table at right would be perfect if it were being listed for sale on ebay - with a free protective cover. In fact, I think that’s what I’ll call photos of this ilk; ‘the ebay effect’. One exception to this rule: some architectural features are worth getting as a close up. Just don’t get so close that no-one can make out exactly what they are looking at.

  

dining room

  

4. Unflattering camera angles: Everyone has their ‘good’ side and the same is true of the ‘for sale’ property. I’d strongly suggest to you that if the camera angle, or maybe even the room itself, doesn’t send out a positive message to prospective buyers, ditch the photo altogether. Experiment with a couple of different angles and select the best 9most flattering) one. The magic of the digital camera is the ‘delete’ button. 

 

 

 

 bad lighting

 

5. Out of focus, poorly lit images, or ‘hot spots’: You know those photos where you can see the flash of the camera in a mirror or window? That’s called a hot spot. The trick is not to directly face the reflective surface, if that fails you, turn your flash off.

 

 

 

 

Want some more help with taking the right marketing or portfolio shots? I highly recommend ‘How to Photograph Interiors When You Barely Know How to Work a Camera’ by Barbara Lane. It’s the perfect resource for anyone who needs or wants to take the best possible interior photographs, but isn’t a professional photographer. Ms Lane is a professional photographer who’s willing and able to hold your hand through the whole process and gives home stagers a few new ideas on how to use them.

Donna Ross

Great Impressions Real Estate Staging & Consulting

For home owners between Sydney & Newcastle

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20 Lessons from a Professional Home Stager – Part 2

Tuesday, December 8th, 2009

No matter where you are in the world, getting a property ready for the ‘for sale market’ market has evolved. Thanks in no small part to the internet; house hunters are now savvier than ever. It’s the internet that allows home buyers to see a whole lot more of their local property market. Gone are the days of would-be buyers traipsing from one property to another, using just a few agencies/ainternet searchgents to assist them.

Today, the real estate pool is much, much larger. It’s far easier for house hunters these days to separate ‘for sale’ property’s into the definitely not’s or the maybe’s and the listing agents, before leaving home. The on flow effect of this is that the more ‘comparison shopping’ a buyer does – the higher the real estate bar rises.

A professional home stager/property stylist has the skills and experience to know where that ‘bar’ will sit for a property like yours. And they’re willing and able to help you keep up with your competition. In this post I’ll add to our list 8 more lessons you can learn from a home stager.

If you missed lessons 1 – 12 from part 1 just click here, to catch up on what you need to know.

13. Learn how to maximise your outdoor spaces: Lots of patios, porches and decks have bucket loads of potential just waiting to be realised. In the ‘for sale’ market, gardens and swimming pools can either work for you, or against you. Home stagers know how to tilt the pendulum in your favour with simple – often, no cost decorating fixes. Hint: garden gnomes and vintage farm equipment are NOT the answer.

14. law and orderFind out how simple it is to get some Law and Order with easy and practical storage ideas: A key part of getting ready to sell is paring down your stuff. It helps buyers see more of the house itself, and even creates space you may have forgotten you had. Home stagers know where to draw the line on decluttering and robbing the house of character and warmth.

15. Find out how to create a ’spa like’ bathroom: A good, saleable bathroom needs to be sparkling clean at the very least. The most valued bathrooms feel spacious and have a day spa mood to them. Don’t worry, it’s not about renovating, it’s possible to bump up buyer appeal with a few simple changes that won’t cost the earth.

16. Learn the secrets to good looking and practical kitchens: Kitchens sell houses. If you’ve got a kitchen that’s hasn’t had an update in say…8-10 yrs, doing a few cosmetic updates can boost your equity in the short term. As a stager I know at least 5 quick, low cost ways to update an older kitchen ‘for a for’ sale property.

17. Always wanted a serene master bedroom? Selling is still a good time to create one. Master bedchairrooms are climbing up the ladder in terms of important rooms in the ‘for sale’ property. This is where the person/s that pays the mortgage will retreat to at the end of each day, so it pays to give it the care and attention it deserves. The space doesn’t have to be large, but it does have to be deserving of the status of ‘master’ bedroom.

18. Got a multi-function room? Lounge/dining, guest room/home office, laundry/storage area. Lots of us have. I’m sitting in one now. But they often end up looking cluttered, over furnished and seem as though they can’t do anything well. A good home stager will help you pull together a space that you can still work with, but still shows your buyers good value for money.

19. Stagers can help you get any rental furniture: In fact most stagers will organise the whole thing for you. With a pre-set budget, I know exactly what pieces to get to help me achieve the right look, and where to source them from. A good stager can also choose the right decorative accessories and art that will finesse the room.

20. Need to find a good real estate agent? Many stagers can point you in the direction of perhaps a few, pro-active real estate agents in your area that you might like to talk to. It’s not uncommon for agents and stagers to work together to achieve the best result.

An added benefit to having your home professionally staged is that you get to enjoy the changes before you go!

Now you have an idea of what a stager does, tell me what you think.

Donna Ross

Great Impressions Real Estate Staging & Consulting

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Shhhh; Here’s a quick way to choose the right decorative accessories for any room.

Monday, December 7th, 2009

It’s the little things, those small, decorative touches that can really finesse a room. As a home stager/property stylist I find decorative accessories, tabletop decorations, knick knacks, bric-a-brac, or whatever it is you like to call them, to be one of the most useful and successful ways to add interest to the ‘for sale’ property. I know that for many home owners, choosing the right accessories is a bit of a hit and miss affair. It even gets a tad risky if/when you’re trying to sell your home. As a professional home stager/re-designer I don’t simply rely on ’smoke and mirrors’ to add the right accessories to the right room.

Accessorising at its best, is a combination of art, and science. Yes- I said science. So, in this post, I’m going to spill my secrets tell you more about the ‘science’ behind the art of accessorising.

Whilst accessories are considered simply decorative, they do in fact serve a real function. They add to a room’s charm or mood. They also add interest, and a sense of warmth or whimsy.

Look at the following living room photo on the left with me if you would; Now, let’s for a moment imagine this living room without any of the accessories in it. Let’s leave only the basic, larger furnishings. The artwork on the wall is gone, so is the area rug, the plants, the footstool at bottom left, even the lamp shades. Some may even have taken out the side tables. It’s not much to look at is it? And so we can see the ‘function’ of accessories.

So, how should you choose accessories for your room? Well, it comes down to remembering 4 simple rules for accessorising success.

1. Pick out things that will suit the style or mood of your room or house. Here’s an example of what I mean by mood or style. Let’s pick up a cushion off the sofa of the country house (below left) and place it on the white sofa of the modern living room (below right). Now, let’s put one of the white/red ‘pod’ chairs into our country living room. Does it work? Not at all. So, rule #1; choose according to style or mood.

2. Pick out things that ‘work’ or ‘match’ with your room’s colour scheme. Think about the colour, tone and finish. Pick up the white, modern coffee table and place it in our country room. Obviously we have a complete miss-match of colours and finishes. Rule #2: Choose according to colour and finish.

3. Go for things that fit in with the scale of the furnishings and the room itself. Small side table = smallish or less accessories. Large side table = larger accessories, or a grouping of smaller accessories (as seen on the table under the TV in the modern room). Rule #3: Don’t forget about the size of the other things in the room and the size of the room itself. Will this piece dominate, or will it be lost in it’s surroundings?

4. Decide on how many pieces will work for the space and style of your room. This is where many people go wrong. As a general rule, traditional looking decors like the country style room shown here lend themselves to having more accessories. Whilst modern rooms are usually more pared down. If you start with nothing at all on the table, sofa, or in the corner of the room, take a moment to consider if you need to add interest. Is it a bit bland looking as is, or is the space or table etc a feature in itself? Rule #4: Think about the style of your room when deciding how many accesssories to use. Got too many for your look? Just rotate them insterad of showing them all off at once.

So there you have it. This is the science behind finessing a room with decorative accessories. It’s not all about science; having a decorator’s eye goes a long way. That’s what a trained home stager/property stylist does when staging a home to sell. But, with these 4 easy steps, you’ll be well on your way to ‘accessorising success’.

Give it a go and let me know how you get on.

Donna Ross

Great Impressions Real Estate Staging & Consulting

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Do you recognise these warning signs your home’s presentation could be killing your sale?

Monday, December 7th, 2009

Selling your home in today’s market is not for the faint of heart. You need to do your homework, set a realistic price for your area, and then make sure your property’s presentation and condition are in synch with your asking price.

Actively and effectively presenting your property for the ‘for sale’ market can be a critical reason for a home either selling, or not selling, especially in a slow real estate market. All too often property presentation plays a much, much bigger role in the sale of a property than the seller ever realises. 

Take a moment now to look over these 7 warning signs. Tick off all that apply. With any luck your property’s marketing campaign is not too far along, and making changes now, can turn things around for you. 

1. Your agent is showing buyers through, but you still haven’t got an offer. If your selling agent is getting prospective buyers through the door to view your property in person, then it seems obvious that your home’s asking price – by itself, isn’t putting prospective buyers off.

2. The offers you’ve had are well below your asking price. If you’ve done all you reasonably can to present your place in a positive light to prospective buyers, and still the offers are low, then I’d say you’re overpriced. But, if you’ve failed to readjust your home’s presentation for marketing purposes on the for sale market, then it’s quite likely that buyers just don’t see your place as being good value for money. Selling ‘as is’ usually means you as the seller will lose out.

3. Your agent has suggested you make a few changes to the decor. Most agents are happy to provide you with some guidance in this direction. So, if they haven’t already, just ask. Sharp agents can even refer you to a stager or stylist who specialises in helping home owners like you, deliver a well presented property. Don’t take their words personally, just take it on board. Living in, and selling a home are very, very different.

4. Buyer feedback. Agents collect feedback from house hunters. That’s just one reason you’re not doing the inspections/viewings yourself (at least I hope you aren’t). You see, buyers are far more likely to be up-front with your agent than they would be with you. If you haven’t checked in with your agent about this do it now. Again, don’t take it personally. Just don’t let it fall on deaf ears.

5. You’ve had at least one price reduction. This is never good. Before you consider dropping the price, talk to your agent and then decide if you can attack it from another angle.

6. You’ve been on the market for 3 months or more. A mere 2 weeks was once considered the deadline for a stale listing but today’s property market is tough going. Depending on the area you’re selling in, a 3 month old listed property is likely to be on the downhill slide to sales oblivion. If you’ve had the people through, but haven’t got anything to show for it, poor presentation can be a telling factor.

7. You’ve lived in your place for 10 years or more and have never updated. I know how life can get in the way, but I’m afraid that many properties of this age start to show signs of age once they reach double figures. And buyers tend to find that pretty unappealing. Don’t worry, it’s unlikely to mean you have to renovate, fast and simple cosmetic changes can still give you the edge you need, without eating into your equity. In this situation, it might serve you best to get a professional stager to come and help you get ready.

So, there you have it. Selling your house ‘as is’ can be fraught with danger in today’s market. If you’ve checked off at least one of these warning signs, then I’d suggest you take a good hard look at how you can improve on presentation.

What do you think?

Donna Ross

Great Impressions Real Estate Staging & Consulting

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20 Lessons from a Professional Home Stager/Property Stylist

Saturday, December 5th, 2009

Home staging (or ‘property styling’ as it’s often called here in Australia), is the process of getting a ‘for sale’ property to sparkle and really stand out for potential buyers. Despite the concept of professionally ‘staging to sell’ being developed in the 70’s, it’s still a relatively new concept to the real estate scene in many areas.

So what can you learn from a professional home stager, like me? Well, it’s more than about baking cookies and playing soft music during inspections. Today, thanks to the internet, home buyers are much savvier, and what once spoke volumes to house hunters is now tired and obvious. Think of house hunters as customers in a store. And as they say in sales – “the customer is king”.

In this 2 part series I’ll fill you in on 20 lessons an expert home stager can teach you about attracting more potential buyers customers to your property store.

1. Give you the secret to the kind of kerb appeal that gets buyers in the door, not just driving past it. home buyers

2. The best home stagers don’t just understand where to place your lounge or sofa; they also have an excellent understanding of house hunters and their buying expectations. For example, I help my clients narrow their property’s target market down from 7 different types of home buyers. Then we get to work on meeting the expecactions of those types of buyers.

3. A stager will point out your home’s most saleable features (chances are, you have more than you realise), and show you what to do to bring them out for your buyers to see.

4. Is your property’s architectural style classic or contemporary? Be careful. There’s a real difference between a true classic style, and a look that is simply outdated. A home stager can help you find out what your home’s style is and then show you how to make it a real selling feature with ‘low’ cost, or perhaps even ‘no cost’ fixes.  

5. Show you how to place your existing furniture to make each room look and feel larger, as well as being a very useable space.

6. Stagers can pull your existing furniture together to make for a harmonious sellable look.

7. How to take those smaller decorator items and use them to focus a buyer’s attention on a feature of your house.

8. Home stagers understand that any established home suffers wear and tear, but some of it can’t be passed over when you’re selling. You’ll learn which repairs and updates give you the biggest bang for your buck.

9. Would you believe it is possible to use some of the kid’s gear to help you sell your house? I kid you not! (“pun intended – hope you don’t mind”). A home stager will know just what to do.

10. A professional stager or re-designer often has plenty of contacts. Just ask, and they can probably point you in the direction of a sharp real estate agent, plumber, electrician, gardener, painter, storage facility, moving company, homewares store. 

11. Most stagers are happy to make suggestions on which marketing photos show your property in the best possible light for buyers (it’s a crucial part of your marketing plan). Having 1st class property marketing photos is a bit of a personal obsession for me, and I think most stagers tend to feel the same way.

12. Some wall colours work very well when you’re selling, others can scare your buyers off. And no – it doesn’t all have to be beige, beige, beige! A professional home stager will help you understand what will work for your place to give it more of a wow factor.

This is just a start. Any surprises?

Donna Ross

Great Impressions Real Estate Staging & Consulting

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