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Mar 29, 2015 0:37:44 GMT
Post by ohiodreamer on Mar 29, 2015 0:37:44 GMT
Okay, I need some advice. I have NEVER been one to decorate my house. I grew up in a "utilitarian" style and my house is kept much the same way. But we want to move so we need to put it on the market. Our "style", or lack there of, is not all the good for house showing. So....those of you with a clue....what advice can you share with where to start and what to do???
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Post by Melissa on Mar 29, 2015 0:48:15 GMT
I would make sure there is no clutter and everything is fresh-smelling. I went house-hunting with my daughter and the smell of some houses was not very nice. Even if you just boil some cinnamon sticks or something that is a nice smell.
As to decorating, keep it simple, maybe a nice picture or two just to add a focal point. People like things to look spacious.
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Post by krisinmi on Mar 29, 2015 2:34:36 GMT
I know the realtors will tell you to do neutrals, blah, blah, blah. But when we sold our home, what worked best was to have it empty! No kidding; we showed it for a couple months (always spotlessly clean) before we moved into our new home, but the first time it was shown after we had moved we got an offer in less than 24 hours for the entire asking price. Not having furniture in a room really makes you focus on the dimensions and potential of the room. I realize, though, that most people still need to live in their house while it's on the market and can't gut the place.
I think that goes right along with Melissa's suggestion to keep it simple and emphasize the spaciousness more than worrying about trying to achieve a particular style of decor.
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Post by wildhorseluvr on Mar 29, 2015 3:29:23 GMT
In total agreement with Melissa. No clutter! Even furniture should be kept to a minimum.
Keep the kitchen and bathroom counters as clear as possible, maybe one or two decorative items. A cute cookie jar or something might be enough. If your walls & furniture are pretty plain colored, add a few spots of color with a bright kitchen towel or curtains (even a colorful valance), and maybe a couple of colored bathrm towels. Doesn't take much.
I like Melissa's idea of cinnamon sticks...makes a place smell homey. A couple of unlit candles would have the same effect. But keep it subtle, even a pleasant odor can drive people out of the house if too strong, and many people have allergies.
A couple pictures of the family are great but not a whole wall.
A large planter or two of colorful flowers on the front porch is nice.
My personal pet peeve is bright paint...those really intense or even neon colors. It would certainly limit your buyers, and for the elderly or disabled who might have to hire painters, it would possibly even kill a sale.
You might go online and look at some homes for sale to get ideas to add some easy, inexpensive ways to add interest to your home. You'll quickly see what not to do as well, LOL.
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Post by solargeek on Mar 29, 2015 5:13:21 GMT
We have moved 16 times- owned 8 of them. My sister is a realtor also. Feel free to use any/all of the ideas we received over the years. Some houses we sold; others we used realtors for.
1. We were told to have 2 big bins - 1 had our never used "staging" bath and kitchen towels and new pillow for couch, other WAS EMPTY to put all our counter stuff away like coffee maker, soaps, used towels, any mail, mess, whatever. Covers on both bins, stacked in a closet. The theory was that anyone looking at your house KNEW you were moving so a couple of bins were ok.
2. Practice the change-out. We could do a 2200 sq ft 2 story change out in 17 minutes. But it took practice.
3. Best advice is what is above: simple, really clean and although some like cinnamon, me, I sneeze and would have to leave the house. Better to just spray the counters with WINDEX and wipe off before you show it. It has a neutral clean smell
4. On your kitchen counters, all the realtors said put nothing other than if you have a really pretty coffee maker, if not, then NOTHING. No soaps or dish detergent. New towels only. Nothing knick knacky (is that a word?)
5. Baths - immaculate. If you can afford to, New WHITE towels, thick and luxurious, and white hand towel. Don't use them; keep in bin till showing. Recaulk if necessary. New shower curtain if you need it. ALL of your shower stuff, shampoo conditioner OUT and into the bin mentioned above.
6. All Pet stuff put away. THIS IS CRITICAL -TAKE YOUR indoor PET WITH YOU WHEN THEY SHOW THE PLACE.
7. Nothing on your LR, BR or FR tables or mantles except lamps and maybe a coaster. New pretty pillow - big not small - on couch or chairs. Got mine at Target.
8. LIGHTS ON - every closet, bathroom and stairwell for showings- realtor may be rushed and won't do it.
9. SHOES: tell realtor to let people wear their shoes. Only bad smells turned me off more than having to take off boots or shoes.
10. BUY 1 beautiful blooming plant (azalea or hydrangeas are best as NO odor just color) and set on the counter they will see first. I also filled a glass gallon jar with lemons each time. I kept a huge bag in the fridge unused except for showings!
11. EXTERIOR: fresh plants on the porch; fresh mulch on any visible walkways as they enter.
Ok hope that helps. We made $$ on all but 1 house.
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Mar 30, 2015 21:21:14 GMT
Post by Maura on Mar 30, 2015 21:21:14 GMT
People pass a judgement before they even enter the house. Stand in the middle of the street (or driveway) and critically look. Lawn should be mowed and edged, bushes trimmed, flowers blooming (potted flowers are lovely on a step, porch, or near the steps). The porch should be swept, both floor and roof- get rid of spiderwebs. The doorway area should be washed and painted if needed. The door should be in good repair, replace if necessary. That first glance at your house should say ‘welcome’ and ‘well maintained’. If you decide to do a little landscaping in the front for curb appeal, keep everything near the walk way and porch soft. No roses or barberry. Put the porch light on to brighten the doorway.
If you have a cat, try letting him live outside for a few weeks. No litter boxes, no matter how clean you think you keep them.
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Post by susannah on Mar 31, 2015 0:29:08 GMT
I definitely agree with "no clutter". Where we were looking for a new home a few years back, some of the houses looked like they could be on "Hoarders". While that alone wouldn't turn me away, it does make it harder for people to visualize a house as their potential home if there's a lot of, well, stuff. Things should be put away as much as possible - at one house we toured, there was folded laundry on the couch, another basket of laundry on a chair. Not a deal breaker but it did make me wonder why the person didn't just put the laundry away? I guess what I'm saying is distractions are not a good thing. Honestly, I don't remember how a lot of the houses were decorated. Decorating styles didn't make an impression on me (unless it was something that would make for a lot of work for me as a potential buyer). The houses that impressed me were the ones that were clean, neat and uncluttered.
Having a lot of furniture can make a room look smaller. Too much furniture is not a good thing. I know this first hand. When we were selling our last house, one of the comments our realtor initially got was that the bedrooms were small. At first I was confused, because I knew that our house had larger bedrooms than many of the comparable listings in the area. But then I realized we really had a lot of furniture in the bedrooms. I ended up removing a large cedar chest, a chair and two nightstands from our bedroom, leaving only the bed, chest of drawers and two small bedside tables (taken from another room). The next showing, our realtor reported receiving the comment "I love the big bedrooms in this house!" And yes, that person put in an offer.
I agree with Maura about first impressions and curb appeal. The front door should be in good shape, same with any shutters, trim, outside light fixtures, etc. Even check the appearance of a doorbell and make sure it works (our front doorbell is cracked and while it doesn't bother me, I would most definitely replace it if I were to put the house on the market).
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Apr 5, 2015 3:59:51 GMT
Post by willowgirl on Apr 5, 2015 3:59:51 GMT
If you are working with a realtor, he or she should be able to give you specific recommendations for your property. You are paying him/her well -- take advantage of that expertise!
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Apr 5, 2015 8:33:00 GMT
Post by Skandi on Apr 5, 2015 8:33:00 GMT
Having looked at a lot of houses. clutter, get rid of it. Personlay how it is decorated doesn't bother me, but if I cannot see the size of the room I'm not likely to buy it. too much furniture counts as clutter. If you have land, then that is probably what buyers are more interested in than the house. so make sure that and any outbuildings are looking their best.
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Apr 8, 2015 23:48:30 GMT
Post by Deleted on Apr 8, 2015 23:48:30 GMT
Yes, yes, yes to all the comments about clean and clutter free. When I sold my home I stood in my front door and let my eyes travel to the first thing that caught my attention. It was a large, but attractive, computer desk in the dining room. I added a small lamp got rid of anything that looked like clutter. Then I pushed all the chairs under the table. I opened the curtains to show the double window off to best advantage. Every room had a soft light turned on, including the upstairs hall. Some greenery or flowers help. And nothing on the kitchen counters, at all. Towels hung nicely in the bathroom(s). Beds neatly made. Carpets swept, no garbage visible. Utility area tidy. Yard mowed and bushes trimmed. Books and magazines neatly stacked.
I wanted prospective buyers to step into a welcoming home that was light, clean, inviting and gave a sense of spaciousness. The house sold quickly.
p.s. I meant to add that my house was minimally furnished with little wall decorations or knick knacks as I'd only been there a couple years. but I presented it the best I could with what I had.
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Apr 9, 2015 0:02:00 GMT
Post by Deleted on Apr 9, 2015 0:02:00 GMT
I think the style you described that you have sounds perfect for a showing!
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Post by ohiodreamer on Apr 10, 2015 20:46:00 GMT
Thanks all. I have stripped and painted 3 rooms, only one room has any "decorations" up - and it's rather minimal. Painted the mudroom, too. I painted a mural in the mudroom 14 yrs ago - it was VERY tired looking. It is now a crisp clean very light tan like the rest of the first floor (I miss my picket fences, butterflies, bird and flowers....but I can do it again at the next house if I want). Stripped the "junk" in the china cabinet and have only a few pieces in there - light in color so it doesn't look too dark. Most of that "junk" came with the cabinet which came from my grandmother - not my style of "junk" or my choices, but I love the cabinet. Most are family "pieces" that I have to keep till I'm the patriarch in the family, lol.
We don't have a realtor, yet. We aren't far enough along in the process. I was just needing some pointer to get me moving in the right direction since I was pulling each room apart anyways to paint. I'm sure he will have a few suggestions once he's on board - but I didn't want to have to scramble last minute. Wish I could update my kitchen or bath....but no money for that. We will be putting about $7500 into a new roof next month. Hard to sell a house with shingle falling off. As long as we have the receipt, we should get most of that $ back in the sale price.
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Post by farmchix on Apr 11, 2015 12:40:21 GMT
No clutter. Don't go out and buy things to decorate with....that is clutter. Just cut some fresh flowers when you have a showing and leave it looking very minimalist.
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Post by dw on Apr 11, 2015 19:38:27 GMT
My husband sold houses a while...he said biggest turn off was smell and that would get me, too. Fresh air, the best!
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Post by Deleted on Apr 13, 2015 17:36:15 GMT
All the suggestions are great, only thing I can think of is to have your table set really pretty, runner or place mats, seem better than a table cloth, nice dishes that match decor or don't clash. flowers or pretty centerpiece. Had a good friend who said the smell of baking bread sold her house every time! Used to have an airfreshener w/that smell but cannot find it anymore.
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Apr 16, 2015 4:33:57 GMT
Maura likes this
Post by solargeek on Apr 16, 2015 4:33:57 GMT
Thanks all. Wish I could update my kitchen or bath....but no money for that. We will be putting about $7500 into a new roof next month. Hard to sell a house with shingle falling off. As long as we have the receipt, we should get most of that $ back in the sale price. Don't worry about your baths. Just clean them till they sparkle and buy those new towels and wash cloths (preferably white) and keep them clean. Get all your stuff out of the tub/shower and into the bin before a showing and spray a little Windex to make it smell fresh (only an little). Re: getting your roof price back; hard to say. People buy expecting to have a solid non-leaking roof and usually don't pay extra for it at least in our experience. We once had to tear out most of a basement on a 100 yr old home, install french drains, cover the beautiful cream city brick with a wet/dry board that would not leak just to stop water infiltration. No one paid us for that as they expected a dry basement. Good luck!
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Apr 16, 2015 15:01:20 GMT
Post by mollymckee on Apr 16, 2015 15:01:20 GMT
Your house sounds fine, very clean and not cluttered are a good combination for selling!
We looked at a house about 35 years ago that I will never forget. It was decorated with Elvis. Everything was Elvis! It was very clear she never drove by a roadside velvet picture seller, the walls were covered with oil on velvet Elvis pictures. She offered to include all the Elvis stuff as they were moving to a smaller place!
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Apr 17, 2015 14:44:38 GMT
Post by Maura on Apr 17, 2015 14:44:38 GMT
Windex will affect my asthma. Use something else, like vinegar and water. Turn the bathroom fan on and open a window so the cleaning solvent scent goes away.
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Apr 19, 2015 12:03:27 GMT
Post by farmchix on Apr 19, 2015 12:03:27 GMT
I used to burn candles. Now, too many people are affected by scents. I do have a coffee one I burn in the kitchen and blow out before a showing....
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Apr 23, 2015 15:22:11 GMT
Post by here to stay on Apr 23, 2015 15:22:11 GMT
The only thing I can offer is what people told me after they bought the two houses I sold. Neither house had been totally fixed up, having things I never got around to remodeling. And both houses needed outside repainting and had old baths and kitchens as I liked those things. They both mentioned one unique old item that they "fell in love with." One was a porcelain light fixture I had put in and the other the original craftsman style wood work in the living room and dining room. Of course neither house was in the upscale market and would have never attracted the people who wanted that anyway. But both sold at the speed of light to people like me in love with old stuff. All it to be to out do the competitors in that market was one endearing thing that was a highlight.
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misskay
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Jun 3, 2015 12:09:01 GMT
Post by misskay on Jun 3, 2015 12:09:01 GMT
I would buy those canned cinnamon rolls and pop them in the oven for showings. It made the house smell great and no one got sick since it was real smells and not candles, etc. that some have reactions too. Sold in 3 days.
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Jun 10, 2015 15:11:49 GMT
Post by sss3 on Jun 10, 2015 15:11:49 GMT
For those of you who mention white towels in bath, white wouldn't look good in there. I have bronze fixtures; shower curtain has beige, sage and some sort of rusty burgandy-hard to describe. I'm having a hard time matching towels to shower curtain. Walls are beige. Any other ideas? In kitchen, I have a Kitchen-Aid Professional mixer. It's too heavy for me to put away. Can I leave on counter; as my one thing? Or should it be put away at the beginning of showings and left there?
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Jul 5, 2015 12:00:45 GMT
Post by Deleted on Jul 5, 2015 12:00:45 GMT
Would it work to swap out your current shower curtain for a simple white one? That way you could use the white towels and it would look pulled together. We did that - shower curtain and towels from Target. Throw in a vase of flowers and you've got the "spa" experience going. One other thing we did was white unused soap in all soap dishes. Husband kept forgetting to not use the soap - I kept replacing it. We've been in our new place for 7 months - I haven't had to buy soap yet thanks to all of our lightly used bars!
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