Wow buyers at the front door

Posted on November 4, 2014November 4, 2014 by Avril Brown

Organize your entry way and tackle the clutter in your home’s drop spot

The first thing your prospective buyers see is your entry way, so it has to set the scene for the rest of the home. Your family is busy, but when selling a home you have to find storage solutions for the usual collection of seasonal outerwear, sports equipment, pet toys, shoes and boots and all the other clutter that seems to accumulate at the front door. A cluttered and unorganized front entrance suggests to buyers that the home lacks storage, not a great first impression. De clutter by packing and storing seasonal outerwear and footwear and keep items to a minimum to make closets appear as spacious as possible. Never leave shoes and boots at the front door when showing your home. On an agent showing there are going to be at least 2 to 3 pairs of shoes or boots that need space, no need for more clutter. A boot tray inside your closet, or a basket or bench with a lid and keep your footwear out of sight.

I have been in many clients homes where there is not a designated coat closet, especially in older homes. Adding a bench, some hooks and storage baskets gets around the idea of “no closet”. Attractive lined baskets are an inexpensive way to store hats, gloves and scarves and you can colour code one for each member of the family or attach name tags to simplify storage. A small console or table will act as a focal point and a place to drop keys in an attractive bowl or plate so they are easily found. A mirror above the console is a good idea to bring in some extra light and a good place to check hair and make up on the way out. If your space is tight and you don’t have room for a table use a narrow wall mounted shelf and hang an attractive piece of artwork above.

If space allows a bench or chair is a good idea for buyers to sit while removing or putting on shoes. If you have a rug at the front door that is starting to show its age replace it with a bound sisal or something in a neutral palette that will appeal to most buyers. If muddy boots and pets are an issue, keep your new rug for pictures and showings so it always looks fresh for buyers or use an indoor, outdoor rug. These are available in so many great colours and patterns now and a great solution for heavy traffic areas.

Create a stunning entryway for a memorable first impression!

Chalk Paint 101

Posted on September 29, 2014 by Avril Brown

Chalk Paint 101

There is no escaping the buzz in the crafting and diy world right now, everyone is talking about chalk paint. This amazing product has been around for quite a few years across the pond. Annie Sloan in England wanted a paint that would be fast, easy and cut out the prep work of painting furniture. Smart woman. The arduous task of sanding and prepping a piece of furniture has been eliminated. You just slap it on, I kid you not. I recently picked up some of this fabulous paint at Rusty Hinges at the Hydrostone in Halifax. If you have never been to this lovely store you are in for a treat. Reclaimed furnishings, linens, soaps, mirrors and of course a rainbow of Annie Sloan chalk paint colours.

You can take a curb side find and transform it into a customized piece for your home, with very little effort. The furniture piece I made over recently was a Bombay Company buffet passed on from my Mother. It was in great shape to start with but I wanted a new look for my dining room. No sanding or prep needed, just wipe down to ensure no dust or sticky fingers and start applying, any which way. No going with the grain, you want brush strokes to show, that’s part of the rustic, shabby chic look.

I chose to use 2 colours. Greek Blue on the top and Paris Grey on the base, one of the most popular shades. One coat of blue and move on to the base. By the time I had finished the base the top was dry, that’s how fast the process is. Once the piece has dried do a little bit of distressing with sandpaper. Around the corners, top of the drawers, edges, handles, anywhere you would normally see wear and tear. You can remove the hardware before painting or just paint right over them as I did.

An absolute must is the wax. This is applied after the paint has dried. Available in clear or dark finish, the wax protects the piece and gives a wonderful sheen and smooth finish. It can be applied with a brush or a lint free rag ( I raided husband’s t shirt drawer) It takes a little bit of elbow grease but is so worth it.

Here is the finished piece. It took about 4 hours from start to finish, so so easy and it really changes the look of the pieces. I also made over a small hall table and bench that was in really rough shape. Same technique, Paris Grey and dark wax. I added the new fabric and it makes a great place for keys in my entry way. This smaller project only took a tester size of the paint, a great way to try it out before you commit to a larger can. Here is the before and after.

Rusty Hinges also runs chalk paint workshops at their store, give them a call for details, the ladies are so helpful.

Annie Sloan Stockist Halifax

Home Staging : Small changes reap large rewards

Posted on January 22, 2014January 23, 2014 by Avril Brown

The mention of home staging often conjures up $$$$ signs in a homeowner’s mind but actually it’s the small inexpensive changes that often make the most impact when listing a home for sale. The trick is to merchandise for your market. Your home, once on the market, is a product and needs to be presented to attract attention. The right kind of attention. Staging can ensure your listing doesn’t get lost in the virtual marketplace. You only have seconds to impress so make that first look at your home count.

#1 Update Decor

If the last time your home had a spruce up was 1985, don’t be fooled into thinking just because you are ok with your décor, buyers will be too. Cosmetic upgrades are always a good idea. Even a simple and inexpensive bedding update can make a world of difference to online images. In the bedroom shown we used the homeowner’s existing furniture. Changing the overpowering, outdated floral bedding and removing the drapes made a huge difference and brightened the room immediately. Quick, easy and an instant update.

The Bathroom was a similar easy fix, Remove rugs to expand floor space, de clutter counter, add colour and art and new, fresh towels. Online images need to be visually appealing, especially for bathrooms which are big selling features for buyers.

Dining rooms are where a buyer will entertain family and friends so they need to be shown as an inviting, functional space. If you are selling a home with a formal dining area, as this older home had, de cluttering is key. Remove any small collectibles, wall plates, small pieces of art, dried flowers etc. Also remove overfilled curio cabinets and dining hutches if possible. Not every piece of china needs to be on display. Pack up items to give an illusion of space. Keep it simple. Removing tablecloths is an instant update and makes a room seem more spacious too. Take down heavy drapes to let more light in to brighten the room.

Even if you don’t use a room in your home, it is so important to show it as useable square footage. A buyer needs to see how the room can function for them. Many buyers are unable to envision how they will use a room so make it easy for them to see themselves in your home.

The home shown was an estate sale. First I visited the home to do a staging report with recommendations for removing some furnishings, de cluttering, what to pack up etc. and on the day of staging all it needed to make it market ready were some cosmetic changes, furniture rearrangement, updated accessories and colours.
SOLD 🙂 by Mary Stickings Remax Nova
http://www.remaxnova.com/realtors/113379

Online images make or break a sale

Posted on February 3, 2013February 6, 2015 by Avril Brown

We all keep hearing over 90% of buyers are searching for their dream home on line . A captive audience,or is it? Bad images don’t entice a buyer, grab their attention or do any listing justice. A great picture should stop a prospective buyer in their tracks enough to investigate that listing further and arrange a viewing. There is no way to get people in the front door if they don’t like the image on the screen. We see it all the time. Agents eager to get a listing on the market snapping a home that is nowhere near ready to be photographed, with a cell phone camera or a good quality camera for that matter. Having a better than average camera doesn’t guarantee good images. It’s not what you have, it’s how you use it! Not marketing a property with all the tools available in this day and age is doing a client a great disservice.

Staging and professional photography has to be seen as a very worthwhile investment. The two go hand in hand. A home can be beautifully staged and ready for buyers but bad lighting and odd angles don’t do it justice in the eyes of a buyer. Having professional pictures done of a home that has not had the trained eye of a Home stager do at least do a consult at the property, is not maximizing the potential of a client’s largest investment.

In the images above you can see the before and after. In the first first image the room has awkward furniture placement and too much has been removed, leaving it sparce and uninviting. Only one section of the room is featured, leaving it to the imagination how much space there really is. Light is poor out and even the wall colour is not true. The second image after the room has been rearranged and a few items from my staging inventory have been added for colour and interest. You can see the whole room, light is balanced and you can see the view outdoors. Some light staging was all that was needed in this home but it made a vast difference. This property was sold within 3 weeks after staging and professional photography.

If you were in the market to buy a home either for yourself or as an investment, ask yourself this: Would the pictures you take draw your attention to the property?

A good picture is worth a thousand buyers.

prepstaging.com

902 489 6162