Furniture placement for selling

Good furniture arrangement is the secret to making a room look it’s best.Yet, most people struggle with what goes where. Have you ever stood at the doorway to a bedroom, or the center of your living room, and wondered, “What’s wrong with this room?” You may sense that the arrangement is awkward, but you’re not sure why.Every room has an ideal arrangement for home staging, and you can discover it by avoiding the most common mistakes.

Too much furniture. Select your best pieces. It’s better to have a few impressive pieces of furniture, than a roomful of some good and some not-so-good pieces. Keep a few larger pieces (sofa, upholstered chairs, beds, bookcases) unless they are in poor condition or very dated.Colors and styles from a few decades ago don’t make your home look fresh and exciting.
Remember that house hunters are looking at other homes and will compare your home to properties with new and stylish furniture that left them with a positive impression.

Not enough furniture. Since most people own more furniture than they use, sparse furnishing is more common when a home is unoccupied.When selling a home, no room should be empty. House hunters see an unfurnished room as a problem room, one that raises questions. “Did the sellers run out of money? Maybe they’ll accept a low ball offer.”
An empty room also draws attention to minor flaws in a property which would normally not be an issue in a furnished room.
Put some large pieces of furniture in that empty room. If it still looks a little barren, an area rug can unify the grouping that you do have. Add some free standing shelving along the wall or as a room divider. Large artwork will help to warm and define a space.

Poor traffic flow. Make sure home buyers can wander effortlessly through all your rooms. The traffic pattern should not pass through a conversation area or snake its way through the room. The walkway should be obvious, and it should look wide and unencumbered. From the entrance of the room, most of the room should be visible, and the door should open wide.

No purpose to the room. Each room needs to self explanitory. Will your Realtor have to say, “And this is the Master bedroom” or will it be obvious because you’ve staged it with appropriate furnishings and accessories.

No focal point. Every room needs something big that the eye goes to, something that gives a message of comfort and quality. Make your focal point something that sells your home, even if it is not part of the sale, such as a stunning piece of artwork or a well arranged seating area.  A view is an excellent focal point, so arrange the furniture to showcase it. When the room has no existing focal point, you’ll need to create one.

Too much small stuff. It’s common to see homes with too many small pieces of furniture such as chairs and side tables. Try removing items that don’t contribute to the look you’re aiming for. Unify small items by placing them close together, or by painting in similar colours.

Furniture spread out. After you’ve decided what the function of the room is, group the large pieces accordingly – chair at the desk, table in front of sofa, or night stands at either side of bed, for example. Then, add the smaller furnishings so they sit close to the larger ones. Don’t place a tiny pedestal table by itself in a corner, or plop a small bookcase all alone at the end of the room. Thinks pairs and trios.

And if in doubt leave it out.Less is more.

Prep Home Staging services include furniture rentals,accessory and artwork rentals and cost effective Home Staging Consults with an emailed report.

www.prepstaging.com

What not to do when Prepping a home for the market

Staging,at one time, was simply an option primarily for higher end and luxury properties. In today’s real estate market however, professional staging is the only way to set your house apart from the competitors down the street or in the same neighbourhood. Overall, staging follows some simple and proven techniques to maximize the appeal of your home to the greatest number of buyers. However, there are quite a few common mistakes that undermine the success of staging and a potentially successful sale of your home.

Here are the top common mistakes home sellers make when Prepping their home for the market.You should keep these in mind whether you are thinking of getting your home ready to sell or have been on the market for an extended period of time without offers.

1. Don’t take it personally   When you make the decision to sell your house, you have to realize that now is the time to emotionally detach from your home and think of it as a product. The same way that products in a store are marketed, your house will have to be treated with the same marketing strategies in order to secure a successful sale. It can be a very emotional and difficult time letting go of your beloved home, but you have got to keep the bigger picture in mind, and think that you will create more amazing memories in your new house.  
2. Don’t think the house will sell itself   Real Estate is like a game in any market, and especially in today’s market conditions, you have got to implement some preparation strategies if you want to sell quick and for maximum profit. So de-clutter, de-personalize, clean, make all the small repairs, paint if you have to and overall create a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Make sure to have professional, attractive photos for online listings, as that is the first step most buyers take when starting their search. 
3. Don’t block light & views   Natural light is extremely important and blocking it off with heavy curtains or bulky pieces of furniture is false economy. Especially if you’ve got attractive views, instead of hiding them – make them the focal point, and see the positive result it has on the buyers.
4. Don’t paint with dark, intense and custom colours   Now is not the time to bring in your personal taste to the table. Choose a nice, neutral and warm colour, such as any of the following families: beige tones, grey tones, or light blue or pale greens. You’ll be surprised at the transformative effect a few coats of fresh paint will have on your space!
5. Don’t neglect the clutter   What might seem like clean and organized to you, might not translate the same to others. Make sure to tour the house top to bottom by enlisting a friend or the help of a professional stager that will give you an honest opinion about what needs to go and what can stay.
6. Don’t leave your pets around during showings   This goes along the same lines of not taking it personally. It is important to keep in mind that not everyone loves animals, and some people might either be allergic or afraid of them and therefore, some will even refuse to walk into the house, knowing there is a certain creature in there. So take them away on a mini adventure during showings, and make sure that all the pet odors have been eliminated as well.
7. Don’t keep your photos and knick-knacks out   Buyers are there to potentially find their dream home, and it would be impossible to try and imagine their own lives, when they’re surrounded by constant reminders that this is someone else’s house. So eliminate anything that will cause buyers to be reminded that it’s not theirs, since you want them to feel at home and envision their own family enjoying the space.

It is truly false economy to rush and list your house if it is not 100% ready for showings. Instead invest the time and money to prepare your house to be viewed and judged from all angles, and then watch it be snatched up in the first few showings, because people will fall in love with it, when they see how well maintained the house is.

A Home Stager can guide you through the process,with many different services.

• Cost effective staging consultations with a written report.
• Full staging of vacant properties.
• Partial staging of occupied homes.
• Referrals to trusted trades and Realtors.
• Furnishing and accessory rentals.
• Colour consultations.
• A helping hand in this exciting but stressful time in your life.  

Prep Home Staging

Halifax NS

www.prepstaging.com

Every room needs a focal point.A focal point should be something interesting to look at, something colourful or texturally and visually appealing.This is especially important when prepping your home for the market.Set up only one focal point and then arrange your furniture to enhance it. When too many objects are competing for center stage in a room, the design seems chaotic and prompts a feeling of restlessness,not the feeling you want homebuyers to have when entering your home! 

A fireplace is usually the focal point in spaces such as living rooms and family rooms but all too often it competes with a big screen tv.In this case all the focus should be on the mantle and surrounding area,downplaying the tv or removing it alltogether.I have even encountered tv’s in front of windows obscuring beautiful views. 

 

In the bedroom the obvious focus should be the largest piece of furniture.Usually the bed.Dress the bed well with texture,colour and layers of soft fabrics.Adding a visually strong piece of artwork above helps too.  

 

 

A breathtaking view is a selling feature.Keep funishings low as not to obstruct and distract.

 

 

The entryway is a buyers first glimpse of the interior of your home.This area should set the mood for the rest of your home so it needs to impress.Create a focal point with a vignette.A table to place keys,a mirror to reflect light or piece of artwork to add colour.Some where to sit for removing footwear and extra lighting are also things to consider.  

 

 

 

 

Perhaps the most important focal point,your front door area.Here you can make a statement.Make it welcoming,whatever the season.Trim bushes,clear paths,shovel snow.First impressions are everything.Make a buyer focus on your home for the right reasons.