By Julea Joseph, Reinventing Space
[Reposted with permission from Reinventing Space blog.]
What is it about model homes that make them so appealing? Is it the freshness of all new; is it the sassy paint colors, the perfectly placed furniture, art and accessories or the beautiful groomed backyard that makes you want to plop right down on that comfy club chair?
Well…. Yes to all the above.
From blue print to drawer pulls, that model home is meticulously planned by builders and skilled professionals to make it beautiful.
Models homes are lovely because they have the latest and the greatest, are fresh and new, and are meticulously detailed. Psychology–more than decorating–is applied to make them look so fabulous.
So how can you make your next listing as appealing as a model home? Here are 10 ways.
1. Clean. Those nice angled vacuum lines, gleaming windows, and perfectly manicured lawns in model homes speak to a potential buyer: You don’t have to do a thing. Translate that into: A little elbow grease goes a long way.
A super clean home says “turnkey” to the potential buyer. Have every inch of the home, blind slats to porch light glass, super clean and perfectly coiffed. According to a national 2011 survey done by Home Gain, a $290 cleaning investment gives a $1,990 price increase, or a 586 percent return!
2. Fresh and smells good. People buy homes on emotion, and your five senses are a direct path to your brain. If a home smells and looks “funky,” “doggy,” “smoky,” or if the stove is coated with cooking gone bad: The home is off their list.
Just like you would detail your car to sell it, invest in clean and spotless carpets, patched, repaired and freshly painted walls, and new appliances if the old have seen better days. Be wary to skip this step and take the low road with room refreshers, candles, and stove burner covers. Potential buyers are not fooled.
3. Color. Any advertising executive will tell you color is a key to properly packaging a product, and a listed home is just that, a product. Throw away the off-white manta of old school home staging rules. Welcome to the era of HGTV. Using color is a powerful and inexpensive way of making that home stand out from the rest, and with so many decorating TV shows boasting the benefits of color, you better get hip to hues.
By Charlene Storozuk, Dezigner Digz
Are you receiving feedback from showings expressing that a room “just doesn’t work”? What potential buyers might be saying is that the use of space is awkward or quite simply, just isn’t functional.
Short of knocking down walls, there isn’t a quick fix for that; or is there?
The problem may be as simple as incorrect furniture placement.
Dezigner Digz was called in a while back by one of our real estate partners to come up with a solution for this exact problem. The general consensus from showings had been that the open concept living/dining room space didn’t work.
BEFORE
The first ‘before’ picture was taken from the doorway. As you can see, the space in question was visible right upon entering this condominium unit. It felt as though you were walking right into the dining room and the overall impression was that the living room space was small.
BEFORE
The second ‘before’ picture was taken from the balcony. This shows that apart from different flooring, the entry way was not defined as a separate area.
Here are some of the things that were done to overcome these problems:
By Erica Christoffer, multimedia Web producer, REALTOR® Magazine
How do designers and stagers stay on top of the latest trends and solutions for home interiors?
Check out Pinterest, a new social media site where members “pin” photos they like from around the Web to themed image boards on their personal page. Pins are shared with friends and other users, and Pinterest offers an integration option to share images to Facebook and Twitter. You must request an invitation to join, which takes less than one week to receive (my invite came after two days).
A laundry room inspirational image posted by a Pinterest user (original source: toriejayne.blogspot.com).
Many presenters at the International Builders’ Show in Orlando endorsed Pinterest last week. Jill Waage, executive editor of home design with Better Homes & Gardens, said the great thing about the site is the link back to the source page under each photo, which provides designers and home owners with exposure to products, businesses, and ideas they may have previously never discovered.
Marc Thee of Marc-Michaels Interior Design in Winter Park, Fla., said during his presentation at IBS that he is a big believer in Pinterest.
Thee pointed out an attitude shift in how home owners feel within their personal spaces, which can be reflected in many image boards and room designs users of Pinterest are creating. With the hustle and bustle of today’s lifestyle, it’s more important than ever that a home becomes a personal refuge. “We live in a crazy world,” Thee said. “Our home should give to us.”
Two home redos that will instantly attract buyers is the addition of a dedicated, well-organized laundry space, and smart storage/organization features. “It’s the gift that keeps on giving,” he said. Continue reading »
By Erica Christoffer, multimedia Web producer, REALTOR® Magazine
Looking for quick, easy ideas to bring a home to life, add value, or prep for sale without spending a lot? Learn from the pros! Designers who presented at the International Builders’ Show in Orlando last week had a plethora low-cost, chic ideas to make to most of an interior space.
1. Transform closets: Your clients might consider turning a smaller, awkward closet into a built-in with cabinetry and shelving, or if there’s enough space, even a desk nook. Add dramatic dimension with disc lighting on each shelf. Buyers are looking to maximize every inch of a home with workspaces and storage solutions they’ll actually use. (Jerry Collin, Kay Green Design) [Here are some great before and after closet transformations from Real Simple.]
2. Create a ‘Garage Mahal’: Make the garage an attractive space with a dedicated recycling area, wall mounted shop-vacuum, and maybe a mini (or big) refrigerator for adult beverages. When in doubt, hang it up – provide hanging areas for bikes, tools, equipment, etc. Consider installing a workbench and storage. (Jillian Prichard Cooke, DES-SYN)
Example of a grey color scheme in a great room.
3. Avoid seasonal colors: Greys and stone colors are the new neutrals. Accent them with bursts of bright blues, oranges or reds. (Marc Thee, Marc-Michaels Interior Design)
4. Provide simple luxury: A foldout cabana, two outdoor lounge chairs, and a small table is an inexpensive way to give a backyard living space a sense of luxury. Stage it with candles, flowers or cool drinks (iced tea, lemonade, water, etc.) that you can serve during an open house. (Jillian Prichard Cooke, DES-SYN) Continue reading »
By Erica Christoffer, multimedia Web producer, REALTOR® Magazine
The Web has democratized good design and made it accessible to the masses. Home owners are perusing online, finding the best from past and present styles, then sharing images on social networks where friends and followers offer opinions. This is resulting in more design-savvy customers than ever before.
“There’s so much dreaming going on right now,” says Jill Waage, executive editor of home design with Better Homes & Gardens. In fact, of the 4,000 respondents to Better Homes & Gardens’ annual consumer survey, 55 percent (up 5 percent from 2010) said style upgrades for countertops, flooring, faucets, and fixtures are important in their next home purchase.
The utility look is continuing to expand from kitchen trends into bath designs through tile, reclaimed wood, and metallic finishes in cabinetry and flooring, says Waage, who presented the survey’s findings Thursday at the International Builders’ Show in Orlando. “Statement tubs are still big, even in a smaller footprint,” she says.
Contrasts such as detailed tile next to cool metal and bold patterns with soothing colors are growing in popularity. As for lighting, Waage says it’s “the new jewelry of the room.” Industrial lighting is an especially hot trend this year.
Other priorities buyers have for their next home include: Continue reading »
By Charlene Storozuk, Dezigner Digz
Sadly, summer is officially over. However, if your home is currently on the market, now is not the time to bring your outdoor living space to an end for the year. If you do that, you’re taking away one of the selling features of your home.
At one time, buyers were just looking for a decent-sized yard. Today, on the other hand, they are reaching beyond just the basics. Buyers want attractive outdoor living spaces that they can use for both entertaining and relaxing. The longer you can keep this area set up for showings with outdoor furniture and accessories, the better.
Which one of these photos looks more inviting to potential buyers?
From REALTOR® Content Resource:
Sellers heading out of town? Not so fast. Make sure they don’t come home to a looted listing by emailing free info on how to do a home security check from the REALTOR® Content Resource.
That’s just one of five free, ready-to-go articles on keeping their home safe that are available through the REALTOR® Content Resource, and which you can email (or post to your blog, Facebook, or Twitter; add to your website or e-newsletter; or brand, print, and hand deliver). Send articles on other hot topics by doing an easy search of the REALTOR® Content Resource by keyword or topic.
Tailor your next blog post to sellers looking for a new wall oven in time for their Super Bowl blowout. Post the free article “Appliance Guide: Wall Ovens” from the REALTOR® Content Resource to your blog so sellers can update their kitchen and churn out warm, gooey pizza at their Super Bowl bash.
That’s not the only free-ready-to-go article at the REALTOR® Content Resource that you can post on Facebook or Twitter, add to your blog or e-newsletter, or print as a handout. Check out the other three articles in the “The Super Bowl-Ready Home” theme, or just do an easy search of the REALTOR® Content Resource by keyword or topic.
By Erica Christoffer, REALTOR® Magazine
Households across the country are moving toward a more casual dining experience.
While ease is a virtue, buyers also want technology-equipped, stylish spaces where their family members can come together.
For all these reasons, dining rooms have lost their appeal. Simply, they’re not flexible enough.
“Dining rooms are definitely on the way out,” said Danielian Associates’ design coordinator Joe Digrado at the International Builders’ Show in Orlando Friday. “Ask your buyer if they really need one. In some markets they do. But many prefer an open, flexible space that will serve various functions.”
Open kitchens facing multi-use dining and social areas with a great room or living room are taking over the traditional dining room. Eat-in kitchens or seating areas at the island also popular with trends supporting a more informal lifestyle.
And when it comes to the kitchen, it’s all about function, function, function. If it doesn’t allow for ease of cooking, then you’re going to lose people, said Digrado. Cooking stations allowing for multiple chefs in the kitchen are becoming more common; as are work areas for laptops and homework, charging station for mobile devices, and casual seating for hanging out. Continue reading »
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