By Myra Nourmand
One person’s junk is another’s treasure. After doing your preliminary walk through, you realize that your client’s home needs help.
On the one hand, you want to say, “Toss those magazines in the recycle bin, and while you’re at it get rid of that purple paisley sofa.”
On the other hand, you don’t want to offend. So how do you get your point across in a kind, professional way?
Successful Selling Requires Being Aware of Your Audience
Imagine that your client, Steve, is a hunter. His home showcases his greatest conquests—it’s a proud display of his surf and turf treasures. A married couple tours Steve’s home. Their horrified expressions reveal their animal rights lifestyle. No sooner than you can say “PETA” — the deal is off.
To avoid this, first, compliment Steve on his pursuit. Then share that for the sake of selling the home at the highest possible price it’s in his best interest to put his trophies away.
How to Clear Closets of Clutter
By Melissa Dittmann Tracey, REALTOR® Magazine
Lorie Marrero
In honor of National Moving Month, the two experts have teamed up to help provide tips on how to improve your listings’ showings to get the house sold so your sellers can finally move on.
Ashley Whittenberger
Marrero and Whittenberger recently answered some questions for Styled, Staged & Sold on everything from getting a home ready to sell, how to intervene with your seller’s messy ways, and how to show your sellers how they can live in a staged house and keep it clutter-free and sparkling while it’s on the market (which is no easy task!).
Marrero is the author of “The Clutter Diet: The Skinny on Organizing Your Home and Taking Control of Your Life” (Reason Press, 2009) and the creator of ClutterDiet.com. Whittenberger, a staging expert, is the president and CEO of Interiority Complex LLC.
To hear more of their moving and showing tips, Marrero and Whittenberger will be hosting a telecast, “Sell Your Home Faster & Improve Your Move,” 12 p.m. (EST) on Thursday that is geared for real estate professionals, stagers, sellers, and professional organizers. You can sign up here.
What are the main problems you often see in homes when sellers get ready to put their home on the market?
WHITTENBERGER: Too much clutter, too much furniture, and décor that is very taste specific. When staging, less is more. I always tell sellers that it’s important to remember that we’re selling your home, not your things! We want the home to be the star of the show, not your décor.
On the other hand, I have seen a few cases in which the seller has gone to the extreme of neutralizing and de-cluttering, and the home just looks bland with no personality whatsoever. The key is in striking a harmonious balance when designing the space. Professional home stagers do this by appointing and arranging appropriate art, décor, and furniture which highlights the architectural features of the home and helps it to stand out among the rest.
What’s a low-cost idea for prepping a home for sale that can have some of the biggest impact on its look?
MARRERO: Decluttering can have some of the biggest impact of all with the least cost. Decluttering accomplishes several things: 1.) It makes the space look larger; 2.) It de-personalizes the space so buyers can picture themselves living there without being distracted by your “collections” and stacks; and 3.) It makes the space feel cleaner and the home seem better maintained in general.
In fact, HomeGain.com’s 2011 survey says that decluttering brings a 586 percent return on investment when you sell.
Trying to keep a home always clean and clutter-free when you’re trying to sell can be a challenge. Do you have any tips for sellers on how to make living in staged home more simple? Continue reading »
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