Why Hasn't My Home Sold? Here are Six Possible Reasons

Tuesday, December 24, 2013
Delicious house, but no one's biting? 
Are you getting antsy to move? Has your home been on the market and not getting the showings or offers you expected?

If so, here are some questions you can ask yourself to test possible reasons. 

Money, Honey 

Ask yourself if your price is a fair one. Unrealistic expectations or an over-zealous listing agent can cause poor pricing.

Work with your Realtor to list your home’s assets and liabilities, then do the comps to see if your price is on target. An inflated price is usually the cause of a home that sits too long. 

Your point person

Do you have the wrong listing agent?

Maybe it's time to re-examine your Realtor. If FSBO, consider calling a real estate company and discussing the commission and other conditions.

Look closely at the way your home is being marketed. The online listing should be tempting and accurate. The MLS photos should be clear and complete without being repetitive. Today’s homes need to be marketed in a variety of ways – the front yard sign, yes, but also flyers, Internet sites, open house showings, email blitzes, communications with other real estate agents.

Choosing a Realtor is an important decision. Choose one with whom you have good rapport. Your listing agent has to be well-connected with other agents, not a loner or someone unpopular in the industry. If you have qualms about your agent, talk to the firm’s broker or owner. 

Problem attitude

Think about how cooperative you are being.

Make sure your home is easy to show. There should be a lockbox on your property to make showing easy for all area agents. If your Realtor has to give unreasonable advance notice to show your property, because you have pets or medical problems, or the house isn’t always tidy enough, then find a way around the problem.

A lock box won't ruin your curb appeal when 
your entrance is this pretty.   

Have a frank talk with your realtor and ask for feedback. You could also solicit advice from a friend with good decorating sense or a home stager. Double-check your motivation and reasons for selling. Are you a foot-dragging, reluctant seller? 

Quirkiness

Ask yourself if there is anything off-putting about your property. Does it have too much personality or problems that are a turn-off? Does it smell of untended litter boxes? I’ve seen homes with paint colors only an aging hippie could love and a backyard that only a pack of dogs could love. 

When people see a group of homes, yours may be remembered as the one with poor lighting or the pool with stagnant green water or low ceilings or 1970’s shag carpeting. Find solutions to these problems or expect low ball offers or no offers. People want homes ready to move into. 

If you decide to make major changes to your property, remove it from the market, do the repairs, cleaning and staging, and then relist. New listings get attention.  

No temptations

Have you done everything you can to make your home desirable to buyers? 

They should feel like they are entering a boutique hotel suite when they enter your home. If you haven’t been able to deep clean the house, consider hiring a cleaning service. A house can’t be too clean! Make sure all small and distracting décor items have been replaced with open space or attractive accessories.

Clean, functional and luxurious -- that's what 
buyers want in a bath. Photo: BHG

If necessary, update some of the fixtures like lights, faucets, showerheads, window treatments. Study my Pinterest boards to see what décor trends make sense for home staging.                                                                           

The economy

Can you blame the local market? Is it sluggish and slow, a buyers market in your area? 

If your area has way too many homes for sale and not enough buyers, your response might be patience. Can you wait for a better season ahead, a sellers' market? You can always rent your home until the market improves. 

If you just want to move on, lower your price to counteract the cold market. Calculate the costs of staying put -- your taxes, mortgage interest, maintenance, and utilities, then factor them into your price considerations. 

Buyers often won’t mention price as an obstacle to making an offer because they don’t want to appear cheap, rude, or unappreciative. Instead they will say, “The bedrooms are too small,” or “I didn’t like the neighborhood,” something that can’t be changed. A low price compensates for all kinds of things, including obstacles like dated appliances, ugly flooring, poor curb appeal, or a bad view. 

Meanwhile, make your home irresistible. You can encourage buyers to make an offer by helping with closing costs, owner financing part of the price, or letting things like window treatments, big televisions, outdoor furniture, and laundry appliances convey with the sale.

Motivated buyers will find a way to justify your asking price. Photo: reddoor-re.com

Looking ahead

It’s an introspective time of year, a time when most of us review the hits and misses of the past 365 days and sets some goals for the year ahead. So, it’s a natural time to examine why your house hasn’t sold. Here’s to a prosperous year ahead, when your home will sell and you’ll find another home that your love. 

Be sure to download my eBook, DIY Home Staging Tips to Sell Your Home Fast and for Top Dollar. I've helped hundreds of people stage their own homes to make them sell faster. My book tells you how to ready your home for a quick and profitable sale, no matter where you live or what kind of home you have.  

Top Photo: http://www.theredheadbaker.com


Make This Festive Felt Wreath

Friday, December 13, 2013
What’s not to love about a wreath?

Like Santa himself, it’s round and plump and comes with interesting little surprises.

You can hang a wreath on a wall or a door, or lay it flat on a table.

Heck, you can even hook one on a chair, a garden gate, or a newel post.

The best ones are homemade. Try it. Let a wreath express the personality of your home – modern and glitzy, old-fashioned and charming, historically accurate, or cutting-edge creative. What’s your style? How can your wreath emphasize your home's specialness?

Starting point

Years ago, it took me a few seasons of cranking out disappointing DIY wreaths before I realized, “It’s the base, stupid.”

The way you begin the wreath is the most important element in its design. A wreath base needs to be a sturdy framework and a good background that is handsome enough to stand alone. No skimpy grapevine circles or pine branches tied to a wire coat hanger. Give it some body.      

That’s why I love to use forms made of either foam or straw. Either one can be the start for this wreath made from strips of felt. It’s similar to the rag wreath I made for spring.

Gather supplies

Here’s what you’ll need: 
  • Wreath form
  • Felt
  • Ribbon
  • Decorative clusters 
The amount of felt you’ll need depends on the size of your wreath and how fluffy you want it to be.

One thing’s for certain: it’s cheaper to purchase felt by the yard than by the “craft square.” I know your color selection will be limited because craft stores sell more felt colors than fabric stores sell. I wanted a white background for this Christmas or Hanukkah wreath. 

I’ve also made felt wreaths using a combination of felt colors (see below). Felt is easy to work with because it’s so well-behaved. It’s a “pressed” rather than “woven” fabric, so it doesn’t unravel and doesn’t need hemming. I chose to cut this version with pinking shears for added interest.

Cut the white felt into strips that measure at least twice the circumference of your wreath form. Mine measured about 1.5 inches by 18 inches.

If you don't have pinking shears, no problem. Your wreath
will still look pretty. These babies are fairly goof-proof.  

Three layers

The first layer on this wreath is made of quilt batting. You don’t want any of the base material showing. I liked the fluffy white background in case there were any gaps between felt ties. The batting is rather snowlike, too.

There’s no need to secure the batting. The felt ties will hold it in place. Begin by tying one piece of felt, locating the knot slightly off-center. Tie the next one snugly up close to the first, with the knot slightly off-center in the opposite direction. Alternating between these two knot positions makes the wreath look fuller.

This is the kind of work you can do while you watch your favorite Christmas movie. I doubt that you can mess it up, and if you do, the knot-tying is reversible and tweakable.

Whether your base is straw or foam, covering it with
a background material is always a good start to
producing a really finished look. However,
if your base is 
a color similar to your felt
and your ties are close together, a covering may be optional.  

Off-set each knot so that they don't line up
around the center of the wreath.

Place the bow

Once you’ve gone around the full wreath circle with felt ties, tie on a ribbon. You can make one simple loop for hanging, or tie a single bow, or a full multi-loop bow. I like the bow-tying tutorial Kristi gave on her site, Addicted 2 Decorating.



I always place one big bow before adding everything else, even though I know some designers add the bow last. I figure it's the focal point, so why tack it on as an afterthought?

I prefer wired ribbon over grosgrain or satin ones because the wired edges make it look perky and stay perky.

Next, I add decorative picks that I’ve either made myself or bought. Here's your chance to get as quirky, sophisticated, artsy, or funky as you like. Just remember that you don't want to add anything too valuable or too distracting. 

About picks

I wrote last winter about how to wire a pick with natural trimmings. Wooden picks aren’t the best way to go with felt wreaths because they don’t pierce the felt.

Instead, you can use a variety of other methods for those finishing details. You can sew on decorations (like smaller bows, buttons, ornaments, and jewelry). I like the sewing method when I plan to disassemble and reclaim the decorations later.

I like to hot glue decorations like tiny toys and silk flowers onto the felt wreath when I know the wreath won’t be recycled. If you glue and want to recycle the wreath for another seasonal holiday, you can just remove the felt strip that has chunks of glue on it, and go on from there.

Thirdly, you can use straight dressmaker pins to attach decorations to the felt wreath. This method makes sense when the attachments are lightweight and would show glue or stitches. Pins hold firmly in foam, but not so well in straw. 

The blue and white winter wreath I made this year features silver ornaments and glittery snowflakes that I stitched on, pine cones and magnolia cones that I painted and glued on, and bows that I pinned on.  

Finally, use scissors to give your wreath a little styling, just the way your hair stylist finishes your haircut. Snip, fluff, and you’re done.


Hang it up

Because felt isn’t exactly all-weather fabric, if you want to use this wreath outdoors, it needs to be in a protected area, like a porch, or on a door with a wide overhang above it.  I usually hang it on a wide plastic or metal hook, but if you are hanging it on a small nail, you might want to make a loop of fishing line on the wreath.

Hang your wreath where it will call attention to a desirable feature of your home, or perhaps dress up an empty area in a foyer or hallway, or even a decluttered bathroom.

I like to randomly mix three shades of green for a felt wreath
that looks like holly. Sort of. The "berries" are wooden beads sewn on.   
  
If you have a  rotary cutter, a cutting mat, and a metal T-square, cutting felt strips 
for wreaths goes lickety-split. These strips were cut from 9- x 12-inch felt squares.

Given a choice, I’ll choose a wreath over a garland, banner, or other holiday dress-up. Felt wreaths and rag wreaths are especially easy, economical, and fun to make. That’s the kind of project that calls out to me. You too? 

Remember that a staged home – complete with a seasonal wreath welcoming visitors and prospective buyers – looks like a loved home, a well-maintained home. You can get more house-selling tips in my eBook, DIY Home Staging Tips to Sell Your Home Fast and for Top Dollar.

How Scents are Messing with Your Health

Monday, December 02, 2013

If your home is for sale, it better smell good!

But most of us like to add another fragrance, whether it's an air freshener, a room atomizer, or scented candles.

Department stores develop their own signature fragrances to get you in the mood for buying, so why not you?    

The problem is that almost all these manufactured scents create health problems. 

Artificially scented products like the ones I mentioned, as well as soaps, laundry detergents, spray cleaners, toilet bowl cleaners, pesticides, preservatives, plastics, and a  host of other ordinary items, contain what are called endocrine disruptors.

An endocrine disruptor is a naturally occurring or man-made chemical that either acts like or blocks the hormones of your internal endocrine system. These false hormones are called xenoestrogens and the list of conditions they create is long: early puberty, lessened female fertility, endometriosis, cancer, and other disturbances to your nervous system, immune system, and reproductive system. 
You can see why it’s important to know where you’ll run across these pretender hormones. They can enter our bodies through our skin, the air we breathe, and the foods we eat.

You may already know about these ingredients and their effects on the body. If so, please help me spread the word. Rather than fostering paranoia, let’s all look for ways to rid our lives of these toxic chemicals. It’s important.
It’s especially important if you are a woman. And even more so if you are pregnant or could become pregnant. 

On the left -- some of the cleaners that contain 
xenoestrogens. Yes, even Mrs. Meyer's
stuff contains artificial fragrances.
On the right are harmless, economical
 substitutes that do the same work --
baking soda, vinegar, microfiber
cloths and essential oils (not to be
confused with fragrance oils).    

Here’s how to start

  • Read labels. Check for fragrance ingredients. Manufacturers are not required to list all chemical additives by name. The only acceptable fragrance should be “essential oil.”
  • Avoid plastics. Store and cook food in glass or stainless. Avoid non-stick cookware. Microwave in glass or ceramic. Use a fabric instead of a plastic shower curtain. Don't handle new plastic products that have a strong chemical aroma. 
  • Don't touch. Don’t handle the thermal receipt a store gives you. Instead, ask the cashier to place it in your shopping bag. Wash your hands after handling one. 
  • Skip the canned goods. Buy fresh or frozen foods so you can limit exposure to BPA in can linings. Favor organic foods.
  • Filter water. It’s better than drinking spring water that’s been stored in plastic bottles. 
  • Go natural. Use natural insecticides. Purchase unscented bath, beauty, laundry and cleaning products. Do it yourself. Make your own air fresheners and cleaners.     
No one loves a deliciously scented soap more than I do. Check those labels.
You'll find that almost all supermarket soaps are not really soaps,
but "beauty bars" or "deodorant bars," whatever that is!
If you buy locally produced soaps, you'll fare much better.
You can also create your own bath scrubs and skincare products.




Easy formulas

Yes, you can create home remedies to replace the nasty but necessary home care products you count on. Read labels of "green products," and if you still don't like what you see, turn to DIY.    

Natural air freshener: Cut orange in half. Scoop out pulp (the part you would eat), and reserve the pulp and the remaining half orange for another use. Rub inside of empty orange half with 2 teaspoons salt. Place in pretty bowl and set where it will scent the room.

Natural oil diffuser: Combine 3 parts mineral oil, 2 parts vodka or gin, and 1 part essential oil of your choice. Pour into a container with a narrow neck (the neck reduces evaporation). Insert reeds and invert the reeds every few days. Use the same formula minus the mineral oil to make an air freshener spray.  

It's not true that natural essential oils won't bother chemically sensitive people -- people who might be coming to view your home on the market. To be safe, keep the scents in your home on the light side, never overwhelming.       

Fabric softener sheets and liquids are prime offenders.
So are the aerosols that claim to "freshen the air."
Below I've given you websites that will hook 
you up to directions for making heavenly
and user-friendly aroma sources, including sprays
and diffusers.  I love the "candles" that
operate on batteries. They don't have any
fragrance, but they glow and flicker convincingly.   

We can do this

This post is not a go-green-or-die proclamation. Instead, it’s a call to increase our awareness of environmental toxins, so that we can make changes to improve and protect our own and our family’s health.

Will I still bring out the Bar Keeper’s Friend to treat a rust spot that nothing else can tackle? And resort to Lime-Away to deal when hard water stains build up?  Probably. But I’ll limit my exposure as much as possible. I’ll ventilate, wear gloves, use sparingly, and continue to search for substitutes

Manicures. Will this be the one that's hard
to give up? Try the nail buffer for an alternative
to chemical polishes and glues. 

I use one and I love it. Natural,
healthy-looking, shiny nails can be sexy, too!   

Links that help

My research unearthed numerous support sources. We are not alone! Here are some sites that will give you details and encouragement.

If you majored in chemistry, check the Wikipedia listing http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endocrine_disruptor


If you’d like a quick overview specifying the dangers of endocrine disruptors and what you can do to avoid them, go to http://www.nrdc.org/health/effects/qendoc.asp

If you want a quick list to the dirty dozen endocrine disruptors check http://www.ewg.org/research/dirty-dozen-list-endocrine-disruptors
If you need a list of health ratings for common health and beauty products, the best one is http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/
If you want concise recipes for making your own cleaning products, visit http://eartheasy.com/live_nontoxic_solutions.htm

If you are into making your own bath and beauty products (great as gifts!) you’ll find recipes here http://wellnessmama.com/5801/7-ingredients-20-diy-beauty-recipes/

If you like making your own air fresheners, try those at
http://www.designsponge.com/2012/11/small-measures-natural-room-spritz.html

If you want to know the post I like best for making diy air fresheners, it’s http://www.thankyourbody.com/homemade-air-freshener/

If you need a source for diffuser sticks for your DIY air-freshener Amazon is a good place to go. mazon

If you want to choose from a major list of quality essential oils, order from http://www.mountainroseherbs.com/index2.php

What's your story?   

In today’s world, we can’t eliminate all the things that compromise our health, but we can certainly reduce our exposure to them. I’m renewing a pledge to substitute real fragrances and fresh air for chemical derivatives. I hope you’ll join me. 

Don't forget to order my eBook, DIY Home Staging Tips to Sell Your Home Fast and for Top Dollar. If you are selling a home, it will take you through all the steps that make a difference!


How to Make a Padded Headboard to Stage Your Bedroom

Monday, November 18, 2013
Need a tutorial for a DIY headboard?

No problem. There's a gazillion of them in blogland.

But I wanted to design a headboard that was perfect for staging a bedroom. I wanted it to be --
  • Lightweight so it could be moved easily when you move
  • Self-supporting so you don't mess up your newly painted walls with hanging hardware
  • Inexpensive so you don't spend money you could use for other home staging decor
  • Quick and easy to make because you have enough to do getting your home ready to sell
  • Attractive enough to be the focal point of a bedroom, and add value to your home

What you need

These are the supplies you'll need to make a headboard for a double bed. My total cost was $76, a nifty price for a headboard that tall and wide.
  • 2 10-foot 2 x 4s
  • 4- x 8-foot sheet of 3/16-inch hardboard (wall paneling)
  • 24 1-inch paneling nails
  • 4 zinc corner braces with screws
  • Hammer, screwdriver
  • 2 Yards of fabric at least 54 inches wide 
  • 1-inch thick foam for extra long twin bed ( 39 x 80 inches)
  • 2 1/4 yards quilt batting, 110 inches wide
  • Stapler and staples
  • Yardstick or measuring tape, scissors
  • Spray adhesive or painters tape
When you buy the 2 x 4s, have the store cut them into four lengths, each 55 inches. You'll have some waste. I bought fir because it weighs less than pine. It's also softer than pine, so stapling takes less effort. This lumber cost me $13.

Have the store cut the hardboard into a 4-foot x 62-inch piece. You'll have a nice leftover piece of "project paneling" to take home if you want. You can adjust these measurements if you prefer a  headboard that's not as tall or if you have a queen or twin bed. The hardboard cost about $12.50

If you want to make a tufted headboard, buying standard pegboard with holes in it will make your project easier. I opted for simple -- no tufting, no nailheads -- just padded.


Lay the 2 x 4s on the ground or floor so they look like the above photo. Lay the hardboard on top (in the photo, it's on the bottom, the next step). Align the 2 x 4s accurately with the edges of the hardboard so that the corners are squared. Drive a nail into the hardboard at each corner and then at intervals of about 10 inches all around the four edges so that they go into the center of the 2 x 4s.


Screw the corner braces in at the corners as shown. These braces will strengthen the headboard. Lowes sells them in a package of four with screws for less than $3.

Flipped front side up, your headboard will look like this. I worked outside on a dropcloth, but this project can be done in the house after the messy carpentry work is finished.

The foam that's made to fit a long twin bed cost me $24. It's more than long enough, but needs to be pieced to make it wide enough to cover the hardboard. Trim the excess 8 inches off one side with a serrated edged knife.

The edge doesn't have to be perfectly smooth where you slice it because it will be covered with the fluffy quilt batting. It should be straight, however, so use the edge of the hardboard to guide your bread knife.

Since the bed itself will cover the bottom center of the headboard, it's not important to pad it with foam. I used foam scraps to cover most of the legs because the legs usually show. I used a spray adhesive to make sure it didn't slip around while I was covering the headboard, or later with use. But you can use a few pieces of painter's tape to position and hold the foam.

Lay the batting over the foam. Fold it over so you have two layers. It will be a little short, so let the underneath layer be the shorter one and place it at the bottom of the headboard. Quilt batting comes prepacked or by the yard. I paid $5.50.

The adhesive or the tape will hold it securely enough while you flip the headboard over, but then you'll want to adjust it to be sure you have enough batting to wrap around and staple on all four sides.

Begin stapling the batting to the center of each of the four 2 x 4s, and then work out to the corners. Make the corners as smooth as possible.


Set the headboard upright, and lay your fabric down in front of it, with the wrong side of the fabric facing the batting. If your fabric pattern has a one-way design or needs to be centered, this is the time to do that. I bought drapery weight rather than upholstery weight and paid $18 for 2 yards. You could spend lots more for something you just gotta have, or hunt around for a bargain and spend less. Chaney bought a $25 curtain panel for her pretty headboard. If your pattern needs to be centered and it's a large design, buy an extra half yard.


Lay the headboard on the fabric, adjusting it so there is enough fabric all around to wrap and staple. If you have more than enough fabric, trim it all from one side (assuming you do not have to center the fabric design). This way, if you want to use the excess fabric for some other decorating project, you'll have one piece rather than two narrow pieces.


Staple all four sides of fabric to the 2 x 4s, starting in the center of each side, and working out to the corner. To keep the edge from looking wobbly, pull fabric out and away from the center when stapling, rather than pulling straight out. To make smooth, rounded corners, start by stapling them at the very corner, and then work toward the sides by pleating the fabric.

Cut the fabric to wrap it where the leg meets the board at the inside corner. If your fabric falls short, staple a piece of the scrap fabric to the leg, matching the pattern on the front of the leg if possible.


You can choose to attach the headboard to a bed frame with bolts, but it's probably not necessary. I propped this against the wall. Because the feet are sturdy, it's stable once the bed is against it.

A staged bedroom isn't complete until it has a focal point, and it's usually the headboard. An attractive one like this, made from a fabric that ties all the other elements of the room together MAKES the room. And now you know how to make one yourself that's perfect for staging.

If you have a home for sale, download my home staging eBook, DIY HomeStaging Tips to Sell Your Home Fast and For Top Dollar. You'll be able to tap into all my helpful advice for getting your home sold for a price you like so you can move on to your next adventure!






Questions and Answers About How to Stage

Monday, November 04, 2013
Q: I’m trying to stage an empty house. I have enough furniture and it’s looking good. My question is how do I do in the closets I have?

A: I would leave closets empty because they look bigger. But not entirely empty. I would add a few props to dress them up and give a little personality.

In a bedroom closet I would place some pretty boxes on the shelves. In a linen closet I would stack a few fluffy towels, and perhaps a folded blanket. In a coat closet, I would add some wooden or padded hangers.     

These little things will help buyers on tour remember your house as the one with attractive closets, where people (that's you!) live clean, enviable lives. Buyers buy the lifestyle when they buy the house, and women particularly are interested in closets. So, stage them to look gal-friendly. 

Remember to clean any light fixtures in the closets and to maximize the wattage.      

Q: We’re planning to sell our home in a year. I know there are things I should be doing now, but I don’t know where to start. Any advice?

A: Start by getting rid of things you don’t love or need. Second, it’s not too early to get a home inspection so you’ll know what needs repairs. Then, educate yourself about the local real estate market and maybe interview some realtors. You should also get current about decorating trends and what not to do so when you’re ready to stage you’ll be up-to-date.

Yes or no to mini-blinds? When you don't want to spring for the
the pricier versions, how can you make them work for staging?    

Q: Should I leave mini blinds in my windows when staging? I know they aren’t super-stylish, but I still like them for light control and privacy.

A: I’m with you on the mini-blinds, because they are inexpensive and functional.

You could leave them up but layer a window treatment over them, one that lets you cover them to soften the look. Just sheers might look good, or draperies that you open every day when you want sunlight entering the room.

Remember that buyers respond well to bright rooms, so make sure both the blinds and any draperies are open wide when you expect a showing.

And if your mini blinds are showing signs of age, replace them with new ones.

Q: The rooms on one side of my home are dark, even though they have enough windows. What can I do to make these rooms look brighter? I’ve already done what I can with lamps and overhead lights.

A: If the walls aren’t a light color, can you repaint them? Can you add a large mirror to each room? Can you remove lower limbs from trees that might be creating too much shade? Can you make your window treatments cover less of the window opening? Can you remove or paint any dark pieces of furniture that might be soaking up light?

Make a portrait part of the room's decor instead of its
focal point. In this photo by Jeffrey Hirsch, costume designer
William Ivey Long, clustered attractive props and furniture near
the framed art instead of isolating it on a blank wall.   


Q: I have your eBook so I know that when staging you suggest avoiding artwork with faces in favor of landscapes, abstracts, and still lifes. I have a large painting of my great, great grandmother. I think it looks cool. Should I store it away when I list my house?

A: I agree, ancestral portraits are cool! Even ones that aren’t your own relatives add a certain dignity or importance to a room. I’d definitely leave it in place, as long as it isn’t the focal point of the room. How about somewhere unexpected, like in a hallway, bedroom, or on a stairwell?

That said, some old portraits look a little creepy or just too engaging to be used in a staged room. If your ancestor appears sad, mad, or stares out of the canvas in such a way that makes visitors talk about the art rather than your house, store the painting. 

I hope your great, great grandmother brings you good luck selling your home!  


How to Arrange Furniture

Monday, October 14, 2013

The typical homeowner will arrange furniture in one of two ways. Either she will place furnishings where they seem to function best -- an end table snug up next to the sofa, chairs clustered around the dining table -- or she will place furniture as if on display, maybe the way her mother or grandmother arranged furniture decades ago

When a home is on the market, each of these approaches, done without an understanding of home staging, can work against making the right impression on buyers. Today, homes need to look terrific in photographs. But they also need to be believable, practical, and functional.   

I’ve collected all the tips and tricks, all the best professional designer advice, all the guidelines and formulas in one place -- an eBook devoted exclusively to arranging furniture to make rooms look better and function better, too. I wrote with the home seller in mind, someone staging her own home to sell it fast for a good price. But the advice will resonate with anyone who takes pride in her home and wants it to look its best. 

Sitting areas should feel cozy but not cramped.

Whether it's formal or not, the dining room's importance can't be underestimated.
 
To look inviting, bedrooms should always feature more than 
the bed.  
A fireplace in the room presents a number of possibilities. Which one is right? 
Every buyer wants spaciousness. Furniture placement can enhance the appearance of roominess.
The size and style of furnishings are just as important as where they are placed.  

Here are the kinds of topics I cover in this easy-to-understand eBook --  

  • How to create a dining room that gets used!
  • What to do about a corner fireplace
  • 4 Unusual ways to test your furniture arrangement
  • How to find a focal point
  • How to take measurements and when not to bother
  • 7 Tips that make a home office function well
  • How to make large rooms feel comfortable and small rooms feel spacious
  • What to do about a path that goes between television and couch
  • How to easily place wall art
  • Best arrangements for narrow rooms
  • Plus tips on 
          Lighting
          Rugs
          Bookshelves
          Family Rooms
          and -- especially -- Staging your home for sale

Don't let poor furniture arrangement ruin your chances to impress buyers, 
whether they are seeing your home online, on a cell video, or on a personal home tour.

  I’ve titled my extra-helpful book 
It’s a 25-page pdf that you download now.


Polka Dot Pumpkins and Getting Thrifty

Thursday, October 03, 2013

Do you want to sell your home? 
Is it staged to tell home buyers that you care about your home?

It doesn’t take much to put out a happy, positive message to buyers, starting with the outside entry.

Sweep the area near the door. 

Knock down the cobwebs. 

Put out a new welcome mat


Now’s the time to add some seasonal décor, too. You have most of October and November to show your colors – the colors of autumn.

Keep It Simple

I concentrated on green this fall. And it worked fine indoors. But green just doesn’t have the punch for a festive front entry.

So, I chose black, white and orange as a theme. I recycled a grapevine wreath I made a couple years ago by striping it, spraying it white, and gluing on some bows and balls. I made three fabric pumpkins. And I bought some mums. Done.  

With those elements, I was able to dress up this home’s front step. 

I hung the wreath on the storm door so it could be seen from the road.
I prefer a grapevine wreath to one of foam or straw because it's
lightweight and stands up to all kinds of weather.   
Polka dots are one of my favorite patterns, and I think most people are charmed by
them, so I made three polka dot bows. I like to use odd numbers  when constructing
a wreath. A 40% off coupon saved me when I bought these plastic (unbreakable!)
bulbs that came as a package from Michaels. 
 
A strip of ribbon glued to a plain plastic flower pot dresses it up.
It was the scrap I had left from a roll of ribbon.  The mums tie the colors
of the front door to the colors in the wreath.


Fabric pumpkins are surprisingly easy to make. These three took me about an hour,
from ironing the fabric to gluing on the driftwood stems. Start with a long rectangle,
stitch or glue the short ends together, then gather the long ends and stuff.
Drapery weight fabric works best for pumpkins. These sit under a porch roof, so
they are protected from wet weather. I stuffed them with filling from an old pillow.
 
Don't ask me why I had bright orange polka dot fabric in the back of
my fabric closet, but it came in handy to repeat the wreath's polka dot motif. 
The fabric for this pumpkin is an old linen tablecloth. The silk 
leaves and embroidery thread wrap-arounds are optional. 

Whether your home is for sale, or you just want a welcoming entryway, now’s the time of year to celebrate fall and boost your curb appeal at the same time. It's easy and economical if you do it yourself, keep it simple, and recycle. 

If you are selling your home and you want encouragement and a whole host of tips for staging it yourself, download my popular DIY Home Staging Tips to Sell Your Home Fast and for Top Dollar. 


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