staging Archives - CENTURY 21 MarketLink Realty

A great presentation: 6 easy tips for staging your own home

April 18, 2019 By C21 Communications

There’s no question that staging your décor is advantageous when you’re trying to sell your home.

The strategic editing and placement of your furnishings can be enormously important to boosting its appeal. In a recent NAR survey, in fact, 77 percent of buyers’ agents agreed staging is important to helping potential buyers envision a given home as their own. Fortunately, conducting your own staging need not be complex; you should be able to mimic professional techniques by following a few easy guidelines:

Prioritize by room. The NAR reports you’ll get the most visual impact by staging your living room, master bedrooms, kitchen and extra bedrooms(s), in that order.
De-clutter. Cleaning will be easier after you pack away at least 90 percent of your own décor and personal artifacts. Your goal is to create a minimally decorated space buyers can imagine moving in to.
Deep clean. Everything must be groomed, sparkling and odor-free inside and out.
Divide and conquer. Plan to remove about half your furniture to give the impression of optimal space. If it’s all unpresentable, use stylish rental pieces or fake “pop-up furniture” for showings. Tip: Wherever possible, move display furniture away from walls (a technique known as “floating”) to create groupings that are tied together visually with area rugs.
Accessorize inside and out. Create an atmosphere of airiness, friendliness and cheer by selectively adding new flowers, potted plants, attractive seating and welcome mats outside, perhaps fresh flowers and bowls of fruit inside.
Optimize light. Add brighter light bulbs, pull back curtains, clean windows and clean (or perhaps update) light fixtures to add to the overall impression of positivity.

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Should You Use a Professional Stager When Selling Your Luxury Home?

March 13, 2019 By C21 Communications

If you’re planning to put your luxury home on the market, consider staging it first.

Staging is the process of “styling” a home to maximize its appeal to potential buyers. It can be as simple as eliminating clutter or reorganizing a bookcase, or staging can involve removing, replacing or re-arranging furniture, adding accessories or taking down heavy draperies that block the light.

According to StagedHomes.com, which provides training and awards the Accredited Staging Professional designation to real estate agents, designers and others interested in becoming stagers, staging a home helps it sell faster and at a higher price. In fact, in a recent survey, the site found that a staged home sells in an average of 10.3 days, compared to a non-staged home, which averages 84.6 days on the market.

Ask your real estate agent about staging options when listing your home. Some agents have a background in design and feel comfortable handling the staging themselves, especially if the home doesn’t need much to prepare it for sale, while others may recommend a staging professional.

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How To Stage Your House Over the Holidays

November 3, 2015 By Casey Danton

Selling your home during the holidays doesn’t mean you have to hold back on the festivities. Let your home shine while attracting buyers during the most wonderful time of the year with these seasonal touches.

Deck the halls:

Don’t let selling your home stop you from spreading the holiday cheer. Subtle hints like a welcoming evergreen wreath at the front door, mulled cider brewing on the stovetop or hand-sewn stockings hanging from the fireplace awning gives the space a jolt of spirit.

Trim the tree:

Usually the most eye-catching piece of the living room during the holiday season, make sure your spruced-up Christmas tree matches the aesthetic you want to sell to potential buyers. If your living room has a clean-cut scheme with ivories and whites, for example, make sure your baubles fall under the same color palette.

Tone it down:

As tempting as it is to blow some lawn ornaments to celebrate the season, it’s best to go for a minimalist approach during this crucial selling time. Neatly highlight the defining elements of your home’s exterior with snow white lights or hang fresh garland with bright red bows from your rooftop or mailbox.

Warm up:

Before open houses, make sure your home feel as cozy as possible. Now’s the perfect time to light a fire in your fireplace and warm up your home. If your home is lacking the fiery centerpiece, turning up the thermostat to a comfortably toasty level gives potential buyers extra incentive to linger for a while to escape the brutal cold outside—and allows them to fully digest the best qualities of your home.

Tune up:

Fill up the hallways with contemporary holiday classics while potential buyers are roaming the halls. Make a mix of festive favorites: go old-school with Frank Sinatra’s “White Christmas” or Natalie Cole’s take on “The Christmas Song”…or just play Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas (Is You)” on a loop.

Feed the masses:

The best way to make somebody feel at home—potentially at their future home—is through their stomach. Whip up some holiday-themed cookies and mocktails to serve during your open house; the extra hint of hospitality will keep you in the mind of prospective buyers even after the last present is unwrapped during the holidays.

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5 Places You Forgot Potential Buyers Will Check

October 14, 2015 By Casey Danton

An open house is a crucial component of the home sale process. Start with these tips for staging an open house, but don’t stop there. Potential buyers are likely to inspect all areas of the house. Yes, even your “junk drawer” and closets. Here’s a list of five often forgotten places that potential homeowners may check.

The sides of your house

When you spruce up your front yard and backyard, pay attention the sides of your home as well. Potential buyers will likely look at the exterior of your house from all angles. One unkempt side may turn them off from the rest of the home. Make sure the paint and landscaping is in good condition from all angles.

Inside your closets

Don’t stuff everything in your closets and hope no one will open them. Even if the potential buyers aren’t fashionistas, they may still care about closet space. Show it off by organizing it. You wouldn’t want a potential buyer to open a closet just to find a hodgepodge of the belongings you stashed there.

Under your bed

Removing the bulk of storage from your closets is a great way to make closet space appear bigger, but that doesn’t mean your stuff should be shoved under the bed. Not only is it an eyesore, but the potential homebuyer might also see it as a sign that there is not enough storage space. Your best bet is to invest in temporary external storage space so that your open house has all the space it needs.

Inside the shower

Chances are no one wants a small, cramped bathroom. Create storage solutions that may make your space appear bigger and brighter to buyers. For example, stash toiletries and cleaning supplies in a separate closet, a dresser, or under the sink.

Your drawers and cabinets

Potential buyers will probably open drawers and cabinets. Spend time getting inspired by these home organizers. Think about all of the details like your spice rack, whether your dishes match, and finally taming your “junk drawer.” In need of more inspiration? Our Pins may help!

Go the extra mile, and don’t get caught off guard. You wouldn’t want to scream a slow motion “nooooo” as a potential buyer innocently reaches to open a closet.

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Picture Perfect: How To Take Great Photos of Your Home

June 8, 2014 By CENTURY 21

Staging your home for sale is an important part convincing buyers of the quality and value of your property. With most real estate listings online, the power of a good photo goes beyond a clean space.

Here are some tips to help you take picture perfect photos of your home:

Invest in a Quality Camera: Show your buyers the best of your space by investing in a camera that will give you sharp images. Blurry photos do not highlight the space well or give a good first impression. Better images will make homebuyers more eager to see your home. Spending a few extra bucks now might make you extra cash in the long run.

Use Natural Light: Take advantage of a sunny day to photograph your home. Natural light makes a space feel warm and inviting while flash creates shadows and reflects off windows or mirrors. (HGTV) Buyers look for homes with extra light so use this as another opportunity to sell your home. Keep in mind when photographing the exterior to make sure the sun is behind you to avoid dark shadows.

Show Your Space: No one likes to feel cramped. According to Houzz, buyers want to get a better feel of the movement and floor plan in your home. By photographing in one spot and showing several rooms, you show the buyer an expansive view of the space.

Clear the Clutter: You want to give buyers a space to imagine themselves in without feeling like it’s lived in. Store away any unnecessary items that take away from the main focal point of the room. Keep your home clean and tidy. If you’re trying to photograph a small space, make extra room by rearranging furniture or photograph from a doorway. (Design Sponge)

Edit the Small Stuff: Don’t worry if you don’t get the exact shot you want. Photo editing sites, like PIXLR, are great for quickly touching up photographs. Crop out what you don’t need or adjust the brightness to enhance the space. Try not to go overboard with editing which can turn off buyers.

Buyers are attracted to homes that have a good presence, and what better way to showcase that than with a good photo. As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words.

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Do This, Not That: Tips for Staging Your Home

May 25, 2014 By CENTURY 21

You never get a second chance at a first impression. It is important that potential buyers get a great first impression when they come to your home for an open house or see your listing online. Factors like cleanliness, brightness, and furniture placement all make a big impact on the home’s overall appearance. Making buyers feel comfortable in a new space is key to selling a home. We asked our Facebook friends for their best tips for staging a home to sell.

Here are five tips for staging your home:

“Make sure all furniture is about one and a half inches from the wall, this creates the illusion of more space. Clear all personal pictures. If the front door is worn, paint it an interesting color that is inviting and make sure the path to the home is welcoming.” – Michael L.

“You hope that you will have a lot of people in short period of time, freedom of movement is essential.” - CENTURY 21 Ilford

“Good photos get action. Make sure the lights are on and that you are using a good camera. Don’t use your cell phone!” – Kristy W.

“Everything off the counters! Toilet seats down. Blinds all the way up to show off recently cleaned windows.” – Wayne F.

“Stage with smaller furniture to make rooms bigger and go with light colored furnishings unless the area dictates darker classy designs.” – Peter C.

Find more great tips on our Facebook post, and visit CENTURY21.com for more home selling advice.

Do This, Not That: Tips for Staging Your Home

May 25, 2014 By CENTURY 21

Here are five tips for staging your home:

“Make sure all furniture is about one and a half inches from the wall, this creates the illusion of more space. Clear all personal pictures. If the front door is worn, paint it an interesting color that is inviting and make sure the path to the home is welcoming.” – Michael L.

“You hope that you will have a lot of people in short period of time, freedom of movement is essential.” - CENTURY 21 Ilford

“Good photos get action. Make sure the lights are on and that you are using a good camera. Don’t use your cell phone!” – Kristy W.

“Everything off the counters! Toilet seats down. Blinds all the way up to show off recently cleaned windows.” – Wayne F.

“Stage with smaller furniture to make rooms bigger and go with light colored furnishings unless the area dictates darker classy designs.” – Peter C.

Find more great tips on our Facebook post, and visit CENTURY21.com for more home selling advice.