Staging, every home for sale can benefit from being staged. And before you think you'll skip this series because your home isn't for sale, think again. The one complaint heard after people stage their home for sale is, "Why didn't I do some of this stuff years ago so I could enjoy it?" Yes, there are some things that you might do only when you put your house on the market but, for the most part, if you keep your home up over time, you will enjoy it more and it will be market ready just in case you ever need to sell. And if you are renting, consider this practice.
we got lazy and didn't put up shutters for 9 months after our house was painted
I'm a trained home stager and I've got a little experience with selling houses. We've sold three of our own homes over the past 13 years each in different states. The first one sat on the market for 2.5 years before it sold and then we sold it for exactly what we purchased it for. We had to sell a car to pay the realtor. I told myself I would do everything in my power to keep that from happening again. From then on out, we purchased homes with the mindset of knowing we might have to sell them one day. Our second home sold by owner in 7 days and our third home sold by owner in 30 days. We made a nice profit on both.
we finally put shutters up when we decided to sell why WHY didn't we do this for us?
I wanted to bring in someone with a little more expertise when it comes to thinking about the big things you should and shouldn't do when selling your home. So, I asked my favorite contractor, Tim the Remodeling Guy to help us out in the staging department.
Nester and Remodeling Guy being and our professional selves.
Tim, tell us your thoughts on staging:
Well, I've never considered myself an expert on "home staging" before! But when I think about it a little bit I realize that the whole process of staging your home to sell is very much like the process of remodeling. The ever helpful Wikipedia says this about staging homes:
Staging focuses on improving a property (home) to make it appeal to the largest number of buyers (or keepers!) by transforming it into a welcoming, appealing, and attractive product for sale (or, place to live).
Okay, so let's rephrase that: "Kick-up the house a notch or two so that it will be a pretty and comfortable place where people want to be." That, I can do! It seems to me that the whole idea of staging is something that we ought to look at all the time in our homes so that we can create an environment that we flourish in. Why wait until you're moving out to do these things?
But if you ARE moving, it's even more important to take a look around and find some of these areas that can be improved. If you're going to have potential buyers walking through, anything you can possibly do to emphasize the great things about your house while downplaying any imperfections is a smart move! These things cover "interior design" type things such as furnishings, colors, and cute little potted plants. It's equally important to take a look at "construction" type work such as broken doors, rotten wood, or adding a new light fixture. Hopefully, between the two of us, The Nester and I can give you some ideas that will help those of you looking to sell to sell faster and for more money. And for those of you who are staying put, you might stand to benefit even more from these ideas because you'll be around to enjoy them!
That's right Tim, staging doesn't guarantee your house will sell. But, you want to do everything possible to make your home the best house in its price range. Give your home all the advantages you can. Kind of like brushing your teeth when you go out on a date. Why wouldn't you do it? For the next few Mondays Remodeling Guy and I are going to discuss staging your home for sale and we think you'll find it a good read whether you are selling or not.
Staging: it's not just for sellers anymore.
Related Posts:
Staging :: The Exterior
Staging :: Stepping Inside
Staging :: Remodeling Guy's Perspective
Staging :: Nester's Perspective
65 comments:
I'll be back!!! Love this idea. No plans on moving but maybe after this little series I will!!!!
I'm lovin' this series. I've often thought about becoming a home stager so I'm anxious to check out your ideas.
Y'all are a great team.
Love the pictures of you and Tim! And, can't wait to read more about this topic. Ya-HOOOOOO!!!
so excited about this b/c we are trying to sell our home!
Love the pictures of you and Tim. Have I told you how much I love your home that you painted the brick? Your taste is exquisite.
Cynthia
OMG, you are so right. I am (or was, really) a certified stager when I was a Realtor and you would not believe the difference it makes when the house is on the market. After going through a house with a potential seller I told them that once they signed the contract (hey, don't give away the milk-make them buy the cow) I told them that I would have some suggestions to stage their house for sale. The owners couldn't believe what a difference just a few small changes made and often commented that they wished they'd done it earlier for themselves.
You and Tim are awesome in your photos.
Fabulous idea for a series. I'm sure it will be very timely for many people trying to sell. And a great read for the rest of us too!
I LOVE THIS SERIES!!! When we sold our last house, we were definitely one of those "why didn't we live like this before?" people. We have vowed not to let our new house be like that. Thanks, guys!
The pics of you and Tim cracked me up.
It's amazing what a little staging can do- Our home is not for sale- but when we have looked at homes to buy- it is crazy how some homes look {like dishes left in the sink}
Can't wait to hear more.
Sounds like a great series! I am so looking forward to it. I have NO plans of selling this home (but who has control of stuff like this anyway???), but, as a drama chick at heart, I love the topics of putting your best home forward, and of great curb appeal. Looking forward to some great, and non-bank-breaking tips from you two!! Somehow, you have a knack for getting me motivated! Thanks!
Darlene
Awesome series idea- I sold my house last yr and what a difference staging made- it sold in 3 days!
What was I thinking? Wait til my dad and brother get a hold of those pictures! I'll never hear the end of it!
At least it's all for a good cause, because this series really is going to have some great stuff in it!
Did it snow?
nester and RG, ya'll are a good team! This will be a great help to many of us. I've thought of being a home stager, too, so I'll keep my eyes and ears open for new ideas!
Thanks!
Suzanne
I agree with what you've said. I always wish I could stage my home for everyday. But what exactly should I do?. I don't have great decorating skills so please be specific and not to broad. I look forward to your series.
Hi Nester,
This is rich! In our last house, we put a brand new front door and side windows (to the door) just months before we listed our house. It was gorgeous! It was so pretty and welcoming. I really wished we would have done it years sooner, so we could enjoy it, as well as our guests.
My husband and I have painted our living room and re-hung shelving the previous owners left. My daughter said, "Mom, that looks like a picture you would see in a magazine!" That totally blessed my heart!
Your series will be very good for me to read! :o)
Sincerely ~ Tricia Anne
Brilliant idea for a series! I look forward to seeing the rest!
Ha ha, I love those pictures of you and the Remodeling guy!! How did you get him to do that? My husband is a home remodeler too and no way could I get my toolbelt cowboy to pose for me like that. Love it.
We staged our last home and it sold in 3 weeks! It is true we loved the changes so much we wished we had done it sooner. Don't wait 'til you're moving to make your home a great place to feel good in.
For the record Kim and I totally made Tim pose for the photos and I promised him I wouldn't use the back to back one.
Whoops.
So very true...we have been guilty of this...trust me have I moved! Today, I posted about our first home and when we sold...we did so much to sell it...I remember thinking why didn't we do this when we lived here...it's kinda sad. Great post..looking forward to more.
sandy toe
Sweet team..sweet series..I will follow this one! I do small staging jobs myself so I always look for new ideas. Staged my home last and it sold in 3 days!(I admit... that was also a lot of luck)!
Sue
oh cant wait to read these! :-) thanks for doing this!
THANK YOU!!! We are putting our house on the market in two weeks, and your timing couldn't be more perfect for us.
We are currently in the process of throwing out half of our stuff, which it turns out we didn't need after all. I can't wait for some decorating tips!!!
That picture of you and your hot glue guns and Tim with his power tools is like a new version Charlie's Angels! LOL!
LOVE this series!
This a great topic especially in today's market. Looking forward to part 2!
You know the Remodeling Guy in real life? And live in the same town? That's fun! Wish he lived near me--I've got a few jobs around here I could hire him for. :-)
Great idea for a series, esp. with the housing market the way it is right now. We have so many houses for sale in our neighborhood right now--some have been on the market for 2 yrs at least. So depressing!
Another great series! Can't wait to read more!
This will be fun! I'm looking forward to it. You two are a great team!
I am also trained as a stager and have worked on several homes that had sat on the market for a looonnggg time when they finally called me. Each and every time the house then sold soon after.
The good news is that if the owners just move across town I generally come and "stage" the new home they are living in.
I totally agree that you must live in surroundings you love.
I'm in the process of staging right now. I've been painting all weekend and we had our first showing last night!! My biggest problem right now is that my backyard is so muddy it looks awful. I just hope it snows everytime someone comes to look at the house so they don't notice the mud. Selling in the winter is NOT fun!
Very excited about this topic. We want to put our house up when the real estate market turns around. The house across the street from me has been for sale for about 8 months!
Perfect!! I'm in the midst of finishing staging our home for sale. This will be our 3rd house that I've staged. The first sold in 2 days, and the 2nd was sold (with multiple offers) in 2 weeks. Staging works!! This time I'm a bit more nervous with this economy and the competition of brand-new houses in our neighborhood. Ours is only 2 years old, but I want it sold quick!! I also staged my parent's condo in FL, and will be re-doing and staging their northern house later this year for sale. I've thought about being a professional stager/re-designer. Do you have any tips??
Really looking forward to reading this series!
BTW, dig those pics of you 2!! :)
Stacey
Nester, I have a HUGE home-staging question for you:
Did you hot-glue tassels on your cardigan?
Seriously, that sweater is darling. I just have to know if you did some Nester-style embellishing.
Oh, and I love a series so this is going to be FUN!
Ohhh I can not wait to hear what advice you two have! I have just started the staging process with our home. We abt 3 months so I have plenty of time to implement some of your ideas!
This will be a great series! Looking forward to the two of you sharing ideas and your combined humor :)
Thank you! We are trying to sell our house as quickly as possible. We have already started some renovations. If ya'll just wanted to come ovewr to my house and make your own youtube show I'd be willing to offer my house as a guinea pig!
What a great idea for a series! I can't wait to read and learn. My husband - due to the economy - may be transferred out of state, so I want to be prepared. Your ideas will help so much, and if we don't get transferred, we'll have a beautiful home. It's a win-win!
I'm looking forward to this series! I'm just a renter, but I'll file the information away for future use. Thanks, Nester and Tim!
Glad you're doing this series. Can't wait to see more!
oh! and i love those pictures of you guys!
I will follow this series with great interest. I hope I won't stay in my current house forever (our hope and plan is to move in 2 or 3 years). But as I see things in the house looking older and more "used" all the time, I start to shudder to think of all the work we'll have to do when it comes time.
I LOVE this idea of doing it as you go instead of waiting until the last minute!
Oh, and one more thing: How do you stage / decorate your home when it is VERY MUCH lived in? I have 4 kids, 10 and under, and we are homeschooling. (i.e. we're in the house ALL the time!) Any tips for keeping the house nice and tidy, even while the kids are always around? How about some tips for things that are decorative AND functional? Thanks!
Lately this has been my mindset about our lame-o house. We're not planning on selling it immediately, cut I imagine kind of soon (because it makes me crazy) and I do not want to put money and effort into it that I don't get to enjoy. And what imspired THAT was when you did a post a long time ago about doing stuff to your last house to sell it, wishing you'd done it sooner. Ugh, now I have to get off the computer and go DO something. You gave never met anyone so lazy. Or more of a stalker--I just left a comment on Kim's blog that I'm so jealous she got to meet you and it was on my list of things to do before I die. Except that then I'm sure my social-retardedness will especially shine.
I think one HUGE thing when putting your home on the market is getting rid of the personal effects.
Love this series!
xoxo
I love your sweater with the fringe!! Did you do that yourself or buy it? Maybe you could do a series on "mistreatments" for clothing!
Yea! I am loving this series. We will probably be selling our home within the next year or so. Will be back to take notes.
I look at some houses and think why don't they trim their shrubery, fix that broken shutter, etc. I'm tempted to sneak over to one neighbor's at 3 AM and trim their shrubery. lol
We totally staged our last house, and mourned that we hadn't done it all sooner. I won't do that again! We've already started that idea in the new place, no more last minute renovations for other people to reap the benefit! :)
By the way, we did pretty well. Our house sold in 21 days in a touch market! :)
great advise! we are thinking about putting our house on the market (I know we are NUTS), but my MIL is a professional stager/interior designer, so we are in good hands.
ohhhh; I need this! We're looking at moving this summer but our house is a wreck from IKE! We're in the process of getting it back to where it was (new roof, new fence, etc), but we have so many little imperfections that we're afraid our house won't sell! Yikes
Perfect timing for me...going on the market soon. I want the lowdown on closets, inside cabinets, kids toys, amount of art/seasonal displays to keep up, books, garage, posting little signs throughout the house, setting the dining room table, laudry hampers....OK, I pretty much want any advice you can squeeze into those few Monday posts!
I am looking forward to this series. We are in the process of selling our house. . . . it has been on the market since August 2008. And with a new baby on the way we need more space!!!
I'm going to love this series. When my husband and I knew we were going to sell our house in Memphis. I put down those peel and stick tiles in the kitchen. And we repainted almost every room. I wished I would have done those things for my enjoyment.
I am so looking forward to this series. No plans to move, but love the idea of enjoying it now. You guys are awesome.
I can't wait for the next few mondays... I need this advice NOW!! :) We are in the process of staging. I'm doing the best I can with out "official" stager training. I'm inviting some friends over to be gently critical. I'll keep reading and make some improvements I'm sure after I read what you suggest! Thanks so much!
This is a great post and so true. Each time we've sold a house (after decluttering, cleaning and staging) we've stepped back and said, "We could live here"! Your advice is pure gold.
totally unrelated question:is that fringe on your cardigan in the second pic with Tim? just had to ask...
-kristen
Clearly a well-needed topic! Every time I stage a home I get the same response...should have done it years ago. Can't wait to read the rest, and the pictures just make it that much more fabulous!
~Misti
Too funny, I was just thinking about how it would be nice to have a more staged look in my house. Staged, but functional.
Thanks Nester for this series! I am very much looking forward to it. We are closing on our "dream home" tomorrow morning...a never updated home that was built in 1964! It is going to be QUITE the renovation process, but we are thrilled! In the meantime, we will be living in our current home & I look forward to de-cluttering & using putting your staging tips into practice NOW, so that when it does come time to sell, hopefully it will go quickly! Thanks again!
I am wanting to sell my home and truly appreciate the advice!
I am hosting a giveaway for a decal monogram over on my blog! I sure hope you will stop by!
We are planning an addition for our 100 year old farmhouse. This will afford us a much needed extra bathroom, a private master bedroom and a modern laundry room. Most importantly, we need closets and storage. I never thought I would consider modest closets a luxury item until I moved into this old house. Thank you for the extra push with your timely post. Life is too short to put off living comfortably in your home - even during an economic recession.
Nester - just let me say, at the risk of sounding like a total stalker - I heart you! Really!
Before I found you I have hardly done anything in my house - for a couple of reasons - but because I thought it had to be perfect and because I'm not creative and I don't sew and...well, you get the idea!
In the last week I have put up 2 mistreatments! ME!! Yes.I.have.
And I am doing more - and I am loving it!
Thank you!!!
I love reading and watching shows about this.
Can I just say that I.can.not believe the difference adding the shutters made to your house? Wow!
great idea we have 2 year old twin boys and are 12 weeks pregnat with twins again.We live in CO and need to move back to UT to be next to family.Can't wait to hear the advice!
Post a Comment