Preparing a Home for Sale in Cherry Hill, NJ

Written by admin on May 4th, 2010

real estate staging

real estate staging

It is springtime, everything is new and beautiful. This is often the time we think about change in our lives and desiring a new home.  For most, acquiring a new home means    selling the current one and this can seem overwhelming.  No one desires his/her home to be on the market forever and no one desires to have a loss on the sale.  Occasionally, this is the case but it doesn’t have to be if the homeowner will take the time to prepare his/her home for sale by using some real estate staging techniques.

Making a great first impression is so important when it comes to selling a home.  Most people are looking for homes they can move right into without having to do a lot of work.  Often, they are able to determine if a house will become their home in a matter of    minutes.

The hardest part of preparing your home for sale will be realizing that it is no longer your home; it is now a product.  It can no longer reflect you; it must be arranged and decorated so that the   potential homebuyer can see himself or herself living there.

Preparing a house for sale starts from the curb and goes all the way through the house to the back yard.  Today’s homebuyer lives a very busy life and he/she can be very selective in deciding which houses he/she will take the time to see.  With the availability of Internet, people will often rule out houses by looking at pictures made available online.  They may also choose to drive by several houses before deciding which ones they will visit.

Here are a few helpful suggestions, if you are considering placing your house on the market:

  • Start with the outside of the home. Pick up all trash and remove clutter.  Mow, trim hedges and pull weeds.
  • Is your front door dated or old? Consider hanging a new door or at least give your front door a new coat of paint.  Add a few potted plants or flowers to the steps or porch.
  • Since you are planning on, moving, go ahead and begin packing up some of your belongings. It is important to remove all the obstacles that might distract the potential homebuyer from “seeing” the home.
    1. Remove all personal family photos. This is important for 2 reasons.  First of all, you want the potential homebuyer to envision this home as his/her own and not your home.  Second, you never know who might be looking through your home.  Potential homebuyers are strangers to you and it is safer for you if they do not know who lives in the home.
    2. Remove all collections and personal mementos like trophies and plaques.  You do not want potential homebuyers to get distracted by looking at all your beautiful things.
    3. Clean out all closets, cabinets and pantries. Do not use these spaces to stash all your “stuff.”  Remember those visiting your home are free to look in all your closets.  By cleaning out at least half of the contents and packing them away for your move, you will make your storage areas seem more spacious.  If your closets are bulging with clutter, then the potential homebuyer might be left with the impression that if your stuff doesn’t fit in the closet, that their stuff probably wouldn’t either.
    4. Clean off your refrigerator.
  • Clean all windows inside and out. You want to allow as much light into your home as possible.  Also, if your curtains and valances are mounted even with the top of the window, move them up 6-8 inches.  This will again allow more light into the room and will cause your windows to appear larger.
  • Make sure all bathrooms and kitchens shine. Any signs of neglect can deter a potential home buyer.
  • Remove busy wall paper.  Repaint walls with neutral colors, such as warm off-white, tans, taupe or soft gold.

Staging your home for sale in Cherry Hill, NJ is a lot of work and very inconvenient for normal living.   However, it will be worth it.  Owning a home is a great investment and it is up to you to decide what type of return you will receive on your investment through how you prepare your home for sale.

  • Share/Bookmark
 

Posted in Home Staging, Interior Decorating | No Responses »

Redesign or Interior Decorating will help Winter Blues

Written by admin on January 25th, 2010

Do you ever feel a little blue after the holidays?  I do, especially after putting all the decorations away.  Sometimes I  feel great because it is done, but mostly I am just a little sad knowing it is another year before I have an opportunity to celebrate my favorite time of the year with my favorite people.  Many people tend to be down after the holidays because it is just plain cold and dreary outside.  We all need sunshine and don’t see it enough in January and February.  If you don’t have the privilege of heading to the Caribbean for weeks, here are a five  simple suggestions that may help make your home warm, inviting and a place you want to be.

1.  Add color to your home. This is the best way to defeat that sway of sadness.

  •  Start in the room you spend the most time. 
  • Add a punch of color in a simple ways: bright colored pillows, throws, artwork, bed-covers, curtains, any accessories.
  • Even painting the walls an actual color can change the mood of that room.  Seek out a color specialist if you feel insecure about changing your wall color.

2. If you have a fireplace that can safely burn wood, use it.  If you can’t burn wood or it doesn’t function right, collect several different height candle holders and candles.  Place them in the fireplace so that you can see the flame from different heights.  It will cozy up that living space.  As long as we are talking candles, add scented candles through out your home.   Just don’t forget to blow them out.

3.   Add light!  Don’t be afraid to open your blinds and curtains.  You may want to add brighter bulbs to your light fixtures for the next few months.  Even sprucing up that fixture with a new shade will enhance your room.

4.  Redesign your living room by creating a functional conversation area.  This may require adding or taking a few pieces of furniture out of the room, but you will be surprised how comfortable that same room can be. 

5.  Add fragrance.  In our area we can purchase beautiful flowers at minimal cost.  There is nothing like a fresh bouquet of flowers.  You can always use softly scented candles, as well.

I do hope a few of these hints will help you enjoy your home during the dreary days outside.  Your home should always be a refuge from the world.  If you I can help in creating a more comfortable living space you can always contact me at www.krcinteriortransformations.com

  • Share/Bookmark
 

Posted in Uncategorized | No Responses »

Holiday Decorating Ideas Anyone Can Afford

Written by admin on December 14th, 2009

Holiday Decorating

Holiday Decorating

Make garlands out of felt scraps. Cut Xmas shapes out of felt in miniature, mini stockings, holly leaves, mittens, and string together with needle and floss or strong fishing line to hang all over the house.

Drop a tealight candle in your cleaned out glass mayonnaise jars, tie a holiday ribbon around the neck, and you have a beautiful candle with Xmas charm.

Start a Christmas collection. This can be a great tradition to initiate in your home. My girls and I starting collecting Santas 3 years ago, and it’s something they look forward to, choosing our yearly Santa together.

If you are looking to do a toyland theme for your Christmas decorating this year, try searching out teddy bears and dolls at your local thrift stores.

Place a few inexpensive glass balls in a bowl and embellish with a few sprigs of greenery or some leftover ribbon. If you don’t have an extra bowl (it is the holidays, after all!) try decoupaging a box with leftover Christmas wrap, or cover with a little fabric and glue.

Take down your pictures and wrap them like a gift, then hang them back on the wall for great holiday cheer! You don’t have to do this all around the house, how about just in the entry, or maybe the dining room?

Tie greens or ornaments to the chandelier with a little Christmas ribbon, just make sure they don’t hang low enough for any candles on the table to catch them on fire.

Make your own gift tags out of leftover paper. Ok, this is not a new idea, but try punching it up a bit. Add details by layering shapes over the base paper, use paper punches and scalloped scrapbooking scissors to add style, use a gold calligraphy pen to add names. Or use the scalloped scissors to make old holiday cards into tags.

Sponge stars or other seasonal shapes on your window with paint! No, I’m not nuts. Just add a teaspoon or so of liquid dish soap to acrylic craft paint, (I like white or gold metallic) and after the holidays you should be able to wash it off with window cleaner. Use a non- scratching dish scrubber if you come across a stubborn spot.

  • Share/Bookmark
 

Posted in Holiday Decorating | No Responses »