Today’s guests on the blog are Jenna Blaskovic and Annalise Brown OWNERS OF BHOME INTERIORS. Jenna and Annalise are a mother daughter team, both certified stagers and color experts, ready to help you wow potential home buyers. They have helped me with several listings and are truly experts. When Sellers list with me – the Staging consulation is complementary.
BHOME INTERIORS
Staging doesn’t have to be all or nothing! As professional stagers, we have been trained in the psychology of selling and are here to share tips that help homeowners sell their home fast and for the highest profit. We do a lot of vacant stagings that help bring life into empty homes, but not all homes need the full staging production! We also offer detailed room by room staging consultations to help sellers prepare their most important asset for the market. Whatever staging need you have, we are here for you!
If you are on a budget or in a time crunch, there are still plenty things that homeowners can do themselves to make their home appeal to buyers. Check out our most important suggestions below. But, first things first…… Disassociate. Take emotion out of the equation and start seeing your home as product to be merchandized in the best way possible.
Remember.. you are selling square footage!
One goal we focus on a lot during our pre listing consultations is increasing the perceived size of a home. Changing around your furniture placement and the removal of any excessive or large furniture can really make a different in a room!
Take a look around each room in your home. Are there pieces that feel heavy, dark or are no longer serving a purpose? If you have a room with too much furniture or oversized pieces it will feel small and cluttered. Donate it, sell it or move that furniture to storage.
And the same goes for knick knacks and decor. All tables, countertops and dressers should be clear. Don’t forget to pack up most of open bookshelf items while you’re at it. Finally, consider how a buyer will be walking through each room and move furniture to create those easy walk ways.
Light sells!
One of our favorite and perhaps easiest areas you can focus on – lighting!
Start with your windows. Remove any tattered or dirty window treatments, heavy drapes or screens. We always suggest removing screens from windows and storing them in your garage during the listing process. Whether you hire a professional or do it yourself, clean windows inside and out. All of these tips will make your home feel lighter and brighter!
Now for the lighting inside. Make sure all lightbulbs are working and the same hue in each room (cooler hues vs. warmer hues). We recommend warm whites between 2700-3000K. Lastly, lamps are your best friend! Add layers of lighting to create a warm and inviting environment for buyers.
During showings or open houses, turn on all the lights and open all the blinds.
Smell check!
The smell of your home is something that buyers will notice right away, so make sure it’s a good one! Because we can become accustomed to the smell in our own homes, have your realtor, a stager or even one of your friends give honest feedback about your home’s scent. The goal is to have a mostly neutral smelling home, light fragrance is fine. Remove items that can cause odors such as pet products or trash. Some ways to neutralize the smell of your home:
- DIY spray – add cheap vodka and a few drops of an essential oil (lavender or citrus) to a spray bottle. Spray on rugs, carpet, furniture and in the air.
- Simmer a potpourri – bring a pot of water to a boil and add in citrus peel, cinnamon, vanilla or any other fragrant fruit or spice. Lower to a simmer and add water as the water evaporates.
Pro tip: be careful of those plug ins! Too many plug ins can be overpowering and seem like you are trying to mask something.
Paint where necessary!
Painting can completely transform your home. Whether you have bold colored walls and need to neutralize or you just need a fresh coat to cover wear and tear, painting is so worth it! Buyers want a move in ready house and trust us, in their minds painting is a big project they will have to tackle, unless you do it for them.
Some of our favorite neutral paints from Sherwin Williams – Alabaster, Shoji White and Accessible Beige.
Pro tip: Out of time or feeling overwhelmed? At least paint your trim! Your trim takes a beating and is sure to have dirt, scuffs and marks all over. You will be amazed at how clean and light your walls look after the trim gets a fresh coat of paint!
First impressions are everything!
The first impression buyers have of your home is the curb appeal! Make sure your house shines from the mailbox to your doorway with these curb appeal tips:
As potential buyers are waiting to get into your home, what are they looking at? Your door!!! Make sure it shines. Clean it well. Don’t hesitate to paint it if it still doesn’t look great. We love SW Tricorn Black, Iron Ore or Urbane Bronze for exterior doors.
Remove any dead or dying plants from your yard and add a fresh layer of dark mulch or pine straw.
Remove yard decor and signs.
Make sure that you can easily see the house number on your mailbox and that it is in good condition.
Clean off your stoop and outdoor light fixtures. Knock down all those spider webs!
Replace your door mat with a new one.
Feeling like you need some extra help or don’t know where to start?
Schedule a pre listing consultation with us! We will come to your home and do a room by room walk through with a detailed report for you to implement in an action list form. Moving and selling your home can be overwhelming, but we are here to help you get your house ready!
BHOME INTERIORS
INFO@BHOMEINTERIOR.COM
770-344-8176
Lee Ann is a member of Women’s Council of Realtors – Cobb and Cobb Association of Realtors.
She is a top producer with Dorsey Alston Realtors specializing in the East Cobb market and Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist Senior Real Estate Specialist® SRES®
Real Estate Negotiation Expert RENE. Seller Representative Specialist SRS
Lee Ann Wynns, Realtor® 404-680-7869 leeannwynns@dorseyalston.com
