It's show time! \ Home staging transforms rooms from that everyday lived-in look to ready-to-be sold for top dollar. This step-by-step guide offers the tactics used by home stagers—from de-cluttering and cleaning up to arranging and remodeling—that will often yield a quicker sale and higher selling price.\ --Decorating tips to make a house appeal to the widest range of buyers\ --Cost-effective techniques to highlight the home's selling points, whether it's the floor plan, the high ceilings,...
It s show time! Home staging transforms rooms from that everyday lived-in look to ready-to-be sold for top dollar. This step-by-step guide offers the tactics used by home stagers from de-cluttering and cleaning up to arranging and remodeling that will often yield a quicker sale and higher selling price. -Decorating tips to make a house appeal to the widest range of buyers -Cost-effective techniques to highlight the home s selling points, whether it s the floor plan, the high ceilings, or a newly renovated bathroom -Suggestions on how to downplay or eliminate features that might be considered negatives such as smaller rooms, minimal storage space, or ghastly wall colors
In the Beginning 1What Is Staging? 3Why Stage? 3Gaining a Competitive Advantage 4Aiding Innate Buying Preferences 4More Than Common Sense 5How It Makes a Difference 6Why It Makes a Difference 6Staging Statistics 7When Do You Stage? 8Making the Best First Impression 8You Had Me At Hello 9Keys to Doing It Yourself 9Doing Your Homework 11Know Your Price Point 12Get an Appraisal 12Amenities for the Money 13Style Impressions 14Making Comparisons 15Are You Above or Below Standard 16Neighborhood Lifecycles 16Assessing Your Home 17Your "Before" Pictures 17The Sniff Test 19Styling Trends 20Setting Budgets and Priorities 23How Much to Spend 24Doing the Math 25Typical Scenarios 26Which Rooms Are Money Makers 28InitialSteps 33To Declutter Is Divine 35Do I Have To? 36Why Oh Why? 38Gives You More Square Footage 38Shows Off Pretty Features While Reducing Distractions 38Allows the Buyers to Visualize Themselves Living There 39Hides Your Personal Issues 39Saves Time 40What to Declutter 40Personal Papers 40Mementos and Gifts 41Repair Projects 42Is It a Clothes Rack or Fitness Equipment? 42Reading Material 42Toys and Playthings 43Redundant Furniture 43Plants and Floral Arrangements 43Medicines and Personal Care Items 44Fun Paraphernalia 44Seasonal Clothes 46Pets and Their Belongings 46Kitchen Confusion 47Garages 47Cleaning Supplies 47Outdoor Spaces Get Cluttered, Too 47Techniques for Decluttering 48Set a Date and Keep It 48Set a Goal for Bags and Boxes 48Set a Goal for Packing for the Move 48One at a Time 49Reward Yourself for Your Efforts 49Sayings to Live (and Declutter) By 50What to Do with the Clutter 50Clean Sweep 53A Clean House Is Half Sold 54Clean from the Top Down 54Ceilings 55Walls 56Floors 57Room by Room 58Kitchens 58Bathrooms 59Pet Areas 60Outside 60Nontoxic Cleaning Alternatives 61Remodeling Choices to Consider 63Making Major Changes 64What They Have That You Don't 64Why You Need to Keep Up with the Joneses 66Take a Good Hard Look Under the Hood 67Inspectors Have Gadgets 67Do-It-Yourself Inspection 68Airborne Safety Issues 68Smoke Detectors 69Mold 69Lead Paint 69Asbestos 70Radon 70Other Hazards 70Mechanical System Check 70Keeping You Comfortable 71Don't Fiddle with That Roof 71Electric Avenue 72If Water Runs Through It 72Foundation Station 73Inside 73Kitchen 73Bathrooms 77Floors 78Basements 79Additions and Add-on Rooms 79Calling in the Pros 79Architect 80Bricklayers or Stone Masons 80Carpenters 80Carpet Installers 80Concrete and Cement Workers 80Contractor 80Drywall Installers 81Electrician 81Hardwood Floor Specialists 81HVAC Installers 81Landscape Architect 81Lawn and Yard Maintenance 81Painters and Paper Hangers 82Plumbers 82Roofers 82Curb Appeal 83What Exactly Is Curb Appeal? 83Driveways 85Sidewalks 86House Color 87Trim and Accent Color 88The Roof 89Doors 89All Hands On Deck 92Pools and Water Features 92Accessorize to Impress 93What's Your Number? 93Mailboxes 93Welcome Mat 94Adornments 94Lighting 95Pets 96Landscaping 96Room by Room 101The Entrances and Exits 103The First Interior Impression 103What They See 104Getting Through the Eye of the Needle 104Spend Money Here 105Make Minor Repairs 106Declutter and Clean 106Foyer Arrangement and Style Choices 108If You Don't Have a Foyer... 109Room with a View 110Stairways and Hallways to Get You Places 111Make It Functional and Clutter-Free 111Stylish Additions 112Exit, Staging, Right! 114The Living and Family Rooms 117Minor Repairs 118Fireplace 118Flooring 119Paint 119Declutter and Clean 120Furniture Placement 122Floor Space 123Lighting 123Staging with Style 125Decorating Tools 126The New Decorating Approach 128The Dining Room 131Reclaim the Space 131Whipping It Into Shape 133Repairs 133Declutter and Clean 134Arranging 135Brightening 136Stylish Eating 136Styling a China Cabinet 137Staging Secrets 138If You Don't Have a Dining Room 140The Kitchen 143Minor Repairs 144Tiles 144Stove Hood 144Countertop 145Flooring 147Walls 147Lighting 148Declutter and Clean 148Sink 149Refrigerator and Appliances 149Trashcan 151Countertops 151Hanging Rack and Tools 152Adding Style 152To Be Purchased 153To Remove 153The Bedrooms 157Focus on Buyer's Goals, Not Yours 157Purpose of the Bedroom 158The Focal Point of the Bedroom 158Other Furniture 160Bedroom Staging Example 160Selling the Bedroom 161Making Minor Repairs 162Declutter and Clean 163Making It Light and Spacious 165What's the Wattage? 165Make It Look Spacious 166Show Storage 167Arrange the Bedrooms 167Make It Stylish 170Make the Bed 171Room Accessories 172If You Don't Have Very Many Bedrooms 173The Bathrooms 175Minor Repairs 176Walls 176Floors 177Counter 177Grout and Caulking 178Fan 178Clean and Declutter 179Personal Equipment 180A Thorough Cleaning 181Staging to Sell 181Enlarging the Bathroom 181The Spa Image 182The Powder Room 186The Closets 187Show There Is Room to Grow 187Match Closet and Purpose 188Minor Repairs Worth Doing 190Play Up All the Space 191Declutter 191Clean 192Brighten 192Staging Your Closet to Sell 193The Kitchen Pantry 193The Linen Closet 194The Master Bedroom Closet 196The Coat Closet 197The Hall Closet 197Creating the Illusion of Space 198The Home Office 201Setting Up a Home Office 202Remember Its Purpose 202Creative Spaces 204Declutter and Clean 204Computer "Decor" 204Closet Considerations 205Lighting Necessities 206Furniture Arranging 206Styling 208The Basement, Garage, and Attic 213The Basement 214Unfinished Basement 214Finished Basement 215Declutter and Clean That Basement 215Removing Odors from Down Below 216Make It Bright and Spacious 216Establishing Living Zones 211Adding Style to Your Basement 218The Garage or Carport 219Declutter and Clean That Garage 219Styling Your Garage 220The Attic 220The Laundry Area 222The Finishing Touches 225Staging the Exceptional Home 227Vacation Homes 228Clear Out and Clean Up 228Props Set the Stage 229Reeling in Renters 230Rental Properties 231Do Your Homework 231Who's Your Audience? 231Decorate for Them 232Estate Sale 233Getting Into the Cycle 233The Work to Be Done 233A Flipped House 234Vacant 235Cheap Furniture Outlets 235Basic Furniture Requirements 235Historic Home 237It's Show Time 239Photos Worth More Than 1,000 Words 239Taking the "After" Photos 240Return to the Scene of the Crime 240Oh, the Places They'll Go 241Taking Control 242Secrets of Stunning Pictures 242It's the Equipment 242Wait for a Sunny Day 243Open House Options 244Four Types of Tours 245Real Estate Professional Open House 246Broker's Open House 246Public Open House 246By Appointment Tour 241Game Time 247The Nose Knows 247Bring the Outside In 247Lights On 248Valuables 248Furry Companions 249Last Minute Prep Work 249Parking 250Your Ultimate Goal 251AppendixesGlossary 253Staging Checklist 257Timeline Estimator 265Resources 269Index 273