Not sure if I already told you, but a HUGE thing to me is how to organize a house on a budget. Staging can be an investment, but my clients give me the feeling that they or their friends and family are watching HGTV (which I love, by the way!) and have a reality TV picture of the staging and the actors and not a realistic image. . In fact, I have saved my erection clients money, time and energy because they were under the false assumption that when erecting a house, they needed to work or make changes that simply were not necessary. Not to mention how much money they saved by putting their house on and off the market super fast!
As a Stager, I do my best to understand who your target buyer is, what their strengths and weaknesses are in the marketplace, to work with what you have, and to be as intrusive as possible in your home. Here are some true tricks of the stage trade that can really help you save money and organize a home like a pro!
Do not paint the trim
If your trim is in good or only light condition, save time and money, but only paint the walls if necessary. If there are a few chips here and there on your white edge, a good old-fashioned bleach (that’s from the typewriter days, kids!) is great for touch-ups.
Do not refinish hardwoods
Hardwoods are a HUGE selling point, even if they’re not in the best shape. Giving them a good cleaning and minor spot touch-ups is all you may need.
Don’t buy new furniture
I had a client who lived in a house that was last decorated in 1984. To say there was tons of Formica and polished brass is an understatement! The house had been on the market 3 times with no offers, so the seller thought that she would need to buy new furniture to update the look of the house. I didn’t agree with her completely and we worked with her ’80s finery by adding updated artwork and accessories. After preparing the house for a quick sale, the house was sold in less than 3 weeks with a bidding war! The seller saved on both ends of the selling equation, good!
Don’t replace outdated appliances
If your appliances are in good condition and look good, don’t upgrade to the newer variety of stainless steel. When we moved into our house, one of the selling points for me was that I was able to install exactly the appliances I wanted instead of paying for what someone else had installed. If they are worn or old, ignore this advice and head to Lowe’s right away.
Do not automatically update outdated lighting
When you start changing lamps, you can put yourself in more work than you think. You never know what you’re going to find when you remove an accessory, so many times it’s best to work with what you have and update the look of everything around the room so that the outdated accessory isn’t the only center of attention. spot. Spray paint is also a wonderful thing and now that it comes in metallic finishes, you can really bring a dated accessory into the new millennium easily and cheaply. One big exception to this rule: If you live in a luxury home/community and still have construction grade fixtures on your first floor and “first impression” rooms, change them! It will be totally worth it!
Don’t change all your brass
A quick fix for polished brass is the Brass and Bronze Aging Solution. For less than $10, you can upgrade your bathroom fixtures, and with less hassle.
