Ann Maurice bought home staging from the US to Britain
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Selling your home is all about the presentation. Home staging expert Ann Maurice reveals her top ten gripes that stop homes selling for their highest and best possible price
People tend to lose sight of the way their house looks because they’ve lived in it for so long. It’s all their colours, their things, so they can’t imagine they’d need to change anything. This is the biggest downfall when selling a house, sellers can’t see their home the way buyers do. When I first started doing House Doctor things were pretty dire, people’s awareness is so much higher now but I still see the same ten mistakes made over and over again.
1. Clutter
This is the greatest contributor to a home’s not selling or selling at a reduced price. It creates chaos, makes rooms seem smaller and makes the house look neglected. You need to be brave and have a clear out. Be brutal, if you don’t use it or love it, then you don’t need it.
In this country we have a lot of older homes and the amount of stuff people cram into them is unbelievable. I think that’s very English, although people are definitely changing their ways. De-clutter before anything else, that doesn’t mean make a cold empty shell, but it does mean if your furniture is too big take some of it out. If you’ve got too many things around you; too many books, too many small pieces of furniture, a lot of pattern, all of that is going to close down the space and it’s also going to make an area uncomfortable. I de-clutter all the time, I am in a constant state of de-cluttering because I am always in a state of re-shopping.
Buyers make up their minds subconciously within 30 seconds of entering a house if they consider a possibility or not, so the exterior of your property and entrance could make or break a deal. Make sure your lawn is regularly trimmed, broken fences are mended, dead plants removed and broken plant pots fixed. If you can’t face the hassle of preening your garden, try artificial grass from Prima Lawn (primalawn.co.uk) for a perfectly manicured lawn.
2. Misuse of colour
You want buyers to respond to your property so use neutral colours in large areas. People react differently to strong colour, so when preparing your home for sale avoiding colour statements will increase its overall appeal.
As far as your accents go, you can bring in a lot of colour with your art work, with your soft furnishings, with your cushions and throws and bedding. Add an area rug or runner to enhance the colour scheme and décor in any room – you’ll be surprised at how much it will. I have some slides in the home-staging course that I teach showing a very natural stone coloured room with light wooden floors and a neutral rug, but by the time you put all the accents in, the art work and the cushions and so on, the room is transformed. Then if you take that colour out you’ve still got a very neutral foundation for any buyer to walk into.
You can manipulate the size and shape of any room using colour; in general cool, pale colours expand, while darker hues shrink space. When properly executed colour is the easiest way to create a harmonious environment, but also remember that the lighting used in a room greatly affects how the different shades are seen by the eye.
Never use a colour just once in a room, repeating it will give symmetry, but bare in mind that flashes of colour create energy, pale areas give the eye a rest and pattern and texture add interest and excitement – balance is the key.
3. Lack of cleanliness
This is very important, the outside of your home especially so, as you only have one chance to create a first impression. Remove all unnecessary items and repair anything that needs fixing. Make sure all windows and window frames are clean and pay special attention to the front door, any chips or peeling paint should be disguised and invest in a new welcome mat.
Cleanliness covers animals as well, as a pet owner you may have become immune to their odours but a potential buyer won’t be. Make sure you have cleaned out the hamster, got rid of any remnants of dog food and hoovered up the cat hair from the sofas. You want your home to be super, super clean.
This is imperitive in the bathroom, no one likes the idea of it having been used before. Banish all products and accessories, you need to think “sterile”. Make sure tiles are clean and grout is free of mould or mildew. Use mirrors to make the room look bigger, fresher and more open. Add tokens of colour with new decorative soaps and fluffy towels. It is the same for your kitchen – they need to be impeccably hygienic.
4. Improper furniture placement
Buyers are buying space and the more space you can present, the more your property is going to be worth. Furniture should be scaled to the size of the room, don’t be afraid to eliminate or send it to storage if you have too much. Make sure to arrange the furniture away from the walls to allow some breathing space and never block doors, windows or architectural features.
A room with a clearly defined purpose is much more memorable to your viewers, they should be able to identify a room’s function instantly. Without a lot of effort a “spare” room can be converted to an office, guestroom, nursery or playroom. And having a visible and usable patio is like having an extra room if properly dressed with tables and chairs.
5. Lack of focal point
If a focal point doesn’t exist, create one. You should have something attractive or interesting in every room for the prospective buyer to focus on immediately upon entering. It provides somewhere for them to direct their gaze, encouraging them to feel more comfortable. This dominant feature is also essential to connect everything in the room and guide their line of vision.
Buyers subconciously make up their mind whether a house is for them within 30 seconds of entering so make sure your hallway is perfect. Then stand in the corner of each room, not the middle, and see what needs improvement.
6. Ineffective use of lighting
Lighting should be adequate, non-glaring and dimmable. A mirror strategically placed adds interest and will reflect light into a room making it appear bigger and brighter. Different layers of lighting are essential for creating ambience. Using candles offers a dim light which is endearing and homely, while halogen lights show your home in all its glory.
7. Inadequate or misuse of storage
To make the most of storage space in your home you have to think vertically, laterally and cubically. Wasted space (under sinks, on top of, or at the back of cupboards, under beds, under stairs) needs to be divided and subdivided into usable components. Space dividers, baskets, containers, shelves and drawers can turn a cavernous hole into a system of functional compartments. Try using see-through containers to revolutionise your wardrobe, particularly the way you store your shoes. Rethink your storage and you’ll be amazed at how much a trunk or chest in your sitting room can hide.
8. Improper use, lack of or inappropriate artwork
Artwork should be neutral in colour and non-offensive. Your teenager’s bedroom could be the worst culprit here, adolescents rooms can sometimes be quite offensive often with tasteless imagery. It is important that the entire house is presented to the same standard.
Consider using art tactically as well, a painting depicting food or dining in the kitchen can stimulate the sense of taste, making the house appear more homely which will encourage the viewer to feel comfortable.
9. Improper use of accessories
Dressing or arranging a shelving unit or bookcase has the same principles as doing an entire room. Odd numbers create invitation, even numbers tend to be more formal and static, although they do create harmony. You can showcase some of your favourite things but remember less is more, too many accessories soon becomes clutter. Invest in new accessories to tie the room together, you can always take them with you when you leave. Cluster accessories together that are alike in colour, theme or material. Sometimes you will need to update more expensive accessories like taps, the sink, stove or oven to guarantee a sale.
Accessories are very important in the bedroom – you should dress your bed with fresh linens and coordinating cushions. Avoid strong colours, confusing patterns and the boudoir look, something “sexless” is more appropriate.
10. Lack of life
When I was doing the House Doctor programme I would get emails from everyone saying, “I don’t know what’s going wrong, I took everything out of my house and its not selling”. Well first of all I’ve never said paint everything magnolia or white – it’s never left my lips that way and second of all you’re missing the most important part. Everything else can be done by anyone, a cleaner or a painter or decorator, you’re missing the true staging of the plot. What you have to do is put the life back into the house and there’s a very fine line between it looking artificial, stilted and false, and it looking like a beautiful home where anyone’s going to feel comfortable. Those are the kinds of things I teach on my course.
Subliminal sensory stimulators are the hidden persuaders that stimulate the interest of the buyers. Your aim should be to try and subconciously make the potential buyer form a positive bond with the property, so that they begin to imagine themselves living there. You need to excite all the senses. For sight you need balance, achievable with the points already covered, and don’t forget fresh flowers and plants for an instant touch of colour and life. Silence can be awkward, so try playing soft background music while showing the property and make sure there are no negative sounds such as dripping taps, dogs barking or screaming children. The sense of touch is also very important, so avoid rough or unstable surfaces and pointed corners. Make sure all surfaces are clean and free from grit and grime. Air movement such as billowing curtains also stimulates touch receptors.
Taste is not as obvious a sense to excite, but taste buds can greatly affect our moods. Use bowls of fresh fruits or vegetables as “accessories” in kitchens and dining rooms. And remember the artwork tip from point eight above.
Smell is crucial, every home has its own scent, which can dramatically affect the way one feels while inside it. You can disguise odours with air freshener but the best scent of all is clean, fresh air.
COMMENTS
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i can always take them with you when you leave. Cluster accessories together that are alike in colour, theme or material. Sometimes you will need to update more expensive accessories like taps, the sink, stove or oven to guarantee a sale.
Thanks for building this together,
I have no idea how much time it has saved me. smile
You have done a great job. So many tips, everything is so exactly. Anyways, by dinner, you must want to relax a bit and listen to nice music. So you can find it at music search engine. Enjoy!
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2010 05 10
manchester handyman
i need to excite all the senses. For sight you need balance, achievable with the points already covered, and don’t forget fresh flowers and plants for an instant touch of colour and life.
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2010 06 08
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For sight you need balance, achievable with the points already covered, and don’t forget fresh flowers and plants for an instant touch of colour and life. Silence can be awkward, so try playing soft background music while showing the property and make sure there are no negative sounds such as dripping taps, dogs barking or screaming children.King Size Metal Beds
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2010 07 16
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2010 07 22
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