GRAB BUYERS’ ATTENTION AT THE FRONT DOOR: WHY CURB APPEAL MATTERS

Many people mistakenly assume that even if their home’s exterior could use some updates, buyers will fall in love once they get inside. The problem with this thinking is that most times buyers won’t make it inside the home. Some will refuse to go enter the home, while others will spend the time inside looking for things that confirm what their initial impression was, based on the exterior of the home.

     However, this works both ways. If buyers like what they see on the outside they will find reasons inside to confirm that initial positive impression they got from the home’s exterior. Some buyers find homes by driving around neighborhoods where they would like to live, and look for homes for sale. If they see one with great curb appeal, they may be the one to bring it to their agent’s attention and ask to see it.

     On the other hand, agents will send batches of listings to their clients, who will drive by each of them before they decide whether or not they want to actually make an appointment to see the interior. The way a home looks on the exterior sends a message to buyers about how well the sellers maintain the entire home -- whether or not this is actually true or not.

     As you can see, there are many valid reasons for giving a home’s exterior the attention it deserves. The actual techniques you use to improve a home’s curb appeal will vary, depending on each individual home. But remember, home staging always includes a home's exterior. Specific examples, ideas and suggestions are given in Curb Appeal: An Important Step for Staging a Home. And remember, as with any home staging technique, it does not necessarily have to cost a lot of money and you will see the results in your home’s selling price and time on the market.

Both of these pictures are examples of homes with great curb appeal.

Copyright 2009, 2008 (respectively) by one2c900d (from Flickr.com)

STAGING STATISTICS: PROOF THAT STAGING DOES INDEED WORK

There a still plenty of skeptics that still need to be convinced that home staging is effective and worth the time and effort required. While I can show you all the pictures in the world of the best staged homes, the real proof is in the numbers –- more specifically the amount of time the home is on the market and the selling price. There are just some of the most common.

• Staged homes spend 73% less time on the market than non-staged homes. (RESA, Real Estate Staging Association) 
• The average cost of home staging is about 1-3% of the asking price, but the rate of return is 8-10%. (NAR, National Association of Realtors) 
• The cost of staging your home is almost always less than the amount of the first price reduction. (Multiple sources) A staged home will sell, on average, 17% higher than an unstaged home. (U.S. Housing and Urban Development) 
• Sellers who spent $500 on staging recovered over 343% of the cost when they sold their home. (Homegain) 
• In controlled tests selling identical homes professionally staged vs. those not staged, the unstaged houses sold in 102 days, while the staged houses sold in 45 days! (Real Estate Staging Association) 
• It is estimated that only 10% of home buyers can visualize the potential of a home.(Multiple sources)
• In a 2009 Home Gain Survey of over 2000 Realtors, it was discovered that home staging typically provides a 586% return on investment! (Homegain) 

     In addition to the belief that staging does not work, there are other myths about staging and common mistakes that are made, often based on these misconceptions. As you can see from the above statistics, when done correctly, home staging clearly works.

This staged kitchen will attract buyers with it's clean, crisp appearance. Copyright 2010 by Percita

Use staging to show buyers how to use all the spaces in your home. Copyright 2010 by Maegan Tintari

INEXPENSIVE HEADBOARD IDEAS

When selling a home, things as simple as making sure each bed, especially the one in the master bedroom, has a headboard can make a big difference. This gives the room a more finished look and can often be the focal point in a room. 

Don’t worry! I’m not going to suggest you go out and buy a headboard. There are many simple, inexpensive ways to add one (or even the appearance of having one). Headboards are also great places to add color and texture. Here are just a few suggestions. 

 

Curtains: Hang a curtain rod behind the bed, as close to the ceiling as possible, and add curtains that coordinate with the other colors in the room. 

This is an example that uses both curtains and shades. 

Copyright 2012 by Kristen DiNobile 

Molding: You can purchase inexpensive molding and trim pieces at home improvement stores. Pre-primed pieces make the project go faster. Hang them horizontally and vertically to create the appearance of custom paneling. 

 This homeowner went a step further and used molding as an outline for another material. Fabric, wallpaper, or paint would all work here.

Copyright 2010 by It's Great to be Home

Wainscoting: You can buy pre-primed pieces of wainscoting. Simply hang them behind the bed. The number of panels you need will of course vary based on the size of your bed. The height is really a matter of personal preference. Just make sure the size fits the proportions of that particular room. 

Doors: Find an old wood door and mount it horizontally behind the bed. It might look great “as is” or it may need a good sanding and a coat of paint or stain. If you have 2 doors you can do the same thing, but hang them vertically, side by side. This technique also works with shutters or room divider screens.

Paint the entire door one color, paint the inserts a different color, or just hang "as is" for a rustic look.

Copyright 2010 by David Jaquin 

Fabric: This idea requires very basic DIY skills. Cut a piece of plywood or MDF to the dimensions of a headboard for your bed size (such as queen or king). Many home improvement stores will do this for you. Add some batting or stuffing. Finally, cover the entire piece with inexpensive fabric or even a leftover sheet, blanket or quilt. The fabric can be attached with a heavy duty staple gun, which can be found at home improvement stores for as low as $20. 
     An alternative to this idea is to use 12” square pieces of plywood, MDF, or even cork board. Cover each piece with batting and fabric in the same way described above. Hang them in a checkerboard pattern. You can use the same fabric or mix and match to create a pattern. 
     The squares work great if you have leftover fabric that is not enough to cover an entire headboard, but could be cut to fit smaller squares and then mixed with other leftover fabric pieces. Making your own fabric headboard leaves lots of room for creativity in the choice of fabric, You can vary the material, pattern and/or color. 

This headboard uses just a simple, single color fabric. 

Copyright 2010 by Iriskh

Paint: Use paint to create a checkerboard pattern on the wall behind the bed. Use painters' tape to create squares or any other design pattern. You can even outline the the finished painted area with strips of molding. Stripes work as well but make sure they either go from floor to ceiling or you use molding to outline the pattern. One color option is to use tone on tone squares, which are neutral and sophisticated. 

Bookcases: Place 2 bookcases behind your bed. They can double as nightstands. Just make sure not to add too much clutter on the shelves. You could also turn them around if the backs are finished and look appealing (or you could even paint the backs.) Visit furniture retailers and design sites and use the photos there as inspiration for creating your own inexpensive versions. These are really just a few ideas to get you brainstorming on your own. 

     Look through your garage, basement, or attic and hit yard sales. Look for something that can be turned into a headboard. Don't forget that there are many inexpensive tools that can help you transform these items. Headboards are just one of the many finishing touches you can add to a staged home that only give the appearance that you spent a fortune.

STAGING TIPS FOR THE FALL SEASON

With autumn quickly approaching, many home sellers are wondering what décor items are acceptable to use when their home is on the market. I generally recommend using seasonal items, as opposed to those that refer to a specific, such as Thanksgiving or Halloween. For example, putting a few pumpkins at the front door is a great way to dress up the front entry for the fall season. However, a jack-o-lantern, which is more specific to Halloween, is probably not the best choice. Here are a few other quick ideas for adding seasonal interest to your home.

• Put out some plants that either bloom at this time or provide color with their leaves. These are just a few attractive fall bloomers: asters, Russian sage, perennial sunflower, Helenium, sedum, Japanese anemone & crocus. My blog post from last year at this time gives quite a few examples, along with pictures and more detailed information on each plant.

Autumn Joy Sedum
 Copyright 2006 by Peter Stevens

• Add warm-colored towels, throws, pillows & entry mats. Think about fall colors such as browns, yellows & golds, oranges, & reds. 
•  Group mini pumpkins, gourds, or dried corn cobs in decorative bowls or baskets.

Mini pumpkins in basket
Copyright 2007 by Pete Markham. 

• Replace faded summer flowers in your vases with branches bearing fall leaves in colors that complement your home’s décor. Luckily, fall leaf colors work with just about any style or color palette.  
• Think about candles in scents like apple, cinnamon, or pumpkin. Natural scents are appealing to buyers. Just make sure they aren’t too strong. Candles still give off a light scent, even when they aren’t lit -- and candles should never be lit when you aren’t at home. 
• Consider replacing bowls of lemons and limes with apples or small squash varieties. 

Mini gourds in basket 
Copyright 2008 by Bastion

   
 These few tips should be a good starting point for you. Learn more about what you should do when staging a home, as well as those things you should avoid.

WHAT'S NEW IN HOME STAGING PRODUCTS

 
Take some help from these great new products when staging your home.

• Yankee Candle Good Air Line: this new line by the popular candle company is designed to neutralize odors, which is much better than simply trying to cover them up. The scent is fresh and clean—exactly what you want when staging a home. The line includes air fresheners, sachets, candles, room sprays, and home fragrance units.
• HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams: if you have trouble figuring out how to mix and match different paint colors, here’s your solution. HGTV and Sherwin-Williams worked together to create a line of paint colors that work together. You can mix and match without worrying. And even better is the fact that most of the paint colors are zero VOC.
• Realtor.com is reporting that the overall real estate market is entering a recovery period. You can read the full report on their website. According to June 2012 Real Estate Data, “Low inventories, combined with steadily rising list prices are positive signs that the overall market is gaining traction and is entering a recovery mode.”

New products appear on the market all the time to help make staging that much easier.

SUMMER STAGING TIPS

While some staging tips are universal regardless of climate or season, there are a few specific actions you can take each season to make your home even more appealing to buyers.

Make sure to highlight outdoor rooms, especially seating areas. Show buyers how to use the space. Outdoor rooms add square footage to a home. 

Photo by Tmelini 

Add flowers in bright, bold colors. Pastels tend to look washed out during intense summer sun. One exception: if you live in a very warm climate, white flowers can provide a feeling of cooling relief from the heat. • Add planters to the entry, patios, decks or beginning of walkways • Plant annuals around the base of the mailbox • Include flowers or foliage plants in empty or bare areas.

Photo by Mike Deal 

Keep the interior space at a comfortable temperature. • Set the AC at a reasonable temperature. If it’s too hot or too cold buyers may not want to linger. When they don’t spend time in the home they can’t make that emotional connection that is necessary for them to want to purchase your home. • If you don’t have AC, open the windows for cross ventilation and turn on any ceiling fans.

Keep the interior light and bright. • Open up all windows and shades • Use lightweight material for drapes and bedding • Remove any heavy area rugs • Replace slipcovers and blankets made of heavy, winter materials

Here are a few more summer staging tips: • Add some chilled beverages with a note for buyers to help themselves. • Leave out a flyer with local summer activities offered in your city or county. • Flowers and plants create the feeling of summer. Add a few to your home.

Bonus tip: take pictures of your yard so that you can use them if you are planning on selling at another time of year.

Photo by Landscape Design Advisor

If you follow these staging tips you'll entice buyers to take a closer look at your home. The more time they spend in your home, the better the chance they will make an offer.

A FEW DIY PROJECTS

FIRST: COMFORTER PARTS BECOME SHAM PILLOWS

     I had purchased a beautiful comforter set – one of my few splurges. The instructions said it was machine washable, but unfortunately that must not have been the case. The second time I washed it, the stuffing became bumpy and the corners started ripping and separating. After numerous attempts to contact the retailer, I resigned myself to the fact that I was not going to get a response. It was beyond repair too. 

     Trying to figure out how I could at least salvage something from it, I opened the rest of the corners, and removed all the stuffing. At the time, I had two decorative shams, but no pillow to go inside them. I only had my basic sleeping pillows. Not wanting to spend money on pillows to put in decorative shams, I decided to create my own with the stuffing from the comforter. 

     I used two basic pillowcases, and filled them with the stuffing. I secured the case opening with iron-on hem tape. Then, I put them into the decorative shams I had. They looked just like real pillows.

     Total cost for two “pillows”: $0 and about an hour of time. 

Copyright 2012 by Kristen DiNobile

SECOND: MISCELLANEOUS FRAMES BECOME CONTEMPORARY WALL ART

     I had an old frame that I wanted to use to create a botanical print collage. Unfortunately, the glass shattered as I was completing the project. I also had two other frames that were missing the glass pieces. I knew there had to be a way to merge these mismatched pieces into something unique. 
     Using very thin nails, I hung the frames in an overlapping pattern. The frames are a mix of white and deep chocolate brown. In the dining room, I also have both types of frames, so this piece brings all the wood colors together.
Total cost for unique wall art: $0 and 10 minutes of time. 

Copyright 2012 by Kristen DiNobile

THIRD: CURTAINS BECOME COMFORTER SET

So, after losing my comforter to the washing machine, I needed something else. After already investing money in the first comforter (more than I usually spend), I was not about to spend any more. I scoured my closets for some ideas. Recently, I had downsized from a home to an apartment. Therefore, I had some extra curtains. My favorite ones were these beautiful white panels I had purchased from JC Penney. They have a combo hidden rod pocket and tabs in the back. I had a total of 4. Could I somehow transform these panels into bedding? It was worth a try. The comforter seemed easy enough, but I also needed shams and a bed skirt.

     I used my favorite “sewing” product, hem tape. I used it to attach two curtain panels together to create the bedspread – more like a duvet cover without the pocket. It worked out to be the perfect width for my queen bed. I used the other two panels to create a bed skirt and two pillow shams (for those new “pillows” I made in project #1, above). I measured the dimensions of my current shams and used them to create the new ones. 

     I did the same with the bed skirt. The reason I had enough material to make a bed skirt is that I don’t put the skirt on the bed the way most people do. I hate having to ask someone for help lifting the mattress to remove it for washing. Therefore, whenever I purchase a bed skirt, I cut out the entire center and tuck each side between the mattress and box spring. 

     When I made this skirt, I didn’t need to waste all the extra fabric that stretches under the mattress. I measured the sides and bottom of the bed, cut the curtains to size, and hemmed all the edges using the hem tape. Did I mention how much I love this stuff?
  
     Note: I removed the curtain lining and just used the actual panel, which is made of a heavy-weight material. I don't like heavy comforters when I sleep. If you tend to be cold at night, and want more insulation, you could keep the liner and add some filling between the layers. 

     Total cost for a comforter set (with 2 pillow shams and a bed skirt): $4 for a roll of hem tape (which I already had) and about 2 ½ hours of time.

Copyright 2012 by Kristen DiNobile

     Of course, I have plenty of other ideas for DIY projects, which I'll share with you in future entries.