13 Home Staging Secrets  as found on  HGTV.com

” Highlight your homes strengths, downplay its weaknesses and appeal to the greatest possible pool of prospective buyers with these 13 secrets of Home Staging!”

1. Throw out old belongings that simply lend to a clutter-filled home.

2. Too much furniture is one of the biggest mistakes homeowners make.  Consider rearranging a few core pieces in your space and see the difference.

3. Pulling furniture away from the walls to create groups within a room will help with traffic flow in and through the room.

4. Shake up the room’s style and attitude by periodically moving furniture around and incorporating old accessories into your design in a new way.

5. Make that junk room into a dreamy craft room.

6. Let light in. Unveil windows of drab and dated window treatments and make sure there is no outside shrubbery blocking natural sunlight.

7. Most homes are improperly lit.  Aim for 100 wts. every 50 square feet in layers of ambient, task and accent lighting.

8. Color can be incorporated in many ways, so don’t be afraid to use it creativly.

9. Looking for a chic and dramatic style?  Try freshening your furniture with a coat of black paint.

10. Displaying art in the traditional way – in a circle at the same height around the room – can make it invisible.  Leave the sterotype behind and display art in surprising ways.

11. Odd numbered groups for accessories, especially threes, tend to be more eye appealing.

12. Head outside and grab some greenery from your yard to bring a fresh look indoors.

13. Creating a warm entrance to your home is welcoming to your guests.

HELPFUL TIPS FOR MARKETING A SMALL HOME

These tips can help buyers look beyond the  square footage of your home and see the potential of loving the life they would live there.

1. Use bright lighting.  Light gives the impression that your space is a good one with nothing to hide, and buyers respond to light and bright.

2. Offering creative storage solutions helps potential buyers see that your house is liveable.

3. Home buyers will look beyond small when they see high end details such as granite countertops, hardwood floors and energy efficient appliances.

4. Let there be light! Dark colors will make a room look smaller in size.  Go for light wall colors that will give the appearance of more space.

5. Create the illusion of space.  Homeowners can usually afford to pack away at least 50% of their belongings.  Downsize on stuff  to upsize on space. “Visual space” can easily be added by removing items from a room.

6. Clean is critical.  Clean windows, walls and any reflective surfaces to add light and the illusion of space to any room.

7. Expose your flooring, especially if this is a selling feature of your home. Remove the rug, or reduce the size. Rugs CAN add warmth, but all too often they are not needed and are merely covering up your real estate!

TOP 10 WAYS TO INCREASE CURB APPEAL!

1.  Stand on your doorstep and look around.  This is what potential buyers will be doing!  Look up – is your door surrounded by cobwebs?  Are your light fixures in need up updating? Is your welcome mat worn and outdated?

2. REMOVE trash cans from sight! You are selling your home (not your gargage!), and visable trash cans will not enhance your listing!

3. Keep your lawn well manicured and the weeds pulled.

4. Your shrubbery should be well manicured and maintained.

5. Add flowers for a splash of color that lends a happy, welcoming, inviting vibe.

6. Remove lawn ornaments since they do not appeal to all buyers.  A chair or bench is okay.

7. Evaluate your siding. Does it need to be replaced? Repainted? Repaired? Washed? Ensure all trim work is in good repair.

8. Remove all children’s toys from view.

9. Make sure your driveway and sidewalk are CLEAN!

10. Consider replacing your garage door light fixtures for an updated look. Make sure front door and garage door light fixtures coordinate!